Article from: Pat Callinan’s 4X4 Adventures

National Parks in Western Australia have seen a price hike on camping fees because of the claimed increased cost of protecting National Parks.

National Park fees in Western Australia are being increased between 15-30 percent, depending on the pass type. For instance, the annual all-parks pass, which is typically sold as the value proposition will be raised from $92 to $120.

Speaking this week about the price increase on ABC Radio, Director of Parks and Wildlife Services Western Australia, Peter Sharp said, the price increases are about recuperating the costs that are in involved with protecting the National Parks. “We’re in a business of trying to provide high quality experiences for people and protect the biodiversity values … we’re just nudging the price up a little to get a contribution from someone who is using our parks.”

Interestingly, while fees in Western Australia are being increased, there’s talk of fees in other States and Territories being reduced. In Tasmania, there’s a proposal before parliament to reduce rates in May 2020 on the price of an annual all-parks pass from $96 to $92. While in New South Wales an annual all-parks pass, including Kosciusko National Park, costs $190, but drop Kosciusko National Park and the cost of an all-parks pass drops to $65.