General parking FAQs
UniSC Caboolture
Yes, all parking is free.
UniSC Fraser Coast
Yes, all parking is free.
UniSC Gympie
Yes, all parking is free.
UniSC Moreton Bay
Yes, there is a Temporary Car Park located 300 metres from the Foundation Building that has 155 limited spaces. Opening hours for this Car Park is from 5.00am - 5.00pm Monday to Friday. Vehicles will still be able to exit the carpark after 5.00pm.
Car Park 1 operates free parking from 3.30pm - 7.30am Monday to Friday for staff and students who do not hold a vPermit, they can access Car Park 1 using their ID card from 3.30pm one day up until 5am the next day and must exit before 7.30am each day.
UniSC SouthBank
No, there is no free parking.
UniSC Sunshine Coast
Opening hours for this car park are 6am - 9.30pm Monday to Friday. For access outside these hours, please phone Safe UniSC on 07 5430 1168.
Car Park 15 is linked to the campus via lit footpaths and is approximately 1 kilometre (a 15-minute walk) from the centre of campus.
UniSC Sunshine Coast has installed digital displays at key points around the campus to show you how many spaces are available in each car park and where the nearest space is located.
UniSC Sunshine Coast
No. Paid parking is in place Monday–Friday, 8am-6pm all year round with the exception of public holidays.
UniSC Moreton Bay
Free Parking is available at the Temporary Car Park from 7.15am-7.15pm Monday to Friday
UniSC SouthBank
Swipe Car access only
Car Parks at all other UniSC campuses are free.
Staff, students and visitors between 8am and 6pm, Monday to Friday, throughout the year, with the exception of public holidays.
No, anyone who has a Disability Parking Permit is permitted to park in designated disabled parking spaces at no cost. Vehicles must display a valid Australian Disability Parking Permit or Queensland Disability Parking Permit.
At UniSC Moreton Bay, students and staff holding a disability parking permit can request access to the multi-level Car Park 1 by emailing parking@usc.edu.au with their name, ID number and proof of current disability parking permit. Access to the carpark will then be added to the staff or student ID card which will activate the entry boom gate.
The Building Code of Australia recommends that 1-2% of parking bays be allocated for disabled parking. The University currently has approximately 1.7% of its parking bays reserved as disabled parking, with 42 disabled bays on campus. An audit has also recently been conducted over the use of these disabled bays and at least 20, out of the 42, are available at any point during the teaching day.
UniSC Moreton Bay
Yes. Only six or 12 month vPermits are available to purchase at UniSC Moreton Bay.
UniSC Sunshine Coast
Yes. You can purchase four hours or less eTickets for $2; you will be charged $3 for four hours or more or PAYG for $0.50 hourly.
You can also purchase half yearly vPermits for $50, or full year vPermits for $80.
All other campuses do not have permit paid parking.
UniSC Moreton Bay
You can park your motorcycle in designated motorcycle parking areas in Car Park 1 ground level.
You will need a vPermit to access Car Park 1 between 7.30am-3.30pm Monday to Friday.
UniSC Sunshine Coast
You can park your motorcycle in designated motorcycle parking areas in Car Park 1, 4, 6, 7, and 12.
Car Park 7 (multi-level car park) has the most designated bays for motorcycles.
For more information, visit the UniSC Sunshine Coast Parking map.
All other campuses
There are no designated motorcycle parking areas at other campuses.
Yes, all staff and students in possession of a valid vPermit or eTicket can park in Car Park 1.
The environment has been a primary consideration throughout the University's development and the campus has won several awards for its environmental approach.
The University's location, adjacent to the ecologically sensitive Mooloolah River National Park, has placed importance on managed development of the site, including the need for structural, landscaping and waste management strategies to minimise impact on the National Park.
As development of residential and commercial areas adjacent to the campus continues, UniSC wants to protect the campus and the habitat it provides for flora and fauna. Although the creation of more on-grade car-parking might be seen as a quick, easy solution, it will destroy much of the unique campus environment.
Instead UniSC intend to improve the current parking situation with the formalisation of existing car parks eg. line-marking, resurfacing, etc, while also providing more car parks on the periphery of the main campus (Claymore Road) to ease congestion and preserve the University green space.
UniSC has also set sustainability targets to reduce its environmental footprint.
Yes, it is more common for universities to charge for parking than not with most Brisbane-based universities having paid parking.
Revenue raised from the implementation of paid parking will be isolated from other University funds and re-invested in improving existing parking on campus, increasing the public transport subsidy through the U-Pass Scheme, investing in sustainable transport initiatives and the construction of a multi-level car park.
There will be digital displays installed at the entrances of car parks and at other key points, which will notify drivers of how many spaces are available in each car park and where the nearest space is located.
The campus is serviced by public transport, with a Translink transit centre located on campus. However, we appreciate that current services are inadequate for many of our students and staff. More information about transport and parking.
The University provides express shuttle services, available to all staff and students during teaching semesters, between the campus and Gympie (via Cooroy), UniSC Sunshine Coast and Landsborough train station and Caboolture campus and Caboolture train station.
UniSC has increased its investment in alternative forms of transport, for example, provision of additional bike hubs and improvements to campus walkways and cycleways and there are now a number of cycle and pedestrian access points onto the campus.
The Alumni Way bicycle and pedestrian path links the eastern and western accesses of the campus and a network of paths connects the University to Sippy Downs, Buderim and Mooloolaba. The University provides secure bike storage, showers and other facilities for cyclists on campus – refer to the cycling map.
In most cases, it will be cheaper for students and staff to use public transport than to travel to the University alone in their cars. For example, the daily cost of driving to the University from Nambour (18 kilometres away) would be around A$26 (not including the cost of purchasing a yearly parking permit), compared with a daily cost, for the same journey by bus (4 zones in total for a return trip), of A$4.14 for students (with go card – concession) and A$8.28 for staff (with go card – adult).
Further savings can also apply. For example, once the number of journeys taken by a go card holder in one week exceeds nine, all travel for the remainder of the week is free.
Using the following information, students and staff are encouraged to weigh up the costs for themselves and consider using public transport as an alternative to driving to the University, if practicable.
Calculating the cost of travelling to UniSC
By car: the cost of running a car (according to the ATO) is 74 cents per kilometre (ordinary size 1601c–2600cc or rotary engine car 801–1300cc). You will need to factor in the cost of parking at the University, unless of course, you wish to park in one of the free spaces at the Claymore Road car park.
By public transport: to calculate the cost of travelling to the University by public transport, you should work out how many zones you would travel through to get to UniSC and back and look up the relevant fare on the Translink Journey Planner.
Yes.
Please contact parking@usc.edu.au in the first instance.
Cost FAQs
PAYG — daily, on campus - UniSC Sunshine Coast Campus Only
| Vehicle type | Hourly (PAYG Only) | 4 Hours | Full Day |
|---|---|---|---|
| Car | A$0.75 | A$3 | A$5 |
| Motorcycle | A$0.50 | A$2 | A$3 |
eTickets (cars) — daily, on campus - UniSC Sunshine Coast Campus Only
| 4 hours or less | More than 4 hours |
|---|---|
| A$3 | A$5 |
eTickets (motorcycles) — daily, on campus - UniSC Sunshine Coast Campus Only
| 4 hours or less | More than 4 hours |
|---|---|
| A$2 | A$3 |
Ticketless parking meters will accept payment by coins, Mastercard or Visa and will be installed at various points on campus.
vPermits (cars) — 6-month or 12-month, online - UniSC Moreton Bay and UniSC Sunshine Coast Campus Only
| Students—6 month | Staff and community—6 month | Students—12 month | Staff and community—12 month |
|---|---|---|---|
| A$100 | A$180 | A$200 | A$360 |
vPermits (motorcycles) — 6-month or 12-month, online - UniSC Moreton Bay and UniSC Sunshine Coast Campus Only
| Students—6 month | Staff and community—6 month | Students—12 month | Staff and community—12 month |
|---|---|---|---|
| A$50 | A$50 | A$80 | A$80 |
Staff salary sacrifice option
The cost of parking vPermits for staff may be salary-sacrificed at a cost of A$500 per year over 26 fortnightly pre-tax salary deductions.
UniSC Moreton Bay
Parking will only have 6 or 12 month vPermits available to access Car Park 1, (limited spaces available).
Free Parking is available in the Temporary Car Park from 7.15am to 7.15pm Monday to Friday.
UniSC Southbank
Dedicated parking with swipe access only is available, further information on parking is available on the Brisbane City Council website.
UniSC Sunshine Coast
No. PAYG from A$0.75 or you can buy a half-day eTicket (4 hours or less).
For current fees, visit parking.
Other UniSC campuses
All other campuses provide free parking (when available).
Legislatively the SSAF pool of funds cannot be used to subsidise student parking. UniSC and the Student Guild organises a number of services and activities for students using funds derived from the SSAF. For more information on how the SSAF is spent refer to the website.
- Anyone, including students, staff and visitors, can pay using PAYG - CellOPark app.
- Anyone, including students and staff, can pay daily or half-daily at the ticketless parking meters located around campus.
- Students can pay for a yearly or half-yearly vPermit online.
- Full-time and fractional staff can pay for a yearly or half-yearly vPermit either via Payroll, or online.
- Sessional and casual staff can pay daily or half-daily at a ticketless parking meter, yearly or half-yearly online.
Enforcement FAQs
Vehicles parked outside of a marked bay may block other cars in, obstruct a driver’s line of sight which could cause an accident, impede an emergency vehicle’s path, or block pedestrian access. It is for the safety and consideration of others that people must park only in marked bays.
The Sunshine Coast Council is monitoring the impact of parking in these areas and has introduced restricted parking to ensure that residents and businesses in surrounding streets are not adversely affected by paid parking at UniSC.
You will need to contact Sunshine Coast Council via the details given on the back of the infringement notice.
Fines will be issued by the Sunshine Coast Council for parking outside of the marked bays, on grassed areas, on or near yellow lines, in disabled bays without a valid disability permit, in taxi ranks, at bus stops and other areas not set aside for parking.
Fines will also be issued to drivers who park in the University’s car parks without paying the parking fee applicable.
What options do I have if I receive an infringement notice?
- Pay the fine within 28 days, late payments will attract additional fees to cover vehicle registration searches and legal costs.
- Nominate another person who was driving the vehicle at the time by statutory declaration.
- Ask for a payment plan if the fine exceeds $200.
- Request the matter be referred to a magistrates court if you believe you are not at fault.
- Ask the Sunshine Coast Council to review the ticket if you believe it has been issued incorrectly. You may wish to ensure the ticket complies with the law, identifies the correct offence and has the correct date, registration number, location, etc.
Parking tickets are not re-viewable for matters such as you not seeing the signs, you didn't know the meaning of the yellow line or other road rules, or you were running late for class.
You are required to complete an application form to have your infringement notice reviewed.
Application forms are available via Council’s website or in person at any Council Customer Service Centre.
The University is not able to intervene in disputed infringement notices.
If you don't take up any of the options outlined on the back of the Sunshine Coast Council’s infringement notice, and the fine remains outstanding, it will be referred to the State Penalties Enforcement Register (SPER) for collection.
Additional charges will be incurred through the SPER process that could result in your driver’s licence not being renewed due to outstanding fines.
Remember - before you park always check that:
- you have parked lawfully,
- you comply by the conditions to park at that location, including time limits,
- you pay any fees for parking at that location either at the ticketless parking machines, PAYG or vPermit.
By following these simple rules you will avoid any infringement notices.
Infrastructure FAQs
The car parks have been designed by the University’s civil engineers and drawn to the Australian Standard AS/NZS 2890, 1:2004. There are guidelines for space requirements that allow vehicles to manoeuvre safely.
vPermit FAQs
vPermits are available for purchase online.
The number of students and staff visiting UniSC each day may exceed the number of spaces available so it cannot be guaranteed that you will find a space.
However, the introduction of digital displays will help you to identify where the empty spaces are located, which should save a lot of time and angst.
Yes, to ensure that the system is fair and equitable paid parking at UniSC is being managed by the Sunshine Coast Council and failure to purchase a current eTicket, vPermit or use PAYG will result in an infringement notice being issued.
Yes, but only one nominated car can be on campus at any one time. If more than one nominated car is on campus it will receive an infringement notice unless you purchase a daily eTicket for any additional nominated vehicle.
No, the vpermit is issued to the person and their nominated cars.
Yes, students are eligible for a full or partial refund of their vPermit under the following conditions:
- if you have paid for an vPermit before Week 1 of the semester and withdraw before the end of Week 1 of the same semester, you can apply for a full refund.
- if you have paid for an vPermit and withdraw before the census date of the semester you bought the vPermit, you can apply for a 50% refund.
If you have paid for an vPermit and withdraw after the census date of the semester you bought the vPermit, you will not be eligible for a refund.
The census dates of each semester can be found on the relevant academic calendar. Requests for refunds are to be sent to parking@usc.edu.au
Leave periods of greater than 12 weeks will be considered for refund.
All permits are based on date of purchase.
The addition of 515 parking bays in the multi-level car park (CP7) and the offset car park (CP11a) is expected to meet most of our parking requirements however there will be peak times when a vacant space will be difficult to find. There are also around 200 empty bays at the free Claymore Road car park (Car Park 15) and car park 12b is often underutilised.
eTickets FAQs
The machines are solar-powered although we are trialing shelters on some of our ticketless parking machines.
This is a security measure for cash handling.
No. Immediate changes to the system are not possible. You will need to purchase another eTicket to record your correct registration and avoid receiving an infringement notice. Alternatively you can move your car to the free Claymore Road car park. Refunds will not be given.
Other FAQs - for visitors and tenants
There is a 15 minute grace period.
Yes.
Yes, tenants are able to purchase a 6 month vPermit for A$180 or a 12 month vPermit for A$360 via the UniSC website.