‘Please help us’ Teens terrorise veteran respite village

Wild teens are terrorising guests and staff at a holiday respite resort for veterans, widows and their families who claim they are are being assaulted, spat at and forced to hide in their rooms.

Wild teens are terrorising guests at the Bulwarra Seaside Apartments in Terrigal

Wild teens are terrorising guests and staff at a holiday respite resort for veterans, widows and their families who claim they are are being assaulted, spat at and forced to hide in their rooms.

The incidents have been documented in an extraordinary letter to NSW politicians – including Premier Chris Minns – by a retired colonel and Co-Op Board chair, Kim Turner, who has issued an impassioned plea for help.

The teens – some believed to be as young as 10 – are not only terrorising Bulwarra guests and staff, but have been running rampant through the local town of Terrigal, on the Central Coast.

The not-for-profit Bulwarra Seaside Apartments has been in operation for more than 50 years, providing with Legacy affordable holiday accommodation for serving and former members of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) and their families.

Facebook post on the Terrigal Community page warning people of criminal activity from three boys wearing balaclavas. Picture: Facebook

Bulwarra Seaside Apartments in Terrigal has reported teens terrorising their guests. Picture: Facebook

In his letter, Mr Turner, a solicitor who was an active member of the Australian Army Reserve from 1977 to 2021 before taking on roles as the Assistant Inspector General Australian Defence Force (ADF) and Office of the Inspector General ADF between 2018 – 2021 during the Afghanistan Inquiry, wrote how many of the guests were families with young children and others, widows of veterans, “many of whom are now elderly and particularly vulnerable to the unruly behaviour and intimidation we have had to endure this past year”.

He said there had been cancellations of bookings from longstanding guests “because they do not feel safe”.

In an incident in early January 2024 a group of youths threatened, “and one spat at”, a guest who had asked them to leave, only for a guest claiming they were “punched in the head” the following after youths were again asked to leave.

While the claim was disputed by the alleged offender, the teenager was forced to undergo youth justice conferencing.

Further incidents have involved groups of youths threatening Bulwarra managers and their children, throwing furniture into the pool, and on November 27, forcing two frightened elderly guests to “confine themselves in their room” after they again “invaded” the premises.

When the youths saw that the manager was filming them on her phone, they “aggressively grabbed it” in an incident that led to her being “struck in the head” and falling to the ground “screaming”, he wrote.

A post letting people know letterboxes were pulled out and bins tipped over in Terrigal. Picture: Facebook

Facebook post on the Terrigal Community page warning of possible theft of items from the local surf lifesaving club. Picture: facebook

“Our manager suffered bruising and a cut lip; her jaw has been experiencing ongoing pain.”

Newly-installed CCTV, security fencing and gates had failed to stop the incidents, he said.

Mr Turner said he was concerned guests “some of whom are veterans who suffer from PTSD” could resort to taking matters into the their own hands.

“We feel that we are not getting the support we need. We are frustrated and frankly dumbfound by the inability of law enforcement agencies to deal with the situation. They seem powerless to intervene,” he said.

“Please help us. Frankly, we are at a loss to know what else to do. Premier, this is a serious issue. It can’t go on like this.”

Terrigal MP Adam Crouch said the concerns of Mr Turner were reflected across the wider community, with some of the offenders being just 10 years of age.

“I’m deeply concerned. This is not a situation anybody, including veterans, should ever find themselves in,” he said.

Police sources said there had been five incidents recorded at Bulwarra since September last year – two of the incidents involved 13-year-olds and many starting at the pool – with police issuing warnings and informing their parents.

Across Terrigal, there had been 21 reported youth crimes.

More police will be deployed occur over summer to tackle anti-social behaviour.

Police Minister Yasmin Catley said she understood the concerns of the guests “when this kind of incident has happened a number of times”.

“I will note that in every case the police have done everything that police can do,” she said.