Great advice CBee.
Jaclynn, welcome & good luck with your hiking & camping. Always good to see someone else catching the bug!
CBee wrote:South D'Aguilar NP and the system of fire trails/bush camps with fire rings is the perfect place for beginners. Choose your own itinerary. Add some off-track variations as you gain confidence in navigation and you can visit some spectacular gorges. Campsites have water tanks (handy) but water can be collected in various creeks. Terrain is generally easy and vegetation not too harsh. The area is not huge and close to main roads if in needs of an escape. Fires are another thing, we all have our own opinion. If there is a fire ban, it is very important to respect it.
While I have seen that people have lit fires in at a lot of the bush camps in South D'Aguilar, I didn't realise that this was permitted at some. May I ask, which hiking campsites have the fire rings?
CBee wrote:I personally don't use fires but from memory, several designated bushcamps in South D'Aguilar, have 4 logs/benches around a fire place. North Cobble camp, Middle Cobble Camp, South Cobble Camp, Northbrook Mt. Camp, England Creek, Scrub Rd, Dundas Rd., Lightline Rd. and maybe more. I once asked a passing ranger and he told me fires are generally only allowed in those places where the fire ring is evident around the sitting logs. Definitely not during a fire ban. Also, I have to add, I once found a stack of firewood next to one of those shelters. Can't say the rangers brought them in, but was a long way away from any carpark.
CBee wrote:I can't find anything on Parks website suggesting fire is prohibited in those specific locations. After all, NP wouldn't go through the trouble of setting up 4 benches if fire was not allowed. On the contrary (if I read right), the website states (for D'Aguilar National Park): Where can I have a camp fire?
You can have camp fires in many of our camping areas, as long as you use the fireplaces, fire rings or existing fire locations.
Help us protect our national parks by bringing clean firewood and kindling from outside the park—all the wood within the park is protected and cannot be collected or used for fires.
If you go with the mouse on the fire symbol, a box will appear saying: "Campfires allowed". But then, I'm inclined to trust the words of the Ranger. Unless he was a fake ranger
CBee wrote:To me that looks like an existing and well used fire place (like many others in this particular NP), a typical set up for camping fires. Logs are cut like benches and I can't see how people moved them in a circle. If this was illegal, would have been dismantled by NP. But then, I want to assure you that I'm not trying to change your opinion. To me, the website is clear enough.
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 8 guests