In the ongoing battle between illegal street campers and local authorities seeking to crack down on them, Byron Bay is probably the ultimate ‘ground zero’.
The northern New South Wales town has long been associated with the counterculture movement, and this has led to an influx of ‘van lifers’ seeking to temporarily enjoy their own slice of paradise for free.
Every year, concerns mount that growing tourist numbers are simply outpacing infrastructure, triggering all sorts of unwanted problems.
Certainly, the lines of motorhomes and campervans on suburban streets has not gone unnoticed, and nor has the spate of anti-social behaviour that has seen human waste left on front lawns.
One long-term local, Alison Drover, told the ABC the area was too open to contradiction.
“We’re known as being free-spirited and open to everything, but it doesn’t really serve us in some ways,” she said. “We’re being sort of trampled on.”
The ABC reports that camping in streets, parks and reserves in Byron Shire is prohibited, and those who flout the law risk on-the-spot fines of between $110 and $2,200.
Between December 24 last year to January 2 this year, a total of 1,454 infringement notices were issued by the local council, the majority for illegal camping and parking.
The mayor of the Byron Shire Council, Simon Richardson, spent part of his youth as a ‘van packer’, says there is a tug-of-war taking place over what Byron represents.
“At what point do we open ourselves up as that … relaxed type of atmosphere and community without getting the mickey taken out of us for that?” he told the ABC. “People coming in and freeloading, to a certain extent, you know — there’s an uneasy tension over that.”
He says the council will continue to enforce restrictions on illegal camping but he acknowledges there is a major problem.
“We literally have to have paid staff to go around to write fines … knowing that a whole chunk of them aren’t going to get paid,” he said. “So while that’s the case, people take the piss, really, and do what they want and worry about it later.”
The Mayor says this would change overnight they were allowed to wheel clamp offending vehicles, but councils in New South Wales are currently prohibited from doing so.
I dont ever illegally park or camp…
I understand its a problem in some areas
but if I inadvertently did park and my wheels were ever clamped I’d soon remove them with a grinder and move on..!
Pat, everybody travels with a grinder. Hero comment, but we know reality.
Most dedicated travelers I know travel with appropriate tools I know I do and would not think twice about doing the same thing.
Vehicle impounding will send a more clear message. Same is done for those that hoon. Maybe 7 days for the first offence, 30 for the second. That should sort out the stealth campers and take the smirk of their faces.
Bit hard to impound when someone is in it.
And no one can force you to exit the vehicle. Not even the police if you haven’t committed a serious crime police have no obligation to remove someone from a vehicle
Never a hero…just free wheelin…!
NO FREE CAMPING NO STOPPING NO MONEY SPENT IN TOWN SO JUST MOVE ON TO NEXT TOWN
It is wealthy town now, even if the shops, are battling, and they, are I believe, the council, and the POP. don’t give a damn, about having campers there. They want them gone. It has been destroyed. I lived there for 2 years. It was a great little town then, not anymore. I couldn’t even get a park for my pushy, last time I was there in winter. It is just a mad house now.
If you have a designated free camp in your town the money that gets spent is amazing,no matter where you go you need fuel,food,drinks we even have the odd meal in a pub. Make a designated free camp!!
Maybe it’s time for councils to open up land for people to camp. We even have trouble just finding a place to pull up to go and have lunch or a cup of coffee for a break. Towns should realise us grey nomads bring money into your town, lots of it.
They have a massive area on the west side of town. It is the Belongil, entertainment Park, that is used for a 5 day music festival, once a year. They could let the place out to the campers, and charge them reasonable fees. Put a few better amenities there for them. It can take and has taken 5000 tents. Otherwise it is just a waste to have it..
Forget wheel clamps. Issue the infringement then notify registration authorities who make note on records this vehicle cannot be disposed of until the fine is paid. Similar check to REVS scheme to verify if a vehicle has a financial burden before purchase
So how do the authorities (and van rental companies) get their money back when all the back packers have Whiz Banned out of the country ????? Clamp them and make them pay to get it unclamped.
I agree that something need to be done clamping id a good idea but in the days of battery operated angle grinders and high tech cutting discs its cheaper just to cut them off – as for impounding — well impund the offenders as well and charge them extra…!!
Perhaps the ARMIDALE SOLUTION is required. Armidale Regional Council (ARC) had a brain fart and excluded free campers from the Dumaresq Dam site, proposing extensive upgrades that were totally impractical & very costly.
Free Campers now stop in Uralla NSW, about 22km south on the New England Highway and tell the Uralla shopkeepers & cafe owners why they stop in Uralla; because Armidale banned free camping at Dumaresq Dam. The wet dream re-development remains just that.
When I went to Byron Bay I stayed at the Red Devil campground which was $10 per night back then and because Byron Bay is a RV unfriendly town I always bypass from then on which is the solution…
Treat them like hoons. Crush the rig, caravan or hi-ace van. End of problem!