Buses: What’s the Big Deal?
8 January 2012
The Surf Coast Shire and State Government are using commercial tour operators as an excuse to over develop the Bells reserve. Remove the buses, remove the problem! (Thanks Andrew, see comments below)
Buses and Bells don’t mix. The rest of this post explains the problems caused when commercial tourism operators have access to the Bells reserve. The buses are a problem in terms of car park crowding and reducing access to the reserve for recreational visitor.
Another problem caused by buses, that we haven’t hi-lighted in the past, is the issue of public safety in the car park – something that this video illustrates nicely:
Another side effect of the bus tourists is that we could soon end up with something like this perched atop the cliff at Winkipop, just to accomodate the bus tourists. Just something to think about…
12 Apostles visitor 'hub'
… not in 5 – 10 years either, work could be starting as soon as next month!
On most mornings at Bells there is a traffic surge between 9:30 and 10:30 am. All the buses arrive at once and jockey for position with the drive in visitors. The biggest obstructions at that time are the tourist coaches that seat 40 plus people. Even though there are 5 or 6 a day, their bulk means they cause a disproportionate amount of congestion and pressure on reserve infrastructure. The car parks are not able to handle vehicles of this size, the question is what is to be done about it.
The Bells Reserve master plan indicates what the Surf Coast Shire proposes to do about it. The plans are on a sign board at the south end of the Winki car park. They show the creation of 5 full time parking bays for tourist coaches, as well as a toilet block and tourist hub to be built in the middle of the Winkipop car park.
These plans are completely unsatisfactory and they raise some interesting questions. For example: it is illegal to operate a business on the Bells reserve without a permit. There is no question that tour bus operators are running their businesses on the Bells reserve without permits, but instead of prosecuting the bus companies like any other law breaker on the reserve (people camping overnight in the reserve for example), the Shire is going to great lengths to encourage them.
Another point: we currently have 5 or 6 large coaches in the reserve on most days, and yet the shire is maintaining a line that coaches will be limited to 5 at one time. The fact that the plans contain a tourist hub and additional toilets would suggest that the Shire has plans to maintain a constant through put of coaches during the day, equivalent in number to the current morning rush hour. To make room for this, carparking for recreational users will be reduced by about one third.
We believe the buses shouldn’t be in the reserve in the first place. There should be no modifications to the Bells reserve that serve to facilitate coach traffic, especially where those modifications have a detrimental effect on the ambience or the ecology of the reserve or reduce access for recreational stakeholders wanting to use the reserve in its intended manner.
The Bells Beach Preservation Society wants a blanket ban on tourist coaches and independent tour buses in the Bells Beach Reserve. Residential developments around Torquay and to the south of Geelong mean there will be a huge increase in visitors to Bells in the next 5 to 15 years. There is already enough traffic from surfers and drive in tourists on good surf days to completely fill the car park, so we believe it is important that the Shire makes the tough decision on buses now. A policy that accommodates the tour buses today will inevitably lead to increases in numbers and the Shire will soon find that it has to completely change the face of the reserve, just to accommodate the buses.
The natual ambience of Bells would be destroyed and those who suffer the most will be the recreational stakeholders for whom the reserve was created in the first place.
To accomodate the visitors wishing to see the surf coast on bus tours we would like to see regular mini bus shuttles that run from marshalling points in Torquay. Coach passengers that are interested in seeing Bells can have a coffee and use the toilets in town, maybe do a bit of shopping, and then get on a smaller bus for the trip out to the reserve. That way they will cause far less of a burden to the infrastructure.
If we could take the current tourist coach traffic out of the Bells equation there would be no need for a tourist hub at Winkipop, the mini buses could use the parking area near the picnic tables, the current Bells toilets could handle the through put and the Winkipop carpark – the gateway to Bells Beach and busiest area in the reserve – could be left alone.
My guess is that this is just the first toilet stop from Melbourne on the all day trip to “The Ocean Road”. The idea of stopping them in Torquay and mini buses probably won’t work as the tours are on a tight schedule – Melbourne 8 am to 8 pm. The idea of continuing buses all day probably won’t happen either for the same reason.
Simple solution – fine buses illegally or badly parked for a few weeks, the message will get through. Has anyone talked to the bus companies??? Ask for co-operation and tell them that If there are already full bus parks, they may not stop.
If Council wants to it can easily control this issue without more toilets! Please no interpretive signs. Remember the Anglesea 15 toilet debacle!! Toilet stops are not bringing tourists – many buses bring their own morning tea included in the fare and the only shopping time will be near the 12 Apostles.
What is the problem here? The (unnamed) man in the video states (for once, correctly)that the buses visit for one hour each day. So that means for the other 10 or more hours of daylight each day, they are not there. And is there any evidence that any person has not been able to do what they want to do during that hour? As a tour bus driver who has regularly visited the site over 10 years, there is plenty of room for everyone, even during the busy days when the surf is up. And quite often, there are few if any surfers to be seen. The reason why the buses are seen to park illegally is because the bays are too small. Bells Beach is a national asset to be maintained for the benefit of everyone – let’s not take this patronising attitude that it is for the benefit of only one group. BTW, tour operators regularly encourage tourists to dispose of their rubbish properly. Do the surfers do the same?
Rather than moaning about visitors who want to see and experience this Victorian icon, perhaps it’s time to consider how the Shire (or some enterprising individuals)can raise some revenue from this goldmine. These folks have dollars in their pocket and would more than willingly part with some of them for a memento of their visit. There has been almost nil tangible investment in the Bells Beach Surfing Recreation Reserve in the last decade. Successful tourism destination have worked inclusively and have not tried to treat visitors as intruders. I wish I had a business that could generate strong revenue from just one hour’s work a day! Stop looking a gift horse in the mouth and start thinking laterally about how all can benefit.
Yeah, excellent Terry, I see where your coming from….$$$$, because that’s what its all about isn’t it? Its people like you that have destroyed some of the best spots in the world because of mass tourism. What do you propose, a shop at bells selling souveneirs? What have you contributed in the last 10 years to bells? Tourist companies have profited greatly by using Bells Beach, but have contributed nothing more than the crap and human waste that they leave each day. Its comments and attitudes like yours that makes me fearful for the future. “Who can stand in the way…when there’s a dollar to be made……’
Perhaps an idea for the Surf Coast Shire is to have roadside verge coach and mini-bus parking on the Bells – Pt Addis road outside the surfers carpark. Passengers could then easily walk on a minimally intrusive gravel pathway(easy) through to the viewing platform to experience the amazing natural spectacle of shivering surfers getting changed in the carpark, and perhaps the set of the day.
Voila! Congestion avoided, and as an added bonus bus companies will save valuable time not having to park and turn around in tight carparks, and could continue their GOR odyssey via the Pt Addis road.
The Shire would have to have to educate bus drivers and companies, hopefully without installing ‘No Bus Parking’ signs in the surfers’ car park – this could be easily done with rangers issuing fines as a last resort. I think if the Shire want an interpretation centre and people want souvenirs they should focus on the amazing museum that is Surfworld, that is just hampered by its lack of visibility tucked in behind a shopping centre.
Toilets, traffic, day visitors, rubbish, signage and carparks are as much an issue at Cactus Beach as Bells Beach but if done properly they can work – they just require good planning and careful management.
Right on Ross ! Simple hey ! That is exactly what should happen, and always should have been done this way.
WALK from where everyone parks when the Bells comp is on and if Bells is such a special place that area should have a proper car park like you see down the coast, with black gravel and nice gardens around it to make it blend in with the natural surrounds and so it can then also be used for the comp as a car park every year. Then they get the real feel of the place and experience what Bells is all about.
I think on tourist bus must be better than the equivalent 20 cars or more ???
Less congestion, less pollution, less fuel wasted etc…
Bells should be protected but there needs to be co-operation between the Shire, the locals & tour operators……
Just my thoughts…..as a local…..
I think many people are missing the point. The Shire and State Governement are using the tour buses as an excuse to develop Bells. Remove the buses – remove the excuse.
There is an approved coastal Management Plan that is on the Shires website that indicates they intend to have a toilet facility and tourist hub at Winki with tourist information signs all over the reserve. The State Gvernment has stated that no extra hardstand carparks are to be creared – therefore to cater for the buses, carparks are to be removed and bus parks to be allocated.
These changes are just a money grab by the Shire.
Leave Bells alone, I want my kids to surf the place in future without buildings and other development all over the reserve.
Our surfing forefathers put in a huge effort to have the area made into a reserve for us to enjoy – don’t let us be the generation to destroy what they have created.
The surf coastal from Jan Juc to Anglesea are so beautiful full of natural sea, waves, cliff and bushes ..
To start with just one bus hub in any spot of those area is very dangerous ..the beginning of cancer .
SurfCoast Shire should look after our pride Bells Beach with greatest care ..Remove any sign of cancers first before profits. Any of the councillors with different ideas with no respect to Bells Beach should be banned and removed immediately !