Sticky situation for beach drivers

A SECTION of sand at Rainbow Beach covered in semi-submerged trees is damaging unlucky 4WD enthusiasts vehicles.

One unlucky driver failed to negotiate the sticks at Double Island Point leaving a permanent reminder for other beach users.

THE notorious Mudlo Rocks on Rainbow Beach have been pretty tame this summer with plenty of sand making the journey relatively safe for 4WD enthusiasts but further down the beach on the way to Double Island Point there’s an obstacle causing problems for beach drivers.

A 300 to 400 metre section of beach covered in semi-submerged trees, nicknamed “The Sticks”, is starting to claim its fair share of unlucky beach drivers and some concerned Rainbow Beach locals think the authorities should do something about it.

The Sticks are only able to be negotiated safely an hour either side of low tide and even then drivers need to be careful.

This has limited the amount of tourists able to gain access to Rainbow Beach along the beach during the peak holiday time and increased traffic on the one lane inland Fresh Water track.

Rainbow Beach identity and business woman Ruth Modin said she thought the time had come for a track to be cut through the sticks to make beach travel safer.

“I can understand why they leave the sticks there to stabilise the sand dunes,” Mrs Modin said.

“But surely to goodness after this amount of time, they could remove some of them to make travel less dangerous.

“The beach has been stabilised for a year.”

Mrs Modin said because the beach was cut off more people were using the Freshwater Track which is maintained with tax payer’s money.

“Mother nature grades the beach every day for free,” she said.

Department of Environment and Resource Management (DERM) acting regional manager of the Great Sandy, Angelika Hesse said the area was an erosion-prone zone and the removal of trees that stabilise the dune face would create further erosion.

“DERM rangers undertake pruning of the dead tree limbs at times, to enable reasonable access both for management purposes and the public,” Ms Hesse said.

“The dead trees on the beach at Double Island Point are within the boundaries of the Great Sandy Marine Park.

“Any proposed works to be undertaken within that area will require a formal permit application under the Marine Parks legislation.”

Ms Hesse said the beach within the intertidal zone is managed as a main public thoroughfare and all Queensland’s traffic legislation applies.

“The Queensland Police enforce traffic regulations in the same manner as they do on other public roads,” Ms Hesse said.

“The Gympie Regional Council is responsible for management of the beach below the high water mark.”

She said The Great Sandy Marine Park boundary started from the Highest Astronomical Tide (HAT) mark, while The Great Sandy National Park boundary extends to the same high water mark.

Ms Hesse said it was illegal for people to try and remove trees on the beach without a permit.

“It is an offence under the Marine Park Regulation 2006 and carries a maximum penalty of 165 penalty units (currently $16,500),” she said.

Originally published as Sticky situation for beach drivers