Parking etiquette has once again been brought into question after a “disgusting” car park scene was witnessed by frustrated Aussies, at a time when people are travelling and visiting packed-out tourist hotspots across the country.
A large 4WD towing a caravan was snapped parked across five disabled bays at Dreamworld on the Gold Coast — a theme park frequently visited by domestic travellers during school holidays. And worryingly, it’s an issue that’s “becoming increasingly widespread” across the country, Snap Send Solve’s Danny Gorog told Yahoo News Australia.
One outraged witness shared the photo on social media, calling out the “able-bodied arsehole” responsible for the “bulls**t” park. Many agreed it was “absolute scum” behaviour that’s simply not on.
Driver ‘offered alternate parking’ but refused, according to Dreamworld
A spokesperson for Dreamworld said they were “aware of the incident involving a caravan occupying multiple accessible parking spaces” and did their best to intervene. But when approached by staff, the driver refused to move.
Although the guest in question “held a valid disability parking permit”, parking across multiple bays meant blocking access for others who need them.
“Our team offered an alternative parking arrangement to ensure convenience for all guests, but the guest chose not to utilise this option,” a spokesperson told Yahoo.
“To address the situation proactively, we prepared an additional section of accessible parking spaces as a contingency. However, this additional capacity was not required, as the existing accessible parking spaces were sufficient to accommodate all other guests with permits on the day.”
Dreamworlds said it has ample parking spaces available, even for larger vehicles such as trucks and caravans. Source: Google Images.
Advice for Aussie travelling with caravans this summer
Responding to the image, one person noted the long vehicle parking “literally behind where this guy parked”. Dreamworld provides “ample parking options”, the spokesperson confirmed.
“Our team is always available to assist guests in finding suitable parking,” they said.
With many Australians travelling with caravans this summer, staff encourage visitors to “plan ahead”. This involves checking out parking ahead of time.
“Dreamworld remains dedicated to ensuring a positive experience for all visitors, including those with accessibility requirements,” they said.
Influx of caravans sparking parking complaints across Australia
It’s not the first time caravan parking etiquette has been brought into question, especially considering the increase we’ve experienced on Aussie roads in recent years.
It’s understood that complaints about caravans and campervans parked in non-allocated areas is a growing issue across the region. A travel boom has also contributed to parking struggles further north throughout the Sunshine Coast area.
Caravans parking in non-allocated areas is a growing problem across Australia as shown here in two separate NSW locations. Source: Facebook
When not in use, many say they take up valuable space on residential streets, sometimes blocking access for other cars. Gorog said that caravan and trailer ownership is putting a “strain on urban and suburban areas”, where space is limited.
“With a dramatic rise in caravan ownership in recent years, the issue is becoming increasingly widespread,” he told Yahoo.
Victoria is leading the count with 3,165 reports of illegally parked large vehicles. NSW follows closely with 2,482 reports, and Queensland with 1,842. Western Australia has reported 637 illegal parking incidents, while South Australia and Tasmania recorded 164 and 46, respectively.
“These numbers highlight the growing strain on urban and suburban areas, where space is limited, and the presence of large vehicles exacerbates safety and accessibility issues,” he said. “In many cases, they take up more than their fair share of parking spaces, or block access to essential services like fire hydrants”.
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