Boardwalk jumpers erode dune

PEDESTRIANS have been asked to stop jumping the fence of the boardwalk that leads over the Mudlo Rocks at Rainbow Beach.

PEDESTRIANS have been asked to stop jumping the fence of the boardwalk that leads over the Mudlo Rocks at Rainbow Beach.

The practice is causing erosion of the dunes and undermining the footings of the boardwalk.

The boardwalk used to lead to a set of aluminium stairs that descended to the beach south of the Mudlo Rocks, but Gympie Regional Council removed them last summer.

Since then, the exit to the boardwalk has been boarded up and walkers have been jumping the fence to reach the beach and adjacent sand dunes resulting in a track up to a metre deep being scoured beside the footings of the board walk.

Pedestrians wanting to head to the beach and coloured sands should head back along the boardwalk to the beach access stairs near the Rainbow Beach Surf Club.

Gympie Regional Mayor Ron Dyne has asked pedestrians to take the long way around to preserve the dunes.

“In this day and age of being environmentally conscientious we shouldn't walk on the dunes.”

Cr Dyne said council took the stairs away after the footings of the steps had been eroded away in large seas and they had trouble re-anchoring them into the sand.

About the same time, council took away a set of old wooden stairs on the northern side of the Mudlo Rocks because of safety concerns.

Gympie Regional Council currently has no plans to replace the stairs near the Mudlo Rocks.

The Gympie Times wants to know what you think.

Should there be more stairs provided to get to the beach at Rainbow or are there enough?

Sends us a letter to the editor to [e-mail] or leave your comments below.

Originally published as Boardwalk jumpers erode dune