Angry vandals: Camping chaos at Salfeinssee escalates!

Angry vandals: Camping chaos at Salfeinssee escalates!

In Austria, illegal camping is taking on alarming proportions. Conditions are particularly tense in Senderstal, a popular region on the northern side of the Stubai Alps. Deputy Mayor Thomas Oberdanner reported vandalism that ultimately led to the destruction of an automatic barrier. This barrier, which has been installed since the Corona pandemic, is intended to prevent more than 120 vehicles from having access to the popular destination at the same time. Anton Bucher, the mayor of the community, sharply criticized the vandals: “That’s crazy!” The situation doesn't get any easier because during the weekends many illegal campers spend the night, up to 50 times, mostly at Salfeinssee. This not only puts noise from loud radios, but also limits control for the remaining staff - a situation that needs to be urgently addressed. How merkur.de reported, video surveillance cannot be implemented for legal reasons, which puts further pressure on those responsible.

But that's not the only problem: the air is also becoming thinner for wild campers in Styria. A recently planned amendment to the State Security Act provides for drastic measures. This gives municipalities extensive powers to prevent unauthorized camping. The excitement initially sparked by a caravan of Roma and Sinti at the Dobl-Zwaring model airfield has prompted political decision-makers to increase the pressure. The FPÖ has already called for a legal ban, similar to the one in Lower Austria, which was taken up by Governor Christopher Drexler (ÖVP). According to the report from freilich-magazin.com, municipalities can now ban the setting up of tents, caravans and the like outside of campsites, although exceptions are possible with the consent of the respective property owner.

The fines for illegal camping in Austria can vary depending on the federal state. The Austrian Transport Club (ÖCC) provides interesting insights into this: Fines range from up to 700 euros in Vienna to 14,500 euros in Lower Austria. oeamtc.at explains the exact situation in the various federal states and shows that although camping holidays have fortunately experienced a boom in Austria, camping away from official sites is still largely prohibited. Carinthia, for example, has introduced a ban with fines of up to 3,630 euros.

In summary, the mood in the affected regions is tense and the municipalities are pushing ahead with their measures. It remains to be seen whether the new regulations will have the desired effect and how they will influence campers' leisure activities. One thing is certain, however: the mobile home and camping boom, which was very popular during the Corona period, will not remain without consequences.