Lawn Hill Gorge National Park - Booking system in disarray
Submitted: Sunday, Jun 19, 2016 at 11:13
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Grumpy
We had booked into Lawn Hill Gorge National Park, in September after Winton, on our way home to Townsville.
Have been to Lawn Hill for last 2 years and have a favourite drive thru site which was booked last month. Qld national parks have a booking system which enables you to book and pay for a particular numbered site.
Have just been advised by a friend and confirmed by a 'Park Alert' on park's website that site numbers have been dispensed with and you take pot luck on arrival that firstly there is a site and secondly there is a site suitable for a caravan, not a small camper trailer site.
It beggars belief that now you can still book a suitable site on the parks website and pay the fee but on arrival find a backpacker or other in your site on arrival and there not be another suitable site or even a site at all.
Will be contacting Nat Parks first thing tomorrow.
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Grumpy
Reply By: Grumpy - Wednesday, Jun 22, 2016 at 16:18
Wednesday, Jun 22, 2016 at 16:18
Hi all,
Have been contacted by National Parks person responsible for the change in policy, based in Charters Towers. Their response for the change in arrangements was that they were having complaints from clients who wanted to extend their stays and they were having to move because someone may have booked the site previously.
How ridiculous! This was what the booking system was introduced for as the Parks website says:
"This allows QPWS to:
- ensure campers get the spot they booked
- respond to severe weather
events, cyclones and other natural disasters where campers may need to be warned or evacuated
prevent overcrowding, which can be detrimental to the enjoyment of visitors and to the environment
About the Queensland National Parks Booking Service:
Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) have improved the camping booking system so that increasing demand for camping can be better managed and to help provide park visitors with better camping experiences."
Any way the wrap up seems to be that anyone who has booked a site pre the park alert change will retain that site booking.
This is the 3rd year in a row we have camped at the Lawn Hill National Park and found previous booking system worked well and on arrival there was always a printout on the notice board with names and site allocated, posted by the Rangers.
We found staying at the park to be excellent with water only a few metres away, showers and flushing toilets, also phone and Internet which has only been available at Adels Grove since late last year.
Why any one who goes to a National Park would want to stay at a private caravan park outside escapes me?
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