Stockton beach closure protest

[Wortho]

http://www.theherald.com.au/story/1244464/protest-over-off-road-ban/?cs=316

HUNDREDS of camping and four-wheel-driving enthusiasts will join a protest next month against their ongoing exclusion from the Stockton sand dunes.

The National Parks and Wildlife Service has banned camping on Stockton beach since June, after storms stripped millions of tonnes of sand from the dunes.

Four-wheel-drive vehicles and fishermen can still access the beachfront area, but the dunes are off-limits.

Brendan Seymour, the editor of 4WD Action magazine, said the move to ban campers highlighted a "two-tiered" approach to national parks.

"It's a bit rough to allow tour operators up onto the dunes, but at the same time say that the average Aussie family can't throw up a tent and camp the night," he said.

Mr Seymour said many people were worried they could be permanently locked out of Stockton beach.

John "Roothy" Rooth from the magazine posted a video about the protest to his Facebook page this week.

The video has already received more than 1600 shares and 300 responses, including many who said they will attend.

"Most of us are greenies too, but unlike the minorities lobbying governments, we just want to go bush and be part of it rather than being forced to peek over a fence," he said.

The rally will begin at the Pitt Street Reserve at Stockton on February 2.

[Turbojohn]

Hopefully this has some success. Stockton is a great place

[Jason B]

A worthy cause.

[GGV8Cruza]

A worthy cause.

It is, but I bet a few yellow canaries are handed out to those that attend

GG

[wiggo]

As much as i dont want to see it closed ,
i am sick of seeing crap being left on the beach.

[Bird]

 so its closed due to storm damage, so lets protest against that

[MarkGU]

so its closed due to storm damage, so lets protest against that

you missed the point Lost. thats the excuse they are giving for its closure. the camping area WAS NOT effected by the storms. its just another excuse National Sparks & Wildfires to close it down for good.

[BigJules]

Whilst I am sure that campers are responsible for some of
The rubbish left on the beach, the sea delivers a fair bit of it as well. I've been on the beach after the two biggest storms in the last dozen years and have seen what washes up. The rubbish is more of a problem down near the beach. The dunes which have been closed are usually fairly free of rubbish.

I am sure that 4wd clubs and groups would happily contribute to an annual beach clean up.

There. Is no legitimate excuse to close the dunes to driving and camping and we have been deprived of a great playground. Also, being dunes and continually moving, 4wding seems to have little to no impact on them.

[03hilux]

Whilst I am sure that campers are responsible for some of
The rubbish left on the beach, the sea delivers a fair bit of it as well. I've been on the beach after the two biggest storms in the last dozen years and have seen what washes up. The rubbish is more of a problem down near the beach. The dunes which have been closed are usually fairly free of rubbish.

I am sure that 4wd clubs and groups would happily contribute to an annual beach clean up.

There. Is no legitimate excuse to close the dunes to driving and camping and we have been deprived of a great playground. Also, being dunes and continually moving, 4wding seems to have little to no impact on them.

Well said. They do have an annual cleanup on Stockton. Maybe they need more than one.

[Bird]

Well said. They do have an annual cleanup on Stockton. Maybe they need more than one.

I think he is saying they shouldn't need more than one.

[craigtempo]

I have to disagree :-) there is stuff that does get dumped on the beach by the surf and then there's the rubbish which is mostly beer bottles and food papers that is left behind by idiots that have no respect .every time I go on the beach and that's often I am disgusted at what these idiots leave behind .I want camping access and dune access as much as the next bloke But it's dosnt surprise me  that the NP, s arnt happy with the state of the beach .....

I'm not either

To close the dunes because of rubbish I think is a crock of sh it .... 99% of the rubbish I see is on the beach and not on the dunes ....

Craig

[BigJules]

Craig, there is no doubt that what you say is correct, but why stop everyone using the space because of a few knobs. It doesn't matter that you don't like it, because now you can't use it to be disgusted.

[Jason B]

Craig, there is no doubt that what you say is correct, but why stop everyone using the space because of a few knobs. It doesn't matter that you don't like it, because now you can't use it to be disgusted.

Agree totally, instead of NPWS continuing their conservation via exclusion campaign why don't they be proactive. If rubbish is their major concern why not install easy to access bins and a recycling centre for the bottles and cans. Why not police the rubbish and issues associated with unsocial campers instead of just a blanket exclusion? Why not regularly send rangers or field officers along the beach to clean up the rubbish left by idiots? Why not get the coppers to enforce other rules that apply.

Why do you pay for a permit? What facilities are provided with the revenue raised? What services do you get from NPWS for the money you pay? What about your tax money that provides the core funding for these departments?

Seriously the NPWS needs to f$&k up and be proactive in the management of these areas and work with user groups instead of putting gates up because its cheap and easy. The more sets of eyes out there the less the knobs will get away with.

Jas

[Wortho]

Stockton beach has had a clean up day for many years now and it's the 4WD clubs that carry out the work (same people they are now locking out).
I've taken part in it and also cart at least two sacks of other peoples beer bottles off the beach after every camping trip. Some of which are 20 years old as the yobbo's just bury them and they resurface during storms etc.

http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/jointmanagement/stocktonbeachcleanup.htm

I agree with the previous comments that the NPWS should manage the littering issue rather than just shut the access down for everyone.

[bushbandit]

As far as i can see its not closed because of rubbish more like sand degradation from previous storms and the new sand is still unstable,  see latest update

http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/NationalParks/parkFireClosure.aspx?id=N1111

[Wortho]

Even before the storms came the NPWS made it clear that they wanted to introduce controlled camping areas and charge fee's for camping.
http://www.4wdaction.com.au/articles/2012/npws-push-camping-fees-stockton
The storms just gave them the excuse they were looking for to shut the camping down and restrict access, next thing you will see is small designated camping area's with bollards driven deep into the ground to ensure you don't breach the boundaries. They just can't except the current arrangement that the Worimi people have had in place for years where you can camp anywhere along the foreshore.
I've been camping there for 20+ years and its always been known by locals that once NPWS took over the management it would only be a matter of time since they locked it down, just as they have already done in many other parks and what were once State forest.

[BigJules]

The storms excuse is just that. I've driven the beach from Anna Bay down the the Sygna since the dune were closed and I challenge anyone to be able to point out any real difference in the beach or the dunes that one wouldn't expect from any large storm. Sand comes, sand goes, dunes move with the wind.

The story I got from two rangers was that the storm had unearthed "significant cultural relics" and as we drove around we saw several shell midderns taped off. I mean no disrespect to the indigenous people of the area, the Worimi, but seriously a few folks had a big feed of seafood and left the shells there. How does that becomes a "significant cultural relic" ? I could understand if it was just a few large areas but there is so many and they're so dispersed I can't accept that they require protection from anything.

[Jason B]

If the midderns have been there for thousands of years why do they need NPWS to intervene now anyway.

Management of anything by the NPWS means passive recreation only, looking and hugging trees accepted. They do not have a compliance policy, do not enforce or book anyone for anything, they just give cautions and close off access.

If they actually enforced the regulations in the parks they might weed out some of the idiots. But instead its easier to lock the gate and penalise everyone. This also fits in with their mantra as an advisory department with very high compliance rates. This is because access is restricted and as stated no rules are enforced.

Dont get me wrong I don't want rangers on every corner, however managed and policed access is a much better option that locking the gates, and corralling people into a 20 x20 camping area.

Jas

[xcvator]

Would be interesting to see what happened if somebody with enough financial clout challenged these people that close off public lands, methinks the npws might get a fright

[huggy]

Why is it that us 4wders can't use the beach , but when I went for an early morning fish I seen a dozer on top of the dunes pushing sand back into the sand mining area ?  I wish I took my phone with me that morning . F$$k I was pissed off

[huggy]

Btw me and my family will be there with our camper in tow

[BigJules]

This is an invitation to anyone from Sydney or south who intending to head up to the Save Stockton & The Watagans rally on Saturday 2 Feb.

The rally starts at 9am in Stockton, then moves to Cessnock at 11am.

I will be at McDonald's Thornleigh from 6.30am, to leave at 7am if you would like to travel up as a group, or even car share.



Map link to the Rally point at Stockton
https://maps.google.com.au/maps?q=King+Street,+Stockton,+New+South+Wales&hl=en&sll=-33.27109,151.43662&sspn=1.127527,2.392273&oq=King+Street,+Stockton&hnear=King+St,+Stockton+New+South+Wales+2295&t=m&z=16

[avotrol]

Dont forget, tomorrows the protest rally at Stockton. Be there or continue to be locked out. See you there Big Jules.
avo

[Kit_e_kat9]

.

[ozbogwam]

I'd suggest ensuring your vehicles are clean, as legal as possible, no obvious defects, drive sensibly because you will be targets for the RTA etc

Good luck