Being self sufficient campers at nat parks and free camps

Submitted: Tuesday, Dec 17, 2019 at 12:09
ThreadID: 139432 Views:8377 Replies:9 FollowUps:6
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In the early stages of looking at campers from tents to small vans and have been told that if you are not self sufficient, in that you have to have a sullage tank and toilet, you can not enter many free camps and nat parks.
How widespread is this?
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Reply By: Member - Jim S1 - Tuesday, Dec 17, 2019 at 14:49

Tuesday, Dec 17, 2019 at 14:49
In my experience most National Parks have toilets, so maybe the camper sales people are trying to up-sell a bit.
Certainly there are more places now that insist on being self-contained, but mostly they are private.
Our camper doesn't have a toilet and we haven't had any trouble finding camping places, either campgrounds or National Parks and State forests.

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Jim
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Reply By: Mick O - Tuesday, Dec 17, 2019 at 16:59

Tuesday, Dec 17, 2019 at 16:59
Pushy those requirements are mainly with private properties. It's an issue along the south coast of WA heading down from Exmouth. Many private farm stays that offer camping require you to have a chemical toilet. Environmentally sound but a pain at times. Have never seen a NP with such requirements.

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Follow Up By: mountainman - Thursday, Dec 19, 2019 at 19:26

Thursday, Dec 19, 2019 at 19:26
And then people still dump the waste product straight on the ground...
Weird logic to me
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Reply By: Member - Warren H - Tuesday, Dec 17, 2019 at 17:38

Tuesday, Dec 17, 2019 at 17:38
Never seen a self-contained tent. Such a requirement would effectively ban tent camping in national parks. Probably not such a bad idea if you want to bush camp and avoid some of the toilet paper littered adjacent areas.
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Reply By: Michael H9 - Tuesday, Dec 17, 2019 at 19:11

Tuesday, Dec 17, 2019 at 19:11
I've only seen that requirement in some towns that open up a common town area for free short term stays. There's one in Robe or Kingston SE from memory and they only allowed vans or big self contained campers, not camper trailers and certainly not tents. I've never seen it in a national park or state forest.
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Reply By: Jarse - Tuesday, Dec 17, 2019 at 20:08

Tuesday, Dec 17, 2019 at 20:08
I've been camping in national parks since the 70's. I've never stayed in a park that required self-containment.
In fact, the first place I've stayed that forbade grey water on the ground was at the Big Red Bash.
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Reply By: Member - Vince M (NSW) - Tuesday, Dec 17, 2019 at 20:23

Tuesday, Dec 17, 2019 at 20:23
Travel a lot & have only had 1 national park request that we have holding tanks black & grey(wa) & even had the dump pipe taped with a seal/tape but different on private properties where many, it has been mandatory that everybody had some form of holding tank & as others have pointed out many councils require you to have holding tanks to stay in there free camps but most have a free dump point in there municipalities
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Reply By: Dave B18 - Tuesday, Dec 17, 2019 at 21:58

Tuesday, Dec 17, 2019 at 21:58
Never seen a national park in any state that requires self contained vehicles.
We do have a portable toilet and wouldn't be without one. Don't have a grey water tank, but do have a 15L squat container if necessary to collect the grey water. To date never used it. All detergents now are low sodium and phosphate and biodegradable. I do put a bit of stocking over the end of the drain pipe to catch any scraps and put that in the rubbish. Other than national parks (now many have got too expensive) we wild and stealth camp and generally make our own free camps.Cooktown won't allow you to stay on the Rec grounds unless you have a grey water tank fitted. People stay ten days and let their grey water on the ground overnight in caravans. We stealth camped in town for 4 nights and had no issues.
I do wish portable toilets were mandatory for free camping everywhere there are no toilet facilities. The mess left by some is appalling. What is more they are so lazy and defecate right on the edge of where they camp. There is also no way my wife or myself would want to go outside in the cold or wet even if there is a toilet facility at the location we are camped.
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Reply By: Ozhumvee - Wednesday, Dec 18, 2019 at 06:27

Wednesday, Dec 18, 2019 at 06:27
We have at least one campground in Tomaree NP here in NSW that requires you to have a chemical toilet per every 4 persons, fines for non compliance are handed out regularly especially in holiday season and long weekends. Given that a Porta potti costs around a$100 a $370 fine isn't really worth it not to have one, plenty of dirty buggers do though going by the "white bushflowers" that are exposed by the wind in the dunes behind the beach.
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Follow Up By: Member - Vince M (NSW) - Wednesday, Dec 18, 2019 at 08:42

Wednesday, Dec 18, 2019 at 08:42
Ozhumvee,
Those white bush flowers are in plaque precautions all over Oz, in the sixty's, seventy's they were pretty rare, but now doesn't matter how remote you go there all over the place. Paterson’s Curse was an obnoxious weed I think those white bush flowers are call Every 2nd Ass
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Follow Up By: Member - Jim S1 - Thursday, Dec 19, 2019 at 19:03

Thursday, Dec 19, 2019 at 19:03
Hey Peter
Where's the campground in Tomaree NP ?

Cheers
Jim
"Sometimes I sits and thinks, and sometimes I just sits." A fisherman.

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Follow Up By: Ozhumvee - Thursday, Dec 19, 2019 at 19:49

Thursday, Dec 19, 2019 at 19:49
Samurai beach campground, it gets pretty busy on weekends and holiday periods but usually pretty quiet during the week. Definitely 4wd access only and very soft out through the dunes to the beach at the moment as it has been so dry and hot for months. It is also clothing optional so if nudity offends don't go.
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Follow Up By: Member - Jim S1 - Thursday, Dec 19, 2019 at 20:44

Thursday, Dec 19, 2019 at 20:44
Interesting Peter. The NSWNP website doesn't even mention camping or Samurai Beach.

Must be for locals !! :)

Thanks for the info.
Cheers
Jim
"Sometimes I sits and thinks, and sometimes I just sits." A fisherman.

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Follow Up By: Michael H9 - Thursday, Dec 19, 2019 at 22:07

Thursday, Dec 19, 2019 at 22:07
It's a nudist beach and there's a wired area at the north end in the dune for camping. Byo toilet required.
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Reply By: Iza B - Thursday, Dec 19, 2019 at 16:17

Thursday, Dec 19, 2019 at 16:17
Requirements vary from camping opportunity to camping opportunity. My travel partner is, her words, too old to squat in the bushes and does not like using the Long Drops seen in many places. NOT getting bitten on the bum by something in the dark and hygiene concerns around other peoples toilet behaviours figure largely in her wants and needs while camping. A porta pottie has been in the back or in the campervan for the last several years. A pop up shower tent allows its use just about anywhere. We collect greywater as a matter of course and dispose according to the situation. Rather than decide on what to do as a matter of ensuring access, we have the facilities to suit our personal preferences. That we can access 99 % of free camps and NPs and other camping opportunities, is a positive consequence of having a chemical toilet and graywater holding tank.

Iza
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