Revised rules for riverside camping must be enforced

FRIENDS of the Barwon have given qualified support to allowing camping on Crown land next to rivers but say measures must be in place to ensure campers follow the rules.

The state Labor Government committed in 2018 to guarantee access to fishing and camping on Crown land that has grazing licences and water frontage.

Under the existing rules, people can already camp on unlicensed Crown frontage but not licensed frontages.

Consultation on the proposed regulations opened in early March and closed on Monday last week.

The new regulations will come into effect on September 1, and Friends of the Barwon president Dr Kaye Rodden says the rules must be supported by proper enforcement.

“We’re not against camping; indeed, we encourage it, as a way of bringing folk closer to nature,” she said. “But we know from experience that uncontrolled camping too often leaves litter and destruction in its wake.”

Friends of the Barwon say it is uncertain whether budgets will be increased to allow patrols at the thousands of Crown frontage sites throughout Victoria.

Dr Rodden said streamsides were as important as national parks because of their special importance to river health, and amenity.

“Three recent scientific surveys on platypuses in the Upper Barwon River showed they rarely occupy streamsides unless they are vegetated with native trees and shrubs.

“As well, we find that platypuses are literally killed by litter; such as the plastic packaging used to hold six-packs of cans.”

She said at least 50 metres of streamside was needed to filter out stream contaminants from adjacent land use.

“Most campers are responsible, but the few can spoil it for the many – and the rivers – unless laws are enforced.”

The proposed changes are not universally popular, with Rural Councils Victoria (RCV) saying last week they could not support them on grounds including biohazards, faeces in rivers and soil, bushfires, danger to the lives of emergency services workers and risks to the lives of campers.

“Rural Victoria has many fabulous destinations, including many fine parks, caravan parks and existing Crown Land camping areas that have many or all of the necessary amenities, but may be in need of resourcing and repair,” RCV chair Cr Mary-Ann Brown said.

“With proper maintenance and funding, these sites could be rendered broadly safe, and would be used more frequently.

“These sites would be known to emergency services as locations for campers and other holidaymakers.

“Safety – for the public, landholders, wildlife, pets and those in fire-prone areas – are the key reasons to encourage the use of these camping sites rather than river frontages on private land, which are not fit for purpose, often hazardous, hard or impossible for emergency services to access and potentially the source of introduced dangers such as fire, biohazards and waste.”