Campers will need to bring a portable toilet to some of Queensland’s stunning waterside camping spots, or cop a $464 fine, as of June 1.
Visitors to the popular areas say the crackdown couldn’t come sooner, with the locations commonly found littered with “wads of toilet paper”.
Sneaking off with a spade and some loo roll will officially be an offence from Saturday at Dorrigo South or Pelican Bay camping areas in Inskip Peninsula Recreation Area, according to Queensland National Parks.
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“It is an offence to camp in this area without a portable toilet, with an on-the-spot penalty of $464 applying for offenders,” the Department of Environment, Science and Innovation (DESI) told 7NEWS.com.au
The move was made to protect the health of visitors and the environment alike.
“Bush toileting at these popular camping areas is posing an unacceptable risk to the health and safety of our campers and visitors, as well as threatening the area’s natural environment,” Queensland National Parks said in a statement.
But many have commented that the mandatory portable toilet rule for campers comes too late.
“Why did this take so long, the problem has been there for years,” one camper wrote on Facebook.
“Ten years too late,” another weighed in.
“About time,” agreed someone else.
Tripadvisor reviews of the pristine location have been marred by reports of a “disgusting” amount of “human waste” for years.
“If you go anywhere near the bush, you’ll find wads of toilet paper from past campers who didn’t bring a loo,” one Tweed Heads mother said in Tripadvisor review of the campsites in 2019.
Apart from being an unsightly discovery, the remnants of “bush toileting” can also be dangerous.
“Bush toileting at these popular camping areas is posing an unacceptable risk to the health and safety of our campers and visitors, as well as threatening the area’s natural environment.”
“Help us keep these waterfront camping areas beautiful and healthy.”
Not any portaloo will do
But a bucket and a bag will not be enough to satisfy the National Park Rangers patrolling for breaches of the new rule.
“Your portable toilet must have a sealed waste-holding tank and be transportable and suitable for emptying into a portable toilet waste disposable facility,” Queensland National Parks said.
“Bag and open bucket style toilets are not going to fool our rangers, who will be on ‘portaloo-patrol’ making sure you have your loo and providing education on the benefits of using portable toilets.”
Portable toilets with sealed waste-holding tanks can be purchased from between $50 and $300, campers, and one camper wrote on Facebook: “If you can afford a 4DW and camping gear, you can afford a portaloo — and empty it appropriately.”
“The only dump point to unload this poop is back at Rainbow Beach Dump Point and water station,” another camper added.
Dorrigo South or Pelican Bay camping areas are not the only Queensland National Parks to penalise campers without their own portable toilet.
The mandatory portable toilet rule was put in place at Teewah Beach in 2021, with the affected camping zones covering 14km of beach, including the dune area and sand cliffs between the Noosa Shire Council boundary and Little Freshwater Creek, DESI said.
Queensland Parks and Wildlife (QPWS) Assistant Director-General Andrew Buckley said at the time: “There is a problem in this area with high levels of bush toileting occurring, particularly during peak times.”
He said that more permanent toilet facilities in the areas were “not feasible, as shifting sands and tidal influences make it impossible to erect any permanent structures.”