Tick of approval for illegal camping site
A TIGHT cap on visitor numbers has been woven into Cairns Regional Council’s $2.4 million plan to legitimise an illegal camping ground in Gordonvale.
Caravan park operators have long bemoaned the loss of profits to the unlawful but unpoliced camping at Greenpatch Reserve, beside the Mulgrave River.
With the State Government about to hand over the site and a $1.5 million grant, the council has knocked up plans to landscape the crocodile-prone grounds and lock the gate during the wet season.
Only about 40 campsites will be created in an effort to ease pressure on new amenities and limit negative impact on competing businesses.
“We’re actually controlling it, so we’re reducing the 80 to 100-plus campers to 40,” Division 1 Cr Brett Moller said. “Also, we are assisting the camp operators as well as all other businesses through our Drive Tourism strategy that we’re working on with TTNQ.
“We are also working with park owners here to increase that visitation.”
Fishery Falls Holiday Park owner David Butteriss remained unconvinced.
“I just don’t know how they’re going to regulate the numbers,” he said. “If they cut it down to maybe 15 or 20 people, maybe it wouldn’t be too bad. I’m worried that it will really affect us.
“If we close down, it means the pub closes down and then that’s the end of Fishery Falls.”
Mr Butteriss was unconvinced closing the park for three months of the year would guarantee safety.
“What happens in a flash flood? That thing rises about a foot every 10 minutes when the river floods,” he said.
A report says the park currently costs council $114,000 a year in operational costs.
That figure would be slashed to $68,000 after the redevelopment, largely due to amenities upgrades.
“Council is not proposing to create a new caravan park at Greenpatch, rather it is the intention to formalise and regulate an existing activity,” the report says.
“Travellers have been camping at Greenpatch for decades and to date there has been no regulation of visitor numbers or length of stay.”
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