It’s a tale almost as old as time … but the current sky-high fuel prices and general cost of living pressures has meant illegal camping is even more of an issue this Easter.
Coastal communities in particular are seeing large numbers of vans seeking places to park overnight, often on public streets or car parks.
In the Gold Coast, Mayor Tom Tate is reminding visitors that illegal camping in council parks and foreshore areas is in breach of local laws.
He told the Gold Coast Bulletin that council officers will be patrolling beaches, parks and foreshores over the long weekend and anyone caught illegally camping will cop a $834 fine.
Illegal camping is an issue in coastal communities up and down the country. PIC: Cizza
“We urge those who want to camp over Easter, to do so in designated camping areas and tourist parks,” he said. “If you choose to illegally camp, you can expect to be caught and fined.”
The Bulletin reports that illegal camping has been an issue at many Gold Coast tourism hotspots including at Burleigh Heads, Mermaid Beach, Currumbin, Broadbeach, Southport and Coolangatta. However, it says that although many people are flouting the rules, council has actually given zero fines to illegal campers in Burleigh Heads and Currumbin since the turn of the year.
Mr Tate said the council had to approach the combined illegal camping and homeless concern with compassion.
“Our officers continue to address this complex issue with compliance activity and liaise closely with the state who are the lead agency when it comes to this issue,” he told the Bulletin. “We have officers out every day managing the City’s public spaces and addressing breaches of the local law …. this includes, where practical, linking people experiencing homelessness to our state counterparts … however, illegal camping for recreational reasons will also not be tolerated.”
The Gold Coast City Council website says tourist parks and camping grounds offer safe and legal camping across the city.
It says it is illegal to:
# Have you ever been fined, or asked to move in, by a council ranger while camping on a public street or car park? Comment below.
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How can they be so stupid, like this Tom Toat(sorry Tate).
They have lost their homes and trying to make ends meet by camping “wild” and getting on with their lives because they can’t afford their rents /mortgages.
Then they get kicked in the guts and fined by the Toat and his mates, So Tommy can rub shoulders with “lame brain” Donald, and drink expensive wines and enjoy his highly intelligent coversations!!
My friends if you are forced to camp (wild) clean up after yourself and don’t give authorities any reason to make your lives more misserable than it allready is.
I know what it is like to be forced to live out off your car, but when I left the place where I spend the night, I allways made shure it was spic/span.
Just my 2bob worth.
Read the article. It clearly differentiates between homelessness and recreational camping.
Many are not homeless they are just free camping.
Why not , people should have a choice ! Have you stayed in a caravan park lately? It’s far too expensive, when you are buying fuel as well, my husband and I do 50-50. Caravan parks and free camping, actually it isn’t free camping all us nomads buy fuel groceries In the towns . And most of the country towns welcome us with open arms..
if you cant afford a caravan park dont travel. It is entitled people who create problems for the people who are actually in need
Can I just point out a few facts.
If you can afford a motor home and travel all over Australia surely you can afford the cost of staying in council operated facilities as most start at $ 14 a night.
The no camping laws have been around since the seventies but have rarely been enforced but now due to the overwhelming number of motor homes abusing goodwill they are now being enforced.
It only takes a few to ruin it for the majority so stop blaming councils for enforcing the law and trying to keep it fair for everyone.
If you live in a motor home you are not homeless.
If someone is truly homeless the authorities will help them find accommodation.
I’m not on anybody’s side but please be realistic and see the big picture and stop blaming each other but work together to find a solution.
Tell me where you can stay for $14 a night.
1970
I would love to knowwhere a campground that costs $14.00 a night?
Campgrounds/Showgrounds can be nearly as expensive as a Caravan park these days.
What world do you live there isn’t enough accommodation for government agencies to find you accommodation
Are government agencies suddenly responsible toi provide housing for everyone ? This doesn’t happen anywhere in the world, Aussies never used to expect the taxpayer to take care if them.
I’d like to know where you can find a campground for 14 bucks a night ?
Tara wetlands in qld. Power.toilets and showers..dump point and water fill point $11.50 pn
At sharp park cunagra pet friendly bro
Did you just say $14-00 ? More _$50 .00 or $60.. and nobody is blaming anyone.
The homeless campers are not in motorhomes. Further – there is a huge shortage of supply of public housing.
If you can afford a motorhome – you can afford campsite fees. But for those in tents and old caravans – without a house to go back to – those fees are unreasonable
Some are homeless but some like the caravan lifestyle some of caravans and towing vehicles are very expensive
????Where do you get your prices from??? Most Caravan Parks start at $60 and above a night. Without power!
I take your point, however, I’ve recently agreed to buy a motor home & I will be travelling around Australia on a permanent basis’, this is due to a relationship breakup, which allowed my ex to keep the house & barley allow me funds to buy the motor home. Once again, due to circumstances, I have no savings or superannuation & live on a pension, I turn 73 this month (10/04) & have been paying $450 per week for a place to live (. NOT A HOUSE, but a small granny flat). I, like many others don’t have a choice, so please don’t espouse your opinion that we GREY NOMADS are free wheeling, I have slept in a car for sometime in the past, again not by choice. Your comments make my blood boil so I’ll stop before I regret my post. Have a nice day
In regards to “if you can afford a motorhome, surely you can afford the fuel” most of us have worked damn hard to buy our motorhomes, most are off grid with toilet and shower. We spent the money to have our freedom. I personally don’t like van parks where you get squashed into small spaces, where the 5 o’clock gathering around to meet other travellers doesn’t happen. I think you really need to experience the freedom that you get by free camping. We always buy groceries and fuel from the towns we visit to compensate. It is a rarity to find a van park at $14 a night particularly on the coasts.
14 a night my ass.. maby in the middle of nowhere
$40 night is cheap nowadays, most over that around $70 night with power .
Many people have sold their modest home to fund their travels around Australia whilst still healthy & young enough to do so, then become technically homeless when hit by Covid lockdowns, & now, the fuel crisis. They do not have a home to return to & perhaps many regret selling their home at such times. Other long-term travellers who still have a home may have arranged house sitters to look after their home security, but not necessarily collecting rent to pay off their mortgage. Such people are not necessarily wealthy as implied by several posts. In our situation, we had our own business for many years, without any paid leave or superannuation, so took no holidays. When we retired aged almost 70, we finally had the time to travel, although not flush with funds. We then downsized to a cheaper, modest 2 bed duplex home to help fund our travels, but could not afford to travel at all if it wasn’t for free or low cost camps with our self-contained camper trailer. After years of the hard slog working & long hours in our own business, we are not entitled, but feel we deserve the modest pleasure of travel we have worked for.
Agree. Bring back the ‘town common’
A designated are set up in 1920s during depreddion outside towns . Poor could camp or run livestkvk. Time to help our homeless .
And y not a few free overnight park zones strict park n sleep l2 hr limit.
I’ve never heard of a ‘town common’ in Australia. There were shanty towns emerged during the Great Depression certainly, but that wasn’t a local government policy; impoverished people just congregated and lived wherever they could as best as they could
If you are told to move on and you are parked legally and need to rest (sleep) ask for it in writing then if you have a accident further on you know who to take to court
We often stealth camped in our motorhome in residential streets, truck stops (though often noisy) and car parks. Trick is to eat and shower in an approved day use area, and relocate to sleep only in a quiet street when it gets dark. We make no noise, turn off lights, close curtains and don’t even flush the toilet. And we leave by sun up. My goal is not to impact residents.
Show grounds cheep too
Showgrounds aren’t as cheap as they use to be.
Canungra Showgrounds, closest to GC, 3 years ago was $13/night unpowered but has gone up to $26/night for just a bit of dirt, showers are extra.
NSW,24 rest area in your vehicle,no tents.
Need to look at the way NZ treats the caravanners, camp almost anywhere and no gestapo councils hounding them to move and/or issue a fine.
I understand that the NZ system is far more regulated than here
Eg in NZ
Important Regulations
“Leave No Trace”: Strict adherence to environmental protection is required.
Freedom Camping Rules: Rules vary by local council. Fines are issued for illegal camping.
I’m so over hearing about illegal camping. This problem has arisen due to the fact that government has not provided enough affordable accommodation for low income communities full stop. The council can point fingers at people for illegal campaign but they are not addressing the problem. For example, when housing became a problem and people started to look at living in caravans and caravan parks the council who owns 80% of the parks put there prices up to a ridiculous amount per night. If there was enough housing available it would be way more affordable to rent a house than it is to stay in a caravan park. This problem is only going to get worse and my suggestion is for council to develop areas for people to stay and live in there motorhomes/ caravans at a reasonable cost. If people are provided with a alternative to illegal camping I’m sure it would sort out most of the problems the city is experiencing.
100% correct.
There are two problems with that suggestion, & believe me I’m on your side, please read my post above.
Firstly, IF the council’s provided MORE housing, it would be a huge cost, remember they are only in office for X amount of time.
Secondly, rather than having to SPEND out
building housing, they would MISS OUT ON GAINING REVENUE from the fines they issue to we (Free campers).
FOR STARTERS The council does not own the land. It’s Crown land for we the people to use if we are not causing any disturbance or littering.
We pay our taxes & automobile registrations and as they say; ‘user pay’.
Plus the caravan Parks are mostly ran or tendered by the Council who put the prices up to not afford to stay when we Caravan owners are bringing our own accommodation on wheels. So why the big prices; because it’s about money gauging, ripping people off further and the list goes on. So let’s ask the very big QUESTION????
Why is it that when we are financially struggling prices or cost of things go up significantly, and when times are good nothing goes down in price. It keeps going up, & never down. Just ongoing BS SCAMS & Conditioning!!!
Simple answer is our entire non-welfare economy is based on law of supply and demand.
“It’s Crown land for we the people to use if we are not causing any disturbance or littering”
Clearly a nonsense assertion given that the two main complaints regarding camping are rubbish everywhere, and inconsiderate behaviour.
It’s normally the temporary campers who are causing the problems.
Not the long term homeless
Totally agree
Yes exactly right
I’ve been around Australia 3 times Stella the fun has definitely gone from caravanning way too many vehicles on the road especially huge commercial vehicles. For the most part if your towing a caravan around the coastline of Australia your definitely a pariah these days . The only chance you have is a non conspicuous motor home and park in the hinterland way too stressful simply no longer worth the trip . ☘️☘️
Good to see Tate has a heart. In difficult times, he is happy to inforce fines on people. Lucky for him that he has a mansion to live in. Hate to see him manage if he fell on hard times.
We are seeing the issue here is WA where carparks everywhere a being filled with homeless but now the shires have upped the anti by employing alot of new Rangers to move people onto other areas mainly out of towns while the cashed up migrants are buying up wholesale the properties on the market.
There is definately an issue here but no protests or pushback???
Here in WA, one of the issues is that since Covid, when people were incouraged to have “Staycations” many of the previously free camp[sites, particularly on the South Coast, suddenly became “Pay to Stay”. Greedy Shires are very much part of the problem.
Boo-hoo everyone here is winging. Nothing is free. If you want to camp somewhere expect to pay. I pay for my rates etc. You should too. Stop with the sob stories. If you don’t have enough money get another job. This isn’t about the homeless it’s about entitled people.
How is it possible to discover our great country, when tourist parks are charging an incredible fee for staying in area of Australia. Some places charge over $100 per night to stay at there park when, We turn ip for a patch of grass. Most of the time camper that are apparently ” Illegal camping” are staying 1- 2 nights and are self contained, passing through. I is disgusting that I am required to pay these prices each night it I am travelling for 30 day around the country. Shameful.and unAustralian id call it. I sure this Tate nobody wont be elected again.
Unfortunately Jim this clueless Mayor of ours is running again for Mayor. Ive never met anyone who votes for him but he gets easily elected. Never vote for a Mayor who was once a developer. All they see is opportunity to bung some unless unwanted structure on prime land. He was investigated by the ACCC a few years ago but slithered through the investigation. Some GC people love him however they usually have a monetary reason to like him.
What about if you pull over due to tiredness. Or stay in a pub car park after having a drink?
To uwill get a 800+fine for illeagal parking /camping,what an effort councils put into this proceedure,it would make a whole lot more sence if they the council offered the show grounds as an open reasonable fee for all the overflow for campers to stay,alls leagal/council makes some money happy days 4 both.
No but council has so many irons in the fire,they just gotta slug the persons purse as alwzys.yes they may well have been light on for a bit but that only lasts until it all hits the fan,then bam$$$fines so big its like smoking weed.
Come on theirs always a solution council,how about u just find it,to solve the over parking,look open all ya show grounds,ucan do it.But commonsense here may not prevail,the $$$ will talk cause bs always walks.doesnt it.
Wait n see.
Why do some people/councils object to ‘illegal campers’ while some towns advertise they are RV friendly ?
Leave no mess and enjoy the ride
That’s a ruse to get travellers to spend in the town but believe they are RV friendly strictly on their terms lol
How ridiculous, these councils are out of control. Laws and fines around public spaces.
Firstly, it’s not their land, it’s no one’s land except the earth’s. We forget that simple concept. We die, the earth doesn’t. Land is for everyone.
Secondly, public land is for the public. That means for all. The council has only a paper right over it. We the people have the physical right to it.
And lastly, it of course would be some up themselves council to have an issue. Let’s look at who the councilors are and their back grounds. The mayor is probably some media personality and probably not even a born local.
The role of council is to support the community. An illegal camper setup in a carpark or park is still buying milk in your community and still filling up fuel at a service station in your community. So they are filtering money into your community. Move them along and you lose that input of income. $14 per night at a camp site lol. I can’t imagine many people would survive on $14 a day for food. Lol. These illegal campers are probably spending $30-50 per day in your community.
These councils are idiotic.
Oh but let’s build a big new multicultural sports facilities that we use 1 day a week.
Having spent time at several campsites that have long term campers beyond regulations- I have found the long term campers are wonderfull and build a good community. When wind destroyed my tent – it was the permanent campers who provided assistance.
I’ve generally found it’s the short stay campers who cause problems. Having parties – starting fights – disrupting others and vandalising or damaging utilities. They just move on
The rising costs to stay in caravan parks particularly ones owned by councils and companies like NRMA have gone through the roof. For starters wouldn’t it be common sense to reduce the costs to Grey Nomads staying in these up market caravan parks when they don’t use or need jumping castles etc but these institutions charge you for their use just because they are there.
The common denominator with all our issues is thanks to Mr Maggoo, too many people flooding the country, the roads, the caravan parks, you name it, all caravan parks are jam packed, wall to wall people, better off staying home, I am, sold my set up, also too many crazy drivers it’s very dangerous how they drive..Australia is not like it used to be I’m afraid, glad to have enjoyed the peace and quiet times, all gone now, Home Sweet Home is very satisfying..Enjoy
That’s all very fine IF you have a home, some of us DON’T. & Not through choice.
We travel with a tent. Unfortunately few parks, camping areas want to accommodate us and if they do charge a fortune for a piece of grass. They only want the flash vans. How about giving people a break and letting people with limited means have a life and a chance to stay somewhere.
Tom Tate the Easter Grinch
TIME TO CHANGE THE RULES,,,, OR PEOPLE WONT STOP,,,,,,,,,,,,,
Crown lands are there for the people, 4weeks as a guest of,crown monarchy. Yet the counsel’s like to bluff and BS, you to move on WTF!!
A few years ago, (11) the Lorrimer family of 5, produced a travel book ‘ The Complete Trip in a van, Guide to Australia’. I purchased a copy & in that book it shows you their costings on travelling ONE lap of this great land of ours, 2015, it goes on to show that their savings for one year of travel of $78k was just enough to last the trip. We look at the same costs now, especially if you’re like me about to live/travel in my motorhome on a permanent basis’ is frightening & all on a pension. One of my main concerns is where to camp, these country towns want/need us, GN, however, the council’s of said towns are making it almost impossible with the closing down of sites where once we were able to stay, not to mention the cost of camping. I read in one publication recently, that it is LAW that we can camp almost anywhere in Australia, yes LAW, then individual councils made certain amendments, as they do, to restrict WHERE that may be & for how long. Yes I’ve got a bee in my bonnet & I’m sure others have also.
I wish tom tate would put his money were his mouth is and get government housing property for us I’m still waiting 5 yrs later it’s hard not to give up hope tom tate would not survive one night in his car like the rest off us we don’t have a bloody choice don’t comment unless U know what’s it’s like because it’s not fun at all everything is booked out because off Easter really ur not in touch with the people are U tom tate I think not shame on U because everything is booked out U try and get a van site or car site tom tate because there is no available check before U open ur fate mouth and guess…