Restristions are needed, In my opinion !

[Lucky_Phill]

Over the recent years I have noted that Fraser Island is being accessed by more and more people. The facilites on the island are on- where near enough to keep up with demand. Many a time I have been to non-allocated camping areas to find PaperDaises everywhere. The smell of humans is overpowering sometimes.

The rubbish left behind and blantant mis-use of the tracks and sand dunes is apparent. Are we getting to a stage where we will find ourselves bidding for alloted camp sites and times, rather than turn up as we please ?

Phill

[NeilD]

The crowds are a pain in the butt. I would much rather go to Moreton and escape the idiots. The kids arn't safe on the beach with the bloody backpackers and other morons at Fraser.

[mackmauler]

Nissan drivers, lets start with them

[chemmy]

i think that some of the bypasses are being over used and screwed over so the less people the better. so what is you have to book a couple of weeks or even a month in advance it is worthit for Fraser

[Derek Bullock]

Ummmmmmmm Phil. What bought this about? ? ? ?

Have you joined FIDO at all becuase some of your questions for the poll are straight out of there thinking.

I believe that before we start asking and/or answering those sorts of questions we need a whole study on what humans are actually doing to the Island. Trouble is there are already a number of conservation groups, FIDO being one of them, who want tourists restricted and even off the Island completely.

I will be interested in peoples comments on this one.


Derek

PS. Are you still peeved off over Toyota giving discounts to Toyota owners for the last Fraser Island Fishing Expo.

[dugong]

get rid of the self drive pack packers and the car drivers who hire 4x4s, they don't have a clue how to drive a 4x4 on the black top ever less in the sand.
the stupid thing you see these ppl doing on and off the beach, its no wonder they have accidents.
and all the accidents, deaths and injurys done by these non 4x4 owners is added to the stats to plaste us considerate, careful 4x4 owners as rat bags.
i'll get off my soap box now
cheers

[roz]

I've never been there, but it sounds as if something has to be done, in my opinion users must pay.

Derek,

Phill will be eternally "peeved off" re toyota discounts, he will just have to get over it ..lol (calm down Phill)

Roz

[Just_chips]

Once again the actions of a few boofheads will ruin the fun for the majority.
I have visited Fraser a few times now as our regular family holiday. If rules and regs and extra fees are what we have to put up with to keep this place as beautiful as it is then I am all for it. Neither myself or my wife or kids can imagine having holidays anywhere else.

Maybe a quick mentality test before you are allowed on a barge is what is needed?

[webby]

What about a lot of the heavily fished areas in SE Qld Waters, are we going to put fees or restrictions on these too or limit each to so many boats at one time.
Lets get realistic, with the population boom and every man and his dog owing a 4 x 4 there intitled to go where every other man and his dog goes.
Yes there are some rabbits out there, but its no different then our sealed road systems.
regards

[roz]

Webby,

I don't think thats a good enough reason to just let it go to the pack. Owning a 4wd should not entitle a person to just go where ever they wish.

There has to be controls and restrictions.

roz

[thedeckie]

Webby, Fraser Island is a World Heritage listed island, not ya average sealed road thingie.

Sure people are entilted to go where they are allowed, but having never been to Fraser and only knowing what Phill has told me about it, I feel he may have a valid point.

I also think the point he is getting at is the" Ferets ", mis-using the island and making the rest of us, pay for it.

Derek, I don't think Phill is a member of FIDO ! is that the,

Fraser Island Do-Gooders Organization !

Fraser Island Dingo Ogglers

Fraser Island Dune-Wrecker Operatives

Free Irelands Dunny Oppressed

or
Feeling Iritable Drinking O.P.

cheers. ( Phill in disguise )

[gawby]

If you stop and think for a minute, the amount of money taken each year for camping fees and vehicle fees you would expect that there would be a lot more toilet facilities along the beach. This would help the smell problem which i have noticed over the years. Digging holes for toilets is nearly a thing of the past at beach camps as the waste that is burried now is being dug back up from the over use of sand toilets.
As for the backpacker thing, i think that when they hire a 4x4 a driver from the hire company should be a part of the deal. This would then remove the regular sight of a 4x4 lurching through the sand by inexperienced drivers.
I would hate to see the day when you have to book in advance to be able to travel to the island but with the dills that go there this could become a thing of the future.
I have travelled to frazer a lot over the years and you can bet on every occasion you see the dills that make it hard for the rest of us. Perhaps the authorities should police the island more and maybe if some of these dills are reported and the authorities kick them off the island things might be better.
As most island travellers would be aware the police now have a permanent officer at urong beach.
Perhaps if we as responsable 4x4 fishermen are going to conduct of poll lets put points forward to the goverment, more toilets along the beach to stop the sand pollution, hire company 4x4 driver to accompany inexperienced backpackers, reporting of dills and so on.
Maybe i am on the wrong track but this is our island as well it is there for those who come and go and leave it in its original condition. We already pay enough to get there now. If restrictions are put in place it could be you or me that misses out on going there. I wouldnt be happy.
Graeme

[GBC]

I don't usually get too vocal about replies, but having grown up in the Fraser area (Nikenbah) I have some fairly strong views and hopefully some fresh ideas I'd like to get out there..............(here we go).

1. people miss the way the island used to be - wild and beautiful and not overcrowded -am I right?...

My answer - kick out the parkies and stop 'managing the place' - it doesn't need it,especially the recent management profiles which have resulted in the current debarcle.eg
- Fire load management (fire breaks, low temp burnoffs etc - now non existent)
- Banning camp fires (? give me a break)
- Shoot the brumbies - starve the dingos - hungry dingos eat kids - shoot the dingoes (some idiots got paid to come up with this piece of genius)
- Building so much public ammenity at every lake, dune and creek to the extent that their cca pine structures are now a blight on every item of natural beauty people go there to visit in the first place.

Fraser is a wild place which basically self managed itself under the forestry dept - apart from being logged which is another issue which has two sides.

Think about it - if no-one maintained the corduroy tracks - the natural attrition rate of all your pre-mentioned backpackers, weekend warriors, half hearted types and the like would immediately increase. Hire companies couldn't afford to operate. Word would spread pretty quick that your average 4wd won't cut it anwhere apart from along the beach up to the first rocks - "sounds too difficult lets just do the day trip".

Maintaining the place and charging people will require more management by more public servants and your Fraser experience will become more homogenised as these people protect us from ourselves.

Already most secondary tracks are gated and locked because the parkies can't afford to maintain them - who the hell asked them to???

Does anyone remember when getting up the jump-up at Indian Head (or the Goat track....) meant you'd actually gotten somewhere special. People need to risk something to get somewhere special - and there ain't anyone to blame or sue if you aren't good enough or prepared enough to get there.

[Morlers]

GBC, agree with your comments.

Phil, how about a balanced poll. I see all choices are virtually restrictions.

I have been going to Fraser every year at least twice (fishing mates -Aug, Family -Sept) from 1984 to 1992 and once each year with fishing mates in Aug from 1993 to present. And I can remember the jump up at Middle Rocks. I find there are less campers now (Aug) than back in the 80s, particularly beach camping north of Orchid Beach. However, I have noticed a hugh increase in backpacker numbers over this time.

Unlike Phil, I have not noticed the increase in paper daisies where I camp.

There were no car/camping permits when I first started going to Fraser and if my memory serves me correctly there were 17 foresters and 7 national park rangers. All inland sand tracks were open and were effective fire breaks. Regular controlled burn offs were conducted to control devestating wild fires. All beaches were open and regularly used by visitors to the island.

Permits/fees started around 1988 to provide boarded by-passes/toilets/facilities/etc. So, what has happened? Fraser was turned into a management area under guise of world heritage listing -more rangers employed (last I heard it was 45 and increasing) -beaches closed (for people only)-tracks closed -areas closed -camp fires banned (due to burn injuries caused by idiots)-fees increased. Now the closed beaches are no longer used and others are inacessable.

The only evidence I see of money spent to improve facilities has been in a few toilets. The rest of the fees appear to have flowed into consolidated revenue. Its a cash cow for the govt. The island community had to raise funds along with the telecom and fed govt grant to get mobile communications (digital/cdma), none from our fees or state govt.

Each year I see more and more restrictions being imposed and higher fees. It is getting to the point of not worth the effort.

No, I don't agree more restrictions are needed otherwise the Island will be locked up for only a priviliged few to enjoy (a la FIDO), but I do agree that increased policing is needed to rid us of the 1% idiot factor who give the rest of us a bad name.



Morlers

[blaze]

Ok Not familar with frazer at all
In my local area we travel to a place called sandy cape on the rugged west coast of tassie. Years ago there were tracks leading every where, around bog holes then around the new bog hole, get the picture. Over the years Parks have become involve and limited access and you now need to have a pass (free of charge) to have access. The tracks have all been closed and now there is just the one track, maintained to a standard of good 4 x4 with just a couple of water holes left (they have hard bottoms). It was once the land of the hoons with beach buggies and wild 4 x4 (once upon a time years ago, I was one), it is now a pleasure to be in the area, a lot safer.
All this come about through consultation with ALL user with a stake in the area for a good outcome for all.
Maybe regulation aint so bad or is it that maybe regulation isnt so bad for the grey headed old farts like me that have finished there wild streak
cheers
blaze