CAMPING BLUDGERS Business owners see red over FNQ’s free recreational areas
Caravan park owners feel pinch as freeloading travellers set up base in rest areas
TRAVELLERS making good use of the Far North’s free camping spots are taking a toll on nearby caravan park and camp ground owners.
The business owners say, although the areas provide somewhere for visitors go when their parks are full, many travellers do not even consider checking in with camping grounds about availability before setting up in poorly equipped areas.
Problem zones include the Greenpatch near Gordonvale, Palm Cove and Ellis Beach.
The caravan park and camp ground owners want a crackdown by the State Government and Cairns Regional Council.
BUSINESSES are demanding more regulation of free camping areas as they watch potential profits go down the drain from travellers misusing recreation facilities.
Fishery Falls Holiday Park owner David Butteriss bought the business in November and was upset to find there were no takers for non-powered sites because road-trippers and grey nomads could stay for free at Greenpatch, less than 20km down the road.
Travellers have also been seen staying outside of camping grounds on the beachfront at Palm Cove and Ellis Beach.
“I’ve noticed it getting worse,” Mr Butteriss said. “I thought things would pick up around my park and we’re getting a fair few people but I’ve not got one person who wants a non-powered site.
“I’ve seen up to 100 people at Greenpatch, the toilets are inadequate, they’re washing dishes, emptying septic tanks and dumping faeces in the river. It’s really hurting us.”
Cairns Regional Council and the Department of Natural Resources and Mines are in talks to grant the council full control of the area for recreation purposes. But Greenpatch is the responsibility of the DNRM and camping is discouraged through signs.
A DNRM spokeswoman acknowledged some travellers stayed overnight for safety reasons, such as driver fatigue.
“A reserve for recreation may be used for camping with the provision of limited facilities,” she said. “The length of stay is to be restricted to no more than three nights.”
Cairns Regional Council Division 1 representative Brett Moller agreed Greenpatch, in particular, needed to be managed and he had noticed as many as 120 campers using the site.
“Formalising the space would restrict the number of campers and help meet environmental requirements, provide economic opportunity through a heritage and indigenous culture walking trail into the Gordonvale town centre and allow for that overflow in numbers to be dispersed to other established caravan parks and legal camping grounds,” Cr Moller said.
“This would provide a winwin situation and tick a lot of boxes for a positive outcome.
“We’ve certainly indicated we want a closer working relationship between the council and the state, we want to develop walking trails and other things special to the southern corridor of Cairns.”
The DNRM could not provide information on campers fined for overstaying the 72hour limit.
Cairns Regional Council is responsible for mowing, removing rubbish and providing cleaning and servicing of toilet facilities at Greenpatch.
Cr Moller said in the absence of a management agreement with the state it did not have power to otherwise regulate the site.