The Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) has issued 20 penalty infringement notices (PINs) to campers at Teewah as part of a compliance blitz.
Compliance Manager for the QPWS, Mike Devery said officers were confronted by unlawful campfires, people not wearing seatbelts when driving on the beach and others camping without permits.
“It was disappointing to see prohibited campfires at three camping areas over the weekend, which is thoughtless behaviour,” Mr Devery said.
“The week before, a prohibited campfire at Teewah almost escaped into the dunes and it had to be extinguished by other campers, QPWS rangers and the Teewah Rural Fire Service,” he said.
Mr Devery said despite campfires being banned at Teewah for almost a year, every weekend rangers were handing out PINs to people who lit campfires.
“I believe people know the rules and are choosing to ignore them, because the campers had attempted to conceal the fires by strategic placement of vehicles and tents, or by placing the fires at the back of the dunes,” he said.
“Obviously it is difficult to conceal a campfire at night.
“They’re banned for safety and environmental reasons and anyone who lights a prohibited campfire is risking a fine.”
Mr Devery said officers spotted a campfire at another part of the beach and upon their arrival, several people fled into the bush, but were identified during another visit the following morning.
“These campers had set up in a ‘no camping’ area, they had lit a prohibited campfire, none of them had a camping permit and they were too intoxicated for us to move them on,” he said.
“The group were issued PINs for failing to obtain a camping permit and we directed them to leave once it was safe to do so in the morning,” Mr Devery said.
