Hostilities flare up as warnings issued to pack up beachside camp at Lennox Head near Ballina

Free-campers at a popular northern NSW beach have sprayed investigators after receiving a one-month notice to pack up their “unauthorised” dwellings and leave. See the wild video.

Tensions are boiling over after free campers at a Lennox Head beach were issued Crown Land notices to remove their “unauthorised dwellings” or face the consequences.

On Tuesday the free campers, some of whom use language akin to that of sovereign citizens, were given a one-month moratorium to exit the Camp Drewe Rd reserve at Lennox Head Beach by the Department of Planning Housing and Infrastructure (DPHI), assisted by Richmond Police.

Police issued warnings to the free campers at Lennox Head on Tuesday February 11.

Scenes from the operation, captured by Tik Tok content creator Jemos211, showed investigators and police being berated at the scene.

In the footage, one of the group attempted to reverse the script by telling the officers: “You have been notified. There is no Crown Land.”

On notice: free campers given one month to exit Lennox Head dunes.

The content creator called the officers a range of colourful slurs including “co-conspirators in the fraud” and “a bunch of bloody pedophile protectors”.

The DPHI acted after receiving complaints about the free campers and their “unauthorised structures - and alleged anti-social behaviour impacting residents and frustrating attempts to undertake bushfire hazard reduction operations in what is a high-risk bushfire area”.

“The department has attempted to have the occupants engage with homelessness support services, but this was rejected,” a Crown Lands spokesperson in the DPHI said.

Ballina Deputy Mayor Damian Loone praised the work by the DPIE in issuing notices to remove dwellings at Lennox Head. Photo by Natalie Grono

While not a council matter, Ballina Deputy Mayor and former top cop Damian Loone praised the demeanour of the DPHI officers who were “only doing their duty as a requirement of law as per section 9.8 of the Crown Land Management Act”.

“The officers all showed professionalism against some very concerning allegations made against them,” Mr Loone said.

“Words used such as ”fake crown”, “no jurisdiction or authority” and “committing fraud” is somewhat bizarre,” he said.

The language used aligns to that of sovereign citizens who believe the laws do not apply to them.

Southern Cross University Dean of Law David Heilpern said sovereign citizens live in a land of “legal make-believe”. Photo by Glenn Hampson

Dean of Law at Southern Cross University and ex-magistrate David Heilpern said generally the arguments coming from sovereign citizens are “legal gobbledygook”.

“These tactics never, ever succeed in court, not even remotely and the courts never accept any of the sovereign citizen arguments,” Mr Heilpern said.

NSW Police confirmed no arrests were made. No charges have been laid.

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Originally published as Hostilities flare up as warnings issued to pack up beachside camp at Lennox Head near Ballina