A local law is a rule made by a local council to manage issues specific to its community. Local laws help councils protect public health and safety, manage public spaces, and respond to local needs that aren’t covered by state or federal laws.

The proposed Local Law would restrict the number of days a caravan, boat or trailer can be stored on a Council car park or any other public land.

If the Local Law is adopted, people in the City of Port Phillip will not be able to store or park a caravan, boat or trailer on a Council road or Council land for more than 14 days (within a 60-day period).

The community has raised several issues about storing caravans, boats and trailers on roads including:

• long term loss of on-street parking
• reduced visibility for drivers and pedestrians crossing the road between parked vehicles
• negative impact on the appearance of streets

As our city’s population grows, pressure for access to on-street parking is increasing in many areas.

This new clause is one of the ways we will be able to more effectively manage competing demands for on street parking and improve road safety for pedestrians and drivers.

We encourage owners of these kinds of vehicles to store them long term on private land or at commercial storage facilities.

You can read the local law amendment online using this link.

It is also available as a hard copy at the following locations:

• St Kilda Town Hall, 99a Carlisle Street, St Kilda
• Port Melbourne Town Hall, 333 Bay Street, Port Melbourne
• Albert Park Library, 319 Montague Street, Albert Park
• Emerald Hill Library, 195 Bank Street, South Melbourne
• Middle Park Library, 254–256 Richardson Street, Middle Park
• Port Melbourne Library, 333 Bay Street, Port Melbourne
• St Kilda Library, 50 Carlisle Street, St Kilda

If it is adopted, the amendment would be in place until 2033. This is in line with the current Community Amenity Local Law 2023.

In late 2025, the City of Port Phillip undertook a community engagement process to gather feedback on a potential change to the Local Law regulating the long-term parking of caravans, boats, and trailers on roads and public areas.

The engagement was the first touchpoint with the community to understand the support of potentially adding a time limit to caravans, boats, and trailers parked on public land to ensure community amenity, fair access to parking and clear public spaces.

The preliminary wording was tested with the community during the consultation late last year stating that:

“A person must not store or park on a Council Road or Council land a:

For more than 14 days (within a 60-day period).”

This preliminary wording received strong support and has formed the basis of the formal amendment.

Understanding community support has allowed us to write the necessary documentation that would outline for community and Council staff, how this amendment would operate day to day.

Now that work is complete, the amendment must follow a statutory process under sections 73 and 75 of the Local Government Act 2020.

To be considered as a formal amendment, it must complete the following process:

1. Council Endorsement: Where Council formally endorses the proposed Local Law amendment to be released for community consultation. This happened at the Council Meeting on Wednesday 6 August 2025.
2. Consultation and Public Notice of Intention to Make Local Law Amendment: The community is given the opportunity to provide feedback and submissions on the proposed Local Law amendment. This consultation is your chance to do this.
3. Final adoption: The Council must pass a final resolution to 'make’ the Local Law amendment. This is scheduled for 17 June 2026 Council Meeting. The Local Law amendment must be certified by an external Australian solicitor prior to adoption.
4. Gazettal and Public Notice of Making the Local Law Amendment: The adopted amendment is published in the Government Gazette, and a final public notification is made specifying when it will come into operation.

Council will respond to community complaints regarding caravans parked long-term on streets.

Officers will contact owners, advising them of the new Local Law and encouraging voluntary compliance.

Where necessary, officers will use existing parking enforcement methods and conduct inspections to determine how long the caravans have been parked.

This approach mirrors current enforcement practices for abandoned vehicles.

Failure to comply with this law may result in financial penalties or impoundment

You can read our Procedures and Protocols Manual for more information on this process.

Caravans, boats and trailers must not be stored or parked on Council land or roads for more than 14 days within any 60‑day period.

It is worth noting that, moving a caravan, boat or trailer to another street or location within the municipality would not reset this time limit.

When a complaint is received or a potential breach is identified, an Authorised Officer may:

• inspect the location
• confirm the presence of the caravan, boat or trailer
• record details such as registration, vehicle type, location, date and time
• take photographs where appropriate
• assess whether the permitted time limit has been exceeded (or is likely to be exceeded)
• where possible, identify and contact the owner.

Where appropriate, Council Officers will:

• explain the requirements of the Local Law
• outline the applicable time limits
• provide information about alternative storage options

An initial warning or advisory notice may be issued, requiring the vehicle to be removed within a specified timeframe.

This amendment would apply for all registered caravans, boats and trailers.

The current parking restrictions for registered caravans, boats and trailers are as follows:

• They must follow all parking restrictions.
• They can legally park on a public street if the vehicle is under 7.5 metres in length and weighs less than 4.5 tonnes.
• If they have not moved for more than 2 months, investigation takes place to determine if it has been abandoned.

Unregistered caravans, boats, trailers, campervans and cars cannot be parked on the road under the Road Safety Act and Local Government Act Schedule 11. Under the current Local Law (Clause 32 - Parking offences - Sub-clause 4 and 5), Council has the ability to impound unregistered vehicles and trailers in line with the Local Government Act.

Council Officers will take into account:

• vulnerable persons and refer matters to appropriate support services where required
• legitimate short‑term use of vehicles

Officers will exercise discretion where appropriate, in line with the objectives of the Local Law.

Most commercial or work trailers won't be affected. Since these trailers are typically moved often, they wouldn't meet the new threshold 14 days out of 60 unless they are consistently left parked, unhitched, in the same public spot.

These types of trailers would not meet the thresholds for the new clause unless they were left in the same place, not connected to a vehicle for 14 days out of 60.