Camper Trailer camping in NP

Yes I know what you mean. But it is not only that. Some of the so called sites are just to small to fit in between the permapine logs.They really don't want anyone staying in there. Less people = less maintenace and I guess less enviro damage

Cruiser,

I'm glad someone else finds this problem as big a pain in the butt as i do.
My wife and I do most of our camping in NP's and it's always a problem. When i complain to NP staff they tell us to pitch the camper in the car park in front of the bollards. As far as I am concerned that's not good enough!

I think this problem is related to the overall management of NP's. If your an eco nut or a bushwalker with a small tent on your back then your a hero as far as NP are concerned. As for the rest of us, we can get stuffed! NP management don't seem to understand that all types of people use NP's including people with camper trailers.

The bottom line is NP would prefer those of us with camper trailers just went away!

Cruiser,
go to www.campertrailers.org and subscribe to their forum, then propose it there...

They have some 400 members and you will get their support to start something if they haven't already started it...

Will

Hi Cruiser,

Big problem, and in my experience the same in most States. The campertrailer group have discussed this issue quite a lot but so far we haven't done any lobbying (maybe it's time we did). Be it the use of bollards, logs or SMALL campsites they all seem designed to discourage all but the small tent user. Often, anything bigger than say a 4 man tent won't fit. And as for caravans, coaster buses or the like, forget it.

Our old camper was a soft floor rear opener. Advantage was that sometimes we could back the trailer over the bollards and flip it open within the designated campsite. In effect, the trailer straddled the bollards. Of course, this doesn't always work.

In some places you can set-up in front of the bollards where the car would normally be parked but generally we prefer to move on instead. Recently some friends of ours did just this at the Honeymoon Pool campground near Collie. After a couple of nights, the ranger came along and told them they would have to move. There was only one (token) large campsite and this was already occupied so they had no option but to leave.

It seems to me the the NP people are very out of touch with how many Aust. are choosing to travel. Caravans and campertrailers are experiencing a MASSIVE surge in popularity and yet are not catered for.

In many cases, we are not asking for extra room either. Just a little more thought in how bollards are placed. They seem to like to put them across a campsite to separate parking from camping. The only reason I can see is to stop cars encroaching onto surrounding flora. They could still achieve this by placing bollards around the edge of the campsite thereby making the site far more user freindly.

It should be noted that this policy effects more than just the "encumbered" traveller. Many people sleep in their vehicles and are effectively forced to sleep in the carpark. Others (such as ourselves before becoming campertrailer owners) lived out of the back of our 4WD (ie. we had a "kitchen" set-up in the back) and the split campsite policy was always a pain.

:o( Melissa

OK Guys (and girls) the good news!! In South Australia this is the exception not the rule. In Flinders Ranges, Gawler ranges and Gammon ranges NPs sites accommodate trailers and, there is more, in Flinders NP they now differentiate between 4WD and 2WD! It works well. Recoomend you try sites in Brachina Gorge, adajcent to Bunyeroo Gorge and at Aroona.
Mike

Yep I agree with everyone, They just don't think about trailers. Chambers Piller is a good example. We had to put our trailer up in the car park but my car was blocking the road to which the ranger suggested this was not practical. My response was if he had a better solution I would listen otherwise his camping area was not practical and he should put some extra thought into some changes. Lets hope they soon listen and be a bit more practical when building new camp sites.
Glen

Gday all
the only way you can solve this problem is to contact np controler in each state & find out when the draft management plans for each park are due to be renewed,then loby like hell to have the changes to the camp area section changed to reflect camper trailers if ypou dont do it this way once the management plan is accepted & in place np must follow it . public comment is always been welcome here in wa by calm
& changes are achieveable if done with in the system.
Hope this helps
Regards Bruce

I had an experience recently (Jan 2003) that says it all (for NSW at least). I went into the NSWNP office in Nowra (Sth Coast NSW) to try and get some info and maps of any 4wd tracks. The woman who served(?) me must have been very new as she told me "We don't cater for 4wd's. In fact we try to discourage 4wders." I then mentioned the bollards around the camping areas and said they discourage camping as well, especially for people with a camper trailer like me. Her reply was "That's the idea." First time I've heard anyone from NP being honest at least. I only hope that the bush fires around Canberra cause the pollies to have a rethink on NP policy and allow/force fire trails to remain open to all. I know that when members in my club go for a drive in state forests, if a tree has fallen and blocked the fire trail it is removed by the members not only for us but also so the fire fighters can get in and more importantly, out of harms way if need be.

Send letters to the NPWS Region concerned - addressed to the Regional Advisory Committee - made up of members of the public such as 4WD users thru to full on environmentalists. This letter will be brought up with the Regional Manager at quarterly meetings held with this Advisory Committee - it is this committee's role to push the public's concerns and get things done. Also mentioned earlier was that submissions should be made to the Plans of Management for the parks - yes this also would work but I would say the advsiory committee would be the best approach and also letters to local MP's.
The bollards issues is that there needs to be some control to stop the idiots who are determined to do donuts on the grass - but yes the camp sites can be designed to accommodate camper trailers. On the Central Coast NSW go visit Mill Ck near Wisemans Ferry (Dharug NP) or go to Big Yango station (Yengo NP) which are close to Sydney & Newcastle & provide great weekend get aways - providing for camper trailers.