No More 'No Toilet' Option

Campervans parked in public and rented out despite having no toilet facilities, may disappear from our streets after rental company Airbnb promised to ban them from its website. 

The campervans are hated by local residents, who say renters end up using their front yards as toilets when public facilities are closed over night.

In a recent Channel 9 investigation of the problem Airbnb said it would only accept the vans if they were parked on private property. 

Northern Beaches Council is taking action too.  They will put up No Camping signs in streets in problem areas, including around Manly Cove. And while the signs are sometimes ignored, as happens near Manly Lagoon, they are better than nothing. 

Good For Manly President and Council Deputy Mayor Candy Bingham said it was a win for common sense.

“We need a variety of accomodation in Manly, and that includes cheaper, self-contained options,” Cr Bingham said. “But it’s just not right for renters to have no toilet facilities - especially at night when even the public facilities are closed. It’s not right for people renting and it can be pretty terrible for people living nearby.”

“I’d like to congratulate the local residents’ group Manly Community Forum for their persistence with this problem.”

While signs have not yet been put up, at least one of the vans previously parked on East Esplanade has now been moved to private land.