Date Registered: 08-2012 Location: Canberra, ACT TOTAL POSTS:479
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Re: If its open by the Australia Day Long weekend, might make the trip up north for the weekend.
--- Michael K
2012 X-Trail Series IV Diesel TS
Member X-2600 (C)
Mods: Pedders Lift Kit, Bash Plates, 16" X-trail Steel Rims, 235/70/16 A/T Tyres, Heavy Duty shock absorbers
Date Registered: 08-2011 Location: Lalor Park, NSW TOTAL POSTS:1663
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Re: Stockton Beach Bad news everyone.... today they installed gates at the Lavis Lane entrance to Stockton Beach. Not sure of the purpose yet but gates being installed is never a positive thing for access. It seems pretty obvious that the 'temporary' camping ban is well on it's way to being permanent and it may even end up being worse than that. Stay tuned and prepare to be disappointed
Date Registered: 08-2011 Location: Lalor Park, NSW TOTAL POSTS:1663
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Re: Stockton Beach OK Folks good news and bad news. The Worimi Conservation Lands Board of Management has prepared a Draft Plan of management for the park.
Good news: Camping will one day resume at Stockton Beach.
Bad news: It will be in designated camp sites in one section of the beach only. Dogs will be banned. 4WD access will not change from it's current status (i.e. beach fron and RVA access only) - we all knew the 'storm damage' thing was a load of bull****.
They are inviting submissions. Here is mine.
Dear Sir/Madam,
I write in response to the ‘WORIMI CONSERVATION LANDS DRAFT PLAN OF MANAGEMENT’. I have read the plan and have several concerns regarding restrictions that are proposed to be placed on users.
Camping – in response to the management response in Section 12 1.
“Camping will be permitted only at designated sites in designated camping areas. The designated camping area or areas will be located southwest from Tin City, behind the beach and frontal dune.”
I agree in principal with the proposal for a designated camping area as it will make management much simplier and idetifying those that do the wrong thing easier for authorities. This can only be positive in regards to keeping down the amount of rubbish, poor fire extinguishing practices etc.
What the proposal lacks is:
• Provision of rubbish removal – if camping fees are to be introduced then surely rubbish removal could be incorporated into the fee. This would surely help the problem with rubbish on the beach.
• Location choices – many people camp on the beach to fish, sandboard (slide down dunes on cardboard) etc. With the mobile nature of sand dunes and beach gutters, a permanent designated camp in a single location would make it very difficult to camp near where you undertake these activities. This would restrict the ability of children (and some adults) to entertain themselves while some adults remain at camp. The obvious issue would be transporting several children and one or two supervising adults to ‘play areas’ whilst other adults remain at camp (say to look after sleeping babies). Similarly for fisherman who have children, it makes night fishing difficult as, more than likely, a person would be unable to maintain visual contact with the camp area (and sleeping children) whilst fishing.
I would suggest that in addition to the main camp area proposed, additional smaller designated camp grounds could be scattered along the beach. Some of the camp grounds should also include beach front camp (subject to storm and/or tidal closures).
Dogs – in response to Section 12 1.
“Issues
Dogs at campsites
Dogs have regularly been left unattended or off-lead at campsites, sometimes to act as a deterrent to lower any risk of theft from campsites. Uncontrolled and potentially aggressive dogs pose a significant risk to visitors and staff. Many dogs also escape from campsites during storms. See also section 12.4.”
There is no dog friendly camp that I know of where dogs are allowed to be left behind at camp unattended. If not already prohibited, it should be. Given that camp fees and an associated registration system will be introduced, one would assume that tracking and fining or otherwising punishing dog owners who undertake this practice would become relatively simple. Punishing those who do the wrong thing is much more logical than banning dogs altogether. There is a serious dearth of dog friendly camping options in the Port Stephens area. Stockton Beach was the last remaining year round dog friendly camp site. All other beaches in the Port Stephens area already have dogs banned, including the only other 4WD access beach (Samurai). Stockon Beach must be maintained for dog frienly camping or dog owners will be forced outside Port Stephens.
“12.4 WALKING, INCLUDING DOG WALKING
The majority of visitors who choose to bring dogs to the WCL have their pets off lead at least some of the time during their visit, and commonly whilst on the beachfront. Uncontrolled dogs pose a threat to fauna, especially threatened shorebirds, and visitors. The presence of domestic animals such as dogs, including whilst on a lead, has also been shown to have an impact on fauna (Banks and Bryant 2007). Issues with dogs at campsites is addressed in section 12.1.”
Dog owners obviously like to exercise their dogs whilst visiting the beach. Would it not make more sense to create an off-leash section of the beach to allow this to happen? This would also allow campers with dogs to exercise their dogs during the day and ensure they are restrained whilst back at camp. Having a designated off-leash area would simplify ‘policing’ of owners picking up after their dog and restaining their dog approriately.
40% of Australian households own a dog (ref: http://www.acac.org.au/pdf/PetFactBook_June-6.pdf). From my experience, this number would likely be even higher amongst outdoor recreation enthusiasts. Not being able to bring the family pet away on a weekend away is hugely prohibitive to this massive proporation of the poulation.
My only other comment would be regarding 4wd beach access. Whilst beach front driving is OK at low tide, having no alternative makes planning a trip very difficult. Some days the beach may only be traverseable at dawn or dusk. An alternate track behind the frontal dunes would allow much better access during high tide periods. It could be made that this ‘backup’ track is only to be used when the beach front is impassable. Provision of a tide chart with the beach driving permit would allow users to identify when the backup track should be used and when it is safe to drive the beach front. The issue of 4wds driving over the frontal dune to access the ‘backup’ track could be solved by constructing timber tracks through specific sections to allow access without causing any additional erosion or damage.
In summary, I'm all for preserving the experience, ensuring users do the right thing and controlling numbers of campers but I believe what has been put forward in the draft management plan is not preserving the experience. It's changing it entirely. I want to be able to camp and fish within 50m of camp and bring the dogs like we all used to be allowed to do at Stockton. I want to do all this knowing that those who do the wrong thing and leave rubbish, don’t pick up after their dog, throw glass into fires etc etc will be punished and the area will remaing a beautiful place to camp and enjoy for generations to come.
Regards,
Todd Hore
It summarises the issues that are important to me. If you want Stockton to be like it was I suggest you read the plan (all 92 pages) and prepare your own submission.
Date Registered: 11-2012 Location: Broome TOTAL POSTS:547
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Re: Stockton Beach Good reply todd. Would it be a good idea to do a group response from the forum that if members agree they can sign there names to it, kind of like what they are doing on the 4wd action website? I would be happy to agree to this. Or if not through the forum could we organise group response and leave the forum name off it.
What do you think Jalal?
--- Cheers
maxgmoore X-2776 (c)
My Ride 2003 Series 1 T30 Ti
Date Registered: 02-2004 Location: SUTHERLAND, SYDNEY TOTAL POSTS:29100
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Re: Hi Max,
I think everyone would react a bit differently to the proposed plan and while the issues Todd outlined may impact some 4WD owners, it doesn't apply to many others, so it is not practical to have that single submission used by all.
You can however do your own submission like Todd has done and fill in THIS form to have it electronically submitted.
There is a window of opportunity until February 2014 to do so.
