Wollongong City Council moved to put an end to North Wollongong’s ‘‘tent city’’ on Wednesday, and by early evening appeared to have had some success.
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From early in the morning, families arrived to set up their tents in Stuart Park, along the grassy strip of prime real estate between Puckeys Estate and North Wollongong Surf Life Saving Club.
By about 9.30am there were at least 40 tents set up – which was when council rangers first went through informing owners of the camping restrictions and that they had until 6pm to remove their tents.
When 6pm came around the city had grown to more than 200 tents, but some had begun to pull their tents down before the rangers arrived.
David Sekharia from Fairfield was one of them, saying it was ‘‘annoying’’ they had to pull down their tent.
‘‘It would have been more comfortable in the tent,’’ he said.
‘‘We were just having a barbecue and a little bit of a laugh. We have no idea if we’ll stay for the fireworks now.’’
Council rangers gave the ‘‘residents’’ 20 minutes grace before moving through and telling people to take down their tents.
Those who were asked complied and others nearby followed suit.
The issue of illegal camping at Stuart Park during events like New Year’s Eve and Australia Day has been a problem for years.
In the last two years, pressure has increased on Wollongong City Council to do something about it.
Some people weren’t pleased with the tent city crackdown.
Fairfield camper Alan Shamin said his family had stayed at Stuart Park on New Year’s Eve for the past three years without any problems.
Ayman Polla had come a long way to pitch a tent for the fireworks.
“We travel from Canberra for the day and set up tents to keep the kids out of the weather,’’ Ayman Polla said.
‘‘It’s a lot better than Sydney and more kid friendly. I don’t see why it’s a problem.”
Laeth Jabar, also from Fairfield, had set up camp at the popular spot for his fourth year.
Mr Jabar was this year joined by members of his extended family, including a number of young children.
The family’s plan to escape the crowds of Sydney Harbour and watch the fireworks explode over Belmore Basin also came with an early warning from rangers on Wednesday morning.
‘‘They say we have to move it [the tent] by 6pm,’’ Mr Jabar said.
‘‘I was here last year [and] no-one talked to me.’
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