Residents in some of Australia’s wealthiest postcodes could soon pay for street parking under a sweeping council overhaul – but one mayor says a proposal to charge people to use their own driveways will be axed.
Waverley Council in New South Wales – which encompasses Bondi Beach, Vaucluse and Bronte Beach – will this week consider a draft parking strategy that would cap households at two permits and introduce new fees, with the first permit likely to cost $100 to $150 and a second jumping to $300 to $400, as reported by the Wentworth Courier.
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The plan is still conceptual but aims to reset how kerbside space is managed amid surging demand, a growing population and a rapid shift to larger vehicles.
A council report found bigger cars have effectively cut available street parking by about six per cent over the past decade, while around 100 new driveways are added each year, reducing bays further.
Parking is scarce right around Sydney, prompting many to leave their cars on driveways. Source: Reddit
Nearly every part of the local government area – except Queens Park and Bronte – already has more permits issued than spaces on the street, with Bondi Beach sitting at roughly double capacity.
Mayor Will Nemesh has moved to neutralise the most contentious element – a “kerb protection” idea that would have seen residents charged to use their own driveways, potentially costing them an addition $300.
“I will be seeking to remove this option for consideration at the council meeting,” he told the Wentworth Courier.
“I want to see parking within Waverley be fair, equitable and sustainable.
“The ideas put forward to council, with the exception of the kerb protection proposal, seek to achieve this balance.”
Waverley Council in New South Wales encompasses Bondi Beach, Vaucluse and Bronte Beach.
The report also concedes “it is not a secret that most users prefer not to pay for parking”, but argues pricing and limits would moderate demand over time and improve outcomes for everyone.
Any revenue raised would be reinvested in parking-related programs, including tougher enforcement such as on‑demand towing.
Nemesh said the council hasn’t conducted a comprehensive parking review since 2017 and is “well overdue”.
Mayor of Waverley Council Will Nemesh is set to oppose the driveway charges. Photo: Gaye Gerard /NewsWire
Waverley scrapped residential permit fees in 2018, even as car ownership rose across the area. Several neighbouring councils – including Woollahra, the City of Sydney, Randwick and Mosman – already charge for residential permits.
If adopted, the overhaul would represent one of the most significant shifts to Waverley’s parking settings in years, putting a price on scarce kerbside space in suburbs where permits have long outnumbered available bays and pressure is only climbing.
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