Unhappy campers as Straddie bans tents at three sites over Easter

Tents have been banned at three sites and the number of campers limited to four per group as North Stradbroke Island’s camp site manager introduces tough Easter restrictions. SEE THE FULL LIST OF RESTRICTIONS

Camping at North Stradbroke Island at Easter will be severely curtailed with tents banned from three camp grounds, stiff limits on numbers of campers and two beach sites closed.

Minjerribah Camping, the organisation which manages the island’s eight camping grounds, has barred tents at Home Beach, Adder Rock, and Amity Point.

SCROLL DOWN TO SEE THE FULL LIST OF RESTRICTIONS

Its website tells campers no tent bookings can be taken at the three beauty spots due to COVID restrictions to protect campers and the local indigenous people.

Campers can still book a caravan, camper trailer site, cabin or a specially-designed eco tent at the three grounds.

Campsites at Adam’s Beach and at Bradbury’s Beach at Dunwich will not open to the public over Easter but eco tents like these will still be on offer at other campgrounds.

Minjerribah Camping has also capped the number of campers at each site to four, forcing larger families to book and pay for two sites.

Bradbury’s Beach remains shut after being closed last year when COVID restrictions were introduced.

Adam’s Beach, also at Dunwich, will remain closed after Minjerribah Camping closed it last year citing radioactive sand as an issue.

Bookings for Cylinder and Home Beach opened on Monday with sites at Adder Rock and Amity Point hitting the market today ahead of sites at Flinders and Main beaches going up for grabs tomorrow.

“Our Adder Rock and Amity Point campgrounds provide cabins, eco island tents and eco huts in addition to powered and unpowered sites for caravans, camper trailers and camper vans,” the website said.

“Tent camping is available at our Cylinder Beach campground and for our campers with access to 4WDs, Main and Flinders Beach.”

Calls to the booking office of Minjerribah Camping, owned by the Quandamooka Yoolooburrabee Aboriginal Corporation, were unsuccessful.

QYAC offices were the subject of raids last week as a federal government investigation was launched into its financial affairs.

The moves to close the sites and curtail camping have outraged long-term island camper Michael Pavlic, who was barred from booking in at his favourite spot at Bradbury’s Beach in December and January.

Long-time Straddie camper Michael Pavlic said he can’t book his favourite spot at Bradbury’s Beach, bottom, and Adam’s Beach is also shut, top.

“QYAC is expected to be posting a loss on Bradbury’s and Adams Beaches because they were not opened over Christmas,” Mr Pavlic said.

“They have not been open to the public since March last year and have been deliberately kept closed even though there have been some people staying in the eco tents at Bradbury’s.

“QYAC can claim that as a loss to get a tax concession even though they have been receiving funding from the state government to promote tourism.”

Another long-time Straddie camper Grant Anderson said he was unable to book his regular tent site at Home Beach for the annual Easter family holiday.

Straddie campsites were empty for much of last year.

“This is rubbish,” he said. “Cylinder Beach campground is packed with tents and is not very COVID safe.

“Home Beach camping is very small. One family has been going there for 20 years with a group of other families and now can’t go at all.

“This is very disappointing for my family and others. I assume they are looking at putting in eco tents to make more money.

“I find this discrimination against people with tents.”

The moves angered the island’s Chamber of Commerce president Col Battersby who said cutting back on camping numbers would hit business during the peak April season.

“This is pulling the pin on tourism and will affect local businesses again,” he said.

“The chamber had a $1.2 million contract to promote tourism on the island but that was terminated under a mutual agreement during COVID.

“Brisbane Marketing (now Brisbane Economic Development Agency) took over that role of promoting the island in conjunction with Minjerribah Futures.

“Now it looks like Minjerriba Futures has been boned.”

FULL LIST OF CAMPING RESTRICTIONS

1) Tents banned at Home Beach, Adder Rock, and Amity Point

2) Campsites at Adam’s Beach and at Bradbury’s Beach at Dunwich will not open to the public over Easter

3) Cap on the number of campers at each site to four.

4) Bookings for Cylinder and Home Beach opened on Monday

5) Adder Rock and Amity Point opened today

6) Flinders and Main Beach sites bookings open tomorrow.

7) all bookings must be on the phone - not on the island as it has been outsourced to a Brisbane company.

ALSO MENTIONED

8) QYAC offices were the subject of raids last week

9) QYAC claims losses at Adams and Bradbury’s to get tax concessions

10) Straddie Chamber of Commerce says it will hit business during the peak Easter season.

11) Minjerriba Futures has been boned.

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