Peter and Vicky Miles call out Rainbow Beach party litter, unextinguished fire

When a Rainbow Beach couple discovered an unextinguished fire and the dangerous remains of a large beach party, they were “disgusted” and had to act quickly.

The remnants of a Rainbow Beach party, with broken glass and embers, that pose a threat to wildlife and humans.

When a Rainbow Beach couple discovered an unextinguished fire and the dangerous remains of a large beach party, they were “disgusted” and had to act quickly.

Vicky and Peter Miles were walking along the Cooloola Coast beach on Sunday, August 1, when they stumbled upon a fire still burning in the sand, about 150m from the flags to the north of the life saving tower.

“It was extremely dangerous; it had been lit at the base of a large structure created by stacking large pieces of wood,” Mr Miles said.

“The smouldering fire was climbing up the structure with north-easterly winds forecast for the day.”

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Mr Miles said the conditions were “bone dry”, increasing the potential for a widespread bushfire.

“The lifesaver who assisted us to extinguish the fire actually burnt his foot on buried hot embers in the sand; another danger for anyone who investigated the fire,” he said.

“Untended and unauthorised fires threaten the homes and habitats of the area and the safety of the residents and visitors.”

The following weekend, on Saturday, August 7, the couple made another frustrating discovery: the remains of a large beach party, complete with a fire pit and more than 50 empty bottles.

Peter and Vicky Miles of Rainbow Beach made two “disgusting” discoveries in the space of a week and now have a message they want to be shared.

“The remnants of the August 7 beach fire were disgusting, displaying a complete disregard for the environment,” Mr Miles told The Gympie Times.

“While some bottles and cans were scattered in the area, most had been deliberately thrown on to the fire, some smashed and some intact.”

Vicky Miles expressed her anger in a Facebook post, calling the culprits “thoughtless” and said the couple took it upon themselves to clean up all the empty bottles, cans and smashed glass from the site.

“The litter not only spoils the natural beauty of Rainbow Beach, but broken glass and buried embers are a real safety hazard for those who walk along the sand,” Mr Miles said.

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Mr Miles put the behaviour down to a lack of responsibility, and asked the community to start respecting their surroundings.

“In the absence of self responsibility, these people need the voice of responsibility in their ears as closely and often as possible,” he said.

“This requires parents of teenagers to step up and actively parent … and those who enforce the laws and rules to be actively present, to keep less responsible adults on track.”

Mr Miles said the rangers and police officers already on the job were doing it “excellently”, but were too few and far between to cope with the increasing issues of beach parties and hooning on Teewah.

Originally published as Peter and Vicky Miles call out Rainbow Beach party litter, unextinguished fire