THE Kempsey Shire Council says it is extremely disappointed at the behaviour and attitudes of travellers using the Crescent Head Reserve car park to set up unauthorised camp sites.
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The council is preparing information on a range of options to tackle the issue which will be presented at a community workshop, to be held at the Crescent Head Community Hall at 5.30pm on Wednesday, January 13, 2016.
Some of the options on the table include paid or timed parking restrictions and increased surveillance by CCTV technology although the council says it is reluctant to impose these measures on the local Crescent Head community.
It is hoped that any feedback arising from the public meeting can be incorporated into new regulations to be put in place in time for the Easter holiday period.
While Council rangers have imposed infringement notices on illegal campers, Kempsey Shire Council director of Infrastructure Services Robert Scott said the escalation of the number of illegal campers at Crescent Head over the current holiday period had raised the concerns of local residents and patrons of the adjacent Crescent Head Caravan Park.
“There are more and more issues resulting from illegal camping and we need to have stronger action to manage these, however the local community needs to be satisfied with what is implemented” Mr Scott said.
Kempsey Shire Council Ranger resources have been supported by the contract managers of the Macleay Valley Coastal Crescent Head Holiday Park who have been asking unauthorised campers to move on.
Park spokesperson Danielle Cooney said the illegal campers are having a negative impact on the holiday experience of paying patrons of the park.
“Illegal camping ruins the quiet enjoyment and amenity of the park, blocks views for our paying patrons, prevents other vehicles accessing the car park, burdens our bathroom amenities, and creates additional cleaning and rubbish removal workload for our already busy park managers and staff,” Ms Cooney said.
Mr Scott said the council has been reluctant to introduce other more stringent controls over parking to manage the issue without the support of the community, including timed or paid parking, or CCTV, as these measures are likely to be an impost on locals and legitimate users of the Reserve.
“The council is committed to finding a solution and we will be seeking feedback and input from the local community at the January 13 meeting,” Mr Scott said.
“Any recommended changes to the enforceable parking restrictions will be referred to the Local Traffic Committee, which meets quarterly and includes representatives from Kempsey Shire Council, the police and Roads & Maritime Services.
“Our aim is to have a community-supported solution ready for the Traffic Committee’s first 2016 meeting so we can have any new arrangements in place prior to Easter and the April school holidays,” Mr Scott said.
