Dane Terare: Bodalla man’s meth-filled motel room unearthed by police

A Bodalla local’s meth-filled motel room has been unearthed by police responding to calls saying the man was unlawfully bunking in a room.

The Beach Drive Motel. Picture: Tom McGann

A Bodalla local’s meth-filled motel room has been unearthed by police responding to calls saying the man was unlawfully bunking at the coastal tourist accommodation.

Dane Terare, 43, was set for a hearing in the Batemans Bay Local Court on Thursday, before a last-minute plea change following negotiations with the prosecution.

The change saw two of the Bodalla man’s charges – supplying a prohibited drug and dealing with the proceeds of crime – dropped, leaving him pleading guilty to entering enclosed land without lawful excuse, possessing a drug and possessing a prohibited drug.

Documents tendered to the court reveal police visited the Beach Drive Motel in Batemans Bay at 6.50am on March 19, 2024, after a call from the managing director claiming Terare was bunking in a room despite being banned since October, 2023.

The 43-year-old man was removed before police began searching the motel room, finding a number of clear bags holding methamphetamine stuffed in various locations.

Dane Terare faced the Batemans Bay Local Court on Thursday. Picture: Facebook.

Agreed facts state one bag, containing 3.4g of the drug, was found hidden under a pile of clothes on the bed, while another bag, containing 24.9g, was found hidden behind a cigarette box on the bed head.

Police also found various drug paraphernalia scattered among the room, including empty satchel packets, some with an amount of residue, syringes and ice pipes.

Dane Terare appeared in the Batemans Bay Local Court on Thursday. Picture: Nathan Schmidt

Terare was taken to the Batemans Bay Police Station where he was refused bail and charged.

By the time the Bodalla man faced Batemans Bay Local Court on Thursday, he had been in custody for six months – a fact his lawyer, Daniel Turner, asked Magistrate Doug Dick to consider when sentencing.

Mr Turner also asked the court to consider his client’s history of rehabilitation.

However, Mr Dick said the “large amount” of methamphetamine found in Terare’s possession was serious, noting a full time fixed jail sentence was the only appropriate punishment.

Dane Terare was banned from the Beach Drive Motel. Picture: Facebook

Mr Dick did note the term would be six months and backdated to Terare’s arrest – meaning he had already served the custodial sentence as of September 19.

“That sentence is now concluded, but there are other punishments we will need to impose,” Mr Dick said.

Terare was also convicted and fined a total of $1000. He remains banned from the Beach Drive Motel.

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