‘War rages over boat parking act on Busy North Sydney street

A bitter neighbourly dispute has erupted, sparking debate about one hated parking act.

Warning: Strong language

A bitter neighbourly dispute has erupted on Sydney’s Northern Beaches, sparking debate about a lamented parking act common across the country.

Images show a boat and trailer recently parked on the backstreets of the Oceanside suburbs of Freshwater.

“F**k it off,” is spray-painted in black over the boat’s silver tarpaulin cover.

The section of the road is among a densely populated part of Freshwater with a series of apartments nearby, making parking spaces scarce.

A neighbourly dispute has emerged in Sydney’s Northern Beaches over a boat parked on a densely populated street. Picture: Reddit

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The parking in the area in question, however, is untimed, meaning the boat owner has the right to park it there around the clock.

The owners, a family who say they’re new to the area, pleaded with their new enraged neighbours.

“My family and I have recently moved into the street,” they wrote on a note plastered over the graffiti.

“This is our family boat that we go fishing and wakeboarding on.

“The boat and trailer are registered, and we can thus park it legally in the street.

“We live in the street and haven’t just parked it here as it looks like a quiet spot.

“I have tried to be thoughtful by not parking directly in front of anyone’s house or next to their driveway.

“The boat will move when we take it out.

The parking area in question is untimed, allowing the boat owner to park it there legally. Picture: Reddit

“Hope you can understand and not graffiti or damage our family boat,” the letter concluded.

Photos for the dispute were posted to Reddit, where others pointed out the issues extend beyond the Northern Beaches.

“We’ve got a boat parked in our street as well. It’s been in the same place for so long that the trailer wheels have sunk into the asphalt,” one wrote.

New laws have been passed in the NSW parliament that give local councils and police more powers and penalties around unattended property left in public places, such as streets. Picture: Reddit

Another added, “I live in an area with very limited, though unrestricted parking and people abandon/long-term park vehicles here all the time, so I’ve had to go through this process a few times. Contact your council – they should check up on the vehicle, confirm it hasn’t moved, and issue the registered owner with a notice to move or incur a substantial fine.”

NSW passed new laws to tackle abandoned trailers and cars. Picture: NSW Office of Local Government

In November 2021, a new law was passed in the NSW parliament that gives local councils and police more powers and penalties around unattended property left in public places, such as streets.

This includes on-the-spot fines, higher court penalties, seizure action and enforcement orders.

Local councils have varying parking laws on roads. Some opt not to impose restrictions on caravans, motorhomes and boat trailers parking on streets, provided they are registered and are not heavy vehicles or long vehicles.

Others have laws allowing boat trailers to be impounded if they are parked on a road for more than 28 days.

Northern Beaches Council has been contacted for comment.

Originally published as ‘War rages over boat parking act on Busy North Sydney street