A sense that yesterday might be the last summery Sunday saw people heading to Byron beaches in droves.
Among them were Byron’s ‘best-kept secrets’, Kings and Whites beaches on Seven Mile Beach Road.
Social media has put an end to their secret status, with traffic swarming along the road, sometimes at dangerous speeds, all looking for somewhere to park.
One beachgoer told Echonetdaily he waited for half an hour for a legal park in the tiny carpark at Kings Beach.
‘At least three car-loads of people ran out of patience and drove off during that time,’ he said, ‘while another three parked illegally on the side of the road.’
The situation was even worse further along the road towards Whites Beach.
Local resident and former Greens MLC Ian Cohen sent through this photo of the parking chaos this morning with the following comments.
‘Seven Mile Beach Rd is a dead end with massive unregulated tourist car impact.
‘Emergency vehicles have been unable to access at least one emergency over summer.
‘The roadside environment is being degraded. Accidents and near misses are a regular occurrence.
‘If legal safe car parks are full then walk in or go elsewhere the impact is not sustainable.
‘The Broken Head we have all loved for generations is under threat,’ Mr Cohen said.
We should make it into a rail-trail!
Oh nobody walks anymore Mr Cohen….too damn lazy…these idiots wreck it for everyone else…so sorry Broken Head
People moving off tiny area of belongil where police 4wd cant travel.
Not under threat. It is just a memory.
the council will not do anything about parking at Kings Beach – it raised just under $2000 in fines one day there in about an hour that i saw. Parking fines are a bonanza for Byron Council. Is thee kickback here ? donations to Greens / Lock The Gate ?
To MR Cohen,
We have both lived here since the seventies.
Mate don’t you think that if people have somewhere to sleep through Airbnb then they have no Issues’s at night for a good bed one house twelve people four Carr’s all
Illegal. Stop singing And crying wow is me coz we are not the only town Airbnb has ruined. Wait till seven mile becomes really popular and whose going to pay for the seven mile toad upgrade not council before the potholes and city roads are fixed let alone 200000 trucks on Ewingsdske toad.
Breathe in Ian and do something federally about Airbnb in Australia and the govt self interest of taxation to air Bnb after linen Hire GST cleaners Etc sort them out the tax benefit will turn to bankrupsy…..
Stop the invasion or stop winging old friend.
Infrastructure fails to keep up with population explosion
Such a shame for Byron, the hordes will keep coming unfortunately.
I don’t understand the headspace of some adults – at the Pass this morning they run down to catch a 30cm wave that was perfect for the kids to enjoy and learn to surf on, but instead dominating wankers cutting in on them.
That is my bitch for the day even tho I am making an effort to be more tolerant.