The technology that will catch and punish illegal campers

ILLEGAL campers use our gardens as toilets and park in our streets. But the battle is ramping up.

Byron Shire Council has zero tolerance for illegal campers.

Byron Shire Council is taking a hard line on illegal campers these holidays, and will use technology to issue fines to those breaking the rules.

Deputy mayor Michael Lyon said council staff would be rostered on seven days a week, from early morning until late at night, in an effort to deal with the problem.

“The community has absolutely no tolerance for people pulling up in their streets, cooking on their footpaths and going to the toilet in their gardens,” he said.

“Similarly council has zero tolerance for illegal camping, nor for people deciding to park in our beach carparks or nature reserves for the night.

“There are camping areas in Byron Bay and around the Shire that are relatively inexpensive and I urge people to use these rather than think they can get a free night or two by pulling up wherever they like.”

The council uses number plate recognition technology that records the number plates of people’s cars and tickets will be issued automatically.

Cr Lyon said many people would not even realise they had been fined until they received the notice in the mail or when they returned their camper.

“As a council we make no apology for taking a hard line with illegal camping because their contribution to our Shire and our community is minimal,” he said.

As well as the Byron town centre, council staff will be patrolling hot spots such as:

● Broken Head, especially on Seven Mile Beach Road, which takes in the Broken Head Nature Reserve and the Kings Beach, Whites Beach, Brays Beach and Seven Mile Beach areas

● Brunswick Heads

● Mullumbimby.