True camping - Is there a place for it?

Abstract

Hogwash Bend is an area of about 200 hectares on the Murray River in South Australia. The main natural attractions at the site include a large sandbar of white sand, shallow water and mature river red gums providing shade along the bank. There are no facilities at the site and the area has been used for recreation and camping for up to thirty years. It is apparent that visitation over the past five years has begun to increase and the biological quality of the site is poor. Interviews with campers showed six main reasons for visitation and value of the site: friends and family, relaxation, sand and safety, access, freedom and ‘true camping’. People like to ‘rough it’ but in reality few went without a number of home comforts which they had brought themselves. The study indicated that the provision of facilities to help minimise impacts would not be supported by campers and would negatively impact upon their experiences. The research found that some camping practices are at odds with the concept of sustainability.