‘Death was inevitable’: Teens play ‘big game of chicken’ on Noosa bridge

A Brisbane man who died after jumping off a Noosa bridge in a horrible misadventure has sparked serious concern as locals claim they’ve been warning police and council of the dangers for years.

Council and Police respond to Noosa Bridge death, Noosa locals claim teens play chicken, young adults party on deadly bridge. Picture - file.

A Brisbane man who died after jumping off a Noosa bridge in a horrible misadventure has sparked serious concern as locals claim they’ve been warning police and council of the dangers of the bridge for years.

A Queensland Police Service spokeswoman said they received a report at 1am Sunday a male in his early 30s had jumped off Noosa Sound Bridge on Noosa Pde and had not resurfaced. His body was found by 6am.

It is understood the man, who was a UK citizen residing in Brisbane, was one of several who were jumping from the bridge while others looked on.

He had jumped once and returned to the bridge to jump again, but slipped as he stepped over the railing and hit his head on the way down.

Flowers left at Noosa Bridge. Picture – Jorina Maureschat.

Noosa Officer in Charge Ryan Hanlon said police were awaiting a toxicology report.

“Two other people were with the Brisbane man during the incident and police are investigating whether alcohol was involved,” he said.

“Police do not have any concerns regarding the safety of the bridge itself but the safety of the people using the bridge (unsafely).

“People jump frequently but don’t report accidents to police when they occur.

“When people are spotted jumping off a bridge they are told to stop and asked to move along.”

A single bouquet of flowers was left at the scene of the man’s tragic death.

Noosa Council CEO Larry Sengstock has offered his heartfelt condolences to the man’s family.

“Our thoughts are with his loved ones during this difficult time,” he said.

Mr Sengstock said the incident is a tragic reminder about the dangers of bridge jumping.

No jumping sign at Noosa Sound Bridge. Picture – Jorina Maureschat.

A Noosa holiday home owner of more than 20 years wrote to Mr Sengstock late last year and early this year warning him of the dangers of the notorious bridge.

Mark Moriarty, who owned a block of four holiday homes adjacent the Noosa bridge, said council was partly responsible for the death.

He said him and other local holiday-home-owners had witnessed eshay activity at the bridge, young adults in their twenties partying and swimming there into the early hours of the morning, as well as teens playing chicken with boats running under the bridge, breaking bones and dumping trolleys off the bridge to create ‘traps’ for those diving in.

Cameron McDonald, another Noosa holiday-home-owner near the deadly bridge, said it was extremely dangerous.

“It’s only a matter of time before someone else is killed,” he said.

“I saw a teen jump off the bridge and break both his ankles landing on a trolley (hidden under the water by eshays). It was horrible.

“The latest trend is the teenage eshays will drop down and try to land in the water as close to boats as possible to splash them. It’s a big game of chicken for them.

Locals digging trolleys out of Noosa river. Picture – contributed.

“A teen jumped right in front of my jetski once. I had to quickly put it in reverse so not to run them over.

“Every night and into the early hours of the morning you can hear yelling and swearing from the older ones kicking on and partying there.

“If this continues they’re going to die. We will lose more lives.”

Both men said they were seriously concerned by the landscape of partying culture at the Noosa bridge – and what he claimed was a lack of response by council and police.

“We saw this coming,” Mr McDonald said.

“Someone would inevitably be seriously injured or die.

“Sometimes there’s up to 60 teens on that bridge at a time,” Mr Moriarty said.

Claims were made of the eshay teens breaking into holiday homes, using pools, and flashing and intimidating elderly tenants.

“They’re doing it all – vaping, drinking, polluting, intimidating ladies and young girls, submerging trolleys, yelling, swearing, playing chicken,” Mr McDonald said.

“What will they do next?”

Noosa Sound Bridge. Picture – Jorina Maureschat.

Both men have contacted police, Noosa Council, and Coles regarding the trolleys, constant partying, and anti-social behaviour – however claim no action was taken.

“I have a 16-year-old daughter who doesn’t feel comfortable going to the Noosa River by herself when we’re on holiday now,” Mr McDonald said.

“It’s gotten much worse in the past 12 months.

“It’s out of control and now people are dying.

“Yes they have been jumping off that bridge forever but it’s not worth it anymore. They all think it’s deep and safe but it’s clearly not.”

Mr Moriarty said local police do monitor the bridge occasionally.

“Whenever we go to them they say ‘talk to council it’s their bridge’ and there is nothing we can do about it,” he said.

“But then council will turn us away saying to ‘talk to police they’re the ones responsible for managing people’s behaviour’.

“I told them somebody would die and when they did it would be on them.”

The matter remains under coronial investigation.

Originally published as ‘Death was inevitable’: Teens play ‘big game of chicken’ on Noosa bridge