Introducing timed parking at popular beaches for summer

We’re making changes to some key foreshore parking locations this summer.

From next week (starting Monday 15 January), we’re introducing timed parking at several key locations across the city to support access to parking in popular locations. Community consultation was conducted in 2023 and the Wollongong City Traffic Committee approved the following locations in late 2023:

• Bald Hill, Stanwell Park – Installing 2hr timed unpaid parking for part of the carpark.
• Austinmer Beach, Austinmer – Installing 4hr timed unpaid parking in the carpark.
• Bellambi Beach – Providing additional parking in existing carpark on Robert Cram Drive and installing directional carpark signage on Rothery Street.
• Flagstaff Point – Introducing 4hr timed unpaid car parking in the carpark.
• Port Kembla Beach – Introducing 4hr timed unpaid car parking in the pool car park, King George V Oval near the playground and lower surf club beach car park. Opening the existing beach carpark at the lower level for additional parking in the overflow space.

“On a hot summer’s day, parking can get tricky at some of our foreshore locations and so we’re taking this step and introducing timed unpaid parking to better improve access for everyone to our foreshore areas,’’ Wollongong City Lord Mayor Councillor Gordon Bradbery AM said.

“We’ve taken a targeted approach and will introduce two-hour and four-hour timed unpaid parking at some of the more congested spots to pick up a car park. We’ve considered the spaces we know that are prone to parking congestion, thanks to their popularity, and put this measure in place.

“We’ll be monitoring these changes over summer and noting whether or not they’ve improved parking availability and turnover in places like Austinmer, Port Kembla and in Wollongong.’’

Cr Bradbery said in addition to the timed parking, there will be improvements to signage to advise people to only park in bays at some locations.

“Carparks can be challenging spaces and our focus is always on safety. We want our community to be safe as they move through a car park whether driving or walking to or from their vehicle,’’ he said.

“This is why its important people park in the marked bays, and it’s not a free-for-all. Those bays are marked for safety, for sightlines and so that other people can also access the space.’’

Council’s Compliance Officers will be out over the summer months, enforcing the new time limits and parking restrictions. See our maps illustrating the locations of timed and untimed parking.