More than 400 beach drivers have been booked along the Cooloola Coast so far this holiday season, police say.
A four-day operation, Operation Sandstorm, conducted by the Queensland Police Service across the Noosa North Shore, Teewah Beach, and Cooloola Coast areas during the Christmas holiday period issued more than 300 infringement notices.
During the operation targeting inappropriate and non-complaint behaviour police issued 105 speeding tickets, 189 infringement notices for defective vehicles, 30 for nor wearing a seatbelt and issued one driver a notice to appear due to dangerous operation of a motor vehicle.
Police also conducted 749 random breath tests, penalising one driver and 151 random drug tests with 12 positive readings.
During the operation fiver notices were issued under the National Parks and Wildlife Act.
Department of Environment and Science figures reportedly show more than 15,000 visitors were recorded visiting the Teewah Beach area from 4 December.
Noosa MP Sandy Bolton said as she has previously reiterated, the Queensland Government must do more to reduce unacceptable behaviours, and she has updated both the new Minister for Police and the Minister for Environment regarding her ongoing advocacies to address over visitation, non-compliant behaviour, safety, and environmental concerns in the Noosa North Shore, Teewah Beach and Cooloola Coast areas.
“This includes the implementation of automatic sharing of essential enforcement information between agencies, including the Queensland Police Service, Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service and Maritime Safety Queensland, so that permit restrictions can be placed on offenders in our national parks, as well the implementation of recommendations in the Cooloola Visitor Capacity Study, which includes decreasing the volume of day-trippers during peak periods and other initiatives,” she states on her website.
Ms Bolton urged the community to continue to report incidents to authorities.
Noosa police report the holiday season had been busy for police but business as usual for this time of year with accommodation rates in Noosa at capacity levels.
Acting senior sergeant Troy Cavell said New Year’s Eve on Main Beach, as has been the case for several years, again attracted a huge number of teenagers who congregated in front of the surf club to welcome in the new year.
Snr Sgt Cavell estimated about 8000 teens turned up, many travelling from as far away as Ipswich and Redbank Plains and while emergency services were set up to deal with minor incidents and the effects of alcohol there were no major incidents on the night.
Having four weeks without a reported car theft in Noosa had police wondering if new adult crime, adult time laws introduced to target juveniles were having an impact.
Snr Sgt Cavell said with a known trend for many young criminals to arrive from north and South Brisbane gangs to steal cars in Noosa, police are questioning whether the new laws have them lying low.
Unwanted e-bike activity continues to raise community concern about reckless riding, no helmets and powered up e-bikes that are really unlicensed, unregistered e-motorbikes, both on the road and in the national parks.
A recent clamp down on illegal e-bike activity which resulted in a number of fines issued and bikes confiscated had made some improvement to the situation, Snr Sgt Cavell said.
He said more education on correct rider behaviour was required, particularly for young riders, but issues would continue with people continuing to purchase and ride unregistered, unlicensed e-motobikes.
