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.


  • CLOSED: This survey has concluded.

    Survey on beach usage at Moore Park Beach

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