Trial night-time closure on Moore Park Beach during turtle season

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Council has received requests to close Moore Park Beach to four wheel drive vehicles and motorbikes at night during turtle season.

Reasons detailed in the requests include:

Safety

  • Improve the safety of people accessing the beach at night
  • Reduce risk of marine turtle volunteers, who monitor nesting turtles, nests and hatchlings under the authorisation of Department of Environment and Science (DES), being impacted by vehicles


Environment

Nesting turtles and hatchlings

  • Protection of nesting turtles along this section of coastline
  • Reduce risk of adult turtles and hatchlings being hit by vehicles
  • Reduce situations where hatchlings become stuck in tyre ruts and cannot reach the ocean
  • Remove impact of lights from vehicles that can disturb nesting turtles and disorient hatchlings
  • Reduce noise, light and flash photography disturbance from people seeking out turtles
  • Reduce impact from vehicles that crush nests and hatchlings

Dunes

  • Reduce impact on dunes from vehicles that drive along dunes at high tide


The closure would not limit pedestrian access to the beach and Emergency Services would be able to access the beach.

In order to make an informed decision, Council is conducting a survey to ascertain 4WD and motorbike usage, particularly during turtle season, general beach usage and the community’s views on whether vehicle use of the beach should be restricted to daylight hours during turtle season (1 November to 31 March).

Please fill out the survey, below, and have your say. Paper copies of the survey are available at the Liberty Moore Park Beach Service Station, downloading it here or by emailing engagement@bundaberg.qld.gov.au.

Surveys are to be completed by 5pm Sunday 15th January, 2023.

THE SURVEY IS NOW CLOSED. THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO TOOK PART.


Update - March 2023

The community survey was undertaken for 13 weeks between 12 October 2022 and 15 January 2023.

A total of 775 surveys were received from residents across the Bundaberg LGA, with 53% of respondents living in Moore Park Beach.

Community feedback indicated that 76% of survey respondents were in favour of a night-time closure of vehicle (4WD, motorbike, ATV) access on Moore Park Beach during the turtle nesting season.

Taking into account these survey results, Council will trial a voluntary night-time driving seasonal closure on Moore Park Beach between dusk and dawn, to reduce the potential impacts of vehicles on marine turtles, public safety and environmental values during the next turtle nesting season.

The trial night-time seasonal closure will commence on 1 November 2023 and end on 31 March 2024.

Council currently has no regulatory mechanism to restrict the hours of vehicle access on the currently permitted beach driving areas of Moore Park Beach.

Therefore signs will be erected asking that vehicles do not drive on the beach between dusk and dawn. To support this initiative, educational material such as social media stories, flyers and webpage information will be developed to encourage community understanding and acceptance of the closure.

Council currently has no data on the frequency or volume of 4wd vehicle usage on Moore Park Beach.

The trial closure period is an opportunity for Council and the community to develop a better understanding of the usage, impacts and issues.

The State Coastal Management Plan (Department of Environment and Science 2014) identifies seasonal and night time closures of turtle nesting beaches and regulating beach driving, as suggested management actions to prevent significant adverse impacts on coastal ecosystems.

During the trial closure period Council will monitor beach driving activity and continue to liaise with relevant community groups.

It’s important to remember that when driving on the beach, all relevant Queensland road rules apply. The community should report any unlawful behaviour to the Queensland Police Service.

Council will continue to add progress information relating to the implementation of the trial closure to the Our Bundaberg Region project page.

At the end of the seasonal closure period, a report will be provided back to Council.

You can read the full summary here.


Council has received requests to close Moore Park Beach to four wheel drive vehicles and motorbikes at night during turtle season.

Reasons detailed in the requests include:

Safety

  • Improve the safety of people accessing the beach at night
  • Reduce risk of marine turtle volunteers, who monitor nesting turtles, nests and hatchlings under the authorisation of Department of Environment and Science (DES), being impacted by vehicles


Environment

Nesting turtles and hatchlings

  • Protection of nesting turtles along this section of coastline
  • Reduce risk of adult turtles and hatchlings being hit by vehicles
  • Reduce situations where hatchlings become stuck in tyre ruts and cannot reach the ocean
  • Remove impact of lights from vehicles that can disturb nesting turtles and disorient hatchlings
  • Reduce noise, light and flash photography disturbance from people seeking out turtles
  • Reduce impact from vehicles that crush nests and hatchlings

Dunes

  • Reduce impact on dunes from vehicles that drive along dunes at high tide


The closure would not limit pedestrian access to the beach and Emergency Services would be able to access the beach.

In order to make an informed decision, Council is conducting a survey to ascertain 4WD and motorbike usage, particularly during turtle season, general beach usage and the community’s views on whether vehicle use of the beach should be restricted to daylight hours during turtle season (1 November to 31 March).

Please fill out the survey, below, and have your say. Paper copies of the survey are available at the Liberty Moore Park Beach Service Station, downloading it here or by emailing engagement@bundaberg.qld.gov.au.

Surveys are to be completed by 5pm Sunday 15th January, 2023.

THE SURVEY IS NOW CLOSED. THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO TOOK PART.


Update - March 2023

The community survey was undertaken for 13 weeks between 12 October 2022 and 15 January 2023.

A total of 775 surveys were received from residents across the Bundaberg LGA, with 53% of respondents living in Moore Park Beach.

Community feedback indicated that 76% of survey respondents were in favour of a night-time closure of vehicle (4WD, motorbike, ATV) access on Moore Park Beach during the turtle nesting season.

Taking into account these survey results, Council will trial a voluntary night-time driving seasonal closure on Moore Park Beach between dusk and dawn, to reduce the potential impacts of vehicles on marine turtles, public safety and environmental values during the next turtle nesting season.

The trial night-time seasonal closure will commence on 1 November 2023 and end on 31 March 2024.

Council currently has no regulatory mechanism to restrict the hours of vehicle access on the currently permitted beach driving areas of Moore Park Beach.

Therefore signs will be erected asking that vehicles do not drive on the beach between dusk and dawn. To support this initiative, educational material such as social media stories, flyers and webpage information will be developed to encourage community understanding and acceptance of the closure.

Council currently has no data on the frequency or volume of 4wd vehicle usage on Moore Park Beach.

The trial closure period is an opportunity for Council and the community to develop a better understanding of the usage, impacts and issues.

The State Coastal Management Plan (Department of Environment and Science 2014) identifies seasonal and night time closures of turtle nesting beaches and regulating beach driving, as suggested management actions to prevent significant adverse impacts on coastal ecosystems.

During the trial closure period Council will monitor beach driving activity and continue to liaise with relevant community groups.

It’s important to remember that when driving on the beach, all relevant Queensland road rules apply. The community should report any unlawful behaviour to the Queensland Police Service.

Council will continue to add progress information relating to the implementation of the trial closure to the Our Bundaberg Region project page.

At the end of the seasonal closure period, a report will be provided back to Council.

You can read the full summary here.


  • Update - November 2023 Restricted vehicle access in turtle season trial

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    Restricted vehicle access to Moore Park Beach will be trialled during turtle season, from 1 November 2023 through March 2024.

    The trial, which comes as a result of community requests and consultation, aims to help the Bundaberg Region’s turtle population to continue to grow.

    This closure is for all vehicles, four-wheel drives, motorbikes and ATVs during the night.

    The beach will remain open during the day for four-wheel drive access during the voluntary trial.

    Council made its decision to proceed with the trial after 76% of survey participants supported the dusk to dawn vehicle restrictions during turtle nesting season at Moore Park Beach.

    Divisional representative Cr Jason Bartels said the community had been supportive with the uptake of the trial throughout the consultation period.

    “Essentially this trial is asking the community and beach users to participate in leaving only foot tracks during dusk to dawn,” Cr Bartels said.

    “There is a new sign at the vehicle access entry for both the north and south ends of Moore Park Beach informing the community of the trial restricting vehicle access for the duration of turtle season.

    “During the trial closure period Council will monitor beach driving activity and continue to liaise with relevant community groups.”

    It’s important to remember when driving on the beach all relevant Queensland road rules apply.

    The community should report any unlawful behaviour to the Queensland Police Service.

    Council will provide updates related to the implementation of the trial closure on its project page.


    Read the full Bundaberg Now story here.

  • Bundaberg Four Wheel Drive Club promotes responsible 4WD on beaches to help turtles

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    The Bundaberg Four Wheel Drive Club has been working on a project to promote responsible four wheel driving on beaches where turtles frequent. A grant from the Great Barrier Reef Foundation has allowed the Club to put together some short videos on how the community can look after our endangered turtles, and still enjoy beach camping and four wheel driving.

    The Club have 3 simple tips to help look after nesting turtles and hatchlings on our beaches.

    • Plan your beach driving around the low tides. Travel on the hard packed sand. Staying low is the way to go.
    • Stay off the beach at night during turtle season. Light from vehicles and torches disturb nesting turtles and confuse hatchlings.
    • If you camp near the foreshore, keep your camp lights low, to let the turtles go. At your campsite, use the bare minimum of light needed. Try and set your camp up so the lights are shielded from the beach.


    Read more about the Bundaberg Four Wheel Drive project on Bundaberg Now.


    Watch the Club's video on how we can all help make our beaches safer for marine turtles.


    Find out more about the Bundaberg Four Wheel Drive Club on their Facebook page or via email at info@bundaberg4wdclub.com


    Image from the Bundaberg Four Wheel Drive Club video.

  • Turtle Awareness Videos

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    Watch this short video to find out how you can help keep turtles safe by cutting the glow on our urban beaches.

    Sea Turtle Alliance with funding from the Australian Government have developed two short videos on how you can help our turtles one action at a time.

    If you are a local business, tour operator or venue and would like to display these videos to urge residents and visitors to implement the small changes that can have a real impact on turtle hatchling survival rates follow this link to complete an expression of interest form to register your interest.

Page last updated: 08 Nov 2023, 03:32 PM