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National Park legislation preventing drone use

joel_210

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Bundaberg QLD, Australia
I'm from QLD but will be holidaying in both Victoria and NSW soon so have been trying to get up to speed on where I cannot fly. I know their respective national park websites say drones aren't allowed unless authorised, however I'm starting to wonder if this is even enforceable and what legislation prohibits drone use in national parks.

Victoria
  • My understanding is Victoria National Parks are regulated under the National Parks Regulations 2013.
  • This regulation does not mention drone at all in any of its definitions. It has an aircraft definition and prevents launching and landing of aircraft, however the definition for aircraft does not cover drones.
  • Aircraft definition is aircraft includes an aeroplane, helicopter, glider, hot air balloon, hang glider, paraglider and parachute;
Based off this I don't see how it can be an offence to fly a drone in a national park in Victoria given it is not included in their definition of an aircraft.

NSW
  • Regulated by the National Parks and Wildlife Regulation 2019
  • Drone is included in the aircraft definition as an unmanned aircraft
  • Section 15 for offensive conduct prohibits using an aircraft in a manner that is likely to interfere with or cause a nuisance to a person or animal
  • The only other part that would affect drone use that I can see is Division 1 Regulation by notices or direction. This states that a park authority may display notices within the park to prohibit activities and that direction may also be given verbally
Based off the NSW information it seems that any information prohibiting drones on the NSW National Parks website is not enforceable and the prohibition of drones can only be enforced either by a park ranger telling you not to fly or there being a sign in the area of the park you want to fly.

I'm assuming there will definitely be signs at popular tourist spots but if you are in a more remote area of a park, it seems like you are good to fly if you haven't passed any signs prohibiting it.

Interested in people's thoughts on this? Am I missing something?
 
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Unfortunately those states, and Tas and SA, have very specific drone statements online with simple Google searches.
It sucks eggs for sure.
I’m in SE QLD now and another week and love flying the Nat Parks up here all legal.
There are plenty of places to fly outside Nat Parks in the majority of drone unfriendly state parks organisations, or if really isolated, take your chances using common sense.
 
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What was said above.I have been removed from Nat parks by rangers .this rule is VERY strongly enforced in NSW.The rule extents to any coastline included & launching outside the park & flying into the park is not tolerated either.There are plenty of other places to fly so I don’t try pushing the envelope
 
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What was said above.I have been removed from Nat parks by rangers .this rule is VERY strongly enforced in NSW.The rule extents to any coastline included & launching outside the park & flying into the park is not tolerated either.There are plenty of other places to fly so I don’t try pushing the envelope
It is unfortunate for responsible pilots who want to take photos and vids. But it is also understandable given the large number of idiots who want to take selfie footage and intrude into the tranquillity of the parks so that they can impress their Instagram “friends”.
I live very close to Mt Warning NP and the Border Ranges NP.
I respect the rules and agree that there is more than enough wonderful country around thr parks.
Rule breakers just re-enforce the negative image that drones have in the community.
 
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Unfortunately those states, and Tas and SA, have very specific drone statements online with simple Google searches.
It sucks eggs for sure.
I’m in SE QLD now and another week and love flying the Nat Parks up here all legal.
There are plenty of places to fly outside Nat Parks in the majority of drone unfriendly state parks organisations, or if really isolated, take your chances using common sense.
Not all. I did a recon drive to the base of Glass House Mountains - sign there prohibiting drone use. You could try taking off outside the park, but that’s quite a distance away. You should be enjoying the weather at the moment!
 
It is unfortunate for responsible pilots who want to take photos and vids. But it is also understandable given the large number of idiots who want to take selfie footage and intrude into the tranquillity of the parks so that they can impress their Instagram “friends”.
I live very close to Mt Warning NP and the Border Ranges NP.
I respect the rules and agree that there is more than enough wonderful country around thr parks.
Rule breakers just re-enforce the negative image that drones have in the community.
I was born and bred in Murwillumbah. I would have liked to have flown Mt Warning but knew it wasn’t allowed. Still a lovely part of the world!
 
Not all. I did a recon drive to the base of Glass House Mountains - sign there prohibiting drone use. You could try taking off outside the park, but that’s quite a distance away. You should be enjoying the weather at the moment!

Now that’s weird, there are some special places where drone use is restricted, but glasshouse isn’t on the qld parks list.


I just drove past them today, on the way to Hervey Bay, and will be staying just north of them near Maleny on the way home tues / Wed.

Also plan a wild horse mountain stop and fly from the lookout.

One thing I did find when researching flying (and climbing) some of the glasshouse, is scenic flight light aircraft (and probably helis) do seem to show photos of them flying close to and around the same altitude as the mountain summits, so care would need to be taken for sure.
Maybe signage you saw is around the popular car parks and trail heads ?
 
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I was born and bred in Murwillumbah. I would have liked to have flown Mt Warning but knew it wasn’t allowed. Still a lovely part of the world!

Mate in SA is from Murwillumbah, about your age, Brian Davis ?

Mt Warning is a beauty, had to opportunity to climb it twice in the previous year or two before access was totally removed to visitors.
I would have loved to be able to fly up there, but even if permitted, there were always too many people enjoying the quiet of the summit to do so with a clear conscience.
 
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I fly around Glasshouse mountains and never have a problem, but I do keep well away from the lookouts.

I‘m heading down to Jervis Bay soon and would love to do some flying around the bay, but I suspect that having a military site, I will be unable to?
 
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