While there are growing concerns about the issue of homelessness in areas like Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, it seems locals are significantly less sympathetic to widespread illegal camping by ‘tourists’.
The Sunshine Coast News reports that residents are saying that they have never seen so many campervans, camper trailers and converted buses staying for extended periods … are they are demanding action.
Locals reportedly claim ‘cashed-up’ travellers are simply choosing a ‘free ride’ and are pulling in to parks, overnighting on roadsides with million-dollar views and ‘hiding away’ in the hinterland and heavily treed suburbs, instead of paying to use campground and caravan park facilities.
Caloundra Residents Association president Graham Smith told the Sunshine Coast News that illegal camping was visible ‘all over Caloundra’ at various times.
He said he had seen illegal campers first-hand and witnessed council officers moving them on from beachside spots and parks, but claims ‘they’re not chased away necessarily from Caloundra airport’.
Mr Smith said the free-camping holidaymakers were taking the emphasis off the real problem of people who have no place to live.
“They think it’s okay to do this stuff and they shouldn’t be doing it,” Mr Smith told the Sunshine Coast News. “I like to go camping, too, but I pay for the exercise and I book in – as they should.”
He said the bigger issue was the growing number of people who are genuinely in trouble.
“Unfortunately, the free campers detract from the fact that we are trying to take care of people that have no residence,” Mr Smith said. “They have nowhere to live. It hurts them more than it hurts anybody else … it takes the emphasis off them.”
In Coolum, one resident told the Sunshine Coast News that just one spot – Stumers Creek – hosted ‘on average eight to 10 cars a night’.
Some campers apparently stay a few days and set up in treed pockets of the Stumers Creek Bushland Conservation Reserve.
The Sunshine Coast News reports that, as council toilet amenities are locked overnight, early-morning dog walkers are often confronted by people defecating in bushes near their vehicles.
Complaints to the council resulted in more signs being erected to deter overnight campers “but the travellers aren’t paying much mind to it”, the resident said.
A Sunshine Coast Council spokesperson said illegal camping was addressed on a complaints basis.
“As a matter of practice, council generally educates in the first instance and issues infringements where unlawful camping continues,” the spokesperson told the Sunshine Coast News. “The infringement for camping unlawfully is $275 … when staffing allows, joint patrols outside of hours are undertaken with police.”
The caravan park at Coolum charges more per night than what it costs to rent a house.
agree. Absolutely ripping off customers.
We use farm stay’s which are usually $20 per nite, or free camping. The farm stays, have all the ammenities. We haven’t used a c.vaqn park in 15 years, although shortly going to a park that is both camping and c.vanning park, brand new 6 star ammenities, and they only charge $20 per nite all year round. This place is generally half full during the week and full in holidays and weekends. Northern Foreshores Inverell. .
The only way to stop backpackers abusing these no camping spots is to directly fine the rental companies as the vehicle owners. Then it’s completely up to them if or how they recover the costs from their clients.
The regulations relate to a person and not a vehicle’s owner. There is no facility for such a thing.
Wheel clamps on the cars and significant fines for all instances, none of this softly softly approach. There are enough (paid) campsites to accomodate all.
I’m on a pension since retiring due to health issues. I don’t have the money to pay just so I can park my van on a patch of dirt. We use to call this a free country but that is long gone.
I’m feeling you..
I wonder if those complainers are really 100% sure that those so-called “cashed-up tourists” are not also homeless.
Exactly.
I was staying at a holiday house at Fingal Bay, NSW, The public toilets across the road were closed every night by a man that drove up on a car, One night I was standing outside, smoking, The local Bus driver stopped and went to the Toilet, The man drove up to lock the toilets while the Bus driver was inside, I yelled out to the man that the bus driver was still inside, He said to me, He always checked the toilets before locking them, Why lock the toilets at night, Any way, Dont people use the toilets at night, Then they get upset when people drop their poop on the lawn outside, Its a very popular beach area, Very well lit up, and used by people 24/7,
With the ever increasing squeeze on living costs many people have opted for a nomadic lifestyle and don’t have the resources to buy or rent a house or own a house, why should they be price gouged by accommodation providers that are in the pockets of the shire/govt. They would be more than happy to pay a reasonable amount, ie $10 pn for low cost camping facilities but the shires don’t provide them. 🙁 Perhaps if they provided suitable facilities people wouldn’t be “stealth” camping.
See my post.
You’re talking my language mate..
I pulled into Proserpine about midday in my poptop combi.after a very long drive, totally exhausted I decided to have a sleep before continuing my journey, within minutes I was confronted by aggressive cops and some sort of council worker telling me “you can’t camp here” I told them “I was not camping, nor did I intend to, but merely needed a rest break” I was dragged from my van and threatened with arrest,after checking my license, reg, insurance ect.I was told to go, I was informed later that most of the councilors were owners of caravan parks in the area.
That’s absolutely outrageous!!
Some homeless people set themselves up so as to disguise their situation by acting as a tourist/taveller.
Who ARE the real homeless?