A Brisbane man has criticised Brisbane City Council after being fined $345 for parking his car on a grassed area near a full car park. Stephen Allthorpe, 63, said he had visited Shaw Park in Wooloowin as usual to walk his dog when he found no regular spaces available, prompting him to leave his SUV on the grass opposite the volleyball pits and rugby club instead. He was unaware he had been booked until the infringement notice arrived weeks later, and he argues the council failed to display any signage warning against parking there.

The fine, issued on 9 August, cited a contravention of "a sign, notice, lines or markings" on council land, though Mr Allthorpe insists no such sign existed at the site. He said he only worked out what he had done wrong after searching the council's website, and has since branded the authority "greedy", questioning why it imposes steep fines instead of providing additional parking. He has lodged a challenge against the penalty, and the Daily Mail has approached Brisbane City Council for comment.