All campsites in New South Wales national parks now have to be booked in advance as part of a wider Covid-safe strategy.
NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service says the new rule applies to locations that were previously available without a booking.
“This is necessary to protect our visitors and prevent the spread of Covid-19,” a spokesperson said. “With limited availability for bookings in popular campgrounds throughout summer, we encourage you to consider visiting lesser-known national parks.”
The NPWS said popular areas may be closed at short notice to ensure visitation levels do not exceed safe capacity, including picnic areas and beaches.
“The booking rules or maximum capacity may also have changed for your preferred destination, so please check the webpage for your chosen campground while planning your visit,” it said. “We remind you that physical distancing is still required for all activities in NSW national parks.”
National park day visitors have been asked to avoid busy parks between 11 am and 2 pm on weekends and during school holidays to avoid congestion.
Fine by me. The last two parks we stayed at were Blackman’s camp in the Warrumbumgles,, NSW and one up in the Bunya Mountains in Qld. Both require a reasonable drive to get there from anywhere, so it was nice to know there would be room when we arrived.
Geez I wished that they would stop blaming everything on the Covid virus. There were 1365 deaths from the common flu between Jan and July this year (7 months). There have been 908 Covid related deaths since the pandemic started (12 months)! And there have been 1100 fewer deaths in aged care facilities this year compared to last year. These figures are freely available on the Australian Bureau of Statistics website for anyone’s verification.
It seems to me that the NP are being run more and more by left greenies that just don’t want us unwashed rabble visiting ‘their’ park.
Unless the campsite is constantly overcrowded I cannot see a reason for this implementation. I’ve been caught out at a couple of campsites when they first implemented this online booking and despite there being plenty of vacancies, I couldn’t access any internet service to make a booking. This takes away any spontaneity in my travelling plans.
What about the people who don’t have a computer or smart phone? I guess they just won’t be allowed in.
Covid it all but over so why bother implementing rules that won’t apply
The $6.00 booking fee is to cover the cost of monitoring numbers.Bullshit it is,I’ve been camped up for 8 days,have not seen anyone from NSW Parks.Gov using Covid as an excuse to grab more money from those who can least afford it.
Many organizations are using Covid to change the rules and procedures…mainly for their benefit and making it difficult for us.
They expect everyone to just “get online” making it seem so simple from their up town air con offices.
Reality is their staff numbers (office and field) have been cut to the bone. No one to moniter or supervise. This is obvious by requesting camp caretakers to manage all the camping areas.
They dont like the public to visit their sacred domains..!
The spontaneity has gone, from just rocking up, to a park anywhere. We may be in an area, both on the bike, or with the camper, come across a park, like the old days, go in and camp. Usually, their is no phone or internet service, so wont be able to do that anymore. The sooner they shut down, the least used parks the better. The better it is for wildlife that is. I can see , a lot of parks getting little use, and they being shut up for good, then mining being allowed when no income is being derived from them. I don’t really care. The powers to be are closing down a lot of public areas now, as well as shutting down free camping and c.van parks as well. Is one of the reasons we are not expending large amounts of money in recreational vehicles anymore. Waste of money now.
Love you guys
Before i f found this post i was under impresioi am the only one to be unhappy about NP booking
Beenhakker camping for more than half century albo paying taxes to keep NP costs and all
All of the sudden Covit came and we can go to work (been always working _ essential services)
And shop but in the bush you can get Covit from the distance of your camp site cery anfortunate looks after we payed our dues burocrats of NP they just dont want us there
On one ocassion we were told Turon river camp is booked out friend of my stillwent the place was empty this what we dealing with
Recently i fiiled up complain form on internet with instruction to replantacji to me havent Heard from NP since
Well lets just hopie ill go black to what it was and we can enjoy OUR Parks again