Closed Cape Tribulation resort tallies the cost of alleged ‘drug and alcohol-fuelled’ break and enter

Rampaging tourists have allegedly inflicted a $30,000 damage bill on a closed Cape Tribulation resort, ransacking hotel rooms and crashing work vehicles during a furious eight-hour alcohol-fuelled bender. See the pictures.

Three vehicles were damaged during the alleged break in at Cape Tribulation, Ferntree Rainforest and Lodge owner Mark Cromwell said.

Rampaging tourists have allegedly inflicted a $30,000 damage bill on a closed Cape Tribulation resort, allegedly ransacking hotel rooms and crashing work vehicles during a furious eight-hour alcohol-fuelled bender.

It’s understood the unwelcome visitors ignored the road closure at Noah Range on Saturday afternoon and entered the isolated community in three vehicles before allegedly breaking into Ferntree Rainforest Lodge around 11.30pm on Saturday night.

An off-duty staff member at the vacant hotel spotted the wreckage early on Sunday morning and immediately notified owner Mark Cromwell.

Empty alcohol cans and bottles were found throughout the resort on Sunday, Ferntree Rainforest Lodge owner Mark Cromwell said.

After rushing to the premises, Mr Cromwell said he was shocked to find around a dozen uninvited guests asleep in the reception amidst scattered piles of empty cans and leftover waste.

“It looked like a proper, drug and alcohol-fuelled bender,” he said.

“They were tattooed up, muscly people. They kicked in the security door, raided the kitchen.

“I’ve got a $350,000 Isuzu truck we use for tours and it’s been smashed into a tree.

“They’ve broken into rooms and pilfered fuel from our maintenance areas.

“They took the tourist vehicles and smashed them into trees. It was a proper show.”

Hotel rooms at Ferntree Rainforest Lodge were raided during the alleged break in, owner Mark Cromwell said.

After waking up one of the intruders and informing them the police were en route, the group, believed to include several Europeans, attempted to flee.

“I woke a few of them up and said, ‘Stay here. The police are coming,’” Mr Cromwell said.

“They tried to take off and I called the excavator guys (at the site of the Noah Range road closure) and told them to cut them off.

“They tried to go north after that and realised they were trapped here.”

Police travelling from Port Douglas and Mossman arrived around 9.30 am and apprehended the tourists.

“Mossman police are investigating a break and enter at a Camelot Close property overnight on Saturday, January 27,” a Queensland Police Service spokeswoman said.

“Initial information indicates a group of people gained entry to the property after damaging a glass door and stole a truck, quad bike, and beverages.

“Multiple Mossman and Port Douglas crews attended and located the vehicles a short distance away.

“Twelve people are assisting police with enquiries and were escorted out of the area.”

Still recovering from ex-Tropical Cyclone Jasper in December, the community felt “rattled” by the alleged incident, Mr Cromwell said.

“We probably don’t even have nine able-bodied men in Cape Tribulation at the moment,” he said.

“I’m just sitting there by myself. I can’t really stop them. I didn’t want to stir them up. I was

pretty vulnerable.”

Landslides and raging floodwaters have destroyed infrastructure, including roads throughout the Daintree region.

Cape Tribulation resident, Lawrence Mason, who met the cohort at Noah Range said the alleged incident highlighted the impact the road closure was having on his community.

“We need some kind of security or police here until we can get the road open,” Mr Mason said.

“It’s a symptom of the problems we have. If somebody isn’t a local resident, they shouldn’t be going over the landslide.

“We’re really vulnerable here without a police presence at the moment.”

Isolated Cape Tribulation residents have started the mammoth task of cleaning up their community without the assistance of the Australian Defence Force.

Highlighting their challenges, Mr Cromwell said three other tourists were spotted in the town later on Sunday.

“Someone messaged me and said, ‘What’s going on up there? It sounds like you’re living in the wild, wild west,’” he said.

“But you get the road sorted and all these problems go away and we can look after ourselves again.

“As if the cyclone isn’t enough, I’ve got to deal with this rubbish. It’s a proper joke. Now, no-one feels safe now. It’s a free-for-all otherwise.”

Cape Tribulation Road has been closed for almost seven weeks after sustaining significant damage during ex-Tropical Cyclone Jasper and the ensuing floods.

Douglas Shire Council is seeking to determine exactly how the tourists gained entrance into the community with the road only opened intermittently to allow residents in and out.

Originally published as Closed Cape Tribulation resort tallies the cost of alleged ‘drug and alcohol-fuelled’ break and enter