If Council decides to ‘opt-in’ to the new legislation, then boat trailer owners will no longer be able to park their registered boat trailers on streets within Waverley Council declared areas for an indefinite period of time.

It should be noted however that the new legislation does not currently allow Council to infringe the owners of unattended and unmoved boat trailers with a parking infringement in the same way they are issued to a car for not moving within a certain period of time.

Also, in order for the new legislation to be introduced practically and feasibly within the Waverley LGA, Council will take action when it receives a complaint from members of the community that a boat trailer has not ‘moved’.

Once Council has been notified, the boat/trailer will be monitored to establish if it has been moved within 28 days. If it hasn’t, a notice will be issued to the registered owner of the boat trailer of Council’s intention to impound the boat trailer (and any ‘on board’ boat) after a further 15 days. If the boat trailer has still not moved after the 15 day notification period it will be deemed to be ‘unattended’ and impounded as soon as possible.

The new legislation deems that a boat trailer has NOT been moved if it has only moved along the same road BUT without passing an intersection with another road. Council Officers will use their discretion to determine when this is the case.

This legislation only covers boat trailers with or without a boat and not any other trailers or vehicles. As long as they are parked legally, advertising trailers, box trailers and caravans are not subject to this legislation.

Council will have the option to establish charges for cost recovery regarding the impounding, release or disposal of boats and boat trailers.