The number of travellers ‘setting up camp’ on the streets in Queensland’s Gold Coast is once again causing serious concern … and it’s not just young backpackers copping the blame.
The Gold Coast Bulletin reports that ‘there’s a sprinkling of grey nomads in kitted-out camper vans also taking up prime spots’.
A few years ago, local council cracked down on the hordes of illegal campers who used to stay in The Spit area, but it appears the issue has just been moved on.
The Gold Coast Bulletin reports that free campers are taking up precious parks along the Burleigh Esplanade, and on the Goodwin Terrace beachfront.
The problem is so bad that it’s reportedly left locals scrambling to find a place to park … and that’s not the only issue.
A long-time Burleigh resident and avid surfer told the Bulletin he was ‘deeply concerned’ about the mess being left behind by the campers.
“There’s a total lack of respect being shown for the area,” he said. “We are so fortunate to live in one of the most stunning locations in Australia and are blessed with the natural beauty of Burleigh Headland, Tallebudgera Creek and surrounds.”
The man, who wished to remain anonymous, said it was a real shame to see people making such a mess when bins were just a few metres walk away … and he said it was a widespread issue.
Gold Coast City Council regulations prohibit people from sleeping in their vehicles in all public areas.
A Gold Coast City Council spokesperson told the Bulletin it was aware of the illegal camping issue in Burleigh Heads.
“Council conducts regular patrols in the area and we have increased these patrols over the peak holiday period,” the spokesperson said, adding that anyone illegally camping would be slapped with a $667 fine.
Ever tried a Caravan Park. I hear they are much cheaper than $667 per night.
I avoid the gold coast like the plague.
We have never liked the Gold Coast went there once and all our friends and families included neverr go there!!
Funny how market forces never work to our benefit. Open up a free/low cost campground run by Council.
Not to mention the rubbish issue. It’s as though the only people who throw rubbish on the ground have gray hair and tow caravans. Massive eyeroll.
The GC should open up their showgrounds for low cost camping, even if they restrict it to only a few nights. People who want/need freecamps are not going to pay the inflated and excessive GC CP fees to be squeezed into tiny sites with all sorts of extras and facilities they do not want, need or use. Unfortunately greed rules so meeting the customer needs and reasonable expectations for our demographic isn’t even on the agenda. I have found a CP down there that isn’t too venal … we stay there when visiting our kids … but it has very few ‘casual’ sites (mostly residential) so needs to be booked well in advance.
Most grey nomads can’t afford the inflated prices at caravan parks, which are always packed at this time of year anyway! As others have said, why not open up showgrounds or recreational grounds for visitors, especially when c/van parks are full!!
Oh the poor nomads with Thier $200000 rigs can’t afford to pay for a camp site
Not everyone has rigs worth $200000
Thats rude. Try working hard since you were 13yrs old. Mine was only $30,000.
Dont be like that
90%of those poor nomads are just that poor nomads, or they have no other form of accommodation. And their caravans 0r RV,s are less than the cost of an average car
They can always afford brand new vans so I’m sure they can afford to pay 30 or 40 bucks a night
If you can get a caravan park for $30 or$40a night on the Gold coast you are doing well
Who’s the “they”? We’ve had 2 vans with first a 1976 model purchased by us in 1990 and the 2nd a 1996 model purchased by us in 2008. We won’t be joining the crowds at Burleigh though as Gold Coast has never been visited by either of our vans. There are plenty of nicer places to stay.
Try more in the rang if $50-$60 for weeknight camping
If you buy a house and have a mortgage to pay, can you always afford a holiday? Think about it!
My vans is 11,000 all the money I have I worked my ass off and can’t afford rent since the markets have gone nuts so live in the van!
Not lucky to have a rich family
Was just quoted $110 for one night to sleep in my own van.
So they can ruin and abuse those as well…..no thank you ! Jog on !
There is now no showgrounds, local council decided to turn it into housing and sold it off….Lucky us!!
Agree as they did once in the NT
Come on Tom stop looking at a quick buck and solve the issue so many can enjoy
Won’t go near the Gold Coast, all businesses just rip you off especially the parks. Why would you go there when there are plenty of communities off the coast that welcome your dollar and are more friendly..For every dollar spent in a park several other businesses miss out. I would rather spread the money more evenly throughout theses communities than one greedy Caravan Park operators . Been caught once on the QLD coast never again.
so you’ve pulled over after driving for 4-8 hours and are fatigued (has same effect on the brain as being inebriated) and need a rest. are the authorities gonna force you to drive? that would be immoral. an overnight stay shouldn’t be discouraged or stopped, the car parks are usually empty anyway so what’s the harm? i refuse to believe that there would be anything but an absolute minority of campers who would throw out rubbish, more likely the locals with their maccas and kfc rubbish with a dose of the munchies discarding rubbish. this country is a joke. once australians were characterised as happy go lucky, give everyone a fair go and having a cheeky sense of humour. also renowned for not dobbing in others as a sign of integrity. too many sooks these days. campers who stay in a town overnight contribute to local economy either with fuel, grocery or cafe shopping, attending tourist attractions etc and should be victimised. many can’t afford to travel for a year and stay at caravan parks every night, it would be seriously expensive.. bloody power hungry councils and their god forsaken RULES!
Get the government to put in cheap camping grounds… were r the campers supposed to park especially when they have been travelling all day & they r fatigued.. Maybe if the council puts more rubbish bins down. There would not be rubbish around.. Australians do pay their taxes regos insurances rates & more so they should have a camping holiday for a cheap price & our Australian economy is moving on!!!
most of the caravan parks on the gold coast are council owned
Self contained motorhomes should be able to park o/nite on shoppingcentre parking area as they would be empty then & moved on before shops open ie Wollies or Coles.
Unfortunately, like America where such carparks are so utilized, the nightly stop became the permanent stay causing this opportunity to be closed.
The aro not going to ask you to leave. They just will give you the ticket for illegal camping.
According to them is your your responsibility to plan your trip and to manage your fatigue.
If you experiencing fatigue you can stop and sleep in a motel hotel or pay the penalty notice of $667
This people don’t you want you to go there and sleep for free. They want you to bring money to the area.
They want you to go to caraven Park and pay for a parking weekly price higher then a rent for one bedroom unit
I think if you are in the drivers seat it’s a rest stop and encouraged, if space allows.
I don’t think anyone minds parking at these beautiful surf spots, but as a surfer its frustrating when you can’t find a temp park at 6am when all the parks have been taken up by sleepy heads. Don’t outstay your welcome
Come visit tenterfield much nicer and cleaner heaps of parking free camping 10 km out of town cheap at the caravan parks see Craig’s caravan park always clean
At least 20km west of the highway, beaches are so boring.
It is the pissing and shiting in the front garden bed that gets me. Fine them move the grots on.
Backpackers.
It seems that the more troublesome one is the more rights they seem to have. I can’t put a foot wrong in my burb but those visiting (van rich home poor) seen to prop with plastic and folding chairs cast all about with gay abandon. Seemingly with impunity. .
Surprised (not really) at those people who expect the local community to provide them with free campsites just because they own a caravan.
What is it about owning a caravan that entitles you to free accommodation? Do you think the council should provide free food or movie tickets to encourage you to stay in their Shire so you will spent money on other businesses too?
As unpopular as I may be for holding this view, the sense of entitlement and outrage by those people insisting on a free stay in return for them spending at the local bakery is a nonsense.
If you want to stay somewhere that is popular like the Gold Coast, and very heavily booked during peak season, I don’t believe it’s unreasonable that you pay your way just like every other tax payer who wants to stay in the same area.
We’ve all paid our taxes, we all work hard, but none of that in my humble opinion entitles any of us to demand something for free.
Can I suggest that if the prices are too high (which no doubt they are for some), it might be time to look elsewhere for a spot that is more in line with your budget rather than moaning and demanding something sites.
I understand that this means some people won’t be able to stay at some places sometimes. I also believe in a fair go for everyone – not just those with the loudest voice. If you feel that parks are too expensive, then by all means exercise you’re right to take your business elsewhere. If they want your business they will price accordingly– if they don’t they won’t. That to my understanding is what is referred to as market forces.
This isn’t a matter of rubbish in the streets. I would hope everyone was decent enough to clean up after themselves in any case. This is simply a matter of who is entitled to what. Are you entitled to get something for free because you don’t feel you want to pay the price and do you own a caravan? Is it too cheeky of me to ask what else are you entitled to for free just because you bought a caravan?
To throw fuel on the fire, let’s not forget that the caravan parks that seem to be the subject of so much Angstead, paying rates, paying taxes, employing people and taking their place as small businesses (or in some cases large businesses) in the local economy. They are contributing . While some of us may or may not like it, providing free accommodation in competition to these businesses reduces the amount of jobs for locals and discourages investment in these businesses by their owners. You don’t care? Too bad say you? Fair enough if that’s how you feel , but I wonder if you would feel that way if it was your family business the council decided to go into competition with under the banner of “it’s good for tourism“.
Please don’t misunderstand, I do have sympathy for those people who are priced out of a particular market, but I simply cannot understand the argument that council should provide anything for free.
In truth, there is no such thing as free – if Council is providing free accommodation the reality is that the local ratepayers are subsidising your holiday. I don’t think that ratepayers would be thrilled to pay for someone else’s holidays when there are roads and garbage services that should be improved first.
Please forgive me if this has offended anyone. It’s my personal view and I respect yours and the differences we may have.
Let’s try to enjoy 2022 without dragging others down for their opinions.
Safe travels everyone.
Well said. It does not offend me in what you have written. I think you have spoken the true. I hear it all the time, we spend money in the town, so we should have free camping etc – hogwash.
Some boast about their free camping conquests in their big rigs. Pay your way and don’t expect the ratepayers to pick up your bill.
As a caravan owning grey nomad I am totally in agreement with your comments. The sense of entitlement is quite bewildering. ‘User pays’ is a fair and reasonable principle and will be applied more and more due to the increasing numbers of travellers and the demands most Councils have on their budgets (rate payer’s money). I am also saddened when I read comments that businesses should be boycotted when no free camping is allowed in a town. These mostly family run businesses provide an important service to the local community and travellers and should be supported with no conditions attached.
I agree and also get annoyed when caravans pull into gravel pits outside of towns where there is a cheap $30 or $40 per night park, but the prices on the GC are way over the top.
An owner of an RV isn’t asking for free accommodation. They already have their accommodation, which by the way, they paid big dollars for. They pay for their registration which entitles the RV to be parked almost anywhere. They pay big dollars for their insurance. When visiting your town they fill their RV with fuel, they stock up on groceries, they go to the hairdressers, take their pets to the vet. Visit a club or two and buy meals and drinks, go to a chemist to stock up on medication. They may go to see a show or a movie. A lot of money gets spent in your town when they visit so please show some appreciation. You can’t have it all your own way. Just goes to show how greedy some towns really are. Oh, there’s another reason I have experienced when confronted by this attitude, it’s called ‘jealousy’. We are doing it and you are not, stuck inside your brick walls day in and day out. Get a life, try living it for a change. I know where I would rather be. Have a happy life.
Just saying… I’m currently trying to book a non-powered site for a small campervan anywhere along the beach between Kingscliff and Runaway Bay, the only ones available are $120 a night with a 7 night minimum. I’ll let you do the math on that… at that rate might as well be renting! The industry is a joke & the council is making baaaank off of a piece of land with a few toilets on it.
Illegal campers have been there for years and it’s getting worse. No our great Council is installing 3 hour limit parking on Burleigh Esplanade all the way to North Burleigh. It won’t do anything to stop campers as the it’s from 7.00 am to 5.00pm Add to the mix the homeless in the Park and the Dunes.
Only ones being put out by these new parking times is us Locals who are going to be fined for overstaying in a car park.
Good job again GCCC
The ones that made it illegal are the state and councils because there’s always money involved eh? Just let people have a modicum of freedom.. or is that too much to ask?
Go to a caravan park
May open up a free camp out of town, then you will save a lot of problem
As a fulltime vanlifer as a general rule for sleeping we live by “arrive after dark and leave at first light” and generally care about the environment so follow “leave no trace” that we were there and respect the local area so we and other vanlifers that follow can continue to live this nomadic lifestyle. It’s the people using these places during the day that make the mess but campers get the blame. Why can’t councils be more accommodating and let campers park for a small fee in car parks and showgrounds if they are typically empty at night remembering we spend money in the towns too. I am self contained in my van so don’t need the services a caravan park provides and as a solo traveler don’t want to camp right next to or among noisy families. Tbh I’d never travel to the GC because it’s over saturated with tourists and a has a bad attitude towards campers – plenty of other beachside towns that are much nicer and friendly.
So these free campers that can’t even leave the site tidy and ruin the environment and refuse to pay for places that are made for them reckon they have to free camp because they can’t afford the accommodation but can buy the best caravan and the best vehicles and pay for fuel to travel shouldn’t be travelling. In other words they can’t afford to travel.
I really think you might be mixing up different groups there. I doubt the people with big expensive rigs will be the ones hogging the surfers’ parking spots or leaving the rubbish behind. They might look for somewhere to park during the day to do some shopping but would then either go to a caravan park or move to a less crowded area to spend the night. I don’t own a big expensive rig but have an old caravan. I can’t count the number of times we’ve planned to do some shopping in the next town but continued on our travels because there wasn’t anywhere to park with van within reasonable walking distance of shops. I also can’t count the number of times we’ve paid to stay at a caravan park and then wish we hadn’t gone there whether it’s because of crowding in small sites or noise outside that has prevented sleep. Most grey nomads do not need or want fancy parks with large playgrounds unless holidaying with grandchildren so they shouldn’t have to pay for those. If Councils considered all demographics and didn’t have caravan park owners on the board, they would have low cost parks available for people travelling without children. Grey nomads are not the ones expecting free parks but they do want low cost parks like showgrounds where they pay for electricity and use of toilets but not for playgrounds. I think you’ll find the people hogging surfers parking spots are other surfer types who don’t have big caravans and generally live in combi type vans without onboard shower and toilet facilities and use a swim in the ocean as their daily shower. The caravan parks with big playgrounds are designed for families with children and they are the ones who they should be marketed to. Problems on Gold Coast are probably a mix of councillors wanting to line their own pockets with demands that ALL travellers use their overpriced caravan parks and lack of facilities like hostels for travelling surfers who just need a bed and shower and somewhere to park their vehicles.
How true. Spot on.
Leave no trace. Can’t guarantee everyone abides by it but we motorhomers take pride in taking our garbage to proper disposal recepticles. Also we can park to use beach daytime.q
Ah Australia,
The land of the fr..
Sorry no…my mistake.. the land of rules and Karen’s. Ok unless you want to do anything fun.
You right,the Country with the most Red tape rules.
Time the Council’s provide more camping area,s for a growing population,and Stop demolishing caravan parks
I suggest grey nomads should avoid the gold coast
I really don’t believe this guy who is apparently “Deeply Concerned” with rubbish being left behind.
Funny he stays annonymous lol.
Are we sure He is not the one planting the rubbish????
Some people just don’t like travellers & will do anything to get rid of them. They see people travelling as scum & some of them are quite racist too & don’t like people from other countries. Many people in these latte tatte type suburbs don’t find it trendy to travel Australia.
Bali is the latte tatte preference.
Last time I drove to one of these spots to park my camper, I saw one of the residents nearby dumping they’re own garbage beside someone’s RV & then kick the rubbish bag open all over the place.
They walked back to their house as if they had done this many times before & walked away with a smirk on their face. Revenge!
Wake up, don’t just believe this propaganda because it was written.
I agree with the person who recommended staying elsewhere, eg Yamba you can still see your kids on the Goldie from there.
When I was saving for a house I camped there for years back in the day, it was nice and close to my work. Never opened my door to the council when they knocked, they could never see me so never got fined. I will give them credit for there effort, they’re definitely not sitting on there hands doing nothing.
It’s hard for the council to take away the human right for someone to sleep. Don’t worry they’ll work it out eventually. And giving a “homeless person” a $650 fine never held up in court. Really what would fix it all is no human rights for anybody, a communist party will fix everything.
You complainers need to tread carefully, the more rights you try to take away from one human will eventually be stripped away from you.
Stop complaining about your fellow man and look towards the real enemy.
Gold Coast caravan park-$15Per Person Per -night- $30 for 2 persons=$30.. & 1 PERSON $30 Per person per-night$30.. this rate Discriminates against SINGLE PEOPLE & SINGLE parents ETC ETC..
Affordable housing is 17yrs WAITING list for SINGLE male locals in TWEED HEADS.
L WAS IN the Murwillumbar CARAVAN PARK before the floods but after the floods COUNCIL restricted M’BAH c’van park from having PERMANENT sites ETC & IT was AFFORDABLE for a single pensioner & 150 per week..
IF your NOT A tourist AND your HOMELESS is it ILLEGAL to sleep in a regersted motor vehcle for SHELTER & SECURITY?????…
Border Park GREY hound TRACK HAD amenities BLOCK WITH shower TIOLET laundry & camp ground for $60 Per week for a single person.. Council SOLD it to coolangatta air port development..
It is cleared LAND BUT still VACANT & available for low cost CAMPING..
We are full time travellers and have been for the last two years. We do not condone breaking the rules when it comes to accommodation and haven’t done in our time on the road. Our costs for accommodation in 2020 was $3108.00 and $1804.00 in 2021. We don’t stay at places where the costs are over our budget, but that is our choice.
However it is relevant to note that in our time travelling we regularly see “Sleep overs” as we call illegal campers and in 99% of the cases they are Motothomes and campervans not caravans.
Some of these people will stay in the one spot for several days to avoid losing their “site”, despite the claims of spending money in the region they are bludging off the rate payers in that area and creating health and safety issues. If they get fined then that is the risk they take, good on the council for implementing the rules.
Move them on or fine them, they have the same issue in NZ and Sunshine Coast. They should be in the well appointed caravan parks.
What about allowing RV’S to camp at showgrounds sport grounds and specific parks on the coast, sothat people can stay there at a small fee.And provide basic amenities,as most people can’t afford to stay in caravan parks at 45+dollars a day.
If the vehicle is registered then it’s entitled to park where any other vehicle would park. It’s none of their business if you sleep in your vehicle, that’s what they are designed for and that’s what you pay the big dollars for. Trouble with Gold Coast is they own all caravan parks and are expensive. Their rangers are extremely rude. There are plenty of other places that go out of their way to welcome the traveller, a lot of them provide overnight parking for free for RV’s right in the middle of their towns where you can spend your money to show your appreciation. Gold Coast has always been greedy. Too commercial for my liking anyway. Give them a miss.
Just a thought,
They own there Accommodation already, why would you want to pay rent for more Accommodation.
What they need is reasonably price parking, with option to pay extra for power usage. Though most are self sufficient these days.
$30 or $40 per night ! More like $160+ for a couple. Obviously some alternative shortstay accommodation is required especially for people passing through.
What is the definition of ‘camping’ ?
rangers are only aloud to touch your windscreen wiper , they are not allowed to bang on vehicles or shine torches , if you buy or drive a van with a bed in it ,cooking facilities, it is yours to use , day or night , are they saying house people don’t throw rubbish use drugs commit crimes, remember we all have one very short life
For the fine of not sleeping in vehicles overnight doesn’t past the common sense rule , so Rubbish is only being left from people that stay overnight , and the taking of parking only happens overnight,
I have a Campervan and park where I want … everyone feels they have some power over campervans well I pay my taxes the same as everyone else so don’t like me camoing up that’s a you problem not a me problem … and the $667 fine is a personal fine it had to be handed to you if it’s served to your vehicle then that’s illegal it’s like a debt collector serving your front door … so don’t open the door to them easy fix ..