No parking allowed at Shorncliffe ramp!!!?

[Cheech]

I do a lot of fishing mid week and launch from Shorncliffe. This is a really big ramp with hundreds of parks, pontoon and pretty safe.

Anyway, when we got back to the ramp at about 9.30pm we had a warning from a security company on our windscreen saying the carpark is a designated public carpark and you are not allowed to park at night. It went on to say that this was our first and only warning and will become a police matter if we do it again.

There was one other car/trailer in the carpark with the same message.

What the hell is this? not only are we being controlled with where we can fish, but now being told when we can fish! This is ridiculous.

We will be making inquiries with the police, council etc, but if it stands, it means we will have to launch and then find a carpark in the street.

[TheRealAndy]

Load of shit. I would not be to concerned.

Police patrol that car park regularly, they would have acted up already if you were not allowed to park there.

[Si]

thats really stupid. i use the car park occaisonally at night. the carpark is HUGE. cant see a problem with parking at night. if it's a public carpark then your well within your right to park there regardless if it's day or night. i cant see their right to say that. this has got me a bit fired up actually. let us know what the council or the johnnies have to say.

[bigbrian47]

check with the security company
it might be someones idea af a joke

[goat boy]

I'm guessing as it's a public carpark that the security company has been contracted by local council. In that case I would say that council are following suit on what happens down here in the gold coast area. To stop what seems like a never ending flow of people virtually living in the public carparks now they issue fines and warnings to try and ward it off. Someone I work with parked his work van at the esplanade on Burleigh one night while he visited a friend. When he came back he had a rather nasty letter on his windscreen from a security mob teling him his details had been registered as someone illegally 'staying' in a public carpark and he would be fined if caught again. Ridiculous I know as common sense is hard to find these days. On the other hand I've personally seen vans full of hippies live outside my work in the public carpark for up to 6 weeks at a time!

[4x4frog]

:o Reckon there will be a few letters and phone calls to council officials and security company fools if this keeps up.
How dare any government tell us how to use facilities 'we' pay for with our tax dollars! This new user pays or whatever mentality they have is going way past sensible.

[TheRealAndy]

Drove down there an hour or so ago, no signs showing time limits or restrictions on parking. Would love to know what security company it was. I will email the local council office tomorrow for an official response.

[IcyDuck]

You'd think the empty boat tralier on the back of the car would have been a dead giveaway for what you were really doing parked there.

Surely they can't be serious.

[Dezzer]

This is obviously near the trawlers and not at the mouth with a pontoon mentioned? Its a public parking area for ramp users. What a joke.

[Gon Fishun]

Just had a look on Google Earth and it looks public and fine for 24 hour use. Probably an over zealous security kid in a new uniform with tickets on himself, and for everybody.:-?

[Cheech]

Bit of an update. Apparently the council handed ownership/responsibility of it over to Port Authority, who then handed it over to the department of main roads as of 1 July. My fishing partner DJ spoke to both, and has been given an email address of who to contact at the dept. Email sent yesterday, so will let you know what they have to say when we get a response.

[therapy]

So they are obviously on to the scam...O.K.O.K!! It had to happen sooner or later. The powers that be have discovered that there are thousand's of people of no fixed address traveling Oz, residing in there vehicle's at boat ramp's and towing empty boat trailer's as a clever deception!!! There go's my travel around the country in retirement plan!!! Bastards!!!!lol

Cheers.....Terry

ps...Can't wait to hear what they say in reply to your e-mail. I hope it is the right answer or there WILL be a public rally down the middle of Sandgate. What BULLS@#T!!!

[Fishbait]

Speak to your local member as well. What a joke this is hey!

[Cheech]

All good now. Here is an extract from the response from the department of transport and main roads.

Thank you for your E-mail and I will investigate the problem. There are no restrictions in place with the car parks with regards to night time usage by fishermen but there is in regards to camping overnight. I will speak to the Security firm and advise them to instruct their personell accordingly and hopefully you will not be bothered again.

[Chong]

Good work Mate8-)

[TheRealAndy]

Its more likely that they just dont want the Ferny Hills type at shorncliffe!!