HUNDREDS of home and land owners have been warned they could be
breaking the law by opening up their properties to caravanners and
campers.
The advice comes after newly-formed Sydney-based company HomeCamp urged
them to allow travellers to pitch a tent or park their caravan on their
driveway or garden in exchange for cash.
Similar schemes are already operating successfully in seven countries.
Founder David Abitbol told Caravanning News it was "a new platform"
in Australia enabling travellers to book a space at someone’s home in a
city or out in the country.
The Frenchman decided to launch his company Down Under after touring
Australia in a campervan with his fianceé.
Mr Abitbol described how they often asked homeowners if they could park
for the night on their driveway.
"Nobody ever refused," he said.
'Could
change the whole way people travel and camp'
|
He now believes the HomeCamp concept will soon catch on and change the
whole way people travel and camp.
More than 50 Australian homeowners are already registered on HomeCamp's
website, according Mr Abitbol.
Travellers hand over between $10 and $60 nightly.
But local authorities have cautioned property owners considering joining
the scheme to beware of pitfalls.
The Local Government Association in South Australia believes it could flout local laws and
raise public liability issues.
And Yorke Peninsula Council senior compliance officer Phil Herrmann told
Caravanning News: "The allowing of campers/caravans to stay on a
property in exchange for cash would constitute a change of land use.
"The owner of the land would need to submit a Development Application to
council for this."
He said every application would be assessed on its merit.
"I do not do the assessing, but believe the applications would face many
hurdles and approval may be unlikely," he added.
Meanwhile, Bundaberg Regional Council in Queensland has warned that
property owners could be fined if they allow camping without council
approval.
Planning and development spokesman Ross Sommerfeld said it could be
regarded as a commercial activity which would require a Material Change of
Use application.
