New Kings Cross car market to provide home for vanpackers

The ongoing dispute over the issue of vanpackers in Sydney’s Kings Cross appears to have been solved, thanks to the creation of a new backpackers car market.  

In response to a deluge of complaints from residents and locals businesses regarding the number of backpackers trying to sell their cars and campervans on Victoria Street, the City of Sydney has announced the new Kings Cross Car Park, in Ward Avenue, will open on Tuesday 15th November.

The council has struck an agreement with Wilson’s Parking, the current car park operators of the Ward Avenue Car Park, to provide 40 spaces on Level 2 of the semi-underground car park.

The new car market will be known as the Sydney Travellers Car Market and will be run and managed by the management team behind Travellers Auto Barn, headed by managing director Peter Burke, who was also the first ever manager of the original Kings Cross Backpackers Car Market back in 1991, before he went on to establish Travellers Auto Barn.

Mr Burke said: “We are excited to be involved in this project for many reasons, but one of our main motivating factors was that we could see the animosity growing between locals and backpackers and being part of the backpacker industry and being a local business ourself, we thought it almost our duty to both help the locals and to protect the image of backpackers as well.

“Tourism in Australia is struggling and the last thing we need is young backpackers going home with tales of being abused and threatened. Backpackers seem to be easy targets for the mainstream media on slow news days, something which is not helpful to those struggling tourism related businesses.”

The new market is a direct result of Lord Mayor Clover Moore’s carrot and stick approach to moving the backpackers away from Victoria Street, where there are regularly 30 or more cars and campervans belonging to young travellers parked seven days a week.

The lack of parking space for local businesses and residents, as well as the makeshift living arrangements of the backpackers in the vans, has led to growing antagonism against the travellers in the area.

Ms Moore’s carrot for the backpackers is the car market, an orderly, sheltered, centralised location for buyers to view the cars offered for sale by fellow travellers. The car market will be free for sellers for the first three months as an added incentive.

The stick is new legislation making it illegal to sell a vehicle on Victoria Street, with authorities able to tow away any car in breach. Backpackers selling their car are usually at the end of their trip and very short of cash, so any delay in selling their car by having it towed and having to pay a hefty fine to recover the vehicle should prove extremely effective as a deterrent.

By Andrew Westbrook  ·  November 2nd, 2011 at 11:01 am

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Comments


  1. Greg Cole
    2 Nov 11
    2:03 pm

    2. A good result. And it’s in good hands.

  2. Grace Rey
    9 Nov 11
    12:50 pm

    3. Finally a proactive interest and successful business decision. This shall be welcomed by locals and put the market back to its right place and origination. Congratulations to Peter Burke. I previously employed at the Bourke St attempt of a car market fully support Peter Burke’s investment and professional hand at a gutsy move and viable, innovative solution. See you all there.

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