How Parking is Monitored

Parking Services Officers monitor parking in the City of Whitehorse. They regularly conduct inspections in restricted parking, parking ticket machine, and in-ground parking sensor areas. They also respond to requests from residents about illegally parked vehicles in their area.

In time restricted parking areas, time limits are set to allow as many people as possible to have access to parking in an area. The intention of these time limits is to ensure that vehicles leave the area after the initial time has expired. ‘Meter Feeding’ is not permitted. This approach helps businesses by ensuring parking is available for as many potential customers as possible and improve access for all motorists.

Several residential areas surrounding the Box Hill Central Activity Area (CAA), Deakin University, Box Hill Institute and Box Hill Hospital are Residential Permit Parking Areas. Parking signs are installed on streets entering these areas which inform you of the parking restrictions on that area e.g. 2P Area, permit zone.

Parking Patrols

Parking Services Officers visit parking areas daily or when a resident raises a parking issue and will check for illegal parking. If they see a vehicle that is illegally parked they will issue an infringement. They may also mark the tyre of a vehicle parked in a time-restricted area and they will return to check if a vehicle has overstayed the time restriction. Over-staying drivers may then receive a parking fine/infringement.

Parking Services Officers also regularly patrol school crossings during the school crossing times to ensure motorists are following the road rules during those busy periods. Parking in no stopping areas, double parking and parking too long in short stay areas may result in a fine.

Clearway Patrols

The Department of Transport patrols the clearways on major arterial roads in the City of Whitehorse and issues fines for vehicle parked in clearways and may tow and impound your car during clearway times. Council Parking Services Offices patrol clearway zones outside of clearway times to enforce non-clearway time limits.

Requesting a Parking Inspection

You may request a Parking Services Officer to investigate a suspected illegally parked vehicle by calling 9262 6333 during business hours. Council will only investigate illegally parked vehicles outside business hours where it is arranged with Council beforehand.

If you suspect an abandoned or derelict vehicle has been left nearby, please contact the Community Safety Department by calling 9262 6333 or by sending an email to customer.service@whitehorse.vic.gov.au.

Dangerously parked vehicles should be reported to Victoria Police. Contact Forest Hill Police Station on (03) 8847 3600 or Box Hill Police Station on (03) 8892 3200.

Council cannot have an illegally parked vehicle towed unless it is abandoned. Council Parking Services Officers can only issue an fine.

Parking Ticket Machine (Parking Meter) Areas

Drivers who park in the streets around the Box Hill metropolitan activity centre and the Box Hill hospital precinct are required to buy parking tickets from the parking ticket machines installed in these areas. An arrow alongside the word 'Ticket' on the parking signs directs drivers to the closest parking ticket machine.

The parking ticket machines offer drivers three payment methods: by coin, by card, or by phone through the PayStay app on a smart phone.

Please note:

  • The required fee must be paid immediately after you park in a ticket machine parking area.
  • If you are paying cash for a ticket, make sure you have the change ready when you park as you may receive a fine while you go looking for change.
  • If you obtain a ticket from the parking ticket machine, it must be displayed face up on the passenger side dashboard so that the ticket details can be clearly seen from outside your car.
  • The parking time begins when a vehicle stops in the parking space, not the time when the fee is paid. Drivers should always add additional time onto the time needed for parking in case they are delayed returning to their vehicle. A Parking Services Officer will check to see if a car has stayed too long in a parking bay before issuing a parking fine.
  • Drivers must move their vehicle from the area prior to the finish time on their ticket or PayStay period, or the maximum time on the parking sign, whichever will happen first. NOTE: Parking sensors will detect if you have not moved your vehicle after the ticketed time limit. You may receive a fine if you purchase a new ticket to replace an expired ticket without first moving your vehicle. 
  • To use the credit card or EFT payment feature, make sure you leave your card on the sensor until it registers that the payment is successful. This feature behaves like a Myki card sensor and is not as fast as using PayWave at a supermarket. For any other parking ticket machine faults, call the service phone number printed on the faulty parking ticket machine and quote the parking ticket machine identification number.
  • Even if the parking ticket machine is faulty, drivers should obtain a parking ticket from a nearby parking machine or use PayStay.

NOTE: You need to put your hand into the ticket dispenser to obtain your ticket. The ticket does not appear outside the machine.

In-ground Parking Sensors

Many parking bays across the Whitehorse municipality are monitored by in-ground parking sensors.

In-ground parking sensors detect and record when a vehicle stops in a parking bay and when it leaves the bay. It does this even if the engine is still running.

Once a vehicle has overstayed the maximum permitted time limit in a parking bay, a signal is sent from the parking bay sensor to the nearest patrolling Parking Services Officer. The Officer will issue a parking fine if the vehicle has exceeded the allowed parking time.

In-Ground Parking Sensor Locations