Hundreds fined for ‘antisocial’ acts in camping crackdown
Rangers have handed out more than 200 fines for unlawful and antisocial behaviour as part of a crackdown in Queensland state parks.
Rangers are cracking down on campers in the lead up to Christmas, revealing fines tallying more than $63,000 had been handed out in three popular parks since 2023.
The Queensland Department of Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation (DETSI) issued a public notice on Tuesday, warning residents and travellers to be on alert amid a “crackdown on unlawful and antisocial behaviour” in the Kenilworth region.
The area includes Conondale National Park, Imbil State Forest and Jimma State Forest.
DETSI warned that since July 2023, about 200 fines had been handed out to offenders in breach of various rules, totalling $63,363.
Senior ranger Aaron Jensen said while most visitors treat the Kenilworth region with respect, rangers had been disappointment by some recent behaviour.
You might like
“The ongoing popularity of camping areas at Teewah Beach, K’gari and Bribie Island has boosted visitation to the Kenilworth region,” Jensen said.
Jensen said rangers were providing ongoing education to visitors, cleaning up after them and repairing camping areas and other infrastructure.
“We close roads in our protected areas to keep people safe, and we’re worried someone will get hurt if they continue to ignore our safety signs,” Jensen said.
“Our protected areas attract national and international tourists, and people need to respect these areas and other visitors.”
Stay informed, daily
During the Christmas holidays, rangers will conduct a compliance crackdown and appeal to visitors to respect the environment, other campers and day visitors.
Remote cameras in the area have captured footage of visitors illegally clearing roadblocks so vehicles can access restricted areas and driving with unrestrained passengers.
Fines have been issued for camping without a permit, camping outside designated areas and bringing domestic cats and dogs into camping areas.
People have also been fined for starting illegal campfires and using bush timber to light unlawful fires.
Antisocial behaviour includes excessive drinking, loud music, inappropriate use of fire and littering in and around camping areas.
A spokesperson for the Department of Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation said the number of fines is indicative of increased ranger presence.
“Restricted Access Areas (RAAs) in Queensland are lands with rules limiting activities, often for environmental protection (like rare plants/habitats) or personal safety,” the spokesperson said.
The spokesperson said accessing RAAs either on foot or in vehicles can have major impacts on environment and personal safety as well as cause erosion.
