A distressed resident from Evans Head says the behaviour of ‘hoons’ on Airforce Beach is a disaster waiting to happen, and for one couple, the careless driving of 4WD drivers has caused the death of a beloved family pet.
The resident, who asked not to be named for fear of reprisals, sent The Echo footage of vehicles driving fast along the beach and of several cars lining up before racing off together.
‘They hooned onto the beach at 11.07am on Saturday – I didn’t get the number plates,’ said the resident. ‘The leading car had Queensland plates and was a P plater. I didn’t see them return.’
Neighbour’s dog killed
The resident said their neighbour’s dog had been killed the previous Sunday afternoon on the beach after being hit by a speeding 4WD P plater.
‘The dog’s name was Freddy. He was a black and white border collie who loved to run and chase balls.
‘I waved to his owners as they headed onto the beach with their beloved Fred last Sunday afternoon. Then a short time later one of the owners came running up the beach track towards their home saying that a speeding P plater with NSW plates came way too close to them on the beach, that he hit Freddy and that he was dead.
‘The owner got their own vehicle and went onto the beach to get poor deceased Fred and their distraught partner.
‘I saw them again as they returned home with their adored dead family pet. They were beside themselves with the shock of what they’d seen and the very avoidable but devastating outcome.’
Worse at night, weekends and holidays
The resident says they go to the beach every day and see 4X4 drivers speeding every day or two. ‘It’s definitely worse at night time, weekends and holidays.
‘I feel it makes people fearful. The beach is meant to be a place of peace and tranquility, where people should be able to be there safely with family – their children and dogs and horses.’
The resident says that it goes far beyond humans and their pets. ‘It’s also about our poor wildlife and the landscape.’
The resident says they feel that Richmond Valley Council need to step up and be less complacent. ‘There are many other places to go 4WD driving but Airforce Beach shouldn’t be one of them. Many other beaches have managed to close.
Idiots in 4WDs
‘Freddy’s death wouldn’t have happened if idiots in 4WDs weren’t on the beach.
‘As more and more people come to Evans Head, naturally there are more people wanting to enjoy the beach and it’s only a matter of time before it’s a human who gets hit.
‘There are several options that could be considered if RVC choose not to close it. At a minimum installing boom gates and security cameras at the entry and exit points as well as along the beach and up in the dunes – if they fined people, then surely it would cause the culprits to think twice about their poor, and illegal, behaviour.
‘I certainly don’t have all the answers but doing nothing is not the answer.’
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