'Un-Australian': Parking fee price hike at popular Gold Coast beach slammed

A local council on the Gold Coast is under fire after increasing the time beachgoers will have to pay for parking.

Instead of 9am, the parking meters have started charging at the Burleigh Heads location from 7am as of a couple of weeks ago.

But local member for council, Hermann Vorster, is not a fan.

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"Oh mate, it's diabolical - you used to be able to catch a wave without using paywave, but that's all changed now," Hermann told Today.

"Everyone should be able to share it, but from 7am, you are going to be stung with higher parking fees and that wasn't always the case, so now everyone is spewing."

Hermann said he has had everyone from Vietnam veterans to the ladies from the local bowls club and volunteer surf lifesavers complain to him.

"What's in store for them this season? Higher parking fees, mate, and that is un-Australian," he said.

A petition has already been lodged to fight the change to paid parking times, but Hermann warned today is the last day it will remain open for anyone yet to add their signature.

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"We hope that it's tabled at the next council meeting and then we just need eight votes, eight out of 15 and if eight councillors can find it in their heart to look after beautiful Burleigh, lots of their constituents love it to pieces," he said.

"I came down to the beach with my family the other day and paid about $9 for parking, now it doesn't sound a lot, but that money could have gone into a gelato or similar.

"I feel for businesses, they're already copping it and these extra fees that are turning people away are a real kick in the guts - if anything, council should have been lowering fees, not making them higher."

Do you think the beachside parking rules are unfair? Let us know