Secret doof doof parties take off at The Spit threatening rainforest irrigation

Doof doof parties are taking off at The Spit with residents furious about new irrigation pipes being vandalised as part of a $35 million-plus restoration project.

‘Doof doof’ dance parties are taking off at The Spit with residents furious about new irrigation pipes being vandalised as part of a $35 million-plus restoration project.

The Bulletin only last month detailed how work is about to be ramped up on the Federation Walk project at The Spit, with an update to councillors showing how 9000 plants will be added in the next two years.

About 30 hectares of irrigation lines and sprinklers have been added to the protected environmental park, which earlier this month was invaded by hundreds of music fans attending an illegal strobe lighting show off SeaWorld Drive.

Federation work leader Lyn Wright has emailed area councillor Darren Taylor and local police, and provided them with photographs of the location of the party.

“These pics show where the DOOF was, this (wooden) structure, of sorts, has been on site for a while and was the site of the party on Saturday night, among the irrigation stands.

Structures left in place, and an irrigation pipe (bottom left) after a doof doof party at The Spit on the Gold Coast.

“Apparently more than 250 attended – QPS and council were contacted and did not attend. Security stayed on site and left at 5am,” Ms Wright wrote.

The irrigation system has been built to help create a rainforest which the City hopes will fireproof an area prone to bushfires after previous big party events.

Ms Wright told the Bulletin she understood Mr Taylor would be investigating the latest incident and had agreed to a meeting of stakeholders.

Save Our Spit group members are furious about the spate of recent parties, aware the reserve was zoned under the Queensland Lands Act for “Environment, Beach Preservation and Coastal Conservation” given it was home to protected and threatened vegetation and wildlife species.

The location (shaded in blue) where the doof doof party took place at The Spit off SeaWorld Drive in an irrigation area that is part of Federation Walk.

“What it needs is enforcement of the law to be on site,” Ms Wright said.

“It’s a disgrace to think the council funds this irrigation and there is no deterrent. They are right in the middle of the irrigation system. The pathway to the party had the irrigation stands.”

Mr Taylor when asked about improving security and CCTV cameras said it was obvious council did not have officers patrolling in the early hours of morning at The Spit.

“CCTV is part of whole city plan of ensuring safety. The Spit is an area where obviously of a night we don’t have any people down there,” he said.

“These doof doof parties as we call them, are actually planned without anyone knowing. They are online. So it’s not an exact science, to have someone waiting for these people to come along.”

Lyn Wright, the founder and president of friends of Federation Walk, wants an end to doof doof parties at The Spit. Picture Glenn Hampson.

Mr Taylor urged residents to report the party and if they see criminal behaviour contact police.

“So if anyone is aware of them being organised be proactive and let us know. At the same time, if we do see ramping up, which there seems to be at the moment, we can begin targeting those areas,” he said.

Federation Walk along with Save Our Spit in late 2022 asked authorities to “hose down” the parties after plants were trampled by drunken youths.

Video obtained by the Bulletin showed strobe lights in the Spit’s northern area. A van was photographed in daylight dropping music equipment opposite Sea World.

Area councillor Darren Taylor is talking to residents about a doof doof party at The Spit. Their fears are it will wreck irrigation pipes to build a rainforest which can fire proof Federation Walk.

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

“It’s halfway into the reserve. It’s so professional. They sell alcohol, it’s already to go. They have someone who cleans up after them. There’s no residue left. It can start 11pm and go to morning,” the resident said.

Follow @PaulWestonGC 

 

Originally published as Secret doof doof parties take off at The Spit threatening rainforest irrigation