Burleigh Heads camper pitches tent on top of picnic shelter, metres from playground

Residents begging council to take action over an “eyesore” illegal camper parked on Burleigh headland for months say the situation has reached an absurd new peak. Watch the video

An illegal camper’s tent pitched on top of a picnic shelter in Burleigh, next to a children’s playground. Picture: Glenn Hampson.

Residents begging council to take action over an “eyesore” illegal camper parked on Burleigh headland for months say the situation has reached an absurd new peak.

The camper has traded a jaw-dropping $24m view at the top of Goodwin Terrace for an even more exclusive vantage – pitching his tent on top of a picnic shelter.

The beachfront position, just south of Burleigh Pavilion and next to a children’s playground, comes with its own carpark, seemingly exempt from council’s new 7am to 7pm metered parking policy.

The scene, echoed at The Spit in Main Beach, on the Currumbin waterfront, Carey Park in Southport and other beauty spots across the Gold Coast, divided readers, with some saying council needed to crack down and others calling for compassion.

Asked in a Bulletin poll ‘Do you think illegal campers should be moved on?’, 93 per cent of voters responded ‘Yes’.

“It’s one rule for honest, hardworking people trying to do the right thing and scrape together enough for rent, and another rule for others who can’t be stuffed,” Alan said on Facebook.

“Council are happy enough to hand out fines to ratepayers, but there’s no consequence for these freeloaders doing the same thing indefinitely when they could park anywhere else – total hypocrisy.

“What incentive is there to do the right thing?”

The camper previously parked on Burleigh Hill under the new Glasshouse Apartments for at least a month. Photo: Supplied

Residents have been stunned to see the camper’s new location. Picture Glenn Hampson

Premier David Crisafulli, speaking at last week’s Future Gold Coast event, talked up the importance of creating more housing for the city as it grappled with a shortage of dwellings.

“We are entering the next phase and the window is closing, whether we will get this right or not,” he said.

“We can choose a decade of delivery or a lifetime of lost opportunity, that’s what lies before us right now.

“The reason why I say that is if we don’t crack it right at the moment, we won’t recover.

“I think about the need for housing, for a growing city like the Gold Coast, and if you don’t get that right, the ability to attract young people retain your young people and meet that growth disappear.”

A Gold Coast City Council (GCCC) spokesperson said council was aware of illegal campers in Burleigh Heads and regularly completed patrols.

“While we cannot comment on individual cases, people found camping illegally or sleeping in vehicles on roads or parks are educated about appropriate places to sleep before being asked to move on,” the spokesperson said.

“If the person is a repeat offender an $830 fine may be issued.

“The City offers safe and legal camping at our tourist parks.”

Harry commented on the Gold Coast Bulletin website: “City of Gold Coast need to do better. You are increasing our rates and amenities charges. We are paying for these freeloaders and you are sitting on your hands. Do your job.”

Jim Stone said: “I got fined $105 for parking near cricket ground at Robina because it was a two-hour area when the Titans are playing, I was 2 hours and 10 minutes.”

Jan Brown noted “Parking inspectors patrol twice every day and collect squillions but always bypass this.”

Paul Stirk said: “And the same as the ones along the beachfront from Burleigh to north Burleigh and the one on the hill it’s a mess the last time I was there if we park there too long we get a parking fine.”

Clint Dulieu said: “Nowhere else to go doesn’t equal perfect beachside sites that people work hard every day of their life and contribute to society to afford. These people just want their nice life and don’t want to pay for it.”

Stewart Petersen said: “That camper obviously like many others needs affordable housing. GC City Council take note. If you cannot supply housing then open up new Council controlled and security monitored parks back from the central area giving full notice to those flaunting these by-laws that they will be forcibly moved and fined depending on the circumstances and also directed to the aforesaid safe camp areas.”

Marilyn Dial suggested “maybe councils should look at providing affordable land for the homeless to camp while waiting for accommodation and install porta toilets”.

“Try to help somehow instead of criticising, humiliating, ripping down the only homes they have,” she said.

“Being homeless does not give you the right to be disrespectful and messy,” Elle Flanagan responded.

“There are homeless who through their own self respect will find places to go that are not prominent and keep their spot tidy.”

WHAT YOU SAID

I work in mental health and they ALL get government financial support. They get enough to pay rent, it just may not be with Burleigh views. Saying the government is not helping is absolute BS. They freeload on taxpayers and use their “income” for drinking and vacationing meanwhile the rest of us working to pay for it and then we get stung with parking fines we actually have to pay. Tow them already. – James

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Check out the dunes at the south end of the Broadbeach parkland. A village has sprung up in there. Trash all through the dunes. – James

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Decades of neglect and defending of social housing has an inevitable consequence. – Martin Trama

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Just a thought. How about you open the showgrounds as an emergency fix? – Bob Payne

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Well, rally the government to build new government owned public housing for people! Like they used to build, in the 1950s. – Mark Hemsley

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Maybe offer them a room in your empty mansion? – Dave Jeffress

Originally published as Burleigh Heads camper pitches tent on top of picnic shelter, metres from playground