Vic government wants to charge for camping

[wqlava1]

....and now the replacement Vic government has removed the camping fees. The article I read in the Age mentions 60-something camping sites been free again - dunno if that is all of them.

[petie]

Here you go:
http://m.theage.com.au/victoria/basic-c ... mdhoi.html

Good news, previous system was ridiculous.

[il padrone]

All good news

The crazy camp fee system through on-line bookings was unworkable.... not the least because Parks staff were unwilling to put in the added time to run as debt-collectors, seeing as any effort did not produce extra revenue for their national park, the money just went into consolidated revenue for Spring Street

We camped in the Grampians last September and paid no fee to do so, despite the requirement. No-one came to check on our camp-fees.

[kb]

I paid $60 for 2 nights at Cope Hut during 3 Peaks. It would have been pretty easy to camp anywhere but hopefully the money goes somewhere useful.

[Wingnut]

I don't see any reduction in the cost to stay at Wilson's Prom which apparently is the most expensive park to stay in Victoria now...

Freaking $59.20 just for one night!

[Dave Trees]

I don't see any reduction in the cost to stay at Wilson's Prom which apparently is the most expensive park to stay in Victoria now...

Freaking $59.20 just for one night!

..... and in peak season it's still subject to a ballot for sites - demand exceeds supply even at that price (although not by as much as it used to).

[il padrone]

The major camping injustice in the previous fee system was that for basic and undeveloped sites - those which have just a basic toilet, water, and maybe a table; and those that are complete bush sites with no facilities at all.

Wilsons Prom camping sites do not fall into these categories - they are another experience altogether.

[Wingnut]

Yes...but what makes it hard to swallow is the fact camping was always an opportunity for those who couldn't afford costly holidays...

[il padrone]

You can still do this. Just don't try to do it at Wilson's Prom .

For the past 15 years we have camped each summer with the family for 1-2 weeks in a more spacious, treed site than you'll get at Wilsons Prom, at Cape Paterson. We paid very little for the site for the first 7-8 years, then the owners changed and the price went up..... to about $450 for 1 week, for 4 people. Before that it was only about $180 for 1 week

That current fee is $16 per person, per night. Cheap enough? You can do similar at many other lower profile coastal or bush locations.

[Dave Trees]

You can still do this. Just don't try to do it at Wilson's Prom .

I don't understand why anyone would want to camp at Tidal River in peak season - it would be like camping on the Rosebud foreshore, with tents so close together that if you farted people would hear you 3 sites away !

[Wingnut]

I camp or used to at the Prom in winter and outside the main holidays...95% less people then and the kids love it...