Some budget-minded grey nomads are certainly not averse to seeking out a quiet place out in the bush to park up for a night but it does carry some risk, especially if they stray on to private land.
One young traveller, Kyle Sorensen, has just found that out the hard way after being slapped with a fine for camping near cane fields on Bundaberg Sugar land in north Queensland. The 20-year-old was apparently cooking sausages for breakfast on the land at Yandaran on March 24 when security guards paid him a surprise visit.
The Gladstone Observer reports that Sorensen, who lives near the Queensland town of Mount Larcom, had ignored ‘no trespass’ warning signs and set up his camp on Bundaberg Sugar land without permission.
Prosecutor Sgt Barry Stevens told Gladstone Magistrates Court that when security first came across Sorensen cooking, they gave him 15 minutes to leave. However, when they returned he had shown no signs of leaving.
According to a report in the Observer, police said Sorensen had driven past two signs warning trespassers they would be prosecuted. On the track to his campsite Sorensen also had to drive around two big rocks that had been placed there as obstacles.
He was found guilty of one count of trespass and fined $150.
Serves him right so many people think it their right to camp anywhere they feel like.
I would have liked to hear his side of he story, maybe it was dark and raining when he went there, not seeing the signs in the bad conditions, still no excuse if he failed to move on when told to.
There has been so many warning and finally eviction actions on that private land he gets no sympathy from me. What sort of idiot would cook their breakfast in a cane field with the potential of a million $ crop going up in flames. Even then he ignores a request to move along. Fine should have been $10,000 to make it worth the courts time. What makes this worse is that there is a legal camp sites just next door on council land.
Hi Nomad-ers,
Firstly calm down everyone.
This person was only 20 years old, remember what you were like in your twenties.
According to police, sleeping in a vehicle is not illegal, re: the r/r/survive law, every two hours.
I don’t know of ANY case in this entire country of a camper starting a forest / plantation fire ever.
As for driving past signs and deterrents the fine should be small after a reasonable time to vacate so it seems the fine was reasonable.
I have always got off with a warning with rangers as long as the conversation was cordial and the outcome was to their acceptance.
This country has to be careful of slippery slopes where wild camping is perceived as a criminal activity, it is not.
Trespass is a very low level offense given the land access rights in this country.
Don’t light fires, leave rubbish, or knowingly dis-regard signs and we should all be alright.
I have spent six years full time on the road.