Feral Campers

Hi Geoff,
Sorry to hear of your unpleasant time.
Unfortunately mate they seem to be a growing bread of animal.
I really don't know what the answer is. You can't approach them cause God only knows what might happen. At the very lest they'll tell you to @#$% off, could be far worse.
The thing that gets under my skin is they carry on in front of kids and women with out a care in the world. If you did say something, I could image the barrage of insults and language that would come your way.
You said it was 2 or 3 groups, it only takes 1 idiot to spoil things and that it one idiot too many.
Hope you next trip is more enjoyable.

Hi Hairs, I have to say it was only at night-time the "ferals came out". During the day I had a great time and I noticed lots of people enjoying themselves.

There was literally hundreds of people in the Watagans this weekend. The very first site before the Pines (forgot its name) was chokcers with people. Not suprising really considering its school holidays.

There's 2-3 campsites all within a few kilometers of each other and its amazing what you could hear in the distance from each one. It was like each site had its own feral group in it lol.

i went there a few weeks back for my first weekend stay -- one quick trip around the pines campsite showed me the same thing you seen - so i just went for a further drive of about 20 min to "The Basin"

had the campsite to ourselves -- had all the ferrels come past in the morning on there unregistered bikes - but the evenigs were quiet -- BUT this is winter time - i dont think i will even bother in summer

The basin is a very nice spot with an amazing water hole with waterfalls - but its just a shame it has such easy access - if it was 4x4 access only then a lot of the ferrel problems would dissapear

Boc

Parents and society as a whole don't pull these people up as kids.
I once had a 5yo bashing the side of my car with a rock. I asked the child to stop doing it. Mum came out and gave me a right royal mouthful of diatribe. I asked her name. Why she asked? So that I can recover any cost of damage that your child does to my vehicle i replied. She dragged the kid off, letting me know just what she thought of me.
Kids learn quickly that they can do what they want. Go into any shop or place they hang out and it's F this and F that. In the loudest voices and in any company. Even the police have to wear it.
Gee thanks your Honours. Thanks to all the do gooders out there. Your pigeons are coming home to roost.
Sadly, we all have to bear the costs.
The good news is that it's only the usual suspects that cause any problems. 99% of kids are too busy or involved with good things to generate headlines.
Sadly the other 1% seem to have grown into a protected species.

The trouble with the Watagans is its close proximity to Sydney....so every man and his dog ( and ferals ) come up for a visit..

When I go up there to camp I go to a secret spot thats only accessable by 4x4, so all the ferals don't bother me..

My wife and I had a similar experience in a Nat Park near Adelaide a few years ago - that experience remains the main reason we rarely camp near others - always hidden in a bush camp wherever/whenever possible.

The Police are the people to contact - the Rangers are rarely (if ever) available after mormal office hours so you should call the Police-use the mobile-that's what they are for. Their jursidiction is not limited - they must come to assist if the behaviour is (as the facts suggest) liable to result in a breach of the peace.

Don't put up with it - a $300 fine (or thereabouts) and an end to their 'fun' is the only thing these morons understand.

(Hopefully) Happy days

George

A bit of a sidetrack to this post,i have been going to Ourimbah State Forest a bit lately, [no camping] closer and easier to access than the Watagans and cannot believe the amount of rubbish that is being dumped there, no one seems to have any respect for our State Forests, ferals - rubbjsh dumpers, that is why places get locked and no access allowed.
As for the Ferals at the Watagans it is a shame cause it is such a nice place to camp.

I was camped at Dunn's Swamp when a big group of young ones arrived , about 50 people in a assortment of vehicles , a lot of utes and a lot of P Plates . They weren't there to camp but party . A night of drinking and swearing . About 10pm I asked them if they would show a bit of decency for the people camped around them and turn down the music and tone down the language . The music went up louder and the language was as colourful as ever .
If you don't like it F off was their reply . I went back to our camp but every word they said could be heard and one loud mouth was drumming up support for some one to come over and fight me . About 2am a group of ten young blokes and one girl started across to our camp to " bash me " , others in their party could be heard telling them to come back and leave us alone . As I was camped with four young kids who were wide awake and terrified listening to every word these hoons were saying , I decided that if things were going to happen then it should be away from the kids , so arming myself with a paddle I met this group halfway and I had murder in my eyes as I had had a gut full of the crap that had been going on all night . After a tense stand off they decided to go back to their fire and leave us alone . Then they decided to head back to town so after a display of wheel spinning and do nuts a large convoy of drunk drivers headed up the dirt road back towards town . One vehicle didn't make the first corner and slammed head on into a tree . Didnt kill them selves . Turns out they were local kids from Kandos Rylstone and Mudgee .

In a subsequent trip a small group were causing trouble one night and a baby started crying and one hero yelled out to shut the baby up or they would kill it . These hero's were detained by campers until the police and NPW's arrived next morning and after eye witnesss accounts of what had been happening around $3000 worth of fines were dished out to these young blokes !
Dunns Swamp is a great place and the Ranger Chris is a great bloke and does his best to deal with these problems . Campers should contact Police and NPW's if you encounter these types .
Was easy when CDMA network was going but now we got Next G its a different story !

I'm starting to wonder if the best cure for this feral problem is an alchol ban in any public camping areas.

Some here will say "why should the 99% of decent people be restricted because of a few idiots?". I guess the answer is it only takes 1% of campers to ruin the fun for the 99%. Besides, do we really need to have alcohol when camping "away from it all" in the bush?

An alcohol ban with a few more ranger/police patrols could definitely help turn around this feral culture of the bush being for loud partying. Let them go to pubs.

I wonder if it would be worth putting a complaint into the powers that be – rangers etc, about your experience Geoff?
I'm sure that they are aware of the littering problem caused by these kinds of people, but maybe if more people were to enlighten them about the sorts of things that really go on....
Well, all you can do is bring awareness to something like this and maybe (wishful thinking perhaps) somebody might have the balls to do something about it!
After all, it's not giving the Watagans a very good reputation!
It makes me SO mad that the minority always spoils it for the majority and they always seem to get away with it!
Perhaps what could be done in these situations is to take the license plate numbers to give to the rangers also?
Maybe even a letter to the local papers to address the situation if nobody seems to care about the complaint.

When we lived over there, not far from the Watagans it was one of our favourite picnic/weekend drives, spots and even when we camped there (2/3 years ago) we NEVER had any problems at all.
I'm disappointed to hear that it's now being spoiled by idiots with no regard for the environment or other people.

A catch 22 getting involved with those causing the trouble; usually ends up meaning more trouble for yourself. By the time it is a problem, especially where alcohol is involved it is usually too late to do anything at the time.

I think the best thing to do is to note the number plates, take a couple of photos if there is litter or damage and give the detail to the authorities and let them take it from there.

Mind you it is a pity to hear this about Dunns Swamp as I have had good experiences there in the past.

The reality is it's, pretty much, impossible to do anything about these people.

They're usually mob handed and we're usually, alone, with a family or another couple - who's going to take on a group of 10 of 20 who have all the bravado and stupidity of a pack?

If I bring a firearm into view I'm immediately guilty of a crime which could put me away for five years. If I discharge said firearm into the ground or other safe direction I'm looking at ten years.

If I take a pick axe handle I'll probably do three or four of them some damage and the rest will turn me into a paraplegic.

Whatever I do they have 10 times the number of witnesses I do and no matter what I do it's going to end up as a major stuff up which will affect the rest of my life.

As much as I hate to say it, in these circumstances, 99 times out of 100, the best thing to do is quietly pack up camp and move on - but keep a few rounds handy... just in case.

Mike Harding

As you pack up at about 6:00 am and these drunken idiots are sleeping off their excesses the use of a tyre valve removal tool to at least three of the tyres in each offending vehicle gives a very strong message well after you have moved on. BTW, don't forget to throw away the valves! Revenge is a dish best eaten cold.

Gday,
What was there reply when you asked them to quiet down?

Cheers

Talbotville on the long weekend.

Same scenario plus unregistered trailbikes and 4 wheelers of the cheap chinese variety.

They spent most of their time doing donuts and generally annoying other campers, chucking gas cannisters in the fire at night just metres from where kids in our group were camping.

The Camp Hosts from VAFWDC's association with DSE/Parks Vic were completely uninterested. I spoke to the ranger from Heyfield the following week who had actually spoken to the group and warned them on the Saturday morning.

I emailed him with the rego's of their vehicles and sent him a disc with the video file of their activities on the bikes.

He'll be pursuing fines.

Video it - you can always pretend to be on the phone these days. Get their details and complain.

I hope they spend their fuel budget for the next 10 long weekends on fines and stay stuck in Frankston where they came from.

Dave

Sorry to hear about your problem - we were camping at Charlie Moreland (Qld) early this year and we had a bunch of ratbags camping near by. Heard loud bangs all night which turned out to be adults yes adults firing a home made mortar with potatoes as -I always find if you talk to the ranger something is usually done and things soon quieten down the next night

That reminds me of a similar experience in the Deua River Park near Moruya many years ago.

One guy had a generator running til 2.00 am to power street lighting, a stereo with shocking music (Slim Dusty), and before dark some sort of power tool with which he carved logs.

I am sure my request to consider others just kept him going an extra hour.

Unfortunately, the anti-Darwinian Baby Bonus encourages these cretins to reproduce, and means that our kids will have to put up with their grand children.