This picture was taken in Coffs Harbour ... but it could just as well be pretty much any city or town in Australia
With summer upon us, the enduring battle between free campers in city streets and the local residents who are upset by the presence of campervans and impromptu washing lines is once again kicking into top gear.
In Sydney, Waverly Council is being petitioned to impose a ‘no stopping’ zone between their driveways at Loombah Rd in Dover Heights night to get rid of unwanted vehicles.
According to a report in the Daily Telegraph, an internal council report has claimed campers stay in the street for extended periods, throw rubbish in nearby bushland, and display anti-social behaviour.
Despite a ‘no camping or staying overnight’ sign already installed, residents complained the restrictions were not respected.
“We hear loud music and shouting until one or two in the morning sometimes,” one resident told the Daily Telegraph. “They leave their rubbish or throw it over the fence, into our garden. They also go to the toilet there.”
If the council supports the petition, anyone who parks in the specified section between 10pm and 6am would be fined $253.
· Do you ever – or have you ever – parked up for a free ‘stealth’ camp in our towns and cities? Comment below.
Of course I have. But I have my own shower, loo and bin and I do not play music and I clean up after my dog (who doesn’t bark unless commanded to or is on guard mode), I do not hang washing out, my chair and dog’s hammock is put away every afternoon at 5.30 and we make sure we don’t encroach on residents in any way. I lived in Surfers Paradise for 20 years and fully understand how utterly maddening buttheaded ignorant people can be. It’s NOT that hard at all to be considerate. Problem is, these louts think it’s all a big deal and they want their ‘money’s worth’ and ‘to hell with anyone else… it’s such a counterproductive attitude. Respect is what we all OWE each other.
If there are no camping signs up, then the legislation is already there surely. And if they are foreign tourists, they won’t pay fines anyway.
We stealh camp often, but the picture above is not stealth camping. When we do it there is no table and chairs out or any type of setup, just looks like a van parked on the roadside overnight, even put the blockup dhades on do there is no light emitted.
No I never have and never will stealth camp the more we alienate councils the more they will close free camps.
I stealth camp often, when I was a truck driver I did the same when no o/n parking was available, I think each year the amount of land ozzie’s can have free access to grows smaller what happened to town commons etc ? i remember camping in the old valiant with a blue tarp as an awning at the beach, only holiday we could afford as young marrieds .overseas backpackers do tend to so called illegally camp but where else are they supposed to go ? money spent on policing this sort of thing could be spent on low cost camp area’s affordable to students and poorer people.
make them towaway zones that will stop them
If everyone was sensible (both sides) then there is a lot to offer to all in this beautiful country of ours.