Labrador tinnies: Residents to petition Gold Coast City Council to stop removal of boats from foreshore

“It’s incredible the amount of support these boats have in the community.”

LABRADOR locals are making a last-ditch effort to save the “iconic” tinnies that have lined the foreshore for almost 100 years.

Boaties have until tomorrow to remove their vessels or they’ll be impounded by council officers after a complaint to the Gold Coast City Council.

Tinnie owner Wayne Hayes is spearheading a campaign to ensure the boats stay, and he has the backing and support of Sam O’Connor, the State Member for Bonney.

Mr Hayes will be at the foreshore today collecting signatures, after getting 50 in one hour yesterday afternoon, with hand sanitiser and social distancing restrictions in place.

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Labrador tinnie owner Wayne Hayes is fighting a council decision to evict the “iconic” boats on the foreshore. Picture: Tertius Pickard

Mr Hayes said the boats along the foreshore adjoining Len Fox Park were as much a part of the local amenity as Charis Seafood.

“They are used by local residents for fishing and crabbing, some are used as tenders for moored yacht and houseboats. It’s incredible the amount of support these boats have in the community.”

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Mr Hayes said the council was out of touch with what the majority of the Labrador community wanted and before kicking out the boats it should have consulted with locals to find a solution. “Boats have been stored here for many years. A solution would be for a dedicated storage area that can be regulated and monitored by council, with a permit system put in place.”

Bonney MP Sam O’Connor is helping Labrador locals get signatures on a petition to ensure tinnies on the foreshore be allowed to remain. Picture: Tertius Pickard

Mr O’Conner said most of the boat owners lived in small units and had nowhere to store the tinnies.

“I get that they’re non-compliant with local laws but with such a long history it’s unfair of council to give them just two weeks to be removed. They’ve apparently not been allowed to be there for decades. Why is this happening now?”

Robert Dalton said his family have lived adjacent to the Broadwater since 1928. His 92-year-old mother still lives in the family home built in 1956.

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“Small vessels have been part of the landscape for decades. I question why the council has not mitigated the risk for the past 80-plus years. Why have they given vessel owners only two weeks and why have they only targeted Labrador?”

Speaking as the chairman of council’s lifestyle and community, responsible for local law, Division 11 councillor Hermann Vorrster said the “neighbourhood” had complained about the 50 boats.

Councillor Hermann Vorster. Picture: Jerad Williams

“If there are risks to natural areas, if there are risks to pedestrian safety … we’re forced to act,” he said.

Cr Vorster said many of the boats were interfering with the regeneration of sand dunes and putting public and private property at risk. “The health of our dunes are quite important to our city and at the moment I don’t see any way of allowing people to drag boats across the sand dunes without doing damage to them. We are not the fun police, we’re not here to rock the boat but if there are legitimate complaints, and if there are risks to safety, we’ve got to respond.”

MP Sam O'Conner, left, and local resident Wayne Hayes, right – with Labrador residents who support tinnies being located along the foreshore. Picture: Tertius Pickard

A council spokesperson said: “The boats are causing pedestrian and safety hazards and also interfering with the natural regeneration of the area. Leaving boats on public foreshores in such a manner represents an offence under Local Law No. 9 (Parks and Reserves) 2008.”