By Tim Howard
Clarence Valley Council has agreed to step up monitoring and enforcement of overnight parking and camping in coastal areas, following a report presented at last Thursday’s council meeting.
The report, prepared by Scott Lenton, council’s manager of environment and regulatory services, was requested via a Notice of Motion by Cr Peter Johnstone in July 2025.
It examined “feasible alternatives and options for improving the enforcement of overnight parking restrictions” at locations including Wooli, Yamba, Iluka, and Brooms Head.
Cr Johnstone told the meeting the motion arose from concerns raised by residents in Wooli and other coastal communities about people camping overnight in areas where it is prohibited.
He welcomed the report’s comprehensive data and its recommendation to trial the use of trail cameras to assist compliance.
“Even the signage about those cameras will act as a deterrent,” he said.
Council staff reported that overnight camping complaints account for just 2–3% of all regulatory service requests each year.
While patrols and compliance checks are conducted, staff capacity, fatigue, and safety considerations limit overnight monitoring.
Legislative changes earlier this year now require parking fines to be placed on vehicles at the time of the offence, further complicating enforcement.
The report also highlighted that many campers are experiencing homelessness, with tents or vehicles serving as their only shelter.
Council staff aim to balance regulatory enforcement with sensitivity to vulnerable people, offering education, advice, and assistance in coordination with state agencies and NGOs.
Councillors broadly supported the recommendations, noting the dual purpose of protecting public land and potentially identifying people in need of support. Cr Lynne Cairns cited a recent incident at Witonga Reserve, where campers had occupied the site for two weeks, as evidence of the growing need for monitoring.
Cr Karen Toms emphasised the value of accurate data, noting that official complaints only reflect a portion of actual activity.
The council will continue daytime education and enforcement, conduct overnight patrols where safely resourced, and trial the use of relocatable trail cameras at select locations, with signage to notify the public.
Other structural measures, such as gates or barriers, were deemed impractical or costly for most locations.
Cr Johnstone thanked residents for reporting incidents and encouraged ongoing community engagement. The motion was passed unanimously.
The council’s report drew on seven years of data from its Customer Request Management System (CRMS), showing that overnight parking and camping peaked during the 2020–21 financial year, coinciding with the COVID-19 pandemic.
Activity has since returned to pre-pandemic levels, though anecdotal evidence suggests that pressure on popular coastal sites persists.
Locations with restricted overnight parking include Iluka Beach, multiple carparks in Yamba and Angourie, Wooloweyah boat ramp, Brooms Head lookout, Minnie Water lookout, and Wooli South Terrace.
Enforcement options include issuing fines, providing warnings, and liaising with state agencies for welfare support when necessary.
