IMPORTANT NOTICE: CHANGED BEECROFT WEAPONS RANGE ACCESS ARRANGEMENTS AND FISHING THE TUBES

Beecroft Weapons Range will close to public visitors, other than authorised campers, at 9 pm each evening. The range will open to all visitors at 2 am each day.  Identification must be provided on request.

Department of Defence concerns with rock fishing at Beecroft Weapons Range:

  • There has been a significant increase in rock fishing at the over the past several years.
    • This increased activity has led to overcrowding of the rock ledge and surrounding area, both of people and equipment (including children’s swimming pools for holding live bait).
    • Over-crowding also poses a safety risk to other visitors who wish to see the Outer Tubes, which is a significant heritage site within the Range.
    • The extended presence by fishers at the Outer Tubes poses additional safety risks. Of prime concern is the lighting of fires, which during the bushfire season poses a severe safety risk throughout the range, and hygiene risk due to the reluctance to use the toilet and waste facilities provided.  The area immediately above the Tubes has been denuded of the natural tea tree growth, stripped out for fire fuel and fire remnants are routinely found, as recently as the weekend of 13/14 December this year.
    • Allowing these circumstances to continue also undermines Defence’s ability to enforce the Defence (Public Areas) By-Laws 1987 (Cth) elsewhere throughout BWR.
    • In particular, fishers essentially ‘camping’ overnight at the Outer Tubes to catch live bait is unauthorised; camping is permitted under the By Laws in two locations, Honeymoon Bay and Bindijine Campgrounds. Other range users have been found illegally camping elsewhere throughout the range, which leads to the same further risks, particularly lighting of fires.
    • Hence, the restrictions identified to address these risks will apply throughout the entire Range.
    • The restrictions were determined through a risk assessment process and the preferred outcome was to apply strict access restrictions to day visitors between sunset and sunrise.
    • Following consultation with sport fishing representatives, NSW Department of Primary Industries, Defence has agreed to adjust the restricted access period in recognition of the significance of the Outer Tubes to sport fishers. The adjusted restriction is considered the minimum to accommodate fishing and meet Defence’s safety requirements.
    • The revised access arrangements and restrictions will be monitored over the coming holiday season and will be reviewed with stakeholders in March 2015.

To ensure access restrictions are enforced the following roads will be closed by 8:30 pm each evening:

  • Lighthouse Road at the Honeymoon Bay Rd intersection;
  • Long Beach South Rd ; and
  • Green Point Rd.

Should you be locked in you must remain at the gate and phone the access control guards on 4448 3248 to facilitate your exit.

The following are mandatory conduct requirements within Beecroft Weapons Range, and will be strictly enforced and infringement notices issued.

  • No unauthorised access, including remaining within the Range while it is closed between 9pm and 2am (this does not apply to authorised campers);
  • No camping outside of Honeymoon Bay and Bindijine Camp Grounds. This includes sleeping overnight in vehicles.
  • No littering – deposit all rubbish in bins provided or take it out with you.
  • No lighting fires at anytime – cigarette butts must be disposed of in an appropriate receptacle.
  • No gas cooking equipment is to be used during Total Fire Ban periods.
  • No driving on beaches is permitted unless launching and retrieving boats in authorised locations. Vehicles must be returned to car parks.
  • Vehicles are to be parked only in allocated car parks.
  • No domestic animals are to be brought onto the Range.

Additional Restrictions Applicable to Rock Fishing at ‘The Outer Tubes’ :

  • Do not erect temporary shelter structures of any kind, such as tents, swags or tarpaulins at anytime.
  • All rubbish must be removed when exiting the area. Removal of rubbish includes fish matter, line and other fishing related items.  The platform must be cleaned down at the end of fishing.
  • Maintain a clear walkway along the cliff face, free of any trip hazards at all times. Ensure there is no risk of harm to pedestrians from fishing line, hooks and other items.
  • Buckets are preferred for holding live bait. Wading pools may be used where there is sufficient space to safely accommodate them. A clear walkway is to be maintained around bait holding devices
  • You are only permitted to take to the Tubes equipment that you can personally carry. No carrying equipment is to be used to transport fishing equipment, eg prams, trolleys, wheel barrows.
  • Do no interfere with or harm wildlife at anytime. This includes seals and birds of prey.  Minimise interaction with these animals.  If they interact with your lines, you are to remove lines from the water until the animal has departed.
  • Use the toilet and refuse facilities provided. Individuals failing to do so will be infringed and required to leave the area.Infringement Notices:  

Infringement Notice penalties under the Defence (Public Areas) By-Laws 1987 (Cth) range from a warning up to fines of $850.  Failure to pay by the due date will result in debt recovery action by the Department of Defence.   Individuals who fail to abide by the rules will be required to leave. Individuals may be banned from the site for periods, including an indefinite ban.

Note that all NSW Fisheries and Marine Park rules and restrictions also apply.

ABOUT THESE CHANGES

New rules for access to the Department of Defence’s (DOD) Beecroft Weapons Range (BWR) came into effect in 2014 after the DOD’s move to restrict access from sunrise to sunset.

DOD became increasingly concerned about some anglers accessing the location when the range was closed, and general abuse of the area.

With these problems in mind, representatives of NSW Department of Primary Industries, Australian National Sportfishing Association (national), Australian National Sportfishing Association NSW, the Recreational Fishing Alliance of NSW and Australian Land Based Anglers Association started negotiating with DOD in late 2014 to achieve a better outcome.

Defence has agreed to adjust the restricted access period in recognition of the significance of the Outer Tubes to sport fishers. The adjusted restriction is considered the minimum to accommodate fishing and meet Defence’s safety requirements.

This website explains DOD’s reasons for concern and the new rules anglers have agreed for the time being – and it’s a good outcome considering what we were faced with.

The revised access arrangements and restrictions will be constantly monitored and will be reviewed with stakeholders in March 2017.

ABOUT THIS WEBSITE

For information contact the Recreational Fishing Alliance of NSW at info@rfansw.com.au

Thank you to Greg Finney for the photos.