Latest news with #NSWNationalParks
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Former national parks ranger warns of 'disconnection' over planned hikes to camping fees
A former NSW National Parks ranger has added her voice to the chorus of opposition to the state's plan to dramatically overhaul the pricing structure of its campgrounds, and make certain sites materially more expensive for travellers to stay at. Wildlife advocate Louise Andersen recently left the Parks service and worries that if some families are ultimately priced out of major camping sites, it will result in a "really unfair" system that could lead to a "disconnection from nature" simply because some Australian families can't afford to camp in the same way. While the deadline for public consultation on the proposed changes closed weeks ago, adventurer and outdoor filmmaker Mike Atkinson has been leading the charge in calling for the state government to rethink its new pricing plan, launching a petition with the NSW parliament to "keep camping affordable" which has so far accrued more than 10,200 signatures. Louise contacted Mike recently, sharing that experienced rangers like her also harboured concerns about the slated changes. While she initially wanted to remain anonymous, she has now gone on the record. "Since the proposal was announced, I've spoken to several former NPWS (National Park and Wildlife Service) colleagues, and the consensus is clear," she wrote to him. "There is no support for the fee increases." Despite leaving the Parks service, Louise still avidly promotes the hidden gems in Australia's backyard on social media. "We're in this line of work because we care deeply about the outdoors, biodiversity, and protecting country. Unfortunately the proposed price hikes risk undermining this mission... If access becomes unaffordable for most, we risk alienating the very people we're trying to engage," she said. Louise worries that higher fees will "both negatively affect both visitor experience and the attitudes towards the parks". Pricing will be pegged to inflation, meaning yearly increases while the proposal will introduce seasonal price variations, meaning campers will pay more in peak times. Overall, sites will be divided into tiers with the lowest tier reserved for simple clearings with no facilities which will remain free. Campgrounds from tier 2 to tier 5 (which make up 85 per cent of sites) will range from $22 in high season for the most basic campground to $65 for sites that have water and access to a flushable toilet. The top campsites, tier 6, which have hot showers and BBQ facilities, will cost $89 per night in peak season. 🏕️ Major crackdown coming to state amid surge in illegal camping 💲Aussies warned over new $464 fine for 'common' camping act 📲 New Space X service to give boost to regional Aussies, campers While Parks authorities aim to simplify things by potentially scrapping surcharges for extra people in group bookings, popular campgrounds, particularly around Sydney, will become materially more expensive to stay at during popular times. Speaking on Mike's podcast this week, Louise imagined a scenario where Aussie families would be more compelled to fly to Bali than go camping in the state. "You can imagine a young family from Sydney who want to go on a holiday for a week during school holidays. They drive six hours to Coonabarabran ... a whole week worth of camping, there's the cost of fuel to get there, the cost of food ... all of that really adds up ... you may as well book a trip to Bali," she said. While Mike's crusade against the price hikes has been positively noted in state parliament by Environment Minister Penny Sharpe, he is hoping to get his petition more formally debated by MPs because once an ePetition has more than 20,000 signatures, it must be mentioned in parliament. His petition is being backed by Nationals MP Scott Barrett, who said it is essential that national parks are "accessible to as many people as possible". "They're everyone's assets, not just the top echelon," he told Yahoo News. "Everyone should be able to get into a national park, stay there the night, light a fire, roll out a swag and enjoy some of the best country that this state has to offer." Barrett recently spent six months with his family travelling around Australia with a camper trailer where he stayed in national parks, and says this fight 'is personal'. "We should be encouraging people to get out into these areas, not making it out of reach of a lot of people," he said. For NSW residents interested in signing the petition, you can find it here. It will remain open until August 21. According to the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, more than 200,000 campers and national park visitors were consulted to develop the proposal. "Further community feedback will help the NSW Government to decide on next steps and whether proposed changes are adopted and implemented," its website says.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Yahoo
'Simple' solution to major camping issue as price hikes threaten Aussie tradition
Aussies in the country's most populous state could soon face skyrocketing costs to camp as authorities grapple with solutions to ghost camping — a major problem that leaves campgrounds empty despite being booked online. However, an experienced camper who works in the industry believes the best solution would be a simple one. Heatley Gilmore has been a camper for 30 years and runs a camping app that helps Aussies locate free campsites around the country. In response to NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) proposing to increase campground costs, which could lead to campers paying up to nine times more for campsites, Heatley told Yahoo News this isn't the way to address ghost camping. "Nothing will change unless they change the way they manage the customer and the way they manage the booking," he said. "If they don't change anything there, it doesn't matter if they put an extra $20 on the booking, it's not going to change it." The NPWS wants to discourage campers from booking more sites than they need, by increasing the price of in-demand sites and incentivising cancellations. Up to 80 per cent of campground fees will be returned to the camper if they cancel at least three days before the booking commences, and up to 50 per cent for cancellations made after this time. Full refunds will not be provided to avoid people booking more sites, then cancelling late. However, Heatley believes the answer lies in an automated system that sends more messages to the campers at set intervals, constantly reminding them of their booking and giving them an easy way to opt out if there is a change of plan. It would involve text and email notifications being sent to the camper and an easy yes or no confirmation to cancel, instantly making the campsite available again online if a cancellation occurs. Campers currently receive one or two email reminders before their booking, with the emails often including details about the check-in procedure and campground regulations. However, peppering reminders to campers could make all the difference, Heatley believes. "The reality is people just forget... If they implemented an automated system it would achieve what they needed to achieve. The majority of people will do the right thing... it couldn't be any simpler than that." Yahoo News has reported on many campers who have experienced negative experiences due to the ghost camping issue. Jade Payne told Yahoo last year "it's impacted our whole trip" as she travelled around the country with her husband and four children. Another couple who travel full-time in their caravan told Yahoo News they are constantly meeting people across the country who struggle to secure campsites. "There's a lot of people that just miss out on bookings even though the campgrounds are empty... it's not getting any better," Miriam Mace said. ⛺️ Illegal campers warned of $62,000 fines after discovery next to Aussie highway 👚 Temu item caravan family swears by to solve common 'off-grid camping' issue 👀 Aussies warned over crackdown on illegal camping act with $1,200 fines State-governed national parks are adopting different approaches to tackling the issue, with Queensland leading the charge with the strictest regulations after introducing a $322 fine last year to campers who don't show up to honour their campsite bookings. Aussie adventurer and avid camper Mike Atkinson, also known as Outback Mike, has been a prominent voice in the national discussion and accused national parks of simply trying to make "heaps of money" off the recent surge in camping popularity. He has pushed for the booking systems to be dropped completely and instead bring back the first come, first serve approach in place before the Covid-19 pandemic. "By raising fees, they have just blocked out probably the poorest people in Australia from accessing national parks. It's the one thing they should have access to," he said. "Ditch the booking system." Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
