Over recent months as many as 50-60 campervans have been staying at a car park off The Crescent in Annandale.
The spot adjoins Federal Park where toilets and fresh water is readily available.
Backpackers are reporting that local businesses are shining security lights on the campervans and sounding alarms to try to disturb the backpackers from their sleep.
“The business right behind us is actually putting big spotlights on and he’s also putting on sounds like whistle sounds to bother us at night,” said Parisian backpacker Stella who has been sleeping in her van at the site for the last couple of nights.
Travellers say too hard to find places to park campervans
Backpackers say the city’s restrictive parking regulations mean finding a place to park their vans can be extremely difficult.
Stella said her first night sleeping in her van in Sydney resulted in a parking fine.
“We were woken up at 6am by a ranger, she gave us a fine for sleeping in a place where we were not supposed to,” she said.
“That was in Watson’s Bay but I wasn’t aware that I wasn’t supposed to sleep there.”
Stella then moved to the car park adjoining Federal Park in Annandale.
She said she can understand the problem locals and businesses have with travellers sleeping in the car park.
“Look at the place, it’s like a big mess and everybody’s sleeping here,” she said.
“Everybody’s leaving clothes around.”
Parking is currently unrestricted in the area but local business owner Mark Webber wants that to change.
“Customers don’t have anywhere to park,” he said.
“We don’t have a drama with them being down here if it’s dark, it’s only the parking that’s our problem.”
After spending $6,000 on an old campervan, Stella said she believed she had accommodation covered for her Australian holiday.
“The problem is that there is not enough free spots to sleep for backpackers around Australia so it’s very hard, especially when you’re going to big cities,” she said.
“You’ve already paid for your van so you don’t want to pay for a hotel or a campsite.”
In a statement to the ABC, the City of Sydney said two-hour parking restrictions in the area will come into effect in early April.
