It’s the time of year when caravan parks are pricey, campsites are packed out … and local authorities crack down hard on those who park up for the night in a place where they shouldn’t.
The MidCoast Council in New South Wales has certainly indicated it won’t be messing about with those camping anywhere other than a designated camping area.
“Illegal camping can have very negative impacts for locals, local businesses and the environment,” said Director of Liveable Communities, Paul De Szell. “Residents in coastal hotspots have made it clear they want a strong response from Council on this issue … that’s why we’ve significantly increased patrols. Rangers have the right to issue fines and move illegal campers on.”
The MidCoast Council area has plenty to recommend it to travellers. PIC: MidCoast Council
The council says illegal camping includes sleeping in a car, tent or van in any place where camping is not permitted.
Council rangers can also issue fines for illegal parking, rubbish dumping, and driving on a beach without a permit. All fines are set by Revenue NSW and vary from $110 – $600.
The rangers are working closely with the National Parks and Wildlife Service rangers and NSW Police, and the council says they will be present across the MidCoast with a special focus on popular coastal towns including Seal Rocks, Tea Gardens/Hawks Nest, Crowdy Head and Harrington.
A council spokesperson says failure to find accommodation is not an acceptable reason to camp illegally and, during peak season, visitors are advised to book well ahead. It says accommodation in the area can often be found by looking further inland at towns like Taree, Wingham, and Gloucester.
MidCoast Council says it will continue to work with the affected communities on further potential measures to prevent illegal camping and rubbish dumping.
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Yes at a town where the servo was closed had to park out back but was asked to move on until I proved that we were running on a empty tank
I did but didn’t know it.
Apparently it was a roadside rest stop for truckies. Not signed that way tho.
Illegal camping is just that!
If you don’t book to stay in a popular area over the summer school hols, or Easter, or a long weekend ….. TOUGH. Suck it up and go inland over these busy times. Plenty of camping areas and many free ones.
Supply and demand dictates pricing in caravan parks hence, you pay more for peak, less for shoulder and less again for off season.
I’ve run parks all over this wonderful country and the above applies pretty much universally.
I now live on the road and have absolutely no problem finding either Low-cost or free places. I just don’t go near the coast…. Pretty simple really
Not everyone wants to spend summer inland, nor should they have to. Big companies are taking over coastal caravan parks, and they have now become just too expensive.
More simple van parks with adequate facilities are being bought up by operators like NRMA, Ingenia & Tasman. THey do a makeover and then jack the prices up. If we are worried about “illegal’ camping, councils should run low-cost or free camping for visitors. This is what they do in France, and it works really well.
Here here!!!
Not allowed to enjoy our own heritage.
not for free
Why not for free ? If you’re self contained and don’t require extra hook-ups – own water, own battery power, own toilet etc.
Or are you a park owner with a financial interest ?
Hole in one Mike
Your right big players controlling he market. No different to supermarkets duoppolies and hardware monopolies
Rob do you realise these shopping duoppolies(Woolworths/Coles and the big hardware monopoly(Bunnings)as well as K-Mart, Target as well as a few more well shopped companies are all owned by one big money grabbing manipulator called WESFARMERS!!!!
Wesfarmers do not own Woolworths.
They sold their stake in Coles supermarket chain in 2018.
We agree with what you’ve said too Mike Robertson !!
… and yet ‘our voices’ are drowned out by money grubbers and the ever present ‘do-gooders’ who say told you so and suck it up
so true, and there are always some who say if you do not obey you should be bashed with the money stick NO MATTER what or why or even if it is fair.
I would say they have a vested interest
There was a time when councils owned caravan parks and were cheaper, we find the best price is show grounds, sure they don’t have all the fancy frills but if your satisfied with budget type accommodation they are the way to go
Some flashy caravan parks doesn’t have any facilities either, and they still charge an arm and a leg for overnight stays…
I was just in Albany WA a month ago. They had ‘overflow’ parking at their showgrounds.
Fair enough, $40 per night plus $10 for each extra person, no concession.
Sure its not expensive but it adds up and for those of us living on a pension it means choosing between what we need.
True enough in the outback and Goldfields most towns have a free site where you can stay abt 2 days, but the southern coast of WA is a nightmare to find free stops and as I’m looking now even roadside rest stops are non existent along the Vasse hwy. Sigh.
What just magic up some expensive coastal land throw in a toilet and shower block employ a whole lot of cleaning and maintenance staff and some front office staff and let people stay for free.
Ain’t going to happen mate think about what you are asking for ???
Perhaps re-read his whole letter. He suggested low cost OR free camping spots. People who complain about such ideas are the very same people who complain about the price of fruit & veg at the duopoly supermarkets. Grey nomads are tired of subsidising others for the use of jumping pillows & swish playgrounds.
Many travellers are self contained these days. Provide a water point (charge if needed), a dump point and charge $15-$20 if on the coast via a booking app. Get a sport club to run and they make Money over peak period. It’s the crazy price of corporate parks travellers don’t care for, especially those with kids.
Spot on Joanne my thoughts exactly. We free camp wherever we can but a lot of people on here are travelling around Not cause they want to but because it’s the cheapest way to live..All that’s OK but don’t whinge if you can’t stay on the beach for FREE .the ratepayers of any area pay to maintain their town / suburb so why should it be free..A case in point is a lovely town in Qld called Murgon.Council took over a rundown caravan park and opened it to travellers. We used to stay couple nights often on way to or from…and Allways spent money in town Iga. Clothes. Coffee.. club meals..Then the ” homeless started moving in destroying a great facility rubbish, smouldering fires .Humppies right at entrance. I called council and lady said ” they have to live somewhere ” So we don’t visit anymore and most vanners wouldn’t…My point is they were given a hand and they don’t appreciate it and turn it into a dump.they can smoke have tatts ..couple dogs
Pay for it then …np
Totally agree Mike. Ingenia Bonny Hills. Off peak. $90+ per night for a powered site. Gouging at its best.
M8 Yamba c/van camp park, unpowered site.
$ 90 P/d for 2 adults 2 children in a camper trailer ( no pwered sites available!! )
Motel next door available family room double n 2 singles $110 P/n
We put the camper in the parking space n stayed at the motel !!
Agree, what has happened to Australia…so many rules and regulations…it makes me sick. As long as people clean up after themselves …l do nor see the harm at all. You live in a tourist spot then put up with the tourist who bring in the cash and stop whinging. National parks included…cannot go anywhere without it costing these days…are they not suppose to be for the people or just government
And that’s the problem.. so many of us do the right thing. But I have seen some disgusting .. like really disgusting habits, where not only rubbish, but faeces and other unwanted stuff left behind in free camping spots. Equally we were looking for a powered site for our van in March and was shocked at the prices. Anywhere between 90 and 270 a night. Nothing gold plated included. We just want power, clean bathroom and a place to park and sleep, and walk and just be. Nope we don’t even want a jumping castle for free running children. Where we are looking there are no council or showground type places.
A lot of the parks are owned by the councils hence the crackdown. They want you in their parks. Greed!!!
High class ” high cost people will pay for quality ” don’t know why the lady still has to work … Anyways I’ve said enough .. cheers mate
Sometimes the shortest distance between two points is not going inland, as you say.
People travelling to certain destinations can’t always get a booking as the areas are full of holiday travelers.
We travel extensively and book ahead where possible however if you have done your run for the day and cannot travel any further, and all the “areas” are booked, what is one to do.
Keep driving under fatigue? Put others and yourself at risk because you are tired? What if the next town/place is full? These kinds of things should be taken into consideration for “travelers”.
Think about it!
Plan your trips..
Very correct *Wayne* Ive travelled many times between Wonthaggi (Vic) and Brisbane, inland. Quite often (as a carer for g.kids) Ive had to drive both ways twice (parents were waste of space) I was on quite a few occassion unable to book a stay due to too many of us and 2 dogs. I would drive 6am to 1-2am and I NEEDED to stop before driving on again. This book in advance rubbish is just that as one never knows how far they’re going to get. Once I stopped at a servo and sat at the back much to the disgust of the owners. Can’t drive when the car has no juice and servos in little out of the way towns are not open. It’s not just a hip, skip and jump as this country is pretty vast. It is becoming such a sad state of affairs. Yes we need rules BUT COME ON !!!!
We always try to book a week or two at a time but in lots of coastal towns it’s impossible through the warmer months because of the weekend warriors
Apply the law, pull over and rest !. Dont spend any money in these towns and suburbs. If they want tourist and visitor money, put in some infrastructure to attract them. Dont listen to greefy caravan park owners who want it all
Highway signs state “Tied Drivers are Killers and Police are targeting fatigue “
I have sold my house & actively looking to buy in Coffs Harbour … totally booked out …. Not everyone is trying to get free camping in a popular places… I need to drive 3 hours to look at houses … I need to stay for a night or two… what do you suggest??
Have a look online and wait until school holidays are over and stay inland a bit or in an overnight rest stop I think the one at Arrawarra you can stay overnight
Get rid of your caravan, go camping, you’ll be amazed how much more everyone will like you when you’re not always slowing them down
Try showgrounds, Wauchope has one $15 night, also Timbertown nr Wauchope $15 a night unpowered. There’s a showground in Bellingen also cheap!
I stay away from the coast as well and I find it strange that some councils can’t do enough for free and low cost camping providing toilets,showers ect yet other councils couldn’t care less
Absolutely glad to see someone making sense.
Been travelling on the road where are these so called free or low cost areas in nsw? Because the average was $85/night if you can get one, 99% of the time whilst we were travelling especially during peak season nothing is available!
Areas that I use to be able to camp years ago have all been locked up!
Can you please explain then why holiday times the cost is threefold their overheads dont go up for those periods then go down again $90 – $110 a night for power and water is ridiculous
Alan, for some ppl travelling or being on the road at Christmas isn’t a choice they make. Often lack of funds and currently an inability to afford rent is a major problem. Being near the coast to pick up a cool breeze on a hot summers day … standard 40 to 45 plus in perth areas over last several weeks. Wowza.
Being in a van or a vehicle it’s enough to rot yr socks off mate. Need coastal breezes to survive without the massive cost of hundreds $$ to a park of some kind.
Why anyone would front up at a holiday area during peak time without a booking is beyond me. After all would you travel to Europe during the summer school holidays expecting to find good cheap accommodation ? I think not. Years ago this may have been ok when there were far less people travelling, but things have changed and will only get worse as our population increases and more people want to camp.Therefore whether we like it or not if we want to travel during peak times we need to plan well ahead and pre book.
No room for spontaneous fun or adventure.
PLAN,PAY, OBEY!
Road safety warnings suggest “if you are tired pull over and have a rest” there is a grey area here if someone in authority tells you to move on. Best idea is for councils /towns to provide more free camping areas. Free camping areas are a proven feature that brings revenue to the area.
Idea is to plan ahead and pull over before you become too tired to drive.
how can you plan ahead when you have no phone or internet. I am sick to death of these bloody councils that think just because you have a caravan on the back they can give you hassles.
Get a cheap mobile phone. I travel.
Simply pulling over from a one lane Qld Development Road is not an option. Some of the roadsides are either too soft or drop 3 feet. I fully understand your point re planning ahead but just sometimes you need a plan B or even C in remote areas.
I believe in Qld you can stop and rest at a Rest Stop for up to 20 hours, but you cannot set up Camp!
Great to know Len !!
Thank you, at least that’s some common sense there !!
That’s all most people need, a place to sleep when tired between camps. Especially when wherever you travel through are all booked out !
Rest, Revive & Survive
Ted & Rosie – nomads
So, in the “Rest Stop Areas” where there are “No Overnight Camping” signs, does this mean you can stop for a sleep overnight?
They used to have alot of 24hr free sites to pull over and rest but got rid of them
Yes! Council even erect the signs that say rest……then slap a fine on u when u do!. Common sense works both ways, plan ahead but if u can’t, rest in a 24 hr free spot which all towns should provide then leave or prepare to pay a fine.
Not all travellers have $ to burn.
There is no such thing as “free camping”. If you don’t pay for it then local rate payers must. The argument that free campers contribute to the local economy doesn’t really stick when most of them are self-reliant and only contribute to the coffers of the duopoly supermarkets to stock up their pantries. I’ve worked at a coastal local council popular with tourists and “grey nomads” where this issue has been investigated multiple times at the request of various lobby groups. The decision – still no free camping. And can I add, i’ve witnessed the excuses and sense of entitlement displayed by illegal campers, including grey nomads, when arguing why they shouldn’t have to pay the fine – it’s astounding and not well tolerated by local residents.
The problem with that is, the people who run the facilities you pay to use don’t like it. They want the only option is their facilities.
It will be interesting to see the impact that these sort of decisions by council have on the local businesses as more and more travellers by pass these towns. We stay in the mountains in summer in a region that has a number of free camps provided and maintained by council and I know that the local servo for instance estimates that over have of his income comes from campers.
Totally agree Colso !!
We spend heaps more in an area with free camping …
those that wish the comfort or safety of caravan parks can still choose that, just don’t impose that on everyone.
Ted & Rosie – nomads
And that’s why they provide free camping these are towns desperately trying to get visitors to spend there money coastal towns are bulging at the seams they are full of tourists and day trippers no need to offer free camping they are very well visited and businesses are thriving
You are not camping if you are pulled over for just one night to rest from a long drive. Tell these so and so’s to go pleasure themselves. By law you have to rest if tied.
Rest, Revive & Survive !!
Ted & Rosie – nomads
I drink, and as such if asked to move I must wait until I feel I can drive, I also won’t pay to stay anywhere that doesn’t have toilets and showers, sleeping in a car or van IS NOT CAMPING, and as for those rules about selfcontained vehicles only. I have the ability to hold it (number 2) or can use a eco bag toilet.
So I don’t give a damn what the signs say. If I have to stop for the night I do. I am a swaggy and this country was built on the tradition of camping.
Councills can go take a flying leap.
I thought my taxes pay for rds and beaches are for citizens locals and council don’t own the beaches.all money grab from councils.sick and tired of governments telling me whot I can and can’t do.
Your living in the past mate. Things have changed just gotta except. Plenty of places you can roll out your swag without a worry in the world. Just need to comply with the rules if it asks you not to camp you just can’t. Simple
Even when a council is running a protection racket for the local overpriced caravan park?? How many SA councils (can’t speak for other states) charge for camping along the Murray yet it is deemed crown land?
Do it on the highway in designated rest stop don’t take a 15km detour off the highway to a beachfront carpark and say I had to sleep here that excuse don’t fly mate
Stop calling everyone your mate. People are simply expressing a point of view, rightly or wrongly but at the end of the day we are allowed to discuss matters in an respectful manner.
Seems most respondents are those, who don’t want to pay. Full of excuses. I plan ahead. Only once due to flooding did we look like being stuck but the Lark owner let me in if I could back down the sealed ride and not go off.
Don’t be so judgmental Stuart
Some like us prefer free camping because we like the space, the freedom, the ambiance and even just the peace & quiet with nature!
We still spend ALL of our available money on other things like at the supermarket, the local butchers are a favourite, fuel, tourist attractions etc
We are not ‘saving money’ by not paying (often outrageous fees) for camp sites. We are still spending it.
Nobody is ‘saving’ when you’re on a pension, and believe me Stuart we are the majority !
Ted & Rosie – nomads
Exactly Ted, well said, also the very idea of planning ahead is not what we want to do, travelling away also means not having to stick to a pre organised schedule, the freedom to decide where we go and when is a big part of getting out and letting life unravel as it happens, I guess it scares some people who need absolute structure but it’s our country too. Corporate, commercial entities can get stuffed
Well said Ted & Rosie. I’m tired of subsidising others for a jumping pillow or water theme park I will never use.
Why would anyone need to pay? We live in such a big country with a lot of empty space, working an honest job is how to make money not scamming other humans out of their money for somewhere to sleep.
Just get another million migrants into Australia! The solution to housing shortages and overcrowded camping areas seems simple: get more people into the country. I fail to understand the logic but we all know that the Government knows better.
East Coast? No thanks, too crowded!
I think we need more rest areas with a 24-hour stop over for the travelling public to use yes even in the tourist areas safety should always come first if you feel tired pull over and rest
There seems to be a lot of confusion between camping and having a sleep in your car,there is no law saying you cant sleel in your car as long as ig is legally parked,my every day driver is a hiace van ,if i slept fir a night in it,probs get told to moove on, if i was in a sedan ,probs would not even worry .
As far as I am concerned, it is all about money and caravan parks owned by influential businessmen or women.
There is a consistent closing of free amenities all over the dystopian Federation of Australia and constant new orwellian laws supposily to protect but actually to control!!
If you have read George Orwells book, whatever the government decrees known as Big Brother, oh my god that is Australia, is actually for the reverse of what it sounds, the dept of Defence became the dept of Peace, the dept looking after the poor, The department of Plenty(NOT) oh and the workers looked after by the Dept of Fair Work hahaha
My god am I rambling again or is this wisdom>
We were on our way home from up north but we got tired and pulled over in a rest area to rest the ranger came and told us to move on your not aloud to camp here we told him that we were not camping we had stopped to rest he couldn’t understand the difference,.he kept on for us to move or he will give us a fine we stood our groud and didn’t move on and we didn’t get a fine..
I didnt even get that chance…l drove out to a bay on Kangaroo Island because l saw it on a sign post…didnt realise it was national park…though thinking about it l should have checked. Not a person for miles…l had gone over some terrible road and it was close to 8.00pm and l was tired and didnt want to drive back because of the wildlife…There was no one around…l was in a fully self contained motorhome…so l pulled into one of the 3 parking spots and went to sleep…l could have moved on early and no one would have been the wiser but l didnt know l was doing wrong. The sign posts did say you could camp but apparantly not in the deserted car park. A ranger stopped, told me l was in a non camping area , told me he was taking a photo of my rego and did and told me l may or maynot get an infrigement fine all in the space of me not been able to get off the toilet to speak with him. It has upset me all day…l have been on the island for over a month and spent money on the tourist spots including in the national park. I have no problem camping in a free spot…l leave a spot as clean as when l arrived but in this case it took me longer driving on that road and l was tired. Again rules and regulations and not once did he check to see why l was there…l would have told him because l didnt know l was doing anything wrong. It has left a bad taste in my mouth. I am serously thinking of leaving now and l was going to stay another 3 weeks. Sick and tired of rules and regulations…it gets to the stage where we are losing what Australia is
If you don’t want people sleeping on the streets.
Provide them with somewhere to go.
It’s a basic human necessity and right to sleep, regardless of whether or not you have somewhere to go and regardless if you can or can’t afford to pay for something, regardless if something or nothing is available.
Fining people for sleeping is a breach of human rights, all who impose and enforce torture laws, banning people from sleeping need to be arrested, charged and incarcerated for deprivation of human rights and liberty.
Regardless of what hate laws are introduced against sleep, people will continue to sleep.
Should do the same in every town in Queensland.
Yes. We arrived at Giraween National Park totally ignorant that I. Australia National Parks are often tiny and have tiny camping areas. The local shop allowed us to camp but the back behind it.
Easy! Don’t visit these areas.
In European Countries, councils have set up multiple locations where people can park for two nights using a ticketed fee parking. They have toilets, a water tap, and sometimes a sewerage disposal point. The town’s also have on-street 4 washing machine/dryers (user pay). Time for Australia to pick up it’s game instead of chasing and hounding people who have nowhere to park legally.
People have been travelling and camping as far back to hundreds of years, councils know this and different places offer different services at different rates and for some travellers it’s just not affordable.., I have travelled extensively overseas and here our great country, the experience and respect comes with knowledge, councils know the travelling patterns and the places people like to visit and stay, the lack of investments from councils have led to such a crisis where people just park wherever they can find, I agree that some places are just over-run and some people are just not responsible with their rubbish, moving people on is not the solution.., we need a positive approach from councils to provide services to the industry that brings in so much revenue to these areas, I’d like to see some of that money invested in the industry. Nobody wants to camp illegally but where’s the alternative?
Why should we pay if we r self contained? We do not leave 1 scrap of rubbish behind. In qld u can stay at state roads rest areas overnight unless there is a sign stating otherwise. In France and belgium there are 1000s of places where u can stay for free or low cost if u r self contained.
I would love to see , dont drive while tired vs you cant park here. Tested in court.
Agree. In transit, ‘m happy to find a deserted back road somewhere, pull off enough to not impact the locals and usually I’m off the beaten track enough. But if I was moved on whilst fatigued, I would video the interaction as evidence of my intent to avoid driving whist fatigued. Horrendous if we fell asleep behind the wheel and this caused fatalities. I’m sure, we would quickly see changes when the law recognised the true cause.
Yamber pk was qld school holidays in qld not nsw.$106 for a bit of grass no power.i don’t use jumping castles or pool.i said I don’t won’t to buy the land and left big company’s only cater for big money earners.
Dont tell me its not about the money…even some show grounds I have tried to stay in are not suppose to allow camping if the caravan parks are not full in that town…although a lot of campers bring it apon themselves…. I was at a local beach a couple of days ago and the amount of drink containers and cardboard food boxes just thrown in the bushes…a bloody disgrace…having said that , a SA national park I stayed in was no better,charged $18 dollars toilet facilities were 1 klm away so where do you think most of the campers went to the toilet…. that’s right… behind the bushes…of course it is about the money…
Yes Let’s reap the caravan boom ,? it sometimes Cheaper to book into a Motel than stay at The Caravan Park next door? They are trying to make Anything FREE ilegal .
I wonder if they’d show any leniency to hikers. I’ve not had to do so yet, but not making it to camp by dark or having to take shelter in rain (and potentially stay in place because the delay means you won’t make it to camp after the storm) are always possibilities.
I wonder if you had a pack and looked and smelt like a multi day hiker if they’d give you a break?
That said you’d more than likely be in the middle of nowhere or able to find a secluded spot (being on foot).
It’s all just a money grab get as much as we can from everyone we can. I live full time in my van mainly because I have a dog and can’t find an affordable place to rent in my home town. State forests are awesome free camp spots, only stay around the coast when working.
Iff you have been driving for several hours and you are tired, you should pull over and have a sleep…(THERE ARE ABSOLUTELY NO EXCEPTIONS)
Just find somewhere quiet and secluded and pull over and have a sleep.
Iff anyone demands you move on once you have made it clear you are tired and need sleep, That person has just put his head on a block!
You could very easily drive 10 minutes down the road, fall asleep at the wheel and kill 5 people.
Bear this in mind.
Typical Big Talk No Action from Councils. Free camping is out of control in sought after destinations in cities and along the coast. A full lenght converted bus has been parked at a Central Coast beach for 2 years now, taking up 5 parking spaces, the owner has even put a fence around it. Not far others have erected tents in the dunes, rubbish everywhere.
Who pays their rent and cleanup, ratepayers.
And Council’s reply when free illegal camping is raised – “We take this very seriously and we are looking in to it.” Translated that means “We don’t know what to do, sorry”
Fine for council to not provide area’s for nomads.If bussiness in these towns look to have be supported the they are the losers as l only support towns that provide free or low cost areas to pull up and rest
Most campings require to boom for a minimum of 7 days so even if you plan ahead, this is not practical when you are just staying for a night to just rest. We have a campervan and we park in a regular street of the town avoiding the parkings with a sign forbidding night camping. It works well!
No excuses
We took a trip for a week around the Riverina and up to lightning ridge we stayed mostly at show grounds paying at some and free at others
What if you have a breakdown or illness and just can’t make your booked (and paid) destination?
Do these Councils and influencers want tourist dollars or not? Set ups like that mentioned in France could be built by Councils, with reasonable maintenance charge. Come on, don’t be narky towards travellers, esp Nomads.
At some stage the inn is full. Oncee this point is reached everyone’s experience goes downhill.
“NOT” Having a place to sleep without persecution is a human rights violation!
Showgrounds are great for camping, racecourse that are just sitting, open spaces! I agree don’t illegal camp – but we do need more basic camping for people that are fully self contained!
Affordability is important and as an outdoor loving country need spaces for people to camp, we don’t all have $$$ and travel overseas, shortage of housing etc is changing how we live?
I live in the West Wimmera in a small town of Apsley .there is free camping at the local pub and a lot of state forests in Western Vic or forest reserves that Grey Nomads can free camp at . Okay it’s inland but there is still States with free camping options .
Bayleys Rocks reserve is free
There’s free camping at Casterton .
In Mitchell River National Park there’s camping available at the Amphitheatre.
Australia was always portrayed as a free country ! Now it is only for the rich people. When I was younger you could camp at almost any park along the coast for a night or two , but now big corporations and yes even councils are buying up all these park and camp grounds and charging a small fortune to be able to camp, and any other areas left are put out of bounds to force you to use there high priced camp area’s! Not everyone in Australia is rich and can aford to pay $100 + PER NIGHT CAMP FEES ! This is pushing the average person away so only the rich can enjoy the coast ! It is time that the average Australian gets up and has there say to change this policy before it’s to late. Also what ever happened to the the ” STOP, REVIVE, AND SURVIVE POLICY! ” Now if you are tired, it’s just to bad for you, moove on or get fined ! A lot of people do long trips up the coast to see relatives, and just want to pull over for a few hours sleep, but now we can’t because the rich people think that we are destroying there view ! Hate to tell them , those beutifull views belong to everyone, not just the privileged few !!!
Allow farmers to let campers who are fully self contained stay on their property’s for a fee during the busy times only, then they are not taking business from the caravan parks. I have done it for a few years now and it works well. The only thing is our local council will not allow me to do this, and it is great for our town as they spend money
I have always understood that if you are too fatigued to drive any further, you can pull over and camp anywhere,anytime, so long as it is safe to do so and even the police can’t move you on.
It’s easy.Just stay away from the coast.Who wants crowds anyway.
In the ACT in Canberra a homeless man appealed a camping conviction and had it overturned on or about 17 December 2024, in a decision by ACT Supreme Court Justice Verity McWilliams. Her decision found the conduct of parking in a car park (without time restrictions), with the intention to sleep inside the car for a period of time that extended overnight is not camping. In his case the prosecution failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt that the person commited the “camping” element of the offence. Now most seaside car parks do have time restrictions but generally they do not apply to public parking for disability permit holders, unless a disabled parking spot specifically specifies a time limit on the disability park sign. So local council by laws should not over-ride national road rules when it comes to disability permit holders. So there are exceptions after all.
For health reasons I unfortunately can’t, but someone could easily form a political party based on this issue, maybe called the ‘Caravan & Camping Australia Party’. I’m from SA and the issues and restrictions are the same, actually getting worse. Therefore, there should be no trouble getting suitable candidates in every electorate around Australia to represent this issue and to fight for everyone’s rights. If you add up the number of people with 4×4’s, recreational fishers, hikers, campers, caravaners and the like, you’d be astounded at the number of supporters, therefore, voters!!!
Scare tactics by council.
provided you are legally parked, under 4.5t and 7.5m (including van!!) there is nothing council can do … It’s all BS and bluster … But be smart park away from the hot spots and you won’t have a problem …
Yeah. Getting sleepy in the car, driving past all the warnings that if sleepy take a break. Parked at the back of a large empty carpark to get a few winks. Ended up sleeping a few hours. Weeks later a fine for more than a good hotel room. Forcing people to drive on will cause deaths.
I own a van that is self contained shower toilet, powered by solar. Why should I pay premium prices for a caravan park. All I need is a place to park my van, nothing else. I love that most parks offer great facilities and families and others can use them and I do on occasion, but to pay between $80 – $160 per night just to park my car is ridiculous. Others have stated that the councils should allocate parking lots for overnight stays. I would pay $20-30 a night to stay here. Surely that would cover the cost of maintaining a toilet and rubbish bin. Come on make it real!
Half the problem is these stupid influencers who have to film themselves going to the loo and proceed to tell the world what they ‘ discovered ‘, film themselves walking to the beach, peeling a spud to get likes, we travel out of high season no crowds and much cheaper, but that’s us not for everyone
We’ve never illegally camped in 50 years of camping.
We plan ahead.
On a trip to Tassie we left our caravan on the mainland & did 4 weeks staying in cabins.
The amount of illegal camping in Tassie was amazing.
Caravans parked in boat ramp carparks
& clustered around toilet blocks everywhere.
So there going to fine homeless people for sleeping in there cars now it’s not enough the homeless are also fined 800 dollars for owning a pet get a life
What’s happened to Australia?! Where is the exciting untouched last frontier where you can just pack-up and head carefree into the remote wilderness in peace, a la Alby Mangles or the Leyland Bros? Instead now its just all about money grabbers and the rules rules rules which allow them to be (yes the councils are the worst), and the self-righteous do-gooder-Karens who defend a rule because they can and they have no life. Now its all about government control, infrastructure, rules, signs with all the things you are not allowed to do or go, government cameras, pay here or we’ll fine you, once off-the-beaten-track roads that are now bituamized with camping fees, and the endless Karens. Oh the Karens! One of tthe most beautiful countries on the planet being strangled by over-regulation, government control, money grabbing and the rules that justify the money grabbing. What are our taxes paying for if we cant travel and explore in peace!? Here are two examples of why I now loathe travelling around Australia a) I was so excited to “go remote” and get away from the rat race on a 4WD trip to Shark Bay. Upon entry to the local national park, which I had to pay for and was ok with that, then had to further pay for a “camping bay” next to about 80 other people crammed into a pocket near the beach. With all that space available I was gobsmacked why we all had to be crammed together wnd listen to.everyone’s screaming and yelling. (Apparently, according to the threatening signs, there would be rangers out to get me if I dared go off the beaten track and sleep elsewhere in the national park). I had just wanted a peaceful retreat into nature & remote solitude but realised there are now too many rules and I should had just stayed in my flat in Perth. And it was expensive. b) Next example. Was driving with the kids through the carpark in national park around Esperence. The car park was empty except for a Karen, an older retiree guy who was obviously volunteering to be a national park “enforcer”. He stopped me by standing in front of my car and forcing me to talk to him. He then gave me a lecture and wanted to know if I knew the speed permitted within the carpark area (i must had been doing about 5km over). I looked around and confirmed there was no one else in the carpark and was in disbelief that he was getting all self-righteous and preachey when I was not endangering anyone. (This would had been a carfree gravel carpark.a few years back). I dont want to deal with nonsense like this on.my holiday. But this is what Australia has become and why I now just go to Bali and ither South-East Asian destinations from now on. And for those complaining of backpackers and campers shitting around the beach, well this problem wouldnt exsist if the council permitted travellers to use toilets and showers free of charge, and stopped locking them. But they wont because the council cant get money from it see.
So you now holiday in Bali to get away from the crowds. Go figure?
There are now so many retired baby boomers with off road rigs travelling
that there aren’t a lot of quiet remote places around.
We’ll just have to live with it.
There’s 10 times the amount of RVers around now compared to 15 years ago when we retired.
Can’t stop you from sleeping in your car if there is a issue with safety. Stop revive and survive.
Stop revive & survive, camp illegally at no cost. Perfect. LOL.
I think you only have to look at South Australia to see a state well run for tourism.
God help anyone comming to western Australia and expect anything remotely positive to caravan touring.
And I live here.