Diamond Head: Mother-of-two Rachel Cameron fined for letting kids drive in National Park

A civilian police employee has been fined for letting her two kids drive on a dirt track in a national park after an anonymous tip off to CrimeStoppers.

Diamond Head Rd, within Crowdy Bay National Park, is classified as a public road under the Road Transport Act. Picture: Google

A mother-of-two has been fined for letting her children drive in a national park in what a magistrate said should “loom large” as a warning to other parents during the school holidays.

Rachel Louise Cameron, of Toukley, was enjoying a family holiday to the Mid North Coast with her partner and two children when they visited Diamond Head, within the Crowdy Bay National Park in early October.

An agreed statement of police facts, tendered to Wyong Local Court, states on or around October 6 Ms Cameron allowed both her children, aged 13 and nine, to drive her Isuzu station wagon.

The family visited Diamond Head during a family holiday to the Mid North Coast. Picture: file

Her partner videoed the children and later posted the footage on his Instagram account only for an anonymous person to contact CrimeStoppers at 10pm and alert police of the alleged offences.

Ms Cameron pleaded guilty to two counts of allowing a person, who has never held a licence, to dive her vehicle.

“The footage clearly shows Joshua Cameron (13) driving the vehicle, along a dirt road with road signs visible, and the vehicle’s satellite navigation system indicating that it was on Diamond Head Rd” the facts state.

“The footage also clearly shows Holly Cameron (9) driving the vehicle with the vehicle’s satellite navigation system showing that it was an area (adjacent) to a road that intersects with Diamond Head Rd.”

The facts state Ms Cameron’s daughter was filmed driving in the unsealed car park at the end of Cheese Tree Drive.

The unsealed car park at the end of Cheese Tree Drive, within Crowdy Head National Park. Picture: Google

Ms Cameron, a 34-year-old civilian police employee, was interviewed by officers more than a month later on November 30.

“Ms Cameron made full and frank admissions to being present and allowing her children to drive the motor vehicle, however, stated that at the time she did not believe that the roads in question, being part of a National Park, were considered public roads,” the facts state.

“Ms Cameron stated that the children were closely supervised by not only herself, but by her partner as well, and the speed was kept very low, not exceeding 50km/h.

“Ms Cameron was remorseful for her actions and co-operative, she stated that if she had known they were committing an offence, she would not have allowed it to occur and she certainly won’t ever allow it to happen in the future.”

The facts state at the time “no other vehicles could be seen on the road way”.

Her partner posted footage of the two children driving to his Instagram account.

However Magistrate Caleb Franklin said “general deterrence must loom large” and noted it happened during a school holiday period.

He said the offences occurred on an “unsealed road” which could cause difficulties for experienced drivers and that Ms Cameron or her partner would have had no idea what traffic could have been coming around the corner.

He said the offences “could not be regarded as trivial” and the penalty must serve as a warning to “those who permit young children, aged nine and 13, to drive”.

He convicted Ms Cameron and fined her $500 for each offence.