The battle against illegal camping in West Australian towns and cities has just cranked up a notch.
The Shire of Broome has become the first local government in the state to apply wheel-clamping laws to illegal campers, saying some of the town’s most popular beaches are starting to resemble shanty-towns.
The ABC reports that the shire has purchased four wheel-clamps in response to an increasing number of complaints from locals about visitors camping in public areas rather than paying to stay at a caravan park.
Shire President Graeme Campbell says the situation cannot be allowed to continue.
“People come to Broome for the visual amenity and the feel of the place,” he told the ABC. “And you certainly don’t want to be heading down to Cable Beach and having to walk past a shanty-town, with washing, knickers, cooking implements, tents, all that stuff drying and spread across vehicles.”
Mr Campbell said the council had a duty to act because campers often took more than two parking bays to set up ugly makeshift annexes using ropes, bricks or even large water containers to hold it all together. He said the campers were spoiling the appearance of popular spots such as Cable Beach and Town beach. And he insisted that there was no shortage of camp sites in Broome.
Illegal campers can be fined $100 and rangers have the power to clamp vehicles if other means of enforcement are ignored.
Do you think wheel clamping is justifiable? Will this only affect backpackers, or are some grey nomads guilty of messy illegal camping, too? Comment below.
*Don’t forget, voting in the Grey Nomads ‘Dust, Dirt or Sand’ photo competition closes at midnight (AEST) on June 13. Click here to view the finalists and to vote.
good on them for sticking up for the rates payers of there city and making an effort to address the situation
most of us do try to do the right thing so for any one being backpacker,s campers in general and grey nomads dont spoil it for others, why should we pay for your lack of concern for our country support your local community and if you want to air your dirty linen go bush,
Overkill….. At the other end of the spectrum is rates will increase because travellers no longer visit and throw their money around…. The council has taken the easy option. The pathetic easy option… Fines would have been a good place to start…
IT’S THE BACKPACKERS THERE TALKING ABOUT AND THEY DON’T THROW MONEY AROUND BECAUSE THEY DON’T HAVE ANY
well i disagree i lived up in broome for 2yrs and if the shire and the park owners stopp puttin the rates of parks up they wouldnt get these people doing it .i find broome is a $$$$$$$$$ TOWN and it always put double on everything when it comes too tourist season good on them if the can get away with it
Why don’t they tell us who thee Campers are Instead of just assuming that it is Grey Nomads as well which I will not believe….It would be Backpackers for sure and Unfortunately the Homeless with only a Vehicle to live in
Yes Jimbo, you are probably right. WA is a very expensive place and I can not see us ever going back.
It’s not just the ratepayers who have an interest in maintaining the natural beauty of the place, it’s all visitors. No one has the right to spoil the natural environment for their own selfish reasons. Good on the council for getting tough.
Looks like the council has enlisted local people to post on this article… Most comments are short sighted and don’t take the issues into account. One issue being a lack of space in caravan parks…
I agree in busy times they cannot cater for travellers, and huge prices for no services in overflows. Get with it council and put some money into areas of parking with services if you wish visitors.
If the caravan parks didn’t charge so much for self contained vechicles the more would go and stay. I am certainly not paying $30+ to park my self contained van on a piece of dirt. Have own power evertyhing. If more councils made their towns RV friendly and have a free place for them to stay their town would benefit immensly. Look at Childers NSW .
boycott / or bypass the The Shire of Broome…
then wait and see how fast the shop owners, ask the councils to let campers camp over night
I agree with the Shire Council, not just Broome but any Council, stopping people from “camping”. Doesn’t matter what walk of life you come from there are always that element who try to do things on “the cheap” making it uncomfortable and unsightly for those who try to do things correctly.
I have a self contained motorhome, follow the ‘Leave No Trace’ code and have been known to clean up a camp site/rest area after others have left their mess.
I adhere to the time restrictions at the rest areas and do not have my washing hanging out for all and sundry to see. I agree this would not be a pretty site.
I have just returned home from a wonderful holiday staying at some beautiful Rest Areas in Central and Eastern Australia and appreciate the Councils who make responsible motorhomers welcome.
I am not ‘living on the cheap’. I spend a considerable amount of money at the places I visit and I support the local supermarket, petrol station, small retail outlets and attractions.
I do not need or want to go to a caravan park. I do not need to use any of the amenities or the children’s play ground. I also do not need to go to the optometrist, a vet, a dentist or adventure park.
To be forced to use a service that is not wanted is wrong. If a few inconsiderate backpackers/caravanners/motorhomers are behaving as described in the article, then a different strategy needs to be implemented.
I am planning my next trip of 20 months duration and intend to travel the length of the West coast this time. I will look for ‘RV Friendly Councils’ and will not be staying in Broome or any other Council or Shire that has a policy of insisting that I use a service I do not need.
Well said Sue!
I also have an all-terrain motor-home and do not want to be forced to stay in a caravan place, I do the right thing but do love my freedome and if I have to pay to visit Broome well I wont be staying long and I’ll make damm shure I will NOT spend a cent there.
BigAl
By the way we are heading in that direction soon, we’ll post on our findings
BigAl
having never been to Broome or Cable beach as a future caravan owner who is selfsufficient I have been told on many occasions the caravan parks are exorbinate in their fees and grossly cramped and you would be extremely lucky to even get in because they do not take bookings so why would one even bother going there to stayy keep travelling through and only stop at r.v. friendly shires .Australia is a huge place and there are plenty of friendly camps and reasonable caravan parks in the rest od Oz
We visited Broome in our self contained rig four years ago and had to book ahead and then pay $32 per night to park on a piece of red dirt.
There were nasty signs about all the do’s and don’ts posted all around the park and we felt most uncomfortable during our stay, so cut it short. Truth is, we saw all we needed to see in Broome in a day anyway so moved onto beautiful Barn Hill homestead stay not too far south of town, still camping on red dirt but for lees than half the price, but three times the ambience with lots of activities for the campers and in a welcoming and scenic enviroment.
What I am trying to say is that we found Broome, expensive and highly over rated and if the council choose to treat any visitors to their town with contempt by wheel clamping them, well they may soon find Broome is boycotted or at best, simply an overnight stay on the way to nicer and more friendly destinations.
well said
I completely agree with Sue. Having a self contained off road van my wife and I do not wish to frequent crowded caravan parks on a regular basis and enjoy ‘bush camping’ on our own or with friends as we travel. We too spend money in local communities we frequent but don’t see the need to defray costs on facilities at caravan parks parks we do not need. Is the shire president of Broome is also the caravan park owner? Hmm.
So many issues here
1.) Isn’t it very likely that those with “makeshift” annexe etc are homeless rather than travellers. Judging by what has happened to price and availability of accommodation in the mining towns in Qld, I daresay that WA as a whole has the same problem. I know there are desperate families with children living in cars because there are no rental places or even shelter space available. Generally speaking travellers/grey nomads are not homeless and do not erect “makeshift” shelters.
2.) Contrary to some opinions international backpackers are big business, I daresay even the poorer ones have to eat.
3.) Since when is washing unsightly? Would you prefer people wearing dirty clothes? Don’t you wash yours? What’s wrong with knickers, I wear them don’t you? Is this 2013 or 1813?
4.) For anyone trying to survive on a centrelink payment the CPs, even if space is available, are simply too expensive. For many grey nomads superannuation appeared quite late in their working lives. Do you think that the poor retired should just sit on their porch and wait to die?
If they don’t want them at Cable Beach (never been there and won’t go it the council doesn’t change their attitude) why don’t they mow a bit of grass and post a “camping” sign in a more out of the way place where the poor locals won’t have to be offended by seeing poverty or homelessness.
Sure, if there are rubbish bins and they fail to use them, or if they are drunk and disorderly etc then move them on.
Thank You: This great land of ours should be seen, believed and revered! I agree with everything that you have said. I just wish I could have a impact on the power’s that be. Australia is a big, beautiful place and should be free for all responsible folk!
Been there twice ( broome) and won’t be going back. Overated, extremely overpriced and made to feel we were not wanted but just leave your money and go.Plenty of better places to stay around the area where you are made welcome at much less cost. (last year broome was $50 per night for a dusty caravan powered site)
No good, Life on the road should be free just as long as we look after this beautiful land of ours!
The problem of where to camp in cities and towns is easy ..do not do it. Car parks at beaches should be 1 parking space per vehicle.It would be nice if some of these popular places in the north opened up areas out of town…we never mind driving in for our supplies or to visit a tourist attraction. A large amount are self contained…a small charge at a dump point while we are in town. The problem is patrol and policing the area out of town.Nomads will do this for a site to call home for a few weeks. Council organisation and encouragement is what is needed.
Hi fellow greys.you don’t want to travel to darwin if you want a good reception .van park owners control the place. Very expensive place to visit,try 35klms south of Adelaide river,a nice 24hr camp spot for responsible campers..cheers.
Hi everybody couple of months ago my brother and our wives in two moto homes travelled all the way round the bottom of W.A , My brothers wife is in a wheel chair and we found very few parks that had wheel chair access . I thought that was a must these days or is W.A a bit backwards in that department ?
we are also self contained but have noticed backpackers whizbangers are pushing limits in sunshine coast and townsville and is making it more difficult for grey nomads.hire companiesshould make it clear to those hiring vans motorhomes
Disappointing that we cannot adopt the camper friendly ways of New Zealand. We spent a wonderful fortnight travelling the South Island and didn’t have one ounce of trouble. In Australia though we alienate and make it impossible to have an affordable holiday away from all the trappings we have at home. We have a little dog and not many places accept them so ‘out of park’ camping is often the only option.