A bizarre act of roadside rebellion has exposed simmering tensions in a popular Aussie town, where a booming property market fuelled by relentless tourism is putting the squeeze on long-term residents and exacerbating instances of bad neighbour behaviour.
An unknown SA local modified a 60km/h speed sign on Ambleside Road, Hahndorf to 50km/h using a convincing plastic overlay.
The alteration was so well-executed that some residents didn’t even notice, with one telling 9News they “probably would have thought it had been done by professionals”.
But beneath the surface of this quirky act lies a serious issue: are rising property prices and increased traffic, driven by Hahndorf’s popularity as a tourist destination, pushing some residents to breaking point?
Hahndorf is experiencing a significant property boom.
The median house price has jumped to $1,212,500, according to PropTrack, a 24 per cent increase in the last year alone.
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A speed limit sign on Ambleside Rd near Hahndorf has been illegally altered from 60km/h to 50km/h. Picture: Supplied
The original – and legal – speed sign. Picture: Supplied
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, prices have more than doubled, soaring by 102 per cent.
This surge is largely due to the town’s appeal to interstate and international tourists, who are drawn to its German heritage, artisanal food, and picturesque scenery.
An estimated one million visitors flock to Hahndorf each year, making it the most visited township in the Adelaide Hills.
This influx of tourists has made the area a high-traffic zone and a sought-after location for home buyers.
However, this popularity has its downsides.
Increased traffic congestion, particularly on residential streets like Ambleside Road, has become a major concern for some locals.
While the Transport Minister has condemned the sign alteration as “bizarre and illegal” and warned of potential jail time, the incident raises the question of whether authorities are listening to residents who feel overwhelmed by the constant influx of tourists.
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Hahndorf is it’s known for its original German-style architecture and artisanal food. Around 1 million visitors travel through the SA town each year.
“I know they’re well intentioned but we can’t have people doing that – it’s dangerous and inappropriate,” he told reporters.
Online, locals are divided, with some cheering on the mystery “Samaritan” and others calling for a crackdown.
“Keep doing it unknown hero,” one person said.
“Find them and fine them,” another responded. “If someone put up a higher speed limit it would be tracked down and charged. No different, still illegal.”
Others questioned whether lowering the speed limit could be dangerous, sparking debate about road safety and community action.
The incident also highlights the growing divide between those who have benefited from the property boom and those who feel left behind.
Residents feel that authorities need to address traffic concerns, protect the town’s unique character, and ensure that long-term residents aren’t priced out of their own community.
Australia’s worst neighbours exposed
In Australia, neighbourly relations can often be a delicate balance, with disputes arising over a myriad of issues that can test the limits of civility and legality.
From disagreements about traffic regulation to trees, fences and even more extreme cases involving property damage and harassment, the line between neighbourly harmony and outright conflict can be easily blurred.
One notable case involved a US-based real estate agent, Julian Galbraith Johnston, who allegedly orchestrated the illegal demolition of two historic fishing shacks on the Fleurieu Peninsula to enhance the view from his new development.
This action sparked outrage and legal proceedings, highlighting the tension between modernisation and the preservation of community heritage.
Reshael Sirputh recorded her neighbour cutting down their boundary fence as she screamed at him to stop. Picture: ACA/Channel 9
In another instance, a Gold Coast resident, Rodney Ernest O’Kane, took his neighbours to the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal (QCAT) over flowering trees that he claimed were damaging his property and pool.
The tribunal’s ruling that the neighbours must prune the trees underscored the complexities of resolving disputes over natural elements that cross property lines.
Meanwhile, in North Queensland, the Cairns Magistrates Court heard a case of extreme harassment, where a woman was found guilty of stalking her neighbours, including hanging a bucket of rotting fish near their kitchen window and displaying a disturbing image of an “evil nun”.
Magill resident Branko Soda pictured at his home in 2019 with his neighbours’ large tank. (AAP Image/Sam Wundke)
Disputes can also arise from seemingly innocuous structures, as demonstrated when a South Australian man, Branko Soda, successfully fought to have a large rainwater tank moved away from his home after it blocked his veranda view.
Fences, too, are a common source of contention, exemplified by a Brisbane neighbourhood conflict that escalated to police intervention after a resident was caught on video dismantling a boundary fence.
These cases collectively illustrate the diverse and often complex nature of neighbour disputes in Australia, highlighting the importance of communication, compromise, and respect in maintaining harmonious community relations.
You can read more here.
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