Cooloola Coast residents call for night-time beach driving ban

Calls are being made for night-time driving to be banned at a South East Queensland holiday hotspot which residents say has turned into a “playground” for “d**khead” hoons. POLL

Cooloola Coast residents have called for a night-time driving ban to be trialled on the popular holiday destination that they say has turned into Hoon Highway by “d**khead” motorists.

Community groups at Teewah Beach and Noosa North Shore have spoken out about the procession of motorists flooding the coastal beaches, with late night “bush doofs”, anti-social behaviour and reckless driving habits.

It comes after Livingstone Shire Council voted to trial a three-month driving ban on Farnborough Beach from 8pm-4am in a crackdown on dangerous driving.

No date has been set for the controversial move to prevent night driving on Yeppoon’s most popular beach but it has sparked calls for similar crackdowns at the likes of Teewah Beach and Noosa North Shore.

Noosa North Shore Association president Nick Hluszko called for a similar model to be tried, providing the three-month trial proved successful.

“If that works then why wouldn’t we want to try it? If it leads to more safety then of course we should try it,” Mr Hluszko said.

The wreckage of a 4WD at Teewah Beach in 2020.

Mr Hluszko said the driver behaviours of motorists along the gazetted road was getting worse and during peak times attracted an “insane” amount of people.

He said the beach was plagued by P-platers, and older motorists, in 4WDs running wild.

“I call it random acts of lunacy. For some reason, when they get here they stop wearing seat belts, they crack open a beer and drive, some let their children go behind the wheel,” Mr Hluszko said.

“They see it as a playground and it’s very hard for police to stop them.

“It’s the greatest trend for P-platers to come up with a ute and a tarp and go do doughnuts in the middle of the night.”

Mr Hluszko said there was a serious problem with inexperienced drivers tackling sand for the first time.

The residents acknowledged police were doing their best to curb the dangerous driving behaviours.

Teewah Landowners’ Association Paul Winter said the majority of the problems occurred at the camping zones between Teewah Village and Rainbow Beach, from hooning to late night parties.

Mr Winter said while a night-time ban had merit, he felt the best course of action was to significantly reduce camping numbers.

“It would make a small difference but the biggest help would be to reduce numbers,” Mr Winter said.

Mr Winter has been coming to the region for more than 45 years and has watched the “paradise” turn into anything but.

“There seems to be a total disregard for speed limits,” he said.

“They hit the 50km/h zone and make a point of driving faster. Just to be d**kheads.

“It’s certainly an issue that needs to be looked at.”

Member for Noosa Sandy said the community was sick to death of the minority of drivers tarnishing the holiday hotspot.

“There’s a clear message from the community that this behaviour needs to stop. Whatever it takes to address it,” Ms Bolton said.

“We’ve all had enough and it gives our community a bad name.”