Police say beach camping at Teewah, on the Noosa side of Double Island Point, may have to be banned if beach driving hoons do not stop their life-threatening behaviour.
Teewah is one of the mainstays of Gympie’s Cooloola Coast beach driving and adventure tourism industry, but one Rainbow Beach police officer says the extreme recklessness of some drivers is threatening the safety, livelihoods and enjoyment of everyone else.
Senior Constable Mick Emery has warned the community may have to consider the risk-benefit ratio if people continue to be seriously injured or killed by irresponsible beach drivers.
His call is lent more urgency by the death of a man, 18, on the beach last month, when he was thrown from a vehicle which then rolled on top of him.
Rainbow Beach police officer Mick Emery says the situation had gone on so long and become so serious that the community would have to consider whether camping should be shut down at Teewah.
He says police have been called to the area too often and for too long, to respond to “rollovers, drink drivers and dangerous driving incidents.“
“Despite regular police patrols, random breath testing and even arrests, every weekend sees the trend continue,“ he said.
Snr Cnst Emery told the Rainbow Beach Cooloola Coast Community News the issue combined with environmental degradation of campsite areas and prompted the question of how much the community should tolerate.
“What are the ongoing risks of hoons every weekend and what are the benefits? At what stage do we make a hard decision in the interests of safety?
“At some point there has to be an analysis to work out the risk-benefit ratio and (whether) the benefits are worth it,“ he said.
Snr Cnst Emery said police faced difficulties with mobile phone reception and the impossibility of reaching the area at high tide, when beaches can become impassable.
“I concede we cannot guarantee your safety down there. In many cases we cannot even get to you at all,“ he said.
