I'm thinking this is not a good look for genuine van travellers. The end of job keeper and big rent increases/no properties looks like it is becoming a problem that will only escalate, what do you think?
There are plenty of places where it is quite reasonable to spend a quiet night and where it isn't going to annoy any of the locals.
20 whizz bangs with no onboard facilities, lined up along an iconic beach outlook is not one of those places
Tony how many overseas backpackers are currently in Australia? Regardless, if you look at all the reasons you can't do something then you will always do nothing.
Heaps got stuck in OZ and still here bgt. Just where I am in N E VIC there are 20-30 backpackers in cabins or their whizbangs or even in tents. The owners even put in 5 older vans as on-site vans to help them out. All working at the local Solar Farms being constructed. They all got caught out last year and still here. Noisy lot at times but at least they want to work so my ear plugs get a work out.
Edit...forgot to say, they have all helped the new owners keep their heads above water since taking over Feb 2020 during bad fires then Covid.
-- Edited by Dougwe on Wednesday 24th of February 2021 06:44:31 PM
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"Tony how many overseas backpackers are currently in Australia? Regardless, if you look at all the reasons you can't do something then you will always do nothing."
Thousands, if not tens of thousands spread all over and not all of them are looking for work. Here in Tasmania a fairly large number are getting around in vans, and using places designated for self-contained. Certainly not all are talking with Australian accents and the ones I have talked to are very pleased they ignored their own government's advice to head home 12 months ago and even now they are in no hurry to go anywhere but Australia
Regardless of how many are here they will ignore paying parking fines. But if those fines were tagged to their rego they may think twice.
It's just not Byron Bay. Look at how Proserpine had someone visit every evening. They soon got the message.
It's a problem that needs to be solved. And quickly. With o/s travel out of the question, no new commercial parks and whole heap of new RVers out there the pressure is on parking/camping spots. Councils will get lazy and simply close them down. Then we all miss out.
So what's the answer?
Maybe this is in part due to the overnight closure of yelgun Rest stop. Used to be overnight now only 4 hours I see on wiki. This stop was packed every night. Some abused it i know, i saw it happen. This was a good overnight stop. I no longer go to nsw because i needed that overnight stop and to keep driving i cannot do anymore. Place needed policing and fines for those parking in truck stop section. even to save police resources, setting up a camera and fine for those parking in truck stop section would have worked but no, everyone must be punished for a few grubs. No problems with those parking in designated caravan and car areas They did nothing wrong. So if there is squatters in byron, no sympathy from me.
News story last night.
Same problem at Noosa.
But 1 local lady was going to pay a fine that had been issued to an illegal camper. The local wants to encourage more people to the area.
