Police prepare for visitor influx on Brisbane beaches

If you’re planning to take advantage of easing COVID-19 restrictions to have fish and chips on the beach this weekend, expect to do so under the eagle eyes of local police.

People exercising along the Sandgate foreshore. Picture: Renae Droop

POLICE are preparing for an influx of visitors to city beaches this weekend due to easing COVID-19 restrictions.

From Saturday, Queenslanders will be able to return to the foreshore for a picnic, to eat fish and chips, sunbathe and go boating for pleasure, all while social distancing.

And they are able to travel there from 50km away.

People exercising along the foreshore off Flinders Pde, Sandgate on April 15. Picture; Renae Droop

At Sandgate in Brisbane North, that means people can travel from as far as Donnybrook in the north, past Mt Glorious (west) and from Hillcrest, just past Browns Plains (south).

At Manly on the southside, people can travel from near Burpengary (north), from Anstead (west) and Kinsgholme, just past Ormeau (south)

Sandgate Police officer in charge Senior Sergeant Jon Kent said they were expecting a lot of people from outside Sandgate to visit the foreshore.

“We’ve seen large numbers in the last couple of weeks but most people have been doing the right thing,” Sen-Sgt Kent said.

“With lighter restrictions and people being allowed to stay in one place we’ll still be concentrating on people maintaining that social distance and not gathering in large numbers with people not from their household.

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“No doubt we will see people from outside Sandgate attending our area (this weekend) so that’s something that will obviously increase numbers and really we’re mainly looking at people doing the right thing in relation to social distancing.”

Walkers, runners and cyclists have also been flooding the Esplanade at Wynnum, Manly and Lota in Brisbane South, even after ALP Councillor (Wynnum Manly) Peter Cumming recently called the strip “Queen St” and urged residents to exercise at other locations.

Wynnum Police officer in charge Senior Sergeant Wayne Richter said he thanked locals for their co-operation with the social distancing restrictions.

“During patrols over the weekend we noticed that while public areas were very congested with people walking and exercising, particularly the Wynnum Manly esplanade, the majority of people were still abiding by the social distancing restrictions with very few complaints received,” Sen-Sgt Richter said.

Senior Sergeant Wayne Richter, officer in charge at Wynnum Police Station. Picture: AAP/Renae Droop

Sen-Sgt Kent said police patrols had increased in the past couple months “so in relation to the foreshore it will be business as usual”.

“We have spoken to a lot of people and asked a lot of people to move on and most have been more than happy to do that, which is great to see.

“That’s probably why we don’t expect many issues this weekend.”

Sen-Sgt Kent said he was also expecting people to continue to do the right thing offshore.

“I spoke to the officer in charge of Brisbane Water Police. They were doing patrols on the Easter weekend but … in relation to coronavirus … they are finding people are doing the right thing while fishing.”

People exercising along the foreshore at Shorncliffe on April 15. Picture: Renae Droop

Sen-Sgt Kent said they hadn’t issued any COVID-19 fines along the Sandgate foreshore.

“The government’s message has always been around compliance with a bit of compassion,” he said.

“I really encourage my staff to talk to people and I really prefer that people are educated about what they can and can’t do and asked to move on.

“We’ve been very fortunate with the local community that we haven’t needed to take that next step and issue tickets.”