Just read an interesting article in this months Wanderer Magazine on the Leave No Trace Scheme which leads to a interesting website http:/www.freechoicecamps.com.au/ or just google freedom of choice camping.
If it helps in our fight to retain free camping ,I'm in.
Thanks for the support - I am one of the three founders of that website and the Facebook page. We need to keep the fight going. Things may be a bit quiet at the moment on the frontline but I am sure that it is only a temporary lull.
The best thing anyone can do is watch the Facebook site and the new articles on the website and respond to surveys and comment to newspaper articles when we are able. There are currently a couple of them running today on Facebook which we can do our bit to be heard. Also if you find articles from your local area or whilst travelling then please send them to us. The more noise we make the better off we will be - people power to the fore.
A very good site. I have been utilising the www.freechoicecamps.com. au for quiet some time.
We all need to voice our desire to have that choice of freedom camping or staying in an over priced and over rated van park.
The web site gives us an opportunity to contribute on a forum related to our chosen life style.
Lorries, you are doing an exceptional job with the web site.
Col Coleman is a person friend and an avid supporter of the web page.
He is trying to get as many of our chapter onto freechoicecamping.
Congratulations,, job well done.
I agree it's well worth supporting the Freedom of Choice site.
However there are a few things in the section about individual towns that I would question. Innisfail for example has a number of free camps in it's council area where I have had no problem with the council inspectors. Plus there's the beautiful and welcoming free camp area at Babinda which is just north of Innisfail (admittedly that's in the southern part of Cairns council). And in Bundaberg area there are quite a few places where no-one (official) will hassle you if you freecamp, but Bargara is a very upmarket suburb and while I don't agree with the residents who don't want freecampers, it's not unexpected. And Norval Park is not free, but the permit is only $5pp/pn reducing for families and longer stays, so considering it is maintained and has a toilet I think that's reasonable.
It's a crying shame to lose our freedom camping, but please don't be too negative as this may put people off from getting out there and that would just make things worse.
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Cheers, Marianna.
The more I learn about people, the more I like my dogs (Mark Twain)