Environment Minister Lily D’Ambrosio fails to set up riverside camper register

Environment Minister Lily D’Ambrosio has failed to set up a riverside campers register to track campers who engaged in misconduct.

Environment Minister Lily D'Ambrosio is yet to deliver on her promise to ensure riverside campers register before they pitch a tent.

EnvironmentMinister Lily D’Ambrosio has still not delivered on her promise to establish a register of riverside campers, despite opening up six sites along the Goulburn River last week and promising to deliver another 50 before the end of the month.

The Minister promised six months ago that a registration system was necessary to “track” people engaged in misconduct - such as leaving camp fires unattended, damaging vegetation or adjoining landholders’ property.

Yet the register has still not been delivered, just as Easter campers prepare to flood the state looking for sites to pitch tents and light camp fires.

Ms D’Ambrosio’s office would only state “a registration system is under consideration”.

Yet on September 1 last year the Minister told ABC radio that “we’re looking at definitely setting up a register”.

“We’re looking at establishing a register for people wanting to take up camping along the approved frontages,” she told ABC. “That will mean if on rare occasions, a neighbouring landholder believes there’s been some misconduct and they report it, it will be fairly easy for us to track the people in question to be able follow up.”

“That’s really important to build up confidence among neighbouring landholders.”

Registration would force campers to lodge their details online prior to pitching a tent on the state’s narrow water frontage, most of which are licenced to adjoining landholders for grazing or other agricultural purposes.

The Victorian Farmers Federation has already stepped in to liaise with landholders who hold grazing licences over the new Goulburn River camp sites, urging them to monitor and report any problems, especially given campfires have been banned at all six Goulburn River sites.

Mitta Mitta Valley beef producer Rick Otto, who is waiting to see if the government opens up the crown land water frontage adjoining his property to campers, said the very act of registration would make people think twice about doing the wrong thing.

“If they’re prepared to register, then they’re probably prepared to do the right thing,” Mr Otto said. “The ones who don’t want to (register) will be the bad eggs.”

The government has previously tried to shy away from registering riverside campers, arguing no such system is in place for anyone wanting to camp in State Forests.

But Murray Valley Action Group secretary Marie Dunn said State Forests were large and open compared to narrow water frontages, which the governments own maps show are 50m to 170m wide.

“State Forests are run by government, whereas water frontages abut private land with animals and machinery.

The Government’s own website warns campers that “cattle graze this area” or “Cattle and sheep including bulls and rams graze this area” at five of the six camping areas it has opened up along the Goulburn River.

Tight site: The Goulburn River - Murchison Camping area one, opened up by the government to campers last week (off the intersection of Day and Finlay Rds).

Originally published as Environment Minister Lily D’Ambrosio fails to set up riverside camper register