A proposed trial that would introduce “supported camping” in 16 NSW national parks has drawn criticism from campers and outdoor advocates, who say it could reduce already limited campground access.
According to an article by Yahoo News, the plan would allow commercial businesses to lease sections of campgrounds to provide equipment, facilities, or food-related services, while traditional campsites remain available to the public.
Greens environment spokesperson Sun Higginson called the model “flawed and dreadfully misleading.”
“They talk about increasing accessibility. If you mean that, hand on heart, you increase the number of campgrounds — there are not enough spaces as it is,” she told The Sydney Morning Herald.
“You already have a tiny, tiny, tiny land base, and now you are going to exclude the community from it. It is a betrayal and a radical departure from the Minns government’s promise not to privatise public assets,” she added.
Prominent outdoors advocate Mike Atkinson said the model risks making camping less affordable and more commercialized.
“Ghost booking is going to get a lot worse,” he said, referring to the practice of reserving campsites that go unused.
Commercial operators would be able to book supported camping sites up to a year in advance, while public bookings open only six months ahead.
“The scary thing is they get to book it out before the public,” Atkinson said. “It’s going to encourage these commercial operators to ghost book our campsites.”
The trial would affect 23 campgrounds, including Putty Beach, where two of 20 sites would be set aside, and Ruins campground, which would allocate up to five of 98 sites to supported camping.
Pricing for these sites would be determined by the commercial operators, and it remains unclear how much they would pay for the licence or whether fees will be capped.
“I think it will likely disadvantage the majority of people who are already struggling to access NSW campgrounds. This is public land, these are public campsites. They shouldn’t be up for commercial gain,” Atkinson warned.
The NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service defended the proposal, citing potential benefits for accessibility and tourism.
A spokesperson said, “NPWS hopes to see many more families trying camping without having to invest in or store equipment. Supported camping will also allow travellers from interstate and overseas opportunities to camp, without having to bring all their gear with them, which is often impractical.”
“Supported camping will help unlock new opportunities for small businesses and tourism providers in regional areas, as more people may stay overnight in regional areas which would boost local spending on food, attractions and other services,” the spokesperson added.
While the trial may broaden participation and support regional tourism, it raises concerns that commercializing sections of campgrounds could reduce affordable options for traditional campers and fundamentally change the back-to-basics camping experience that many Australians value.