Gold Coast party house busted twice in two nights, revellers fined thousands

A birthday at a Gold Coast Airbnb has turned into an expensive weekend for a group slapped with $2668 in fines each for partying two nights in a row.

A BIRTHDAY at a Gold Coast Airbnb has turned into an expensive weekend for a group slapped with $2668 in fines each for partying two nights in a row.

Police were first called to the Carrara holiday rental at 11.30pm on Friday after a noise complaint and spoke with seven men, in their 20s, celebrating a birthday.

The men, six of whom were from Brisbane, were issued $1334 infringement notices.

Gold Coast Police Chief Superintendent Mark Wheeler said police were called to another noise complaint at the same Fitzwilliam St rental just after midnight yesterday.

Inside partying were 12 men and six women, including the five who had been fined the night before.

Just two of the 18 were from the Gold Coast, with the remaining revellers from Brisbane’s south.

Supt Wheeler said the breaches related to the gathering and not the travel and it was a “very, very expensive weekend” for the group.

“‘It’s a very disappointing exception when you look at how well the rest of the community has observed the rules,” he said.

Chief Superintendent Mark Wheeler said the three parties at the weekend were disappointing. Picture: Jerad Williams

“This was such a blatant breach of those directives that no other action could be taken.”

But it wasn’t the only party foiled by police at the weekend as officers also responded to a noise complaint at Pimpama on Friday night.

Supt Wheeler said a group fled as police arrived but they were able to speak with a 28-year-old man who resided at the property.

“We’ll allege that he told police there was nothing they could do about it, so he was issued a $1334 fine,” he said.

Last week, police again raised concerns about people still holding parties across Queensland.

Supt Wheeler said police would continue to work with the community about social distancing expectations, but these were clear breaches of the health directives.

Police raised concerns about people holding parties on the Gold Coast.

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“I don’t think there’s anyone out there who wouldn’t understand that that’s not acceptable and that’s a clear breach,” he said.

“This is the approach we’ll continue to take. These ones are clear breaches, they are blatant.

“When you look at the number of people on the Gold Coast, the fact that we’ve had three separate incidents over a long weekend, it’s hardly a spike, but it’s still really disappointing because everyone knows the rules.”

Supt Wheeler said with the exception of the parties, the remainder of the Gold Coast was well-behaved in what was the first weekend of relaxed restrictions.

He said the beaches were quieter than expected, although crowds flocked west to the Hinterland. The heavy police presence will continue today.

FINE MESS

FRIDAY

Seven men hit with $1334 fines, partying at Airbnb

1 Gold Coaster

6 from Brisbane’s south

SATURDAY

18 issued with $1334 fines at same Airbnb

12 men

6 women

5 repeat offenders

16 from Brisbane’s south

2 from the Gold Coast