Fraser Island question

Submitted: Friday, Feb 11, 2005 at 13:11

ThreadID: 20340 Views:2147 Replies:4 FollowUps:9

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Member - John C

I don't think you can have a fire now :=<

but can I take a generator?

John

Reply By: rihearn - Friday, Feb 11, 2005 at 13:19

Friday, Feb 11, 2005 at 13:19

Funny that this question should come up as my girlfriends brother was talking about it last night.
I therefore went exploring on the net this am!!

QPWS says

No fires except in designated communal fire rings at designated campsites. They stopped supplying firewood on the island in October so you have to bring your own and they have banned open campfires from this month.

No Gennies as its a national park. Didn't read this on the web though. I've just been told it by others in the past.

AnswerID: 97846

Reply By: DiesAl - Friday, Feb 11, 2005 at 13:22

Friday, Feb 11, 2005 at 13:22

Gday John, got this from the EPA website:

Generators -

May be used by beach campers, providing that the noise does not disturb other campers. Please be considerate of others and minimise use after 9pm.

Are not permitted in any of the QPWS campgrounds.

Are not permitted for use on any other part of the park.

Cheers

Al

AnswerID: 97847

Follow Up By: Member - John C - Friday, Feb 11, 2005 at 13:31

Friday, Feb 11, 2005 at 13:31

Thks DiesAL

must be blind. X-)

FollowupID: 356390

Follow Up By: Utemad - Friday, Feb 11, 2005 at 17:40

Friday, Feb 11, 2005 at 17:40

Below is a quote of Section 88 of the Nature Conservation Regulation 1994. I guess the beach thing comes under paragraph 1 subsection a.

I think it's $75/penalty unit.

88 Noise control
(1) A person must not use a generator, compressor or other
similar motor in a protected area—
(a) unless its use is permitted under a regulatory notice or
permit; or
(b) in contravention of a regulatory notice or permit.
Maximum penalty—50 penalty units.
(2) A person must not use a radio, tape recorder or other sound or
amplifier system in a way that may cause unreasonable
disturbance to a person or native animal in a protected area.
Maximum penalty—50 penalty units.

FollowupID: 356428

Reply By: Member - John C - Friday, Feb 11, 2005 at 13:23

Friday, Feb 11, 2005 at 13:23

Yes I didn't see it on the website so thought it may have been a grey area.... i.e not policed by rangers...?

AnswerID: 97848

Follow Up By: DiesAl - Friday, Feb 11, 2005 at 13:36

Friday, Feb 11, 2005 at 13:36

No worries mate. I'm looking at heading up there in Sept, has anyone heard if the fire ban is permanent ? We hope to beach camp but It's just not the same without a camp fire.

Al

FollowupID: 356391

Follow Up By: Utemad - Friday, Feb 11, 2005 at 17:51

Friday, Feb 11, 2005 at 17:51

The fire ban is permanent. I remember a study done once which discovered that camp fires did huge damage to the ground beneath it in sand. This is due to the fact that the heat kills the little organisms that live there which help provide nutrients for plant growth. So no organisms=no plant growth. So when groups put their camp fire in a different place each time it was makng the camping areas very unvegetated and crappy looking. Been to Inskip campground??? It also recommended people didn't turn their vehicles around behind the dunes but rather drive straight in and reverse out the same tracks. This would minimise damage.

The plan was to put fire rings in the camping areas which would also unofficially designate exact camping spots as people would congregate around the rings. However I guess they decided to limit the rings to only a few areas.

I camped for two weeks around Tassie without one campfire but my brother will have a campfire every night without fail. Each to their own but in this case it has been decided for us.

FollowupID: 356430

Follow Up By: BigPop - Friday, Feb 11, 2005 at 18:29

Friday, Feb 11, 2005 at 18:29

Although some of the points raised by Utremad sound feasible I have to disagree.

I have been going to Fraser and beach camping for quite some years now and we camp at the same spot every year. Nearly every year we go to this spot there will be the remains of a campfire left by other campers - come back the next year and that campfire spot will be nearly totally grown over with grass, vegetation etc - all the older spots are virtually non-existent as far as evidence to a fire being there so maybe some of their research could be wrong.

Don't get me wrong I don't condone the use of fires - especially BIG ones - but the excuse given by some of these so called researchers I believe sometimes is made to make their research look good.

Just my $0.02 worth

Regards.
BigPop
(I never get lost because everyone tells me where to go)

FollowupID: 356442

Follow Up By: Utemad - Friday, Feb 11, 2005 at 18:46

Friday, Feb 11, 2005 at 18:46

Like I said that is not my info but University of Qld. I never actually said that vegetation will never grow back. From what I've seen the often used areas look terrible hence my reference to Inskip Pt campground. Perhaps that spot you mention is not used very often?

Although everyone has there own perceptions of the health of the environment in a given area.

FollowupID: 356447

Reply By: Member - Jack - Friday, Feb 11, 2005 at 15:10

Friday, Feb 11, 2005 at 15:10

This came off the EPA Wesite as regards firewood:

Firewood and open campfires
Visitors are encouraged to bring and use their own fuel or gas camping stoves to help Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) in its attempts to reduce the high numbers of burn injuries related to open campfires. The policy on open campfires also aims to reduce the risk of wildfires caused by campfires and helps create a clean-air camping experience on Fraser Island.

QPWS will:

prohibit open campfires except in provided fire rings from 1 February 2005.

cease providing firewood to Fraser Island from 31 October 2004

QPWS provides communal gas barbecues at:

Central Station day use area,
Waddy Point day use area,

Dundubara day use area and campground.
Campers who want a campfire in the communal fire rings provided, must bring their own firewood. However it must be untreated, milled timber (e.g. mill off-cuts), not bush timber, as this reduces the risk of introducing foreign pathogens and other pests into the park. Visitors are reminded that all flora in protected areas, including dead trees or fallen limbs, is protected by law and therefore cannot be cut or collected.

QPWS provides communal fire rings at:

Waddy Point beachfront campground
Waddy Point campground
Dundubara campground

I think I might find another spot to visit in March.

Jack

The hurrieder I go, the behinder I get. (Lewis Carroll-Alice In Wonderland)

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AnswerID: 97865

Follow Up By: Member - John C - Friday, Feb 11, 2005 at 16:30

Friday, Feb 11, 2005 at 16:30

This is 'backpackers ahead of locals' policy I'd say.

I think the

>>"in its attempts to reduce the high numbers of burn injuries related to open campfires. "<<

statement is a cop out.

Doors closing all around us.

Although Moreton fire hasn't helped.......good on ya mate.

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Follow Up By: jenkie - Friday, Feb 11, 2005 at 19:11

Friday, Feb 11, 2005 at 19:11

Fire at Moreton wasn't caused by a camper. Told by ranger it was caused by a flare that someone let off from a boat to celebrate new years eve. Sent flare inland instead of over the water. Caused a lot of damage. We arrived on the Island about 7days later and the fire flared up again when we left the following weekend

Jenkie

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