Wollongong City Council has been successful in its fight to stop New Year’s Eve campers staying overnight at Stuart Park.

As the sun rose over the popular North Wollongong spot on New Year’s Day, the near-200 tent city of the previous day resembled more of a scattered suburb.

As the sound of an air horn cut through the calm morning air, the handful of tents that remained were testament to the successful crackdown by rangers and police who enforced the ‘‘no camping’’ rules the previous night.

Signs scattered throughout the park tell people they can erect shade structures during the day, which must be taken down by 6pm, but camping-style tents are prohibited.

A council spokesman said rangers used a sticker system to inform people of the rules.

‘‘During the day, our rangers spoke to the owners of shade structures and tents and told them there was no camping in the area,’’ the spokesman said.

‘‘Council’s rangers and NSW Police were in Stuart Park and surrounds last night [Wednesday] to ensure all tents and shade structures were removed. By 10.30pm all structures were gone.’’

Council issued 46 parking fines in the area on New Year’s Eve. 

‘‘Due to the fact all tents and shade structures were removed, no fines were issued for overnight camping.’’

When the Mercury visited about 7.30am on Thursday – a time the park is usually still packed with bleary-eyed revellers and their tents – there was plenty of open space.

Surprisingly, there was also little rubbish.

The odd car was seen illegally parked on the grass and authorities reportedly cracked down on vehicles using the car park overnight.

One driver, sleeping in a tent next to an illegally parked ute, would have woken to a little surprise – a ticket under the windscreen wiper.

At neighbouring Galvin Park, which fronts the beach, those who stayed turned existing barbecue shelters into their NYE home. 

Many had a small two-man tent nearby, which campers stressed had been taken down to avoid a fine and put up again.

Related stories