Camping on the Murray River bends is a popular tradition for thousands of visitors over the summer holidays and the tourism impacts of regulations on both sides of the border will be big.
Local Victorian camping reserves including the Yarrawonga Common up to the Tocumwal Regional Park and Lower Ovens Wildlife Reserve are currently closed with no open date yet announced.
Parks Victoria Executive Director Visitor Experience Lisa Patroni said this summer will be different for Victorians with the vast majority of campgrounds to remain closed due to safety.
“Our state is experiencing severe weather events which means that your favourite spots may not be accessible or safe to visit,” Ms Patroni said.
“Safety is our top priority and we’re asking people to plan ahead, be mindful of the situation and prepared for changing conditions.”
Across the border, the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service announced that campgrounds at the Mulwala, Corowa and Boomanoomana precinct would all remain closed from August 16 to March 6, 2023.
Many roads in these areas are closed and impassable due to changes in river height.
Authorities have stated that all campgrounds will re-open as soon as they are safe.
“It will take time for flood waters to recede and to reopen our campsites, visitor areas and access roads,” Ms Patroni said.
“We will work with Traditional Owners, communities, and the wider Victorian Government to ensure this happens.
“In locations where conditions allow and it is safe to do so, our rangers are beginning important heritage and engineering assessments so closed locations can be safely reopened to the public.
“Even if the rain has stopped, the impacts of flooding will continue for weeks and months afterwards. We’re asking people to be mindful of the scale of these floods, the wild weather we’re experiencing and how changeable conditions can be.
“Over Christmas, people should check the Parks Victoria or NSW Maritime website before they leave home, be mindful that parks and their surrounding areas may have been heavily impacted, and things might not be as expected.”
As visitor safety is the key priority for public land managers and both Parks Victoria and NSW Maritime, where it safe to do so, crews have begun assessment and recovery work, but it will take time to reopen roads, campsites, and visitor areas.
Yarrawonga Mulwala Visitor Information Helen Copland supported the authorities’ decisions and said this is a time for the twin communities to come together and look at other alternatives.
“In tourism we support the authorities in the decisions they are currently making about the Murray River, their main objective is to keep everyone safe and with falling limbs of large gum trees and dangerous roads, keeping these areas closed for the time being is for the best,” Ms Copland said.
“Both NSW Maritime and Parks Victoria also have such a large land mass that they physically have to inspect and tick off that it is safe, that it will take time to check every area, so we have to remain patient and trust that when safe to do so, these areas will reopen.
“This actually creates a different opportunity for our community to think outside the box on ways we can still welcome our visitors, even in a camping capacity.
“We are so lucky in Yarrawonga Mulwala to have the lake as well but having our reserves closed also creates an opportune time for us to teach people from the city about the river.”
River reopens
Even though certain area along the Murray are still inaccessible boating restictions were eased on Tuesday afternoon (December 20).
However, Lake Mulwala will remain a preferred choice for boating and recreation this summer.
Transport for NSW advise vessel operators that sections of the Murray River are currently experiencing high water levels and flood conditions. As a result, a Regulated Area with Special Restrictions will be established on the Murray River downstream of the Murray and Wakool River junction to the South Australian Border until further notice.
The following special restrictions are applicable to all vessels operating in the Regulated Area:
- Maximum speed limit of 4 knots, and
- Towing of persons is prohibited, and
- Minimal wash must be produced.
For up-to-date information on park closures and impacts on Parks Victoria estates, visit parks.vic.gov.au and search ‘flood and storm affected parks’.
For information on road and forest closures on DELWP-managed land, visit www.ffm.vic.gov.au/permits-and-regulations/closures-of-parks-and-forests.
For NSW closures, visit www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/visit-a-park or for information on NSW waterways, visit www.nsw.gov.au/topics/using-waterways/restrictions-and-closures.
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