Great Barrier Reef Festival 2021: Police arrest 15 people for public nuisance, identifying alcohol as a factor

Police acted swiftly in response to anyone trying to spoil the fun for families at an Airlie Beach festival. See what else kept Whitsunday stations busy this week.

Police said they were busier than usual keeping an eye on crowds at the Great Barrier Reef Festival this year. Picture: File

Whitsunday police were disappointed to make an unusually high number of arrests at the annual Great Barrier Reef Festival in Airlie Beach at the weekend.

Officer In Charge Senior Sergeant Nathan Blain said police arrested 15 people for committing public nuisance during the event, identifying alcohol as a factor in the majority of cases.

“Early on [in the festival] it was very good, with the families, but as the night drew on, we were quite busy with a large influx of people, which is quite unusual for this festival, we don’t normally see that on reef festival weekends,” Snr Sgt Blain said.

“People seem to be preloading a bit before they come into the street,” he said.

An 18-year-old Proserpine man was arrested and charged with common assault and wilful damage on Friday night, August 6.

Police allege he assaulted an 18-year-old woman and damaged a mobile phone at a licensed premises on the main street about 7pm.

Drink-drivers crash car, flip boat

Police charged half a dozen drink-drivers including a 36-year-old Cannonvale man who allegedly had 0.303 blood alcohol concentration on a morning trip to his local bottle shop.

A 40-year-old Cannon Valley man blew 0.179 BAC in a random breath test on Coconut Grove, Airlie Beach, about 1.45am on August 12.

A 23-year-old Kirwan man blew 0.162 BAC after police responded to reports of a single-vehicle crash on Sugarloaf Road, Sugarloaf, about 1am on August 8.

A 36-year-old Cannonvale woman blew 0.144 BAC after police attended an overturned boat off the rocks near VMR Whitsunday’s Cannonvale headquarters about 5.30pm on August 5. The woman, who police allege was in charge of the vessel, did not hold a boat licence.

A 25-year-old Cannonvale woman and a 22-year-old Airlie Beach man will also face court on drink-driving charges later this month after returning readings of 0.122 and 0.144 respectively during the past week.

Police allege someone lit a fire at a toilet block at Mullers Lagoon Bowen about the same time the high school suffered thousands of dollars of damage. Picture: Melanie Costa

School damage linked to toilet fire

Bowen police are investigating a deliberately lit fire at Mullers Lagoon they believe is connected to thousands of dollars of damage to Bowen State High School on the same date.

Acting Officer in Charge Sergeant Ryan Gregory said a juvenile was helping with inquiries into both incidents, which occurred on the afternoon of August 8.

Police allege an offender damaged security cameras, doors, windows and light fittings at the high school. In the same time period, a deliberately lit fire was reported in a toilet block at the lagoon.

Two hospitalised after crash

A 65-year-old Bowen man and a 64-year-old Cannonvale woman were admitted to hospital with lacerations after a crash at the Sinclair Street/George Street, Bowen intersection on August 3. Police issued an infringement notice for failure to give way.

Police caught a high number of drink-drivers in the Whitsundays this week. Picture: File

Daylight robbery

Police are on the hunt for the owner of a LandCruiser allegedly used in a roadside robbery near Cedar Creek Falls at the weekend.

Proserpine’s Officer in Charge Sergeant Mark Flynn said an unknown offender targeted a person on Saltwater Creek Road at Palm Grove about 10.45am on Saturday, August 7, stealing items from the back of a ute.

The victim had parked the ute beside the road about 500 metres from the Cedar Creek Falls turn-off, and walked away seeking mobile phone reception to make a call.

A 400 litre fuel pod and several toolboxes containing oxy and gas fittings were missing from the tray when they returned to the ute.

The victim told police they had seen a maroon Toyota V8 LandCruiser 4WD in the area around the time of the theft, but had not been able to record its registration plate.

Kelsey Creek Road crash

A woman was taken to hospital after a crash on Kelsey Creek Road at the weekend.

Sergeant Flynn said a car coming out of a driveway collided with a car travelling along the road about 8.20am on Saturday, August 7.

Both vehicles’ airbags were deployed.

One driver was taken to hospital with minor injuries and burns to their right hand.

The cause of the crash is under investigation.

Anyone with information is urged to phone Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.