The Australian dream of hitting the open road with a caravan in tow or spending weekends on the water with a boat may be facing new challenges, not from the rugged terrain or the high seas, but from local council regulations.
As the number of caravans and boats increases, so does the tension over the precious commodity of on-street parking in residential areas.
This has led one Adelaide council to spearhead a push for a change in state laws that could have significant implications for owners of these larger vehicles.
The Charles Sturt Council has announced its intention to petition South Australia’s Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Tom Koutsantonis, to review legislation that would allow councils to enforce stricter parking restrictions on caravans, boats, and trailers.
Currently, councils are handcuffed by state laws when it comes to managing long-term parking of these vehicles on public roads where no other restrictions are in place.
Kristie Johnson, the council’s General Manager Engaged Community, expressed the council’s position, stating,
‘Council has proposed to write to the Transport Minister to seek a review of the relevant legislation to empower councils to enforce and manage long-term parking and the storage of vehicles such as caravans and trailers on public roads where no other parking restrictions apply.’
Under the Australian Road Rules, there are already restrictions for vehicles heavier than 4.5 tonnes or longer than 7.5 metres, which cannot be parked in built-up areas for more than one hour.
Despite this, Kristie Johnson revealed to The Advertiser that the council issued 111 expiations last year for breaches of this rule within their local government area (LGA).
The council aims to reduce these breaches and alleviate parking congestion by introducing more onerous restrictions.
The issue is exacerbated by the growing popularity of caravanning and boating as leisure activities.
Charles Mountain, Manager of Safety and Infrastructure at the RAA, told ABC Adelaide that the problem is ‘becoming a bigger problem for various reasons. More and more people own caravans and boats than ever before.’
‘We’ve got a situation now where modern homes often only have six or eight metres between the property boundary and the garage, which means there is limited space.’
This lack of space leads owners to park their recreational vehicles on the street, which can cause friction with residents who feel entitled to park in front of their properties. In extreme cases, such as in Sydney’s Northern City Council, tensions have escalated to vandalism, with residents spray painting offensive messages on a boat to deter the owner from parking in their street.
Councils across Australia have taken varied approaches to this issue. Randwick City Council, for example, has prohibited parking along a five-kilometre nature strip that had become a hotspot for large vehicle parking.
Meanwhile, North Sydney council acknowledged the ‘ongoing issue’ but stated that the vehicles were ‘legally permitted’ to be there.
As of now, the specifics of the restrictions Charles Sturt Council will propose remain unclear. However, the implications for caravan and boat owners could be significant, potentially affecting where and for how long they can park their vehicles on public roads.
For our readers who own caravans or boats, it’s essential to stay informed about local parking regulations and any proposed changes.
Engaging with your local council and participating in community discussions can help ensure that your needs and concerns are considered in any new legislation.
Do you have a caravan or boat and have faced parking issues? Have you encountered strict parking regulations in your area? Share your experiences with us in the comments below, and let’s navigate these choppy regulatory waters together.
Also read: Struggling to sleep in your caravan? This could be the fix you’re looking for
We ( & many others) have a caravan & boat… we have to pay for storage… it is part of the cost of owing such items. People who park on public streets are trying to avoid these fees and it really annoys people who pay 💰 to do the right thing by their neighbours
Wholeheartedly agree, boats, trucks and caravans don’t belong on residential streets. There are places for these to be stored, andsd daidby another writer this cost which is part of ownership.
Another problem is cars at “share houses”. We have one nextdoor and the double garage is used as rec.toom so