Wilson Prom Bookings

[Lamont]

G'day I have had some feedback about the so called bookings for the Prom Southern Circuit and want to find out if it is true.
That is, people turning up without booking-overloading spaces. No ranger checks so people just completely disregarding the booking rules etc.
The reason for my query is that I would like to make a quick dash and have a bit of lee-way. So if the weather looks less than "ideal" and not many bookings showing, I would nip over for a few nights.
Some folk have told me that they turned up expecting almost no-one and found areas maxxed out, very few bookings but people everywhere!
If it is maxed out as per the Parkweb site I would stay away.
My window is the next 2-3 weeks. But I would like to go as soon as it looks quiet according to Parkweb, if that means anything.
Trouble is it is a ferry trip and 4 hours drive so about 6 hours all up.

Does anybody know if this is true? Do the bookings mean anything?
Any possibility of some LNT/stealth camping if things get too crowded.
Cheers

[Biggles]

The bookings ensure that everybody can enjoy the camping experience at the outlying areas without any sites being overloaded. It is fair and equitable. And yes, the booking process is robust and active, but in peak season it can take some time to reflect accurate conditions. FYI, January is fully booked out 6 months in advance (every year) both at Tidal River and often at Sealers Cove, Refuge Cove, Little Waterloo Bay/Lighthouse Circuit and sometimes Oberon Bay (the last night on the Southern Circuit). Camping/staying at Tidal River, if desired, is done by ballot in June or July: turn up unannounced and you definitely won't get in. The peak season of mid-December to the end of January is a pain and a total lock-out: it is scarcely possible to park at car at Telegraph Saddle for the start of walks to Sealers Cove and cars and people are maddeningly everywhere you look — totally thrown out to mums and dads and kids and bikes and scooters and other detritus.

Rangers do have ready access to, and do check occupation of, sites at all stations. Often it is by trailbike, other times by boat and Sealers Cove has a resident Ranger in the peak season. And they do know about camping-by-stealth — the little nooks and crannies around Sealers Cove and Refuge Cove where walkers have dropped in without bookings and been sprung (they are fined under Parks rules).

February to March is a great time to go: still warm and sunny weather with long-ish daylight hours, quieter everywhere around the Prom, campsites can be freely selected and the outlying stations are begging to be taken. Beware though the joint will be booked out again for the Victorian Labour Day weekend and Easter.

[Lamont]

Thanks matey.

[scroggin]

The booking system is very cumbersome. The drop down boxes "Adults", "Children" and "infants" has to be set to 1, 0 and 0 respectively or it confuses itself showing the hiker campsites all booked out. "Quantity is actually referring to the number of people. When the campsite is "sold" the date picker doesn't show you which dates are free. It would be so easy for them to clean it up.

[Biggles]

The booking system is very cumbersome. The drop down boxes "Adults", "Children" and "infants" has to be set to 1, 0 and 0 respectively or it confuses itself showing the hiker campsites all booked out. "Quantity is actually referring to the number of people. When the campsite is "sold" the date picker doesn't show you which dates are free. It would be so easy for them to clean it up.

Oh yes, it would be easy for them to clean it up if the IT staff were not so ground to the bone with overwork and archaic technology!
You can always telephone Tidal River to make a booking direct, thus freeing yourself from the trauma of the online system.
Personally, I don't have any issues with it.

[paidal_chalne_vala]

If I ever book a walk in campsite at the Prom. then I do it by phone directly to Tidal River. I cannot even look at their online booking system :-0. I prefer the Northern Prom. Even in Easter, over the past Three Easter periods from 2015-2017 the Northern Prom was relatively quiet .One could not even face visiting Tidal River at that time. It would have been horrendous. The Hot Showers at Stockyard /Prom Gate are well situated for a grubby Northern Prom. circuit hiker to have a very welcome soapy hot shower after doing battle with the wilderness.

[Lamont]

Thanks greatly for this, it is very useful for the future.

[Heremeahappy1]

If my actions are anywhere close to the typical behaviour of this online hiking community, then I assume plenty of 'camping where you shouldnt' and 'sleeping in cars' has beem done, written about, blogged and argued. Assumptions aside, I bend the rules when required and I love to guerilla camp, however the Prom always has me second guessing. Max. numbers are 60 at Sealers and 60 at refuge! Ive witnessed 22 at refuge and it was like camping in suburbia. To this end I book online at the prom because, as all experiences, respect and tolerance are a prerequisite for living in society. If one can temper all communications, transactions and decisions with these itll be alright in the long run. Circling back to rule bending, if its for convenience then its lazy and not ok. If Im ducking into a Nat park on foot and off track to get somewhere not permitted and dont leave a trace... "if a tree falls in the woods.." We all have a system to justify out actions dont we, like opinions- everyone's got one.