'Disappointing' trend at Aussie campsites prompts stern message to tourists
A seemingly careless camper is the latest to be called out after leaving behind discarded gear and rubbish while visiting K'gari in Queensland.
Aussie campers are being urged to show "respect" when visiting some of Australia's most popular and sacred spots with a rise in deliberate and illegal dumping of rubbish being observed by authorities and travellers alike.
While it's happening all over the country, with more and more Aussies doing the wrong thing and leaving a mess, the latest example at a camping ground on K'gari, an island in Queensland, is "extremely disappointing to see," the Department of Environment, Science and Innovation (DESI) told Yahoo News.
The area, formerly known as Fraser Island, has long been popular among tourists and locals. In the past, those visiting have been warned against doing the wrong thing — particularly with dingoes. Now, the issue is with leaving rubbish behind.
"We are seeing increasing numbers of people purposefully dumping rubbish," a spokesperson said. "K’gari is a world heritage area for a reason, we would urge all campers to treat it with the respect it deserves".
Campers called out for leaving rubbish at K'gari campsite
The remarks are in response to complaints from a man visiting a popular campground at Awinya Creek, located on the heritage-listed island, over the weekend. He claimed a group of campers deliberately left a bunch of cheap camping gear they'd used before driving off.
Photos shared online show a blow-up mattress, a tarp and bags of rubbish seemingly left unattended. A Kmart sleeping bag case with a person's name written on it was also among the pile of discarded items.
The man, who'd been camping there himself, claimed he saw the group "in a white Triton taking photos of the sunset the night before". The next day, they "packed the rest of their stuff and drove off".
The careless act infuriated Aussies who called for culprits to be "banned for life". The suggestion echoes others made previously after reports of rubbish being left at a camping ground in NSW's Kosciuszko National Park.
Others fear if it continues some campgrounds might be closed for good. "People like this ruin it for the rest of us. So disappointing," another said.
Some however suggested the group may not have left, and that they might have been returning. But it didn't appear that way, according to the poster.
Campers face $322 fine for leaving rubbish
The deliberate dumping of rubbish on K'gari is an offence and those caught by rangers can receive on-the-spot fines of $322.60 and $483 for "failing to ensure food/rubbish is kept safe from dingoes (wongari)".
"Leaving behind camping gear is unlawfully dumping waste which is an offence — it can also be a fire hazard and pose a significant risk to native animals on K’gari," a DESI spokesperson warned
"Importantly, it also impacts on the experience of responsible campers and visitors to our wonderful national parks. It is extremely disappointing to see some people have such a blatant disregard and disrespect for the unique environment of K’gari."
Consider your waste when visiting K'gari parks and recreation areas:
Minimise unnecessary packaging, or items when packing.
Keep all food scraps in secure receptacles at your campsite.
Use a portable toilet where regulated or consider using one when camping in areas without provided toilets.
Dispose of all general camp waste and toilet waste at official disposal stations.
Consider taking home any recyclables and disposing in home bins or containers for change stations.
If your camping gear breaks or is unwanted, please take it home or consider donating to suitable charities.
Growing problem at camping grounds across Australia
The issue is widespread, according to mates Liam Fellows and Jack Hall from WA. They were travelling up the coast when they noticed several free campsites and rest stops were closed "due to rubbish".
In a bid to solve the growing problem, they decided to take action by clearing up rubbish themselves. "Our aim is to rescue these brilliant places from being removed from the map and inform others to do their part to clean up after themselves," they said.
Meanwhile, a tour guide recently called out the amount of rubbish left behind by caravaners and 4WD owners visiting some of Queensland's most remote and popular locations.
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