Illegal campers moved on from Cotter Campground as protesters search for next site

Almost all the Convoy to Canberra demonstrators who packed out the campsite 25 minutes from Canberra centre have been moved on, with four people arrested for failing to comply with directions to do so.

The campsite, which has the capacity for 200 people, had been overwhelmed with campers vowing to remain in the ACT.

Protesters who had been forced to leave EPIC had also attempted to set up at Regatta Point, before they were moved on by police.

A large police operation began on Monday afternoon to evict the campers at Cotter.

Protesters had reportedly moved boulders to park their four-wheel drives on the grass and not booked or paid to be there.

Protester Tracey Solomon drove from Cairns on Friday evening to attend the rallies on Saturday, in which 10,000 to 15,000 marched to Parliament House.

She was at Exhibition Park when police came in to evict the protesters, which she claimed had been "heavy handed."

Ms Solomon was one of the few protesters who had managed to book a campsite at Cotter ahead of the police operation.

She said everyone was being compliant, but they weren't leaving the ACT until vaccine mandates were scrapped.

"We didn't drive 32 hours behind the wheel to come here and pack up and go home.

"We'll find somewhere else. We'll find the convoy and we'll regroup and we'll be stronger."

READ ALSO:

Concerns have been raised for Cotter and the ACT's other parks and reserves, with anti-vaccination mandate protesters searching for a new camp after being evicted from EPIC on Monday afternoon.

An ACT Policing spokesman said they would be patrolling parks around the ACT over the coming days and weeks in an effort to protect the environment and prevent illegal camping.

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: