What is With Toilet Holes in Tent Sites?

[wander]

We have recently come back from the South West Cape loop and at almost every camp there were old poo holes now dug up by animals. These had been dug on trails within camp sites or in the tent clearing areas. Some right in the middle of where you would pitch a tent.

To say this sort of lazy behaviour pisses me off is an gross understatement. In no instance that I found was it difficult to go off into the bush and dig a hole well out of sight of the tenting area and in many instances it was easy to dig a very deep (for Tas) hole and really bury the waste well. There was just no excuse or reason that I could find for crapping where some one else has to later walk, pitch a tent or sit while cooking and so on.

A couple of examples at Noyhener Beach / Murgab Creek campsite. And these are not isolated examples by any means, Horseshoe Inlet, Window Pane Bay and Wilson Bight camp sites all had similar examples but I really did not feel like taking pictures of all the poo holes I tripped over.

Noyhener Beach/Murgab Creek camp, poo hole on path front left


Noyhener Beach/Murgab Creek camp, poo holes (between & to the right of the small Laurals) in main camp area


Same holes as above from different angle


Yes I am ropable about this.

[photohiker]

I agree. It's annoying and it potentially impacts the health of any visitors to the area.

We camped at a well known waypoint half way along the Strezlecki Track last year and I also couldn't believe the ignorance of previous visitors. We spent the better part of an hour before we left filling in holes, burying poop, collecting TP and burning it.

I'm guessing that we have been enjoying the results of sanitation for so long that there are people who simply don't understand.

[PeterJ]

Ah yes I totally agree with you wander. It is just disgusting and getting worse by the day. Where are these morons coming from?

We had a close call a few years ago when pitching our tent on the one good spot south of Tatnells Hill on Tasman Track. I had just finished putting it up when i noticed a great heap of *&%$#! right beside the tent; how I missed getting the tent in it or trading on it was so very fortunate. A careful move as far away as possible had to be done carefully.

Another horrible example was in the Lake Nicholls hut at Mount Field last Thursday. We spotted some toilet paper on the floor in the corner. On carefully turning it with a stick we could see it was soiled from use. Fortunately the the actual *&%$#! pile was not inside, but really what sort of people are we dealing with here nowadays. We did have a plastic bag in which to put the paper and actually took it out with us.

[taswegian]

I was working at a very popular designated camp spot last week and though didn't see quite that there were signs of such activity too close for good camp heigene.
It was a drive to camp spot and took campervans etc.
Lazy bilghters would dig a wheel hole to level the vehicle then just drive off and leave hole and piles of dirt.
Also someone had ring barked some beautiful small Blackwoods.
Agree with sentiments here 100%

[mikethepike]

This is not new but an ongoing problem except that more people are now going into wilderness areas than formerly and this just makes the situation worse. In your face worse but please don't take that too literally. I've seen many examples of poorly sighted toilet holes and more visually, no toilet hole at all, eg people $#!+ing in a snow hole outside huts in the Tasmanian and Victorian high country as if by some magic, their deposit will disappear by the spring thaw. I'm interested in walking the Corsica high route some time in the future but I recently heard second hand how, with a lot a rock surface and very little digable soil on much of the route, *&%$#! and *&%$#! paper is scattered everywhere. There's definitely room there for a Dick Smith type to step in and save the day! On a long coastal sea kayaking trip a few years ago, we came to a well known surf beach on Eyre Peninsular to find toilet paper blowing about all over the place. Surfers were to blame but it was a situation where the council, perhaps with state support, could easily step in and install toilets. That will happen one day I'm sure but that doesn't help the situation in remote parts of Tassie and elsewhere where it's up to the individual to behave properly. I met an English guy at WOJ and now resident in Australia with his female partner saying how he doesn't bury his *&%$#! at all because kangaroos don't. There is a huge difference between the two but what can you do? ! should have torn strips off him, but didn't. It's about education and attitude: ie not just putting yourself first all the time. Aesthetics and sanitation are the key issues here.

[wander]

in a snow hole outside hut

In some of the earlier textbooks/guides books on ski touring in Australia is is stated the method is to poo in the snow because between Winter and thaw the poo will be disintegrated by the action of the snow something or other. Complete bollocks of course. I suspect it came from Northern texts and may actually happen in much deeper snow and colder climates. But it does not happen here. Take for example the field experimental poo site that is Seaman's Hut. It is unapproachable during Spring due to the deep stench (and I rarely use that word) of poo. So the testing each season proves the rubbish that is the "snow disintegrates the poo theory". Why we need to test the theory each year I do not know.

The only way to deal with poo in the snow is to carry it out. We use a 2 litre off the shelf nalgene or 2 depending on the trip length. Actually better than getting out in the snow, with practice you can safely use the poo tube in the vestibule. Dump it into the proper sewer connected toilet upon return. All very simple and the emptying and poo tube cleaning process is no worse than a single nappy change exercise once you have the technique down.

[Nuts]

It is quite gross to find 'people have dumped right next to a hut doorstep in the snow. Of course someone has to move them.
It's not difficult to understand the little dug up cat-holes. I guess some (perhaps inexperienced) walkers would go for a while thinking they had done the right thing, not realising what occurs after- 'the digging was so hard'.

Some years ago in Pine Valley I had a similar experience. There must not have been any paper obvious, perhaps only partly burried. I'd stood in the stuff. With so much wet and jelly like on a rainforest floor I had actually taken a big finger scoop off my heel to get a closer look at this 'fungus' before the horrifying reality emerged.

[Moondog55]

This echos my experiences around the Pretty Valley hut area, while most of the people who use the area are toilet trained there are a definite minority who are not. Although in heavily used areas like PV a lot of the blame is due to Parks Victoria putting the pit toilets in poor sites.
I have come to the decision that carrying a poo-tube is probably the right thing to do in fragile areas

[Dolerite Walker]

Sadly for some out of sight is out of mind. It is a reminder to remain vigilant with hand hygiene. Another faecal frustration is dog walkers who leave full dog-do bags by the side of the track/pavement to collect on the way back. Firstly, no one else wants to see it. Secondly, they often forget to collect the bag!! Remember, it is a gift from your dog to you, to take home. So do so.

[Bubbalouie]

Sadly for some out of sight is out of mind. It is a reminder to remain vigilant with hand hygiene. Another faecal frustration is dog walkers who leave full dog-do bags by the side of the track/pavement to collect on the way back. Firstly, no one else wants to see it. Secondly, they often forget to collect the bag!! Remember, it is a gift from your dog to you, to take home. So do so.

I got caught out by one of those bags once. I take a bag for my own rubbish (banana peel, snack bard etc) and on my way I occasionally pick up other people's garbage (Waterfall Gully can be pretty bad) and take it out. One day I grabbed a bag only to discover it was full of dookie. Suffice it to say I was unimpressed.

[Zone-5]

I got caught out by one of those bags once. I take a bag for my own rubbish (banana peel, snack bard etc) and on my way I occasionally pick up other people's garbage (Waterfall Gully can be pretty bad) and take it out. One day I grabbed a bag only to discover it was full of dookie. Suffice it to say I was unimpressed.

You may not know it but the Burnside City mayor Mr. David Parkin (83664200) runs that route most Sundays with a group. Waterfall Gully is in the Burnside City area. He would be very interested in your accounts of rubbish finds and will direct his council to monitor it and clean up when and where necessary.

[headwerkn]

Over Xmas we stayed at Dee Lagoon, just a little informal camp area alongside the lake.

Right in the middle of the only flat tent area, was a turd. A human turd. And a rather large one at that. No attempt at burial whatsoever.

Basically, humans are disgusting creatures.

[Onestepmore]

The Coastal Track (Otford to Bundeena) is a pleasant track, marred by the loo paper strewn around the only 'official' campsite along the way. The NPWS website claims there is a toilet there - completely untrue. You pay a camp fee - for what? Next time I'm tempted to stealth camp illegally in a 'poo free zone'.
Ditto for the popular camping areas in our local area (Nattai, Moreton NP) of Starlights and Griffins Farm. Crap everywhere.
I just returned from several weeks hiking in Patagonia, Chile. Each campsite had a toilet of some sort, usually flushing, with a pail for loo paper (notably a much higher rainfall than ours). I realise that refuse collection is not going to happen at the majority of Aust campsites, but definitely feel there is a need for more composting toilets.
Going to a campsite and seeing loo paper (and you know what accompanies it!) everywhere is not only unsightly, and unhygienic, it gives me the s h e e t s.

[Maaxxx]

Was fishing once on the Goulburn River near Alexanda in Vic. Some moron from the big smoke had taken a giant dump beside the foot pad that runs alongside the river rather than head for the public dunny a short walk away. How did I know he was a city lad, you ask? Well, because he was stupid enough to wipe his butt on his phone bill. . Luckily, I had a plastic bag with me so the offending document was carefully retrieved, complete with its unsavory patina, and delivered into the hands of the local constabulary, who were most interested in the find and were only too keen to communicate that interest to the original owner of the bill. I did suggest that they might like to post the whole disgusting mess back to its source. They thought that would be an excellent ploy but unfortunately, not one that they personally could pursue. They hinted that, perhaps I might like to do it instead but I declined and left them to follow it up.
Max.

[Jaala]

I read not long ago about this powder type substance you can purchase to cover your waste before covering with dirt/snow. It is supposed to have been designed specifically to break down the poopy quick however I have no idea if it works. If I can find the name of it again I will post.

[Orion]

I read not long ago about this powder type substance you can purchase to cover your waste before covering with dirt/snow. It is supposed to have been designed specifically to break down the poopy quick however I have no idea if it works. If I can find the name of it again I will post.

I don't know if this is what you read about but there's a product called "Poo Powder" that is sold seperately and also in individual use bags ("Wag" bags) and larger toilet kits. When wetted the powder forms a gel that supposedly reduces odor and and makes the whole mess compostable. It also has enzymes that help speed decay. I've used the bags in places where carry-out was mandatory. But I wouldn't assume the powder is approved for use in a wilderness cat hole.

http://www.cleanwaste.com/poo-powder-waste-treatment

[davidm]

The Coastal Track (Otford to Bundeena) is a pleasant track, marred by the loo paper strewn around the only 'official' campsite along the way. The NPWS website claims there is a toilet there - completely untrue. You pay a camp fee - for what? Next time I'm tempted to stealth camp illegally in a 'poo free zone'.

There is def a toilet there unless it's been removed in the last year or so. It's about 50m from the camp area.

Regardless though, no excuse for leaving crap everywhere. Last time I stayed there, a group had left their whole tent filled with rubbish. They just collapsed the tent and chucked some rocks on it.

[Nuts]

How did I know he was a city lad, you ask? Well, because he was stupid enough to wipe his butt on his phone bill. .

That is funny. Hmmm, could have been a mail stealing redneck?? nah, no 'backing out'- that's just funny!

[portlester]

Totally agree with questioning why some people do what they do.

I did the Coastal Track in RNP during the second week of January, and it was a very different experience to when I last did it about 15 years or so again. As others have discussed in an another post, the two portaloos at the North Era campsite were full to overflowing with you know what (when you opened the door the used toilet paper literally fell out at your feet!) [davidm - there are no permanent toilets currently at North Era, although two new ones appear to being built] and then there were toilet paper and mine sites littered pretty much across the campground. It was that bad I thought of taking a photo and sending to National Parks, but I forgot unfortunately.

What I found even more disturbing however was the amount of toilet paper you came across along the track (particularly the section from Garie Beach to Bundeena, with the worst section just north of Wattamola). People were obviously doing there business on the track and then just throwing the toilet paper into the bushes adjacent to the track.

Off topic, but I was also disappointed at how poor the track had been maintained in many places (particularly north of Wattamola). I suspect this is most likely be due to lack of funding, however to have wooden barriers and posts just lying where they have fallen and then the amount of subsequent erosion is not a good advertisement for a major(?) walk so close to Sydney. I pretty much grew up in the RNP until I headed south in the late 90's and large sections of the walk appear to have had minimal maintenance since then (although other sections around Burning Palms are having raised platforms put in). Still it was a great to be back there again.

[Onestepmore]

Portlester. I agree with you, I wrote a trip report on my coastal walk a few months ago. Great scenery, disappointed in the track maintenance.

[22F]

Some people over the years used to question me why we would poo into a plastic bag and carry it all out with us when I was playing soldiers.

It wasn't just for to avoid "enemy trackers", there's a great many training areas that have significant environmental requirements.

As a microbiologist, I get a wee bit paranoid seeing so much evidence of human waste in camping areas. Makes me wonder how bad and what sort of bugs I'm going to catch.

[roysta]

This behaviour may well have sprung from overseas.
If you go to Peru for instance they'll dig holes at camp sites and place a toilet tent over them and fill them in at the end of the stay.
That seems to be pretty normal behaviour.
Then again, they don't have any bush to run to at 4500-5000m.

[tom_brennan]

At the risk of sounding sexist, I suspect a fair bit of loose toilet paper is related to women using it after they pee, and not to people pooing (and will those words get through the censor?!). The loo paper then gets hidden under a bush or rock, where it often ends up breaking loose and blowing around tracks and camp sites.

That's not to say I haven't seen bad toileting practices, but I've seen far more loo paper than anything else. I don't see how it can be all poo-related.

[neilmny]

I got the same impression as Tom when I walked into Mountaineer Creek in the Eildon National Park. Here there and everywhere small amounts of paper shall we say "unstained". It was very disappointing. I'm inclined to think it was boaties rather than bushwalkers. There is even a long drop dunny there but it was in a poor state of maintenance.

[The Perambulator]

Last Friday, while walking on the Main Range Track I came across a pile of human excretement complete with paper on the edge of the track. Who ever it was could have walked less then 10 metres and turned over a rock. How disgusting is that?

[north-north-west]

At the risk of sounding sexist, I suspect a fair bit of loose toilet paper is related to women using it after they pee, and not to people pooing (and will those words get through the censor?!).

I'm sure it is. Even at carparks I've seen large damp patches with neatly placed paper on them.
Here's a tip girls: Either carry a small plastic bag for the used paper, or do a quick brush off with the backs of your fingers instead, and then some antiseptic gel to clean the hand. Far better for the environment.

[Kimberly]

Over the past few years hiking various trails, I have definitely been disgusted at the state of campsites in regards to the toilet habits of people. My boyfriend and I have hiked various popular trails and due to the campsite conditions we often bush camp instead, in areas where it is allowed. There were definitely toilets when we did Otford to Bundeena, but very few people were using them probably due to laziness as they didn't want to go to far from tents - we no longer overnight this one due to camping conditions and instead walk or run it in a single day.
Six foot track - the first campsite some despicable person decided to go to the toilet on top of the seats - we continued walking and bush camped.
Recently up on Mount Buffalo exploring all the various short hikes discovered tp all through the short 1-2hr hikes when toilets are either at the start of hikes or a short drive from the hikes.
I honestly think it comes down to the increase in people hiking combined with the utter disregard for the environment, lack of environmental knowledge, laziness or decline in society. It's sad and has contributed to our increasing interest in hiking the lesser used trails, or doing upwards of 30km days to turn overnights into day hikes.
On saying this I did find on the Great Ocean Walk there were less issues in regards to toilets and campsites, maybe it has something to do with the frequency and quality of the toilets at the sites along the walk?

Can anyone comment on the condition of the campsites along the Hume and Hovell track? We would like to hike it later this year.