Park fees rise surprises residents
Entry fees to local national parks such as Torndirrup, West Cape Howe, Two Peoples Bay and Gull Rock have increased up to 30 per cent starting from this month.
Daily fees to visit the national parks have risen from $13 to $15 for each car of up to 12 passengers.
Concession fees have also increased from $7 to $8.
Four-week holiday park passes are up from $46 to $60, while the annual pass for all parks has jumped from $92 to $120 and from $58 to $75 for concessions.
Annual local park passes, available to local residents only, have increased from $23 to $25.
A spokeswoman for the Department of Biodiversity Attraction and Conservation said the increased fees would go towards maintaining the parks.
The news surprised many Great Southern residents, including Denmark farmer and volunteer firefighter Tony Pedro.
“The head of Parks and Wildlife has totally ignored that aspect of our national parks,” he said.
“By putting the price up in some cases to $60 for four weeks, $100 and something for a full year, he seems to be denying a large section of the community the access to the social benefit.
“Families aren’t going to be taking their children to the parks because it costs too much, and children will lose contact with the spectacular natural environment we’re lucky enough to hold.”
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