Parking Regulations

Drivers in Noosa Shire should be aware of the local parking rules. Parking in Noosa Shire is regulated by local law parking, subordinate local law parking and the Transport Operations Road Use Management Act . It is the driver's responsibility to know and comply with these rules.

Unless otherwise signed, you must park your vehicle parallel to and as close to the left side of the road as possible.

The following offences apply to parking. Contact council's customer service centre to have a parking officer attend to any issues regarding:

  • parking on footpaths, footpath ramps or across driveways
  • vehicles parked straddling kerbs causing an obstruction
  • vehicles parked contrary to signs in an area that is regulated.

Please note: Vehicles parked on a street or road reserve (footpath) for extended periods may be in breach of the local law.

Noosa Spit 10pm - 4am No-Parking Zone trial

Picture for media releaseFrom August 28 2023, a trial 10pm to 4am no-parking zone will be in place along Claude Batten Drive at Noosa Spit in an effort by Council to address the growing problem of illegal camping in the area. 

The impact of illegal camping on our streets, carparks, and environment is causing significant frustration for residents. In 2022 Council received 434 complaints.

As well as rubbish being left behind, some campers in vans are even using parks and gardens as toilets. Noosa Spit has emerged as a significant hotspot for illegal parking.

Illegal campers are clogging up carparks and creating a shortage of parking for residents and visitors.

There are plenty of low-cost options for visitors in vans to stay overnight so there is no reason they should be camping illegally in public areas.

To minimise disruption for those visiting and working in Hastings Street, the first two carparks at the business end of Claude Batten Drive are excluded from the trial. Increased patrols will ensure they're not being used for illegal camping by travellers in vans after moving on from the Spit. Local Laws Officers will continue illegal camping patrols across the shire.

The Noosa Spit 10pm-4am No-Parking Zone is a trial and will be reviewed to determine its success.

Signage will be installed shortly along Claude Batten Drive to explain the new arrangements.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation. For further information download the flyer.

Parking Regulations FAQs

  • Traffic signage in the Noosa Shire conforms with the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices (Queensland), within the meaning of the Transport Operations (Road Use Management) Act 1995. The manual contains the design and methods, standards and procedures relating to every sign installed on Noosa Shire roads. This includes:

    • signs and signals
    • markings
    • lights and devices.

    Contact Council's customer service centre for missing, faded or illegible signage.

  • You must not park or stand a vehicle that is for sale or hire on land or a road under council's control. Council officers may issue fines to vehicle owners breaching this rule.

  • Under the Transport Operations Road User Management ACT 1995 Section 200 - stopping on roads:

    1. The driver of a heavy vehicle, or long vehicle, must not stop on a length of road that is not in a built-up area, except on the shoulder of the road.
    2. Subject to subsections (2A) and (2B), the driver of a heavy vehicle, or long vehicle, must not stop on a length of road in a built-up area for longer than 1 hour, unless the driver is permitted to stop on the length of road for longer than 1 hour by information on or with a traffic control device.
      1. The driver of a heavy vehicle, or long vehicle, may stop on a length of road in a built-up area for longer than 1 hour if the driver is engaged in dropping off or picking up goods for all of the period when the vehicle is stopped.
      2. Subsections (2) and (2a) apply unless a local law otherwise provides.
    3. In this section:
    • heavy vehicle means a vehicle with a GVM of 4.5t or more
    • road does not include a road-related area, but includes any shoulder of a road.

    DEFINITION

    Built-up area - in relation to a length of road, means an area in which either of the following is present for a distance of at least 500m or, if the length of road is shorter than 500m, for the whole road:

    • Buildings, not over 100m apart, on land next to the road
    • Street lights not over 100m apart.

    Exempt vehicles include:

    • vehicles carrying out emergency work
    • trucks that have broken down. Exemption applies only for the minimum time necessary to effect minor repairs sufficient to permit removal to a place where it may be lawfully parked
    • vehicles delivering goods or providing services to the area.

    LONG VEHICLES

    Complaints regarding long vehicles (measuring 7.5 metres or longer) which do not exceed 4.5 tonne, standing on a road in a traffic area for more than 1 hour, are to be referred to Queensland Police (under Section 200 of Transport Operations (Road Use Management - Road Rules) Regulation 2009 on the Queensland Transport website.

    To help keep our residential streets accessible, restrictions apply to long term truck and heavy or long vehicle parking. Please see the attached Truck Factsheet for further information.

  • Rear-in angle parking is a parking configuration that is enforced in certain areas, including Gympie Terrace in Noosaville, Duke Street in Sunshine Beach, and Maple and Garnett Street in Cooroy. This type of parking is required because of the presence of a continuous solid white line that runs along the roadway, adjacent to the designated parking areas.

    Parking nose-in at the angle outlined for the parking bay would require a vehicle to cross the solid white line when entering or exiting the parking bay. This manoeuvre is considered dangerous as it involves crossing into oncoming traffic. Additionally, it would necessitate reversing out into oncoming traffic, which poses a risk to both motorists and pedestrians.

    To mitigate the risks associated with crossing the solid white line, rear-in angle parking is enforced in these designated parking areas. This ensures a safer parking experience for everyone in the area.

  • Nose-in parking is enforced in specific areas including Cooroy and Peregian Beach. The requirement for nose-in parking was established after extensive consultations with business premises and owners. The main objective is to prevent toxic vehicle exhaust fumes from entering these business premises, especially those with curb-side dining areas. This helps create a healthier environment for both customers and employees by reducing their exposure to harmful emissions, which can have significant health concerns.

    We also need to ensure consistency with our car parks to avoid confusion.  As such we would never support one side being front-in and one side being reverse-in, as this would be confusing to the public. 

  • Noosa Council offers several car parks specifically catering to cars with boat trailers attached. These parks are located at the boat ramps along Gympie Terrace, Noosaville and at the Tewantin marina.

    Whilst parking a registered boat trailer on local streets is lawful, long-term parking on busy arterial roads is discouraged. Long-term parking of boat trailers in high traffic areas limits parking opportunities for residents and visitors, reduces business activity and can create a hazard for pedestrians and cyclists.

    If you are a visitor to Noosa we recommend checking with your accommodation provider for boat storage options.

    If you require long-term storage for your boat trailer there are a number of alternatives to on-street parking. The Noosa Sea Scouts offer boat trailer parking at their campground, conveniently located near the Noosa River.

    In addition, a number of local Noosa storage facilities also provide boat trailer parking for short and long-term stays.

  • Whilst parking a registered caravan on local streets is lawful, long-term parking is discouraged. Long-term parking of caravans limits short term parking opportunities for residents and visitors and reduces business activity.

    It is the responsibility of the property owner or tenant to choose a property that appropriately caters for parking of all private vehicles within the property boundaries. Public on-street parking is a shared community resource and Council may change parking restrictions and limitations at any time to address growing congestion issues or for operational reasons such as providing for safe passage or manoeuvring of larger/heavy vehicles (including emergency services and garbage trucks).  

    If you require long-term storage for your caravan or other private vehicles, there are storage providers available within the region to cater for your storage needs. 

  • Many popular areas of the Noosa Shire have marked parking bays that are time limited. You should not leave your vehicle for longer than the time displayed.

  • You must not park your vehicle so that it restricts the lane to less than three metres. This will restrict emergency vehicle access.

    Call the Queensland Police if a vehicle is parked:

    • on a street restricting the through lane to less than three (3) metres
    • for more than one hour without an exemption.
  • Unless otherwise signed, the following rules apply at intersections and bus stops:

    • Park at least 10 metres from an intersection without traffic lights.
    • Park at least 20 metres from an intersection with traffic lights.
    • Park at least 20 metres behind, or at least 10 metres in front of a bus stop.
  • Council does not issue residential parking permits. Council advises residents who live in high traffic areas, i.e. tourist areas, to ensure they have sufficient parking within their private property for all vehicles. This includes cars, caravans, bikes, boats and trailers. If there is insufficient parking on the property the emphasis is on the vehicle owner to find suitable alternative parking. The onus is on the property owner or tenant to choose a property that is appropriate for their needs.  

    Public on-street parking is a shared community resource and Council may change parking restrictions and limitations at any time to address growing congestion issues or for operational reasons such as providing for a safe passage or maneuvering of larger/heavy vehicles (including emergency services and garbage trucks).

  • No stopping means that you cannot stop your vehicle at all.

    No parking means you can stop your vehicle for up to two minutes, provided that the driver stays within three metres of the vehicle. No parking is commonly used for passenger drop off and pick up areas such as around schools and shops.

  • This is a 'no stopping' zone. A driver must not stop at the side of a road marked with a continuous yellow edge line.

    The ‘Solid Yellow-Line’ and ‘no stopping’ zone further incorporates all the land and area behind that line up until the point where private property commences. If there was or is an instance where the area of land is Local Government controlled land - then this ‘Solid Yellow-Line’ would incorporate all this area.

    An edge line means, a line marked along the road at or near the far left or far right hand side of the road. There does not need to be a sign accompanying the yellow line.

  • It is illegal for a driver to park their vehicle on a nature strip, on a footpath or in a parkland anywhere in the Noosa Shire.

    Find more information in the Nature Strip Factsheet.

  • It is illegal and drivers are required to park in the same direction as moving traffic when parked. This law exists for various reasons, ranging from the obstruction of your rear reflector lights at night to causing unnecessary confusion for other drivers.

  • The only motor vehicles which are permitted to park within commercial loading zones, are motor vehicles defined as meeting the criteria as ‘commercial vehicles’. Even if you are using a vehicle for a commercial purpose, without commercial identification or being of a commercial vehicle type, you cannot utilise commercial vehicle-only Loading Zones. Please see the following legislation -

    Noosa Shire Council Subordinate Local Law No. 5 (Parking) 2015

    “Commercial Loading Zone” – is identified by signs containing the conditions to park including the time limit, these zones can only be used by vehicles that meet the following criteria, all other vehicles are prohibited;

    Any vehicle constructed, fitted or equipped to carry goods, excluding a sedan, wagon or motor bike; or

    Any vehicle displaying a commercial vehicle identification label in accordance with the requirements of this subordinate local law; or

    Any vehicle displaying a commercial vehicle identification label issued by another local government.

    “Commercial vehicle identification label” – for the purpose of this subordinate local law the definition of a commercial vehicle identification label mentioned in section 8(1) of the authorising local law shall also include – “a sign either permanent or magnetic (supplied by the user) that is attached to both the driver and front passenger doors on a vehicle indicating the business name and telephone contact number, with a minimum size of 300mm x 200mm”

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