Is it acceptable to park like this?

Parking on a nature strip or grassy area may seem like a great way to be guaranteed a safe parking spot, but can it get you in trouble?

If you’ve ever been tempted to park on the nature strip of your property, either to protect your vehicle on a narrow street or to avoid parking further away, chances are you’re not alone.

Nationwide, plenty of motorists generally opt to park their vehicle on a nature strip as a last resort when there’s no nearby parking available – but is it illegal?

RELATED: Can you park across your own driveway?

Suburban residents have long debated the legality of parking on nature strips – with those living in narrow streets calling for more lenient policing of the issue due to the potential damage passing vehicles could cause to parked cars, or the inaccessible street parking at the front of their property.

In February 2022, residents of Hinchinbrook – a suburb approximately 25km south-west of the Sydney Central Business District – spoke to media claiming they were “unfairly targeted” by their local council when the Liverpool City Council issued illegal parking fines.

The Inverall Avenue residents were allegedly forced to park on their nature strips in order to allow local traffic to move through the narrow road without damaging their vehicles.

More recently, in February 2023 a reader messaged Drive and asked, “I’ve been repeatedly told off by my neighbours for parking on my nature strip. Are they getting upset over nothing or am I in the wrong?”.

With such a contentious topic endlessly making its rounds online sparking opinions from the vast majority of the public, Drive decided to find out if parking on a nature strip is illegal.

Is it illegal to park on a nature strip?

Yes, it is illegal to park on a nature strip under the Australian Road Rules that all states and territories generally observe.

These rules state parking on a nature strip is not permitted and could leave motorists with a hefty fine – however, it is up to local councils on how this road rule is enforced.

Section 197 of the Australian Road Rules states: “A driver must not stop on a bicycle path, footpath, shared path or dividing strip, or a nature strip adjacent to a length of road in a built-up area”.

The rule further explains the exceptions when it states motorists are permitted to park on nature strips “to which a parking control sign applies, and the driver is permitted to stop at that place under the Road Rules, or the driver is permitted to stop under another law of this jurisdiction”.

However, some local councils provide an exemption to this national road rule and are more lenient in their policing.

Western Australian councils like Wanneroo, Cockburn and Swan permit nature-strip parking as long as the motorist is given permission by the property owner or occupant. WA council Busselton allows property owners, occupants and permitted drivers to park on their nature strip.

Tasmania also permits motorists to park their vehicles on nature strips as long as the “driver is the owner or occupier of a private residence on adjacent land that is contiguous with the nature strip”.

What are the fines for illegally parking on a nature strip?

While some motorists have tried to avoid the fines by leaving one or two wheels on the road while their car is parked on the nature strip, beware as local council parking inspectors can still fine drivers an unspecified amount of demerit points and money for this illegal parking act.

Though it is up to local councils’ discretion in distributing fines and penalties for breaking the road rules, the Australian Road Rules provide a general penalty guideline for drivers found to be in violation of the road rules.

In Victoria, illegally parking on a nature strip can incur three penalty units valued at $576.93.

NSW road rules state motorists can be fined a maximum of 20 penalty units or $2200.

Similarly, Queensland can fine drivers a maximum of 20 penalty units ($3096) for disobeying the road rule.

South Australia fines motorists $212 for stopping on a nature strip.

For Australian Capital Territory (ACT) drivers, illegally parking on nature strips can result in a maximum fine of 20 penalty units valued at $3200.

WA road rules state motorists found to be in violation of the nature strip rule can incur a $50 fine.

Tasmania can fine drivers up to five penalty units valued at $975 for breaking this road rule.

And finally, in the Northern Territory (NT) drivers can be fined $50 for parking their vehicles where it is prohibited, according to the NT Traffic Regulations 1999.

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