Welcome to our guide on parking in the coastal towns of Ulverstone and Penguin. At Central Coast Council, we prioritise convenience and accessibility for all residents and visitors, ensuring smooth traffic flow while providing free and convenient parking.
Whether you’re here for a quick visit or planning to stay longer to explore our beautiful coastal attractions, we have a range of parking options from off street car parks, to street parking.
Parking Limits
Parking time limits still apply to certain car parks and streets within business and shopping precincts. To maintain order and fairness, state-controlled parking fines are enforced for any breaches of these time limits. However, we strive to make parking as stress-free as possible, with clear signage and accessible information to guide you.
Larger Vehicles & Camper Vans
For those travelling with larger vehicles such as camper vans and caravans, we provide designated parking facilities to accommodate your needs. The Wharf Car Park (Wharf Road, Ulverstone) and Hive (50 Main Street, Ulverstone) offer ample space for long vehicles, ensuring a hassle-free experience during your visit to our coastal towns.
Explore our parking options and plan your journey with ease. Click the link below to view a detailed plan of the current parking time limits in Ulverstone and Penguin.
Aero Ranger Trial
Central Coast Council is trialling Aero Ranger technology to support fairer and more consistent parking enforcement across the municipality. The system uses vehicle-mounted cameras to help officers monitor time-limited parking spaces as they patrol streets and car parks, working as a digital version of traditional tyre chalking. Importantly, the trial does not change any existing parking rules or introduce paid parking. The following frequently asked questions provide more information about how the technology works, including privacy and data protections.
FAQs
Aero Ranger is a system that uses vehicle mounted cameras and smart software to monitor parking compliance more efficiently, consistently and safely.
As the vehicle patrols local streets and car parks, it automatically logs number plates, locations, and times—digitally “chalking” vehicles. If a car overstays the permitted time, officers are alerted to take action.
In addition to monitoring time-limited spaces, Aero Ranger can also identify vehicles parked in loading zones, no-standing, or no parking areas.
Importantly, Aero Ranger does not change any parking rules or policies. It simply supports how existing rules are enforced.
Council’s goals are:
Efficiency – reducing time spent on paperwork and administration
Consistency – making sure similar situations are handled the same way
Safety – minimising the likelihood of disputes and abuse towards staff
Aero Ranger supports these goals by standardising how evidence is captured and how decisions are made, reducing variation between officers and locations.
The system applies the same parking and zone rules to every captured event, so outcomes are consistent across the municipality. Decisions are based on documented facts, not judgement calls.
Other councils using Aero Ranger report fewer fines overall. The data helps identify unclear signage or common mistakes, allowing councils to fix problems and run education campaigns instead of relying only on penalties.
Evidence is packaged automatically, reducing manual image review, data entry and file handling.
Standardised records mean fewer incomplete cases, fewer disputes and less rework.
Time saved on admin can be redirected to safety, education and customer service, and other compliance matters, such as dog management.
No. Using Aero Ranger does not introduce paid parking and does not change existing parking rules.
Council carparks in Central Coast are free.
The system may capture:
- Images or video of vehicles
- Time and location information
- Vehicle number plates where neccesary
It does not collect personal information beyond what is necessary to enforce existing parking and road rules.
Only authorised Council employees involved in parking and compliance matters can access the system.
Data is stored securely within the Aero Ranger system. Data retention periods are set by Council, in line with legal and records management requirements.
Council will determine how long information is retained and when it is deleted. Council undertook an extensive review to ensure that Aero Ranger met our needs around privacy, data security and reliability. Aero Ranger is independently certified against the international Information Security Management Security standard, ISO/IEC 27001.
Many other councils around Australia use Aero Ranger, including:
- City of Launceston
- City of Coffs Harbour
- City of Freemantle
In late 2025, Glenorchy City Council extended its use of Aero Ranger following a successful six-month trial.
All flagged over-stays are manually reviewed by staff. So as long as disability permits are hung correctly, staff will be able to allow for extra time.
The cost of implementing Aero Ranger is offset by efficiencies, including reduced time spent on physical patrols and repetitive administrative tasks.
Areo ranger allows our compliance staff to spend more time in the wider community rather than in the CBD, for example patrolling beaches and conducting community education.
If you believe a fine has been issued in error, you can lodge a request for a review here: Parking Infringement Review Form
You will see the AreoRanger van in the CBD areas of Ulverstone and Penguin.