Springbrook locals are parking mad
FRUSTRATED Springbrook residents are telling tourists where to go over dangerous and illegal parking at popular national park hot spots.
Tired of out-of-towners parking over their driveways and yellow lines on Forestry and Lloyds roads when the Gwongorella picnic area is full, residents have resorted to making their own signs to inform visitors of more parking.
Residents and a councillor also want the state government Parks and Wildlife Department to ask for the nearby Settlement Day Use Area to be marked on Google Maps.
However, Transport and Main Roads said council may have to get tougher to change motorists’ “behaviours”.
One resident said the weekends were the worst time, with hundreds headed to the nearby Purling Brook Falls.
The resident, who did not want to be named, said the problem stemmed from people unaware there was more parking about a kilometre up the road at the Settlement Day Use Area.
“We’re not asking for much, we just want better signage so people who don’t know the area are aware there’s more parking,” the resident said. “We have cars parking across our driveways and on yellow lines in dangerous areas. It’s not like they’re just popping into the shops, they’re here for hours.
“Homemade signs have been put up by some of the residents
telling visitors about the parking at the Settlement Day Use Area.”
The Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR), Gold Coast City Council and Queensland Department of Environment and Science (DES) had a meeting on August 18 last year to discuss the parking issues in Springbrook.
All parties confirmed they were working towards ways to direct visitors to the Settlement Day Use Area.
Area councillor Glenn Tozer said more adequate parking in the national park areas and improvements to state government-owned Springbrook Rd would help. He also suggested there was an even easier solution.
“If Parks and Wildlife put a dot on the Settlement Day Use Area on navigation maps that would solve most of the problem overnight,” he said. “I’ve raised this with them and a request to Google from them would make this happen.”
The Google service to add
locations on its map is free and multiple videos across the internet instruct how the process can be done within minutes.
Environment Minister Meaghan Scanlon said the Palaszczuk government had increased parking capacity at the Springbrook National Park during a recent $3m investment to upgrade facilities such as the picnic areas, information centre and the soonto-be-completed $1.4m Natural Bridge upgrade.
“My department has also increased parking capacity within the national park, including almost doubling the capacity at the Gwongorella picnic area plus new parking at the information centre and Tallanbana car park,” she said.
“I understand the issues around nearby roads are mainly a matter for council, but I’ve asked my department to continue to work collaboratively with council and TMR on how we can enhance access to this area, including improving mapping on navigation apps.”
A TMR spokesperson said: “This solution is dependent on patrons obeying parking measures put in place.
“Council enforcement measures may be required to change behaviours along this route.”
The city council weren’t taking the blame for monitoring the parking in the area.
A council spokesperson said: “The main and overflow car parks are managed by Queensland Parks and Wildlife Services. Springbrook Rd is a state-controlled road.”
The council also said it had previously surveyed local residents on councilowned Forestry Rd regarding permanent parking restrictions, however, the council “did not receive enough community feedback to implement additional signage or markings”.
“The City has received two complaints in 2021 regarding illegal parking in the vicinity of Springbrook Rd,” the spokesperson said.