Car park confusion leads to hefty fines for Tina McDonough after Magnetic Island stay

A resident was surprised to find two huge parking tickets on her windshield when she returned from a night on Magnetic Island despite being told parking was free.

Tina McDonough returned from spending a night on Magnetic Island to two $100 parking fines on her windshield. Picture: Nikita McGuire

After spending a night on Magnetic Island, Tina McDonough returned to her car to find an expensive surprise under her windshield wipers.

Ms Donough, who owns Three Little Boys Clothing, left work on Saturday last week and drove to catch the ferry to Magnetic Island to spend the night with friends. But when she arrived at the ferry car park, it was full.

She was told by a worker at SeaLink that she could park in the Townsville City Council-owned car park across the road as it was free all weekend.

“So I was like cool, drove over there, no car parks whatsoever, I couldn’t see any, but you could park up on the side, I saw a couple of cars and thought okay well, it’s free all weekend, so it should be fine,” Ms McDonough said.

“So I parked up on the side, on the road and the grass, but still in the council car park and I thought it’s all good.”

Leaving her car at 2pm on Saturday July 12, Mrs McDonough returned at 3.30pm the next day to find two $100 parking tickets on her front window.

Last week the Townsville Bulletin revealed parking tickets were increasing by more than 50 per cent, with the council increasing the fine from $64 to $100.

Tina McDonough received parking fines of $200.

She rang council on Monday morning to speak with someone at council and was told that because she parked on council land, she was fined.

“I can’t understand, because it’s still the council car park that I was in,” Ms Mcdonough said.

“So she (council representative) said put in a request to have it looked into, but I don’t think it’s going to do any good.”

Ms McDonough said getting the two tickets for just over 24 hours was like a kick in the arse.

“Like $100 each day when I wasn’t really parked there for much longer than a bit over 24 hours you know,” she said.

“And I’ve never received a parking fine like that, you know.”

Ms McDonough looked for any signs to say she couldn’t park where she did, but worried she may have missed them.

“The cars that were parked there when I was there, well I presumed all of us got fined,” she said.

The Townsville Bulletin understands that when the main ferry car park reaches capacity, guests are directed to the Enterprise House car park as an overflow option.

The Enterprise car park has several different types of parking spaces, each with varying restrictions which include four council-regulated vehicle bays and eight to ten reserved spaces, both of which have fines which may apply at all times.

There are also motorbike bays, a no-entry parking area and unmarked grass areas not designated for parking.

Originally published as Car park confusion leads to hefty fines for Tina McDonough after Magnetic Island stay