The suggestion was raised at a meeting of the Dumaresq Dam Progress Association.

Chairwoman Maria Hitchcock said members had been tasked with drafting a new management plan for the site, used by campers as well as locals for picnics, fishing, bushwalking and kayaking. 

They discussed creating a recycling station at the site, with specialised bins for campers.

Another suggestion was appointing a caretaker, who had once been stationed at the site when it was used as a water supply.

But that idea was ruled out and instead, the assocation favoured charging a fee of up to $10 a night for campers.

There would also be a maximum limit of 15 campsites and camp times would be capped at a month. The fee would have to be paid at the Visitors Information Centre in Armidale.

Yesterday, campers at Dumaresq Dam rejected the idea of a fee, saying it would force them to stay elsewhere. They said they would prefer to spend their money in town, and a compulsory fee could discourage people from staying.

Grey nomad Nobby Young, 67, said “I spend $400 a week [in towns] to travel, and I'm just one person”. One camper, who was going to have his vehicle serviced, see a doctor, and have his prescriptions filled while staying at the campsite, said, “If you impose a fee, we go elsewhere”.

But many campers were willing to contribute to the site's upkeep and suggested an honesty box.

“An honesty box would be the way to go,” Mr Young said.

“We would rather pay a reasonable fee than nothing, and this would be an equitable way.”

Ms Hitchcock said with new council rules a fee was probable, although the method of collecting it seemed misguided.

“The logistics seem unsure. Many campers prefer to set up [their site] before heading into town [to pay a fee],” she said.

The draft plan still needs the nod of Armidale Dumaresq Council and will be discussed at a later meeting.