Calls for action on itinerant drinkers at Mindil Beach

FEARS of drunken abuse and anti-social behaviour at Mindil Beach have prompted calls for action to deal with Darwin’s itinerant problem

Angry Fannie Bay resident Sally Gearin says Mindil Beach has become a "permanent homeless camp" littered with smashed bottles and rubbish. Photograph: Che Chorley

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FEARS of drunken abuse and anti-social behaviour at Mindil Beach have prompted calls for action to deal with Darwin’s itinerant problem.

Fannie Bay resident Sally Gearin said she no longer felt safe walking her dog along Mindil Beach of an evening due to drunken itinerants.

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“I’ve been walking at this beautiful beach for the last 30 plus years but sadly it’s recently become a permanent homeless camp,” Ms Gearin said.

“There are sad, alcohol affected, dysfunctional people sitting near the ablution blocks surrounded by half-eaten food, smashed bottles and single-use plastic garbage.”

It comes after Larrakia Nation recorded a whopping 60 per cent hike in alcohol-related call-outs last month.

Larrakia Nation patrols say Darwin’s itinerant population has spiked in recent months.

Chief Minister Michael Gunner has also acknowledged the problem and said police had seen a “significant increase” in the secondary supply of alcohol recently.

“I talk to police regularly around this, it’s happening in my local area,” he told ABC Darwin yesterday.

Darwin Lord Mayor Kon Vatskalis said the council was being called out daily to pick up large messes around Mindil Beach and East Point.

“We clean the place up every day but it’s trashed again by the morning,” he said.

“The itinerants camping around there don’t give a sh*t about where they are.

“They have no respect for Larrakia country, and I don’t know where they are getting their second supply of alcohol from.”

At Mindil Beach, Ms Gearin said itinerants often hid among the trees overlooking the beach to drink.

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“I’ve seen two taxis drop off some people at Mindil and they unloaded a boot full of alcohol and went drinking,” she said.

Acting Commander Tony Deutrom said Darwin police were reliant on the community to report any secondary supply of booze when they saw it.

“Darwin and Road Policing Command continues to work cohesively with a range of stakeholders, including outreach providers to address alcohol and anti-social behaviour in the Greater Darwin area,” he said.

“Where offences occur police will act.”

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