Canberra's Biggest Gypsie?

That would be Mario. He’s a great bloke. He cooks all his food on a home made wood fire. He does not use the barbecues because of the taste from the aluminium. He was born in Sardinia, in Italy and migrated here. He also heads down the coast to do fishing now and then. He’s really a great cook. Plus a very interesting person. He is indeed very harmless.
The woman living in the van is Gabrielle. She’s been living in her van while waiting for a government house. But she has been picky, refusing to take ones out at Oaks Estate. A few of us who live in vans are a bit annoyed with her because she’s dominated that one spot for almost a year now, preventing others from using it and making homeless van dwellers far more visible. She is also pretty anti-social so I advise people not to go speak to her.

I’ve seen him parked at the bottom of Telopea Park for many years now. I hope for his and everyone elses sake, they never start charging for those BBQs.

Yeah i have also seen the van around kingston for at least 10 years . Does anyone actually know or has spoke to the bloke ? I say good on him he’s been doing it for years causing no harm.

I spoke to him once – apparently he worked on the snow hydro dam.

I was driving on the bridge a couple of months ago doing about 60, and he pulled into my lane (crossing an unbroken white line). I slammed on my brakes and gave him a nice long horn – I guess he didn’t see me through all the stuff piled up in his van.

He’s been living around various lakeside carparks since at least 1994. Coppers all know him. He is harmless. His van though is a treasure trove of books and other material he’s collected over the years.

Good luck to him.

EvanJames said :

Yes, I too have often seen him using the BBQs at the lake end of Telopea Park. That van is packed solid, I wonder how he finds anything? I used to pass him on lunchtime walks, he always says hello. I guess he’s the modern-day swaggie.

Thread LINK!

Perhaps someone needs to check the contents on his van for a stolen metal sheep. LOL!

Yes, I too have often seen him using the BBQs at the lake end of Telopea Park. That van is packed solid, I wonder how he finds anything? I used to pass him on lunchtime walks, he always says hello. I guess he’s the modern-day swaggie.

Captain RAAF said :

Holden Caulfield said :

Yeah, I see this guy several times during the week on my commute to work. Usually on the grass near the Brodburger van.

I didn’t realise he’d been around for 10 years though.

I think I saw this bloke near the Brodburger van, he uses the BBQ nearby, sets all his utensils up, uses an umbrella as a wind break, and cooks up, does his dishes etc. Everything had its place, he was very organised. If he’s not harming anyone then good luck to him.

Exactly. Not my choice of lifestyle, but if it works for them, then great.

Holden Caulfield said :

Yeah, I see this guy several times during the week on my commute to work. Usually on the grass near the Brodburger van.

I didn’t realise he’d been around for 10 years though.

I think I saw this bloke near the Brodburger van, he uses the BBQ nearby, sets all his utensils up, uses an umbrella as a wind break, and cooks up, does his dishes etc. Everything had its place, he was very organised. If he’s not harming anyone then good luck to him.

I too have seenhim on many an occasion, I think that it is great that you can be that free, however i can also see some social problems with that as well.

However he seems happy and he is obviously becoming a Canberran icon.