Coronavirus Qld: Beach closures have seagulls spitting chips
With three of the Gold Coast’s busiest beaches closed to enforce social distancing restrictions, some of the local denizens have been left spitting chips.
QLD Coronavirus News
Don't miss out on the headlines from QLD Coronavirus News. Followed categories will be added to My News.
THE coronavirus pandemic has claimed another victim, with seagulls left spitting chips at society’s virtual shutdown.
With three of the Gold Coast’s busiest beaches closed to enforce social distancing restrictions, the Glitter Strip’s seagulls are finding the absence of people is leading to an alarming shortage of hot chips.
Coronavirus QLD: Decision on when Gold Coast beaches will reopen
Gold Coast development: First look at $5m Spit revamp
Coronavirus Gold Coast: Tom Tate reveals plans to revive economy after COVID-19 crisis ends
In a scene that would give Alfred Hitchcock nightmares, 10-year-old Eli Hillblom yesterday discovered first-hand how desperate the gulls have become as they swooped like... err... seagulls on a hot chip to interrupt his lunch.
But in promising news for beachgoers and their feathered friends alike, Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate hinted that beaches at The Spit, Surfers Paradise and Coolangatta could reopen as soon as next week after locals were praised for staying away from beaches over the
Easter holiday period.
The three popular strands of sand were closed after images of people packing beaches earlier this month left civic leaders seething.
Cr Tate said a decision on whether to reopen the beaches would be made on Monday but he hinted he would like to see them reopened.
He said car parks closed around popular beaches could remain shut even if the beaches themselves are reopened.
“I don’t want people doing non-essential driving if they have other places to exercise,” he said.
About 39,000 people made the most of perfect weather to attend Gold Coast beaches over the weekend.
During a typical Easter it would be more than 55,000, leaving Cr Tate satisfied that key messaging about essential travel and social distancing was being heeded by the public.
All other beaches on the Gold Coast remain open, though most car parks have been blocked off in an effort to discourage out-of-towners from driving to the beach.
Bleijie confirms LNP will ‘consider’ ditching $3.2m in Covid fines
The government will consider waiving $3.2m worth of outstanding Covid fines, Acting Premier Jarrod Bleijie has revealed.
Australian-first dual vaccine to win over the hesitant, compromised
A combined Covid-19 and influenza vaccine is being trialled in Queensland in the hope it will protect people who otherwise cannot have, or are hesitant about, another type.