At a glance
- Nature strips
- Parking on a footpath, nature strip or dividing strip is illegal, even if the strip has been covered with gravel or similar material
- Station car parks
- Hume Council cannot enforce parking in train station car parks; Metro Authorised Officers do, at Broadmeadows, Craigieburn, Coolaroo, Roxburgh Park, Sunbury and Upfield
- Loading zones
- If a sign gives no time limit, an eligible vehicle can park for no longer than 30 minutes
- Large vehicles
- A vehicle over 7.5 m long and/or over 4.5 tonnes Gross Vehicle Mass cannot stay parked in a built-up area for more than one hour without a permit
- Report a problem
- Hume Council on 9205 2200 (illegal parking near schools, abandoned unregistered vehicles, loading zones)
- Who it’s for
- Residents and visitors who park in Hume, in Melbourne’s north
- What to do now
- For a station car park problem, contact Metro; for everything else on this page, the council line is 9205 2200
- Last checked
- Sunday 8 November 2026, against two Hume City Council pages
- Not yet confirmed
- The details of the Residential Parking Permit Policy, the Narrow Streets Policy and the Parking Management Policy, which the council links but which we have not summarised
Hume Council says parking on a nature strip, footpath or dividing strip is illegal, that it cannot police parking in train station car parks, and that you can report illegal parking to it on 9205 2200. This guide uses only what Hume City Council publishes on its parking rules page and its airport page, read on 8 November 2026. If you are heading to the airport instead, see our Melbourne Airport parking guide.
Can I park on the nature strip?
No. The council says parking on a footpath, nature strip or dividing strip is illegal, and an infringement notice can also be issued to a vehicle in a private driveway that is protruding onto the footpath. It explains that footpaths, nature strips and dividing strips are built for pedestrian traffic only and are not designed to carry vehicles, and that it has a duty of care to keep them safe for residents and pedestrians.
The council says parking on a nature strip, completely or partially, is a breach of the road rules and can damage:
- the nature strip surface
- trees and root systems
- kerb and channel
- house drain connections
- other underground services
The rule applies even if the nature strip surface has been changed to a permeable surface, such as granitic sand, Lilydale topping, other gravel or similar graded material. The council acknowledges that some residents park there because they feel it is safer than parking on the road.
Who enforces parking at the train station?
Not the council. Hume says it is not authorised to enforce parking, issue parking infringements or deal with parking problems in train station car parks, and that you should contact Metro to report a parking issue in a station car park. Metro Authorised Officers enforce parking rules at these six car parks:
| Station | Who enforces parking in the car park |
|---|---|
| Broadmeadows | Metro Authorised Officers |
| Craigieburn | Metro Authorised Officers |
| Coolaroo | Metro Authorised Officers |
| Roxburgh Park | Metro Authorised Officers |
| Sunbury | Metro Authorised Officers |
| Upfield | Metro Authorised Officers |
What are the rules around schools?
The council says safety around schools is a priority and that parking restrictions near schools are strictly enforced to maximise the safety of students and other pedestrians. It says it receives many calls about illegally parked vehicles affecting children’s safety, and its Traffic Officers will investigate any breach of the Road Safety Road Rules. To report a vehicle parked illegally, call the council on 9205 2200.
The council lists these common problems around schools:
- parking in No Stopping areas
- parents staying in drop-off areas for longer than permitted
- double parking, which means parking between the centre of the road and another vehicle parked at the side of the road
What about loading zones, trucks and abandoned cars?
| Situation | What the council says |
|---|---|
| Loading zone | Parking is not permitted under the Road Safety Road Rules 2009 unless the vehicle meets specific eligibility criteria. An eligible vehicle cannot stay longer than the sign permits; with no time restriction on the sign, no longer than 30 minutes. Call Local Laws on 9205 2200 |
| Trucks in a residential area | It is an offence for a vehicle over 7.5 m long and/or over 4.5 tonnes Gross Vehicle Mass to stay parked in a built-up area for longer than one hour without a permit. The council links an application for a permit to keep a large vehicle on your property |
| Registered car parked legally and not moved | If it has not moved for two months, the council may consider the vehicle abandoned |
| Unregistered or derelict vehicle | Report it to the council on 9205 2200 |
The council says a vehicle counts as unregistered if its registration has expired (unpaid), if it is unroadworthy with an official police notice, if it is unroadworthy without one (smashed windows, no wheel and so on), or if it has no registration plates.
What if the vehicle is on private property?
The council says it has no jurisdiction over abandoned vehicles on private property; the property owner has to deal with them. It adds that Council’s Local Law No 1 – 2013 requires owners to maintain their properties, especially vacant land, throughout the year. If a property has more than three unregistered, unroadworthy, disassembled, incomplete or deteriorated vehicles, it may be deemed unsightly and a Notice to Comply issued.
Which parking policies does the council publish?
The parking rules page links three policies: the Residential Parking Permit Policy, the Hume City Parking on Narrow Streets Policy and the Hume Parking Management Policy. We have not summarised them here. The page also points to the Pay a parking infringement online and Appeal a parking infringement pages for anyone who has received an infringement in Hume.
How do I get to Melbourne Airport from Hume?
Hume’s separate airport page lists these options, and says Melbourne Airport is a quick commute from Hume:
| Option | What the council says |
|---|---|
| Route 901 SmartBus | Runs between Frankston and Melbourne Airport, stopping at Broadmeadows, Coolaroo, Dallas, Roxburgh Park, Somerton, Meadow Heights, Westmeadows and Gladstone Park. Every 15 minutes until 9pm on weekdays; every 30 minutes on weekends and evenings until midnight (9pm on Sundays). It is a myki-ticketed service |
| Taxi and rideshare | Available in Hume and at the airport, with marked pick-up and drop-off areas near each terminal and accessible taxis |
| Car drop-off, Terminals 1, 2 and 3 | Use Departure Drive; you can stop for one minute only |
| Car drop-off, Terminal 4 | Use the drop-off zone via Airport Drive |
| Car rental | Desks are on the ground floor of the airport car park across from Terminals 1, 2 and 3; Avis, Budget, Europcar, Hertz, SIXT and Thrifty are listed |
The council asks drivers not to park or leave a vehicle unattended in drop-off zones. For fares on the 901 and other services, see our myki fares guide and our Melbourne Airport to city guide.
Sources
- Hume City Council: Parking rules (nature strips, station car parks, loading zones, schools, trucks, abandoned vehicles, policies; read 8 November 2026)
- Hume City Council: Getting to the Airport (Route 901, taxis, drop-off zones, car rental; read 8 November 2026)
Featured image: Broadmeadows station, southbound view from Platform 1, April 2023 (photo: Bananabones / CC BY 4.0) (text added)
OZ Local Updates is an independent local guide and is not affiliated with Hume City Council or Metro Trains. Rules and contact numbers can change; check the council’s pages before you act.