‘Some of these kids could kill themselves’, says Wonga Beach park owner

WONGA BEACH

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Local law officers from Douglas Shire Council investigating illegal tree-cutting at Wonga Beach. IMAGE: Supplied.

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A WONGA Beach business owner is bracing for a fatality as a group of youths continue to run rampant in the area.

Pinnacle Village Holiday Park owner Darryl Tenni believes it’s only a matter of time before tragedy occurs due to reckless and unlicensed trail and quad bike riding.

He said he would be reporting an incident today that saw a motorcyclist crash after ‘tearing’ through his caravan park at 80km an hour.

It comes a week after police began daily patrols of Wonga Beach following reports of intimidating behavior in the area.

“He came through full noise on a trail bike,” Tenni said.

“Some of these kids could kill themselves, they’re not wearing helmets or boots. There is going to be a fatality and that’s what we want to avoid.”

Tenni said they were tarnishing a number of quad bike owners living at his park 'who are pensioners'.

“Unfortunately the people who are doing the right thing are being punished by a handful of people who aren’t,” he said.

“The police have got a hard job on their hands.”

Douglas Shire Council has recently installed security cameras in bushland to monitor illegal activity in the area.

They are also investigating several reports of illegal vegetation clearing at beachfront sites, including tree-cutting on the foreshore at Wonga Beach.

“It’s all linked,” Tenni said.

“People are going up the beach and clearing campsites for themselves. I’d like to see the unlicensed kids on the trail bikes have their bikes taken off them. They are the ones ruining it for everyone.”

Local law officers from Council have recently responded to illegal beach clearing at Wonga Beach, Oak Beach, Newell Beach and Cooya Beach.

Mayor Julia Leu said the bushland formed a natural guard for the coastline and protected against erosion.

“This about reinforcing that it is illegal to damage or interfere with vegetation on Douglas Shire foreshores without approval,” she said.?

“This indiscriminate clearing is really undermining attempts to preserve our pristine coastline.” 

Council encourages anyone who witnesses the destruction of vegetation in public areas or suspects illegal activity has occurred to report it on 4099 9444 or enquiries@douglas.qld.gov.au.

 

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