Grey nomads and other travellers who may have become accustomed to free camping at the Southport Spit on the Gold Coast could soon be in for a bit of a shock.
The Gold Coast City Council and the Gold Coast Waterways Authority are looking at ways to give council officers authority to move campers on from the scenic location. As it stands, only police currently have the power to evict illegal campers for trespassing on the land.
Despite the fact that there are a number of prominent signs prohibiting camping or sleeping in vehicles, there is pretty much always a significant number of visitors spending the night in caravans, motorhomes and even tents at the wide open area.
But Waterways Authority chief executive Hal Morris has told the Gold Coast Bulletin that the area is not equipped for campers.
“There’s no facilities; no toilets, no fresh water, no power, so it is really not an appropriate place for the illegal camping to go on,” he said. “It also means the safety concerns are there and the cost of cleaning up is greater than it should be.”
It is understood the plan is for a joint trusteeship which would allow for a crackdown to take place.
Gold Coast council chief executive Dale Dickson said the council was in talks with state agencies about the ongoing issue, and that further information would be available in the coming months.
* Have you camped at the Spit? Would you ever ignore ‘No Camping’ signs if ‘everyone’ else was? Comment below.
The only reason there are not what the bulletin says are sufficient facilities is because the Council a nd Water Authority donot install them? As to illegality, how can it be illegal if there are no enforcement laws? And lastly, why if there is no greater need to fix it, ehy not allow its use as it is being used
good one , there no over night stops in the CC Y??
Another plot to drive people into expensive caravan parks to get your dollars. This attitude to rip off money spending tourists is becoming widespread.
Most don’t need councils power, toilets or water anyway. Have you thought of that ? So its just an excuse. So why ban tourists ? Australia is like living in a dictators country at times near any town or city..
Its being ruined by Council Regulations. So much.
What do the day time visitors use for toilets ? What about those who have Porta Potties on board ? Never thought of that ?
Stupid councils ruining the tourist industry who have never lived in the real world. Get outside your glass house…. travel and meet those wonderful tourists who spend their money in YOUR locality… stupid Councillors.
This country needs tourists.
Tourists…Grey Nomads…Just don’t spend your money in that area and go elsewhere. Hit them where it HURTS.
Well if you WERE really interested in supporting tourism on the Gold Coast you wouldn’t mind staying in a caravan park. Its not the communities fault that you bought a van and now can’t afford to run it let alone maintain it. what about the ablution block that’s there……you think that is for you to do your clothes washing and dishwashing??? who do you think pays for that?? yes the ratepayer which you are not.
You take up all the parking space with awful looking vans for weeks on end and then leave all your crap for the council to clean up.
If you don’t like what our council does MOVE ON……….freebies are over this is 2016. Byeeeeeeeeeeee.
Caravan parks and Camping spots in QLD/NSW are mostly far too expensive and shockingly low quality. Local politics support and protect those businesses and are not willing to provide cheap campgrounds with minimal equipment. Why should I pay 35 AUD for an unpowered site in a caravan park just sleeping in my van or tent? This is not acceptable. If council would be smart and willing they would make a simple campground out of parts of the Spit for e.g. 10 AUD. However it seems that council politics reduces to: beautiful nature is just for rich people (e.g. also Byron Shire with 20 AUD parking per day ). Sorry this is neither creative nor fair politics.
I guess anyone who has traveled around oz realizes the extremely small amount of this country that is available for the public to camp, we are mostly confined to that narrow strip of bitumen & road reserve that passes for highway even that usually has a 24hr time limit ,so no suprise that another council takes the view spend ya money & get lost.
If a caravan is equipped with a chemical toilet and shower then that vehicle should be allowed an overnight stay but not those who can’t meet those standards. Too many ill equipped caravans, tents and wizzbangs are spoiling camping spots for those of us who leave no trace
The Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast have always been against travellers stopping anywhere for more than a couple of daylight hours. The Gold Coast wont even let let home owners park their caravans on the street outside their homes. The fines are huge. So why be surprised that they want to move campers on. Their motto is stay in their dog free caravan parks or get out. We elected to stay away. They don’t need our money in their stores.
OK, we all new this was an unsatisfactory situation.
Camping at the spit can hardly be classed as sustainable in the long term when there are no facilities.
However, the Gold coast was built on being a surfer town and often featured VW campervans in some of its early advertising.
There are no rest areas for the many hundreds of thousands of vehicles that transit the GC, let alone a measly free tea stop.
Well whats changed:
A procession of property developer mayors, an economy built on rising property prices and a small minded pensioner populace has all led to the squeezing out of anyone who isn’t a tourist cash cow – ie: Chinese.
Welcome to your new future. The white man stole the land from the aborigine, now the councils are stealing it from all of us.
Even rangers inform me that they have to travel inland for two hours before they feel free to camp anywhere for free.
Wow, as someone who has recently joined this group while still working, you all live in a dreamland don’t you? “If I want to stay somewhere and don’t want to pay for it, the Council should do everything to make this happen” Wake up people, if you can’t afford to pay for accommodation, don’t stay in places like the Gold Coast.
its people like you that is stuffing it up for elderly travellers trying to enjoy what life they have left . why cant the council open up a sports ground like country towns do and gharge maybe ten dollers a night it would be full every night and no one would street park then.
No Steve, no one is asking for anything more than to be left alone to fall asleep as everyone naturally must do. There are so many parks already with unasked for and totally uunused at night. Why is it such a big deal that someone sleeps in their car and uses a toilet block. The focus shouldn’t be on depriving people just because their situation is different than yours. Working or not? A huge amount of the abuse and trash is created by the working class that is doing all the complaining! The council owns all the tourist parks and their rates are out of line. It’s always been accepted and now it’s not. Every new rule just contributes to all of us losing our individual and groups freedoms.
I live on the Gold Coast and I resent bludgers coming here using what little green space we have left as their own personal camping ground. I pay big money in rates. So bugger off and pay your share in a caravan park.
Wow… I REALLY REALLY hope you do not accept ANY form of social security…. especially for your children……. because thst would be being a hypocrite……
I’d be quite happy to pay to stay at the spit. My caravan has its own toilet and shower and we clean up after ourselves. We love the spit and have been going there for years with our jet skis or to swim or just sit and watch the world go by. It is a beautiful place. I think that if your van or motorhome is equipped with a toilet and you are prepared to pay a price for camping there (with time limits imposed) then why not.
cannot even get into a park these days without having to book in for 7 day what a joke non of the weekend getaways anymore goldcoast sucks
wouldn’t mind staying and paying anywhere on the GC but not in a caravan park where they give a measley piece of ground and have you sitting on your neighbours lap- they want the money but no space in return, it is caravan parks themselves that have turned me off them like most others, what about national parks, I haven’t stayed in one yet where tenants have not respected the grounds and do not leave there rubbish at all! C’mon GC get a little with the times! as for the comment you shouldn’t have a fan if you don’t want to pay, I don’t mind paying, but I just want some space.