Camping - Waterfall Valley

[Davo1]

Could someone enlighten me if possible please.
We used to quite often camp at Waterfall Valley as an overnight trip.
A friend has just been in and asked to leave, told he is not allowed to camp at Waterfall Valley overnight.
He had all his own gear and was not reliant the huts for anything and intended camping far enough away not to interfere with paid up walkers.
He did say he seen an A4 laminated sign at the Cirque junction to Lake Rodway saying this but as he was nearly there he pushed on.
How long has this been going on?
Is it correct?
Thanks
Davo1

[DanShell]

This will answer your question better than I can.
http://www.parks.tas.gov.au/file.aspx?id=37489

But they are not as strict as the document may lead you to believe. If you phone them and ask permission with good reason (I want to photograph fagus and It is too far to walk out in one day for instance) there is a big chance they will grant you permission and let the staff know in the area.

[Davo1]

This will answer your question better than I can.
http://www.parks.tas.gov.au/file.aspx?id=37489

But they are not as strict as the document may lead you to believe. If you phone them and ask permission with good reason (I want to photograph fagus and It is too far to walk out in one day for instance) there is a big chance they will grant you permission and let the staff know in the area.

Dan it really doesn't answer anything. All the info I can find allows overnight walks into Waterfall Valley contrary to what apparently the signs in there say and whoever asked my friend to leave.
I will get clarification , just thought someone may have had some updated info.
Thanks for the reply.
Cheers

[DanShell]

This will answer your question better than I can.
http://www.parks.tas.gov.au/file.aspx?id=37489

But they are not as strict as the document may lead you to believe. If you phone them and ask permission with good reason (I want to photograph fagus and It is too far to walk out in one day for instance) there is a big chance they will grant you permission and let the staff know in the area.

Dan it really doesn't answer anything. All the info I can find allows overnight walks into Waterfall Valley contrary to what apparently the signs in there say and whoever asked my friend to leave.
I will get clarification , just thought someone may have had some updated info.
Thanks for the reply.
Cheers

Wheres the info your finding that allows overnight stays at WV? The document they have released allows overnight at Scott Kilvert and day walks into WV but not overnight.

I think once your past waterfall valley you can camp anywhere along the track....providing of course you have an OLT pass or its out of 'season'.

[Davo1]

http://www.parks.tas.gov.au/index.aspx?base=3305

So what you are saying Dan is that in one breath they say it's a popular overnight walk and in the next you cannot do it as an overnighter???????

[DanShell]

http://www.parks.tas.gov.au/index.aspx?base=3305

So what you are saying Dan is that in one breath they say it's a popular overnight walk and in the next you cannot do it as an overnighter???????

No Im not saying that at all Just before I try and clarify Parks wording its important to know Im hearing you mate, Personally I have no issues with your mate camping in the WV area.

However they do say that overnight stays are welcome at Scott Kilvert Hut. They don't say they are ok at WV. They do say that walks to WV are ok but not staying overnight. I know its not very clear and the wording could be a little more detailed but thats how I read it.

[Davo1]

Yes after reading the two together I can see your point.
I feel they should take it off the overnight walk section if that's the case.
Getting to the stage I wonder why I pay my fees, privileges are certainly diminishing (unless you have $).
Just been doing some work to try and help with getting the Tarkine turned into a NP.
Got my concerns about that now....as it stands I have access, maybe if it turns into NP I won't have that access.
I know that wouldn't worry some but it would me.
Certainly raises some questions????
Sorry, getting off topic.
Hey thanks Dan for your help.

[Thornbill]

Davo1,

I had a similar experience late last year. Had planned to head into WV to camp the night and climb Barn Bluff, but was told by one of the Rangers/desk staff at the Cradle visitors centre that we weren't allowed and we had to stay at Scott Kilvert instead. Came as a surprise to me at the time.

[South_Aussie_Hiker]

Scott Kilvert is nice, but I've heard the track coming in from Barn Bluff direction is badly overgrown. The track around the eastern side via Artist's Pool is easy walking.

Scott Kilvert is nowhere near as nice as Waterfall Valley. I still enjoyed staying at SKH, but limited views of the water and lack of camping platforms (or flat open ground like WFV) makes it less desirable.

It's a pity Parks' information still appears to be a little contradictory.

[icefest]

I went up the scot killvert cradle cirque track last summer and I wouldn't say it's badly overgrown. It's no overland track, and less well constructed but pretty easy to follow. It's clearer than the labyrinth.

Why not shoot a message at parks with a suggested phrasing that makes the camp situation clearer?

[Aztec]

The Parks PDF says "Bushwalkers intending to use part of the OLT, and who do not pay the Overland Track Fee, should ,in most cases, not walk more than one overnight segment."

So does that mean I can walk to Waterfall Valley from the Lake Carpark, stay the night, walk back - from the carpark to WV is one leg (usually)

[gayet]

But not at WV. Whether one night on a single overnight segment or not. WV is open to Pass holders for the entire OT only - my understanding of the intent of the rules.
You can overnight at New Pelion if coming up the ART or Lees Paddocks. Many have o/n'd at New Pelion from the ART without problem. Other camping areas accessible from outside the OT I believe are also ok for a single night but you can only walk one segment of the OT. In the majority of instances.

[Nuts]

Must be hard trying to get the intent to match the wording

This will answer your question better than I can.
http://www.parks.tas.gov.au/file.aspx?id=37489

But they are not as strict as the document may lead you to believe. If you phone them and ask permission with good reason (I want to photograph fagus and It is too far to walk out in one day for instance) there is a big chance they will grant you permission and let the staff know in the area.

Dan, this may very well happen but I can say would be contrary to the intent of the regulations and (for Davo) very likely the first the ground staff will have heard of 'permission granted' would be when you tried to tell them at WFV.

[DanShell]

Must be hard trying to get the intent to match the wording

This will answer your question better than I can.
http://www.parks.tas.gov.au/file.aspx?id=37489

But they are not as strict as the document may lead you to believe. If you phone them and ask permission with good reason (I want to photograph fagus and It is too far to walk out in one day for instance) there is a big chance they will grant you permission and let the staff know in the area.

Dan, this may very well happen but I can say would be contrary to the intent of the regulations and (for Davo) very likely the first the ground staff will have heard of 'permission granted' would be when you tried to tell them at WFV.

I would have thought so as well however when on the OLT recently I saw a couple walking in the wrong direction in an area that is clearly not allowed, had a quick chat to them but didn't mention any guidelines (its not my place to enforce rules).

A day or so later I was having a lengthy chat to a Parks employee and he brought up the topic of the guidelines because I was asking about the tracks that lead to Ducane and Traveller Range. And it was he who said "we have a couple on the track at the moment walking in the wrong direction, as they are photographing the Fagus" I happened to mention that I saw them and he stated that they rang and asked for permission. He also said a photographer from the mainland also rang and requested special permission to walk in the wrong direction at the end of the month and they granted that as well.
So while the intent of the regs are to keep the track going in one direction, they do seem to be quite relaxed about it if you phone and ask first?? Quite odd I thought.

I have to wonder if you phoned and asked to camp at WV because you wanted to photograph the Fagus would they then allow it, and more importantly would they get the message across to the ranger like they obviously did to the ranger at the other end who I was chatting too.

[Nuts]

hmmm, I wonder if there's a hotline for those 'special permissions'??

That is interesting and sounds entirely believable Dan!

[DanShell]

hmmm, I wonder if there's a hotline for those 'special permissions'??

That is interesting and sounds entirely believable Dan!

I could be wrong but I think he mentioned the person they phoned was his boss.......assuming the head ranger?

[Nuts]

hmm maybe someone working on a parks (internal) photo project.. ? (that must be it..)

as a side note and issue of bending the regs, the other week i heard a walker insisting that a track ranger had discretion (they had read it somewhere..) and, in their case for arguing bringing a large group into the hut, almost demanding that the ranger use it.