Personal Items

Personal Items

New rules for small or medium sized personal items left in public, under the Public Spaces (Unattended Property) Act 2021 and regulations

It is important to ensure public spaces are safe, accessible and can be enjoyed by everyone, without having to navigate obstacles created by unattended property. This includes personal items (not including animals) that are small or medium-sized and ordinarily able to be collected by 1 or 2 people. Examples include baggage and personal recreation equipment such as kayaks, bicycles and surfboards.

These rules also to apply to items that may obstructing footpaths. An important part of Rangers' duties is keeping our footpaths and Nature Strips clear, clean and tidy. Council has a duty of care to ensure that pedestrians may use these areas in a safe and orderly manner. they also apply to good stored on public land reserves The use of Reserves for the storage of goods or materials may cause environmental harm or hazard to the public. The storage of goods, particularly in our bushland environments may add to fuel loads that may place properties at increased risk of fire or may harbour vermin or dangerous reptiles. Rangers investigate these matters and seek the cooperation of residents to remove these goods.

Councils and other public land authorities may notify the owner that their item is causing a safety risk or an obstruction or has been left unattended in one place for too long. Where the owner is unable to be identified, a notice may be affixed directly to the unattended item. Once notified, the owner must respond and move the item within the following risk based timeframes: 

  • 3 hours if causing an obstruction or safety risk (except after 11pm and before 7am) y
  • 7 days if left in one place for more than 7 days.

    If these timeframes are not met, the council or public land authority may:

  • move the item causing a safety risk or an obstruction to a safer place in the same general area, or
  • take possession of the unattended item and move it to a place of storage, and
  • issue a fine