Travelling couple share reality of street camping 'anxiety' as Aussie councils crack down
Local governments around Australia continue to grapple with the issue of illegal camping as tourists in campervans travel the country on a budget, while others are forced into van life in a bid to beat the housing crisis.
Footage captured by a couple currently doing "a lap" of Australia in their campervan shows the increased "anxiety" free campers can face when trying to find a safe place to park for the night. The video, which has been watched more than 40,000 times this week, shows council rangers shining torches into a 4WD with a rooftop tent while parked in a Perth street.
"I think they [the patrols] are unnecessary unless there was probable cause like trash or a noise complaint, but this was at 3.30 am," travelling couple Jesse and Camille, who captured the footage in Scarborough over the weekend, told Yahoo News.
"These poor backpackers were fast asleep and were woken up only to pack down their tent and go find another place to park in the city."
It's unclear if the backpackers were fined or simply warned and told to "move somewhere else".
There has been an uptick in the number of people looking for free camping spots and some are turning to illegal camping for a budget-friendly solution while travelling. This has seen many popular coastal locations inundated with loaded vans, making access difficult for locals.
The City of Stirling in Perth did not respond to questions posed by Yahoo News by the time of publication, but neighbouring councils were more forthcoming in detailing their efforts to crack down on campers sleeping in their cars.
Local government areas throughout the greater Perth region have been battling with the issue in recent years and the City of Cockburn, in Perth's southern suburbs, confirmed to Yahoo on Tuesday its officers do regular patrols to check vehicles.
"Unauthorised camping fluctuates with seasons, social and economic pressures and other contributing factors," a spokesperson for the council said. "The City's officers conduct regular patrols of known unauthorised camping areas to deter the activity, at all times of day and night.
"The City attempts to educate people about alternative housing options and areas they can camp legally.
"We also liaise with state government agencies and key stakeholders to ensure there is a more consistent approach between land under the City's control, and land like Woodman Point and John Graham Reserve, which are under state government control."
The Town of Cambridge council in Perth controversially turned off the hot water at beach showers last year to stop campers using the public amenities, with it only reinstated after a huge backlash from the community. Meanwhile the neighbouring City of Fremantle council introduced four-hour parking at popular South Beach to stop extended stays, with those staying over the time limit facing fines.
Snap Send Solve, the council reporting app, told Yahoo News last year there have been thousands of reports of illegally parked caravans and RVs across the country.
"These figures underscore a widespread issue across the country, particularly in urban areas where space is limited and pedestrian and road safety are critical," CEO Danny Gorog said.
While councils and some locals welcome the crackdown to free up car parks, others have criticised it as many Aussies find themselves turning to mobile accommodation as the rental market becomes increasingly more expensive and the housing crisis continues to leave many homeless.
Queensland woman Tania Davies previously told Yahoo News she and her husband were moved on after sleeping in their van at Eagleby Wetlands car park in Logan after council clamped down on illegal camping last year. An Aussie parent and their two children were forced to move into a caravan last month and admitted they are concerned about where they will park their car — with campground fees and the cost of maintaining the caravan likely costing the same each day as "a three-bedroom townhouse a year ago".
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