Opinions are mixed on illegal camping in some of Noosa’s most popular spots as Noosa Council cracks down on the practice with fines and tighter parking restrictions.
Social media posts show some people applaud the van lifestyle, for some it’s a reminder of their own adventures on the road and some believe it should be encouraged with greater facilities made available for it.
Others are calling for resident car parking passes, paid parking for tourists and more fines.
“Love seeing this – takes me back to our old Noosa. Enjoy our beautiful town folks,” one posted.
“People who are actually from Noosa, me being one of them, grew up like this and are surfers or beach and national park lovers and have camped in free locations all round Aus all our lives because that’s where you really get to experience the best things in life. Spending money on food and keeping smaller places alive, seeing the nature and finding friends that are like-minded is so beautiful and important,” one resident said.
“Life is so expensive these days and these people are still spending tens and tens of thousands of dollars all across Aus and helping the economy stay healthy.”
“How can we make this better?” another posted. “Wouldn’t it be great to expand to make everyone welcome. Give them extra toilets and showers, and bins to keep it all clean. Even a ranger to inspect that area to keep it clean and safe. And charge a small fee for the location to cover these expenses.
“Can we put some of our brilliant minds together, some of these lovely and intelligent people serve us at restaurants, clean our shops, they are willing to do good things for the community for their chance to travel. I think we can do better.”
“There used to be a caravan park at the woods right? And one on the beach at Sunrise Beach, and one in Peregian? Noosa changes, not the way people holiday,” another said.
Residents against free camping posted comments such as, “there is such a simple solution to all this … lock all entries for vehicles around 7pm”.
“Three hour paid timed parking for visitors so people can still come and enjoy what Noosa has to offer. If people then decide to stay longer than the allocated 3hrs, they receive a parking fine,” one posted. “All Noosa and Sunshine Coast locals receive annual parking passes with our rates. Noosa council currently has excess funds in their coffers to employ new parking officers to help bring this under control.”
Another agreed, “resident sticker on car. Free Parking. Two issued with rates notice every year and a different colour every year. The rest pay. Works in Sydney at the beaches”.
“I’m all for free camping but also about preserving and protecting our beautiful home town,” another said. “There are so many other places to park up for the night … it’s getting out of control now.”
When Noosa Today spoke to van campers they were aware of resident opposition to the practise and saw both sides to the situation.
One described parking charges as a “double-edged sword” and a few said some people did abuse the situation.
“I get both sides of the story,” one camper said. “There’s lots of amenities here, it definitely makes it easy to live in the van. There’s toilets, showers and everything you need, but people do take advantage of it and leave rubbish, which I don’t agree with at all, and then I understand the people who live here and they pay rates and then it’s jam-packed with vans all the time.
“I imagine they’ll just start fining people and if they go away they’ll go away, but I can’t see it happening.
“The word is with the van people if you just come in at night and go out before 6.30am then you won’t have any issue”.
