SEVEN MILE Beach Road has effectively been privatised by Byron Shire Council’s reduction of parking spaces.
Dozens of boulders and more than 100 signs have been erected at various car parks traditionally used by hundreds of Byron Bay locals, including sporting organisations like the Byron Bay Boardriders Club and the Byron Services Angling Club.
We spoke to a Byron Shire Council staff member who commented on the condition of anonymity.
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All the boulders and all the signage placed by Council means it is effectively illegal to park anywhere at Seven Mile Beach.
Byron Shire Council has erected over 100 No Stopping signs and a tow-away zone sign, and placed bounders to close 3 of the 4 car parking areas historically used at Seven Mile Beach.
The Brays Beach car park has been reduced by signage to only 5 or 6 parking spaces. The car park at Whites Beach has been reduced to only 10 or 12 car parks by signage.
Seven Mile Beach car parks are now zero.
This means that for all intents and purposes 7 Mile Beach has been privatised.
While pressure on Byron Shire Council to take this action has come from residents along Seven Mile Beach Road, we have reliable information Chris “Thor” Hemsworth, David Rastivish and George Greenough were NOT involved.
A story to appear in the next edition of a metro daily is reported to attempt to implicate Hemsworth, Rastivish and Greenough. If it does, it will be completely spurious.
The car park at Kings is managed by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), so there was no change to parking there. NPWS had no prior knowledge of Council’s actions.
NPWS found out what happened the day after it was a fait accompli, and Council is misleading the public in making any reference to NPWS’ involvement in the matter.
The massive flaw in the whole exercise is that it will not stop illegal camping – in fact there were illegal campers there yesterday, Wednesday December 6.
Moreover, to prevent illegal camping, Council will still need to police it.
Yet one of the reasons Council blocked so much public parking is to reduce the cost of policing illegal camping.
The whole thing is incredibly poorly thought out, and is a result of pressure from less than a half-dozen people.
This pisses me off so much I feel like I could move a boulder with my bare hands…or with a couple of pick up trucks and chains….
I’d like to know exactly WHO makes these offensive decisions and how they get away with it.
The restrictive parking situation all over Byron is out of control, and there are actual ratepayer paid human beings making these decisions on our behalf without any consultation or reasoning. The greens will say, oh but Iif we allow parking, someone may camp illegally overnight. or But if we put Rubbish Bins out they will get filled up with personal rubbish (as opposed to having it all end up on the street or in the roadside bush)? So F’n what!
Make rules and enforce them. Don’t just randomly make decsions affecting all of us ratepayers so you can control the masses of people you have invited to spend thier money here.
Richo. He’s working for the high-end holiday rental operators… that’s what he does.
Where the hell do they get these stupid ideas from?
What a joke! If I get fined for parking down there, I’ll be doing some hectic shit!
Yes and they don’t stop tourist camping or back Packers, but our people, the original Australians, are blamed and persecuted for what others do.
This Council has a lot to answer for on many fronts, and it’s about time people stood up to them.
It reeks of Ian Cohen – ex MP and Jan Barham, ex Mayor .. .. who else would be able to lobby at this level ..
Come on this is rude and ridiculous and disgusting and disrespectful to everyone who pays rates .. Byron Shire Council .. really ?? Who are ya ? Green fire 🔥
UNLESS I TOO CAN PUT BOULDERS WHEREVER I CHOOSE? Maybe to Tallow Beach ??
My street- I don’t like tourists or visitors or anyone who isn’t me either !!
Or boulder up car parks at the Pass ??
True. Got a plan?