Bushwalk Australia

It seems to me as time goes on and we embrace our wonderful newfound technology like the smartypants phone, and the younger generation of [no I cant be bothered with that] people are now running our parks, it seems the whole system is turning into a joke. Online bookings, no staff, no service, grubby noisy campgrounds, it all seems to be the norm. Spent half the day on the phone trying to organise a parks pass and do the right thing for a peaceful relaxing trip away, only to sit on the phone longer than Centrelink, be hung up on twice before speaking to someone before I decided to say stuff you idiots and go anyway. Typical government dept who instead of doing their job, are more concerned with their facebook profiles. Going away camping is no longer a peaceful experience anymore with all the drama booking a campsite. Rangers all say everyone loves it, [ well they would wouldn't they?] less work for them, but it seems anyone who isn't some old caravanner with a bucket list, or a screaming family of ferals, the people I talk to aren't that keen on the system. I know this happens in every state now, that's why no climbers ever pay to camp at Arapiles any more. When their coffers start not making enough money they will probably have to hire fun police. For me, I think I will just keep camping illegaly and retain my sanity and remember what it was like in the good old days, a couple of years ago. Thanks parks SA for providing the taxpayers with such a great service.

I'm in a few frames of mind on this.

For a few years now we go camping down at the Coorong over Christmas. In 2014 we rocked up, found a spot we liked, filled in the paperwork and deposited our cash in the box provided, and that was that. In 2015 we attempted to replicate our experience, only this time we were confronted at the gate by signs telling us that we had to book online? This was news to me. I didn't bother visiting the website as I knew where I wanted to go, how to get there, and what to expect. Or so I thought. We drove around Parnka Point, earmarked a few choice spots, and then had to head back to the main drag to pick up a signal to book on the phone. Sure enough, the National Parks website doesn't perform very well on an iPhone with patchy coverage but we got there in the end. Later that day a German couple arrives in their campervan, keen to pay for the privilege too. They have cash but no mobile data.

On neither occasion did I see a ranger.

I think it can take the joy out of rocking up someplace at the end of the day and setting up camp. My collague, Ben, wrote of his experiences and thoughts too, and it resulted in quite a bit of debate on the blog.

That all said, it's about managing the assets, isn't it? Knowing how many people are going to be in any one place at one time? This allows them to make decisions on when the rangers should patrol, clean the toilets, etc. Also, eliminating people rocking up to find the campground full. (Though, that's part of camping in my eyes.)

In New Zealand they only have a book first policy for the Great Walks - the most popular hikes that have limited facilities and need to control the number of visitors at any one time. All the other tracks and huts operate on a first come, first serve basis. Twenty people rock up at a 10 bunk hut? You make it a cosy night. That said, you don't pay for these facilities with cash on the day. You buy tickets ahead of time and deposit them at the hut (or with the warden should there be one) or you buy a 6- or 12-monthly pass.

My main gripe with the current situation in SA is the fact that the technology doesn't work very well and there is no redundancy, apart from just rocking up and not paying I suppose.

All in the name of efficiency, my friend.

Yes, we discussed this before. Mt Remarkable (Mambray) is out of my phone range, and I hadn't known to pre-book. ALSO .... if you prebook a month ahead, and its raining cats and dogs, or your car engine conks out, I don't think you can get a refund? Which may mean that the webpage will say the campground is full, excluding someone else. CapeLeGrand in WA has a sensible system; for very busy areas they have volunteer caretakers who get a free site and do some work including collecting fees; ALSO they contact rangers so signs are put up at gate indicating which grounds are full.

Centralized management and Government policy not to use people to do anything as it theoretically more expensive. Someone does need to tell the Government that computer systems cost money and need people to run and maintain and update them.

So it is all in the name of efficiency and reducing Government expenditure which we keep being told is a good thing. Not that we can see much evidence of these efficiency changes in the costs, just more complexity in using the services.

We get what we vote for.

I live in SA and have gone from visiting parks every weekend to not for a couple of years due to other distractions, but am looking forward to planned (loosely, knock off work Friday and decide to go) visiting in Spring. I'm not looking forward to battling through a process other than just rocking up, paying a fee and pitching the tent.

Get the latest Camps book for travelling particularly when you have no idea where you will end up the next day. It lists most campsites whether a pay or free. Also phone coverage and other things. Not sure if it now lists the NP sites in all states. Councils are putting up signs to stop people camping at rest spots. If you are travelling then you are entitled to a rest and the council rangers rarely work after hours. One place just out of the Pinnacles (north of Perth) I found a no camping sign in a listed free spot. A spanner fixed that quickly and then the placed filled up in an hour. I think the council runs the local caravan park as well. We have travelled all over Australia and the money in the box system is still the best. Volunteers in WA are usually there in peak season and after that it goes back to the money in the box. QLD was one of the hardest to navigate. Do not direct the blame or anger to the rangers. If you tell them the truth they will be obliging most of the time. Just don't let is sound like you are trying to spin your way out of it.

Interesting topic, but the comment about money in boxes caught my eye. The popular local training route is up Mt Lofty. Occassionally we park up top. They have a ticketing system which was now up to $4 a pop. But ticket machines had gone. Last Saturday the last one was also gone and a sign gone up that someone had ripped it off its base and stolen it.
A dramatic example of what I believe has been an increasing problem for money boxes and may be what is motivating some of the very annoying and somewhat impractical changes.

eggs wrote:Interesting topic, but the comment about money in boxes caught my eye. The popular local training route is up Mt Lofty. Occasionally we park up top. They have a ticketing system which was now up to $4 a pop. But ticket machines had gone. Last Saturday the last one was also gone and a sign gone up that someone had ripped it off its base and stolen it.

A dramatic example of what I believe has been an increasing problem for money boxes and may be what is motivating some of the very annoying and somewhat impractical changes.

Doesn't surprise me at all. Some people really suck.

It's ridiculous to ask people to book online without either a WiFi hotspot at the campground, or a full time park employee there. I was always amazed at honesty boxes, because I know for a fact they would never work in France, Italy or Spain. People would steal the moneybox or never pay up. This is why in France you will never find a payable campground without a fulltime employee. Because people wouldn't pay.

So it's such a shame that Australia is going away from its wonderful camping system... I loved the times when I could just show up in the Mallee and camp wherever I wanted to, just put some cash in an enveloppe and that's it. Aussie parks don't have enough employees or tourists to have the same campgrounds as in Canada or the US, where over there you get hot showers, electricity hook ups, flush toilets... Hell, some even have WiFi now and playgrounds for kids. Australia is bush camping. A few parks have shower/toilet blocks but otherwise it's just a fire pit and pit toilets. Don't make us pay 30$ online for this when there's like 75% of the spots available most of the year anyway... Only do it for heavily visited campgrounds otherwise it's just annoying for everyone.