The Easter holiday period has once again brought the issue of illegal camping to the fore.
Across the country, particularly in coastal areas, large numbers of campervans, caravans and motorhomes, were in evidence at many car parks and reserves.
On Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, Noosa Council, said Local Laws Officers issued 11 infringement notices and seven warnings in the latest patrol of illegal camping hotspots carried out over the Easter weekend.
Gyndier Drive at Tinbeerwah, Wallace Park at Noosaville, as well Noosa Heads Lions Park, Noosa Woods and Noosa Spit were among the areas targeted.
Illegal camping patrols continue across Noosa, with fines issued. PIC: Noosa Council
Local Laws Officers issued another six infringements and nine warnings only days before at popular illegal camping locations.
Development and Regulation Director Richard MacGillivray said residents and ratepayers were fed up with travellers monopolising car parks and leaving behind a mess.
“We know the community wants action taken and so we continue to undertake patrols of popular areas at various times of the day and night,” he said.
Mr MacGillivray said the trial of the 10pm-to-4am ‘no-parking zone’ through Noosa Woods and Noosa Spit had been successful in curbing illegal camping through that area.
“The restrictions will remain in place while Council considers broader enforcement options to regulate camping and parking in these areas,” he said.
Council is fast-tracking plans to implement tow-away zones in high-demand parking areas such as the entrance to the Noosa National Park. Vehicles that overstay the time limits may be towed away in a longer-term plan to halt illegal camping.
“So far this year Council has responded to 84 complaints from residents regarding illegal camping,” Mr MacGillivray said.
Parking fines vary from $77 to $116 depending on the offence, and $309 for illegal camping. These fines can be much higher if the matter goes to court.
“As always, we continue to take a common-sense approach,” Mr MacGillivray said. “People living in cars due to housing issues are not the target of our enforcement efforts … our staff are trained to recognise people in need and assist them with referrals to services that may be able to support them.”
Across in WA’s south west, the Augusta Margaret River Shire Council is facing similar challenges and is to discuss the issue of Illegal camping when it meets on April 24.
Shire President, Julia Meldrum, has put forth a motion which, if supported, will see a project team established to investigate illegal camping, and propose strategies to address the issue in a way that supports and strengthens the area’s diverse community.
The motion also asks that a business case, with costings, be prepared to explore an overflow camping area for itinerant campers.
The City of Busselton will also be invited to participate in the project.
The Shire says it recognises that, while illegal camping has become a significant concern for the community, it is also a complicated issue given not all illegal campers are the same. It says some are free campers, while others are seasonal workers employed by vineyards, or in cafés and restaurants unable to secure rental accommodation. Additionally, it says there are community members who are impacted by the Australia-wide cost of living and rental crisis.
The proposed motion asks that the project team table its finding to Council at its meeting on June 26.
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One wonders if any of these fines ever get paid
No I would look for a roadside REST area
And rest
Fully agree with you Ged.
Simple answer..No ,I won’t even consider
Camping illegally..would you steal from a shop because someone else did!!
The excuse,,(I was tired it had been a long day) just doesn’t cut it..
Stop early,plan your route out better..
It appears that Dave has an agenda. Stealing from a shop is a poor analogy. Parking a Vehicle because of consideration to the safety of yourself family and others. Missed out on some revenue did we. Even the best planned trips can be easily changed because of circumstance. I need to move to a perfect world.Dave’s world.
Yes and what about the money we spend there just just big brother tacktics
Dave. The too tierd to drive does cut it. Its a fedral initiative to combat fatigue. If thats all you say to a ranger he cannot move you on. If he does and you have a prang, even causing death he is responible along with his employer. I wish transport companies would train their driver to do the same butt log books keep them driving even if they massively fatigued. Logbooks kill.
Oh officer, Iwas overcome by fatigue the instant I arrived at the seaside car park at noosa/byron/wherever. Can’t possibly drive another metre.
As Dave said, plan ahead and stop being so entitled. Bring on the tow away zones as that will make the backpackers realise the rules DO apply to them too
So true. This garbage about suddenly becoming tired and have to use a rest area is often used by the tightwads and the entitled ones.
Ian, your spot on, we travelled with people a few yrs back, who were multi millionaires, they stopped in all the places that have no camping signs & when confronted, used the analagy, I was too tired, I’ve had too much to drink to move on. We never travelled with them again. As I viewed this as disgusting.
I wish companies would stop using semi’s & road trains to transport items when they could be transported overnight by trains. Less pollution, safer, faster, less accidents & deaths.
Marg what has road transport got to do with illegal camping
There are now long term RV illegal campers around the NSW Mid North Coast and increasing in number, some blatantly using prime locations overnight and moving during daytime to return the next afternoon.
However, if they are not a nuisance with due consideration for the housing crisis, so what?
No would always try to obey the rules.
Unfortunately many of these illegal campers leaving a mess are backpackers who seem to think that this is acceptable.
We have witnessed this a few times on our travels.
Most Grey Nomads do the right thing and camp in free camps and take their rubbish with them.
In the tourist areas mentioned could the high (over priced) caravan fees have something to do with it. It could also be argued that some local council fees on Caravan Parkes are excessive as well, just a thought?
Campers who are breaking rules need to understand that they will be fined for illegal activity in areas that are marked no camping and where times limits are in place for no camping those areas are not used. End grain f story
In saying that Shires should also designate areas for travellers to pull over for a rest or sleep if they have become to tired to continue their journey or they have fallen ill and need to seek medical assistance and leave their RV in a safe place. These emergency shelters type areas for RV and caravan travellers need not be a free service but should be a safe one. Rules of leave no trace should still apply and people using those areas need to heed the warnings that fines will be issued for littering or wilful damage when caused by those individuals staying there.
Illegal camping should never be accepted , but my thoughts are not to lump everyone under the one banner that all campers are litter spreading, uncouth hobos. We are not. We did the most part are law abiding individuals who on some occasions get caught out. Then there are the instances where pets are not accepted in some resort or caravan parks which to the unsuspecting camper becomes a problem and forces their hand to park in inappropriate places. There is more to this issue than the blind fining and illegal designated camping areas because residents don’t like visiting Nomads and other campers . We pay our way in most instances. Majority of campers are good folk who obey rules and regulations in Shires at all times , but there are exceptions to those rules and regulations and Shire authorities need to be forward thinkers for campers who need that stop over for reasons other than illegal ones.
We travelled along the Pacific Highway looking for a rest stop to have a sleep on our way back to Brisbane from Sydney only to find NO CAMPING signs at each of the stops and all empty. On investigation we were advised by the authorities that an overnight stop was NOT considered as camping. However, if staying more than one night you are definitely CAMPING!
Yes, putting the chairs, tables, awning and BBQ out is definitely considered camping. Seems fairly standard that parking while resting for up to 12 hours in a rest area is within the rules.
No I wouldn’t
I’m a local mature aged Australian who has paid my taxes and worked his arse off all my life now enjoying an overdue well earned extended holiday living and travelling in my van
Caravan parks are becoming too bloody expensive especially the ones on the coast
All I want is a quiet safe spot to pull up for the night and to get good sleep. I dont party smoke or drink I keep to myself make no disturbance leave early the following morning without leaving a trace. I’m not a scruffy looking vagabond, bum or homeless person
It pisses me right off when I see the backpackers and I have also spotted or seen the aftermath of other travellers doing the wrong thing too that stuffs it up for the rest of us that are responsible and doing the right thing
I reckon there should be an exemption for mature aged older Australians over 50’s ONLY ! or we could even pay a small fee that allows us to park up in designated areas that the local councils allocate for us within a specified time frame 10pm-6am
I think they do this in New Zealand ?
It would be nice if the local residents could not look down upon us but rather think of us more as extra eyes and ears for your streets and neighbourhoods acting as security. Spending money in your local business’s too
At the moment 7.14pm I’m sitting in a Bunnings carpark that is almost empty figuring out where the hell am I going to park tonight where I can relax and not have to worry about getting fined
I think to myself Geesuz Bunnings you could be making money out of this $5 a night $20 per month .. I’m just spitballing here ? You got any number of vehicles parked up here We all do the right thing we all keep an eye on each other to do the right thing
Anyway I’m gett’n hungry
Bunnings dont want you there. Once the gates are opened it wont be long before the grotty backpackers and hi-ace van mob know about the area, move in and leave it a pigsty next morning. Bunnings carparks are private property…not a public rest area. I,ve seen it myself at out local Bunnings where the late to arrive, early to leave campers leave crap all over the place.
In the USA campers are encouraged to stop in large shopping carparks overnight to help stop vandalism
Most Walmarts have stopped allowing trucks (unless delivering the next morning) and RVs and caravans from parking overnight due to people being filthy pigs and leaving rubbish in the parking lot. The manager has the final say as to if you park there, if you park illegally they have towies patrolling after hours and are allowed to pick up and tow. That will cost you thousands in some states to retrieve you vehicle/s. Maybe this is what councils need to do.
One of the issues here is you are targeting every one. There has to be a place where you can stop just overnight without being fined for taking a rest when you are exhausted.
Why not make these places an income generator by charging those that stop for more than a couple of hours an overnight fee of $20 it’s not too much to ask. With the technology available you can easily record the number plates of each vehicle and the time of arrival and departure then send an invoice for the over parking or have pay stations where you can pay.
Joseph, be easier for cameras to pick up number plates and send the fine to TMR! Lot of people claiming to be sovereign citizens ie don’t recognise existing authority and rules and believe that all these areas should be available to all for free. Quite frankly, we try to avoid popular areas because of cost (too expensive) and lack of available camping/caravan park bookings. We sold our van as it is cheaper to stay at motels at the moment. Until such time as councils provide more affordable or free camps we’ll sit back and enjoy other people’s travel stories for now.
Why doesn’t these “afflicted” Councils meet the demand?
Well in my opinion it is always in affluent districts that there’s
an outcry about “peasant campers” “that lower the demeanour
of a town.” How dare dinkum Ossies come here to enjoy their
heritage? Go somewhere else or stay home!
I agree with above. The free campsites near Noosa Beach were there long before developers & councils approved housing for rich privileged people. What Noosa & Busselton both need are more “reasonably priced” caravan parks, not more rangers.
The Council’s are complaining about the free campers so stop closing the free campsites. They talk of mess well put rubbish bins there. Travel west in QLD and there’s a Cleanaway bin in nearly all stopping bays
We travelled Australia for 18 years and never found the need to illegally camp. We free camped most of the time, but only at sactioned spots. By nit following the rules, more free camps will be shut down
No I wouldn’t, I’d never be able to sleep knowing I’m there illegally and the Ranger might come at any moment!
Look what happened when we had the covid lockdown.
No rest stops.
That was the final straw for me.
Free camping areas are a necessity, and an Australian culture.
The current services for camping is severely lacking and more camping areas must be reopened.
Currently travelers spend millions of dollars in country towns this creating jobs.
There is no such thing as free camping!
People spend thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars to travel, fuel food equipment and vehicles.
In my life so far I personally have spent well over $200,000, on vehicles and equipment fuel and food in traveling Australia and most of my camping is in free camping areas.
This type of preparation for camping all creates jobs, free camping areas should be everywhere in Australia, campers like me will go overseas if you stop camping in Australia and all the vehicle preparations/modifications/campers/caravans/roof top tents and traveling will stop, all money will go overseas for overseas travel.
If this continues I will stop traveling in Australia and spend my hard earned money overseas!
I’m about to do a big lap around Australia, if I continue to be harassed and terrorised by councils I will head overseas.
No, if there are signs visible to all with ‘No camping’ then that is what should be followed.
In saying that why not have an area for a 1 or 2 night stay over. If people want to stay longer then they should pay. Some people just want to keep on travelling. This will assist in the ‘Stop, Revive and Survive’ campaign. Keeping our roads safe.
Not all campers, vanlifers or caravaners are messy. Same old story, it’s the inconsiderate that make it hard for the considerate.