A prominent caravanning couple have hit back after being “blamed” for the closure of a popular Aussie 4WD beach. Chris and his partner Miriam travel the country full-time in their 4WD and caravan and have developed a large online following from sharing incredible campsites across Australia.
But the pair were left frustrated after authorities said social media influencers sharing “secret spots” contributed to the closure of Wauraltee Beach in South Australia.
They have since been inundated with messages from strangers “slamming” them for the state government’s move. “We get slammed if we don’t share secret spots and we get slammed if we do,” he told Yahoo News Australia.
Overnight camping will be banned at popular South Australian spot Wauraltee Beach in the new year, as the government moves to preserve the fragile environment. Source: SA Government
Camping ban on popular 4WD beach to protect environment
South Australian authorities announced last week Wauraltee Beach on the York Peninsula would shut early next year to “protect the sensitive environment” by “stopping mass congregation of vehicles” on the sand.
It said the increased popularity of off-road 4WD vehicles has seen more of them being driven on SA beaches, creating problems for local ecosystems, adding that “secret spots” being shared by influencers had also resulted in “many places becoming so popular that the environment cannot sustain the level of use”.
Hitting out at the accusation, Chris who travels the country full-time with his partner Miriam told Yahoo News Australia it’s “absolute garbage”, adding it’s “easy” for authorities to blame travellers for bad behaviour rather than their own locals.
“I just think it’s an excuse and they don’t want to blame their own people who are causing their issues,” he said.
Chris and Miriam first visited Wauraltee Beach a few years ago and said they didn’t think the behaviour on the beach was “too bad”. They recently returned on Australia Day and were shocked at the “disgusting behaviour” they saw. “It’s progressively getting worse,” he said.
While he admits that after the Covid-19 pandemic caravanning “exploded” in popularity, he doesn’t believe it’s full-time travellers who are to blame for the wrongdoing. Chris believes most of the time, the locals are really to blame.
“It’s pretty obvious when they come on a Friday afternoon on SA plates and fly up and down the beach on motorbikes, do donuts, get drunk and party. It’s their weekend,” he said. Travelling full time, Chris said they don’t feel the need to party every night.
Authorities in Wollongong reminded locals and visitors alike not to camp in prohibited areas or face significant penalties. Source: Facebook
Camping ban fears across the country after bad behaviour
Chris believes that “we will absolutely see more” camping bans at 4WD beaches across the country to curb bad behaviour, adding that drivers will just “go somewhere else”.
“They’ll just continue to move and before we know it, they’ll all be shut,” he said. “We need to respect these places, they are beautiful and we don’t want them shut down.
“We respect the places we go to and we try to look after them, and clean up after. My philosophy is we live here and have the right to enjoy these beautiful places if we do it correctly.”
Beach littering big problem across country
Beach littering and overflowing bins have become a significant concern across the country. Data provided to Yahoo by Snap Send Solve showed noticeable increases across the country.
“Littering impacts everyone, including residents, wildlife, and the environment,” Danny Gorog, CEO of Snap Send Solve previously told Yahoo
We’re calling on the community to help make a difference. With the free and easy-to-use Snap Send Solve app, residents can report litter and bin concerns in under a minute, enabling local authorities to address these issues promptly.
Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.
You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.