VINEYARD contractor Down to Earth wants to see free or cheap camping for vintage workers in the shire, to settle the issue of illegal camping.
Down to Earth director Carla Borrello said that while she was totally opposed to illegal camping, she was frustrated there was no designated backpackers’ campsite during vintage.
She said many people are camping illegally because legal accommodation was full or too expensive.
As well, they did not get a big pay cheque.
“(The backpackers) only work two to three hours every morning before it gets too hot for the grapes,” she said.
“We’ve got to find them alternative accommodation. It’s only for four weeks (a year).
“I knew what was going to happen, last year I had a ranger asking me ‘what are you going to do about it?’ We can’t rent out rooms, it’s illegal. And they’re not allowed to stay at the vineyards.”
What was needed, she was a temporary campsite like the Wharncliffe Mill site, where the backpackers could be charged about $5 a day to stay there.
“They only need toilets and to be within walking distance of town,” she said.
“The shire don’t want to do anything about it. The shire held a forum to discuss it but never followed it up.
“I asked a few times about what the outcome was as we are happy to work in with them but I received no reply.”
Accommodation for vintage pickers is common in Europe and in other areas of Australia, she said, so people came here with the expectation of similar facilities, only to end up sleeping in the bush.
“Margaret River is really backwards with this,” she said.
As well, she said, many of the backpackers were university students from Europe, were interested in wine and would be future tourists and consumers.
They would not have good memories of Margaret River if they could not find places to stay.
“These people are probably buying our wine in the future,” she said.
Augusta-Margaret River Shire acting director for Corporate and Community Services Paul Gravett said the shire was willing to work with local wineries on the issue, but they needed to show their interest.
“We recognise the value of these campers,” he said.
“By no means do we wish to discourage these visitors to the region, nor do we wish to give them a poor impression.
“However, the other side of the coin is that there are health, safety, social and environmental risks associated with illegal camping.”
He said a meeting on the issue was held last September, with the shire offering to support the establishment of free or low cost camping facilities by private enterprise.
The Wine Industry Association did not attend.
“The shire has not seen a proposal by the Margaret River Wine Industry Association offering solutions to the illegal camping dilemma as suggested by local media,” he said. “We would look forward to receiving such a proposal and engaging in discussion with them if that is their intent.”
