Revealed: $8m ratepayer funded rainforest is being trampled by drunks at midnight doof parties

The Spit with its isolated bushland has become a magnet for certain parties. See what it is

The Spit with its isolated bushland has become a magnet for doof parties with drunken dancing youths trampling trees planted as part of an $8 million rainforest attraction.

Federation Walk volunteers who help restore the coastal reserve along with ratepayers are furious calling on the council and police to “hose down” the psychedelic dance fans.

The Bulletin has obtained photographs, video and emails which confirm the first doof party was staged in September last year. Four others have since occurred, the latest only last month.

Video taken by Main Beach residents shows strobe lights in the Spit’s northern section. A van was photographed during daylight dropping music equipment opposite Sea World.

Gold Coast community groups are opposed to doof parties at The Spit. They have supplied photographs of a beach party.

A concerned resident who began investigating the parties at night found their location deep in bushland on the ocean side directly east of Marine Stadium known as “Bum’s Bay”.

“These are Brazilian parties. It’s about halfway into the reserve. It’s so professional. They sell alcohol there, and it’s already to go,” the resident said.

“They have someone who cleans up after them. There’s no residue left. It can start about 11pm and go through to the morning. They get between 30 and 80 people.”

Federation Walk leader Lyn Wright in an email to councillors said a volunteer conducted night patrols and found lighting and music operating from generators.

Community groups on the Gold Coast want a crackdown on doof parties at locations like The Spit. They have provided photographs showing smoke and lights at the night shows.

“The first doof party decimated an area of plantings by NAMU (council’s Natural Areas Management Unit), police were called and attended, no charges were laid even though alcohol was evident — it was thought, a one off party,” Ms Wright wrote.

“Since then, there have been at least four or five doof parties that we are aware of, all in the council installed irrigation project area — police and local law were called and still nothing happened.

“There has been no assistance from police or council to oust these parties, it is not the community’s role to take action but our community volunteer tracked down who was organising them to find out the next planned doof party.

“We should not have been put in a position to do this. These doof parties should have been shut down when they first started.”

The most recent event was on November 25, Ms Wright added.

Residents say this van was leaving equipment for a doof party on The Spit.

“Will council take action to eliminate these illegal doof parties on Federation Walk, perhaps the irrigation system should be put to use as a dampener,” she wrote.

Area councillor Darren Taylor aware of the emails from residents and community groups has spent the past week with officers in talks to determine how to best stop the parties.

Officers have been looking at civic and State laws and responsibility for patrols along with which level of government or authority was responsible for best policing the area.

“City officers investigate any unlawful use of parks and reserves. We are working with police and other agencies to address this matter,” Cr Taylor said.

“My message to the organisers is — show respect to other residents and obtain the right permits.”

The Bulletin on obtaining a doof party file from community groups reached out to an event organiser. Volunteers claim their social media pages show parties on The Spit. The event organiser has yet to respond to make comment.

Speakers and lighting equipment left at Federation Walk at The Spit where doof parties are being staged.

A Save Our Spit spokesperson said doof party promoters should access Doug Jennings Park because it was now the official event space for the Spit.

The spokesperson urged the promoters to pay the user fees to book and use the Park for this event through the proper legal channels and provide acceptable patron safety measures and appropriate toilet amenities.

Federation Walk was a reserve zoned under the Queensland Lands Act for the purposes of “Environment, Beach Preservation and Coastal Conservation” which was home to protected and threatened vegetation and wildlife species, the spokesperson added.

“Federation Walk Coastal Reserve is a totally inappropriate location for such commercial entertainment events apart from the personal safety, bushfire potential and legal issues these doof parties are creating,” the spokesperson said.

A map of Federation Walk at The Spit. The doof parties are being held on the eastern side, directly across from the Marine Stadium.

“Any events that happen in our public spaces in this city must be registered and paid for with the City of Gold Coast, so the question needs to be asked why is the council allowing these illegal parties to happen that are damaging an environmentally protected public space and destroying the work of the local volunteer community group Friends of Federation Walk”