The Spit: Main Beach residents sound alarm on safety concerns
The once pristine northern end of Main Beach has been dramatically transformed – plagued by illegal encampments and growing safety concerns, with calls for urgent action.
What’s happened to the north end of Main Beach?
The once tranquil area that for years has been a haven to many has become an absolute eyesore – and not to mention the stink.
From Hollindale Park north the area has become a contrast of multimillion-dollar developments juxtaposed with makeshift shelters, temporary fencing and illegal encampments.
The once luxe Golden Door Day Spa and Health Club is now a desolate hole.
A rotting shell boarded up in places.
Covered in graffiti, broken glass and green sludge.
A far cry from its glory days.
Right opposite you have the $300m Mantaray development – 24 “ultra-luxury” three and four-bedroom residences.
Sources claim the penthouse sold for $28m.
Phillip Park carpark is closed off along with the coastal path from the Sheraton Grand Mirage. Temporary fencing erected as upgrades take place.
Multiple people claim they no longer feel safe walking the 3.5km community-operated Federation Walk.
The dynamic ecosystem from Philip Park carpark to the Gold Coast Seaway is a home to native wildlife.
Now it’s also home to illegal campers, with one setting up a carport for their 2016 Holden Captiva in the nature corridor.
One local resident who asked not to be named said despite multiple reports to police and city council, the encampment and its 1.8m gas burner remains, along with multiple others.
It’s still there after a fire tore through the area earlier this month.
The resident said the car had been parked on the beach, south of the five star Sheraton Grand Mirage hotel.
“This guy has literally parked on the beach – it’s two big camps, with two large tents, and then he’s got his 2016 Holden Captiva parked there,” she said.
“He had to have driven through the conservation area to get there, across multiple footpaths during school holidays to get to that specific spot – these people have taken a vehicle through a reserve where children are playing.”
The concerned mother-of-two said she felt “defeated” having lodged multiple complaints and reports – but the matter only gets worse.
“I won’t bring my kids down here,” she said.
“I had two men run circles around me. These people get moved on then pop up 50m away.
“I know there is a Human Rights Act – but when does the safety of others become important too?”
A Budds Beach resident claimed she copped a tirade of abuse from the same illegal campers when trying to access a nearby path.
“A friend and I walked up near the camp to get back on the track from the beach and could see the car – every time I’ve walked past they’ve added more and more stuff,” she said.
“She was going off her brain just yelling and yelling at us. My friend warned me not to look back as a woman was coming over, and we quickly walked in the opposite direction. I fear she was coming over to assault us.”
The local said she was gobsmacked having witnessed on another occasion a man and woman completely naked along Federation Walk.
“Imagine if a kid took that footpath,” she said.
“I thought wow – they were just out in the open, in the bush, not a camp, completely nude looking like they were about to do something. I quickly turned and got out of there.”
The property owner, like many others, said she was fed up.
“I bumped into a guy on Monday who started telling me there were 158 homeless camping across The Spit,” she said.
“He told us he’s got them out washing cars for cash, said one guy made $600 in a day. I’m not sure if he was also homeless, but the next day I saw two homeless guys advertising car washes down there from $40.”
She said she’s seen dozens of people illegally camping in the area, an entire community with solar lighting up paths at night.
“I’m not happy,” she said.
“I own my unit, we’re paying rates, we pay taxes. We’ve spoken with council workers down there who said they found syringes countless times, but they can’t do much.
“Most of them will be on Centrelink – they can afford to stay caravan parks and there’s plenty of them around here.”
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