Unlawful offroad driving damages protected area

Issued: 18 Oct 2023

Four people who unlawfully entered the Bowling Green Bay National Park and became bogged and left scars on the saltpans have been fined for driving off an approved road or track.

Recently, concerned members of the public provided information to the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) about abandoned and bogged cars in the national park.

Conservation Officer Craig Dunk said the QPWS investigation identified the four drivers, and they were issued with $287 Penalty Infringement Notices (PINs).

“During our investigation, we found a sedan accessed the national park saltpans and became bogged, and the driver called a family member for assistance,” Mr Dunk said.

“Unfortunately, the driver of the rescue four-wheel-drive became bogged, and that person had to call a friend for assistance.

“The driver of the second rescue four-wheel-drive was able to provide assistance, and free the sedan and the first rescue vehicle.

“But in doing so, the driver of the second rescue four-wheel-drive became bogged to the axels, and the vehicle could not be moved.

“The driver had to abandon his vehicle on the saltpan, walk out and he then attempted to engage a towing service to retrieve his vehicle.

“When the towing service arrived, their vehicle also began to sink as it was too heavy for the saltpan.

“Rangers were on-scene at that point, and advised the towing company that they could not access the saltpan to retrieve the vehicle without an approval, and they had to leave.”

Mr Dunk said it is unlawful for people to drive vehicles or ride motorbikes off approved roads and tracks in Queensland’s national parks, and the owner of the bogged vehicle and the towing company had to apply for an approval to retrieve it.

“The approvals issued included conditions to manage the recovery activity and required them to fill in the holes and remove all waste such as tyres, broken snatch straps and litter or other waste that had been bought into the park,” he said.

“Saltpans may look devoid of marine plants, but they are a fragile environment that can take years to recover if people damage them by hooning and by getting bogged.

“QPWS rangers do not tolerate people who illegally access our protected areas and treat them like their own backyard, and we make no apologies for handing out fines.

“The safety of our staff and visitors to our national parks is our number one priority, and we don’t want serious injuries or fatalities caused by hooning or by rollovers.

“Not only do people risk a fine, injury or death by illegally accessing our national parks and hooning, they are also putting their vehicles and other possessions at risk.

“Earlier this year, a man who was forced to abandon his vehicle in the Pinnacles Reserve lost around $4,000 of equipment to thieves.

The maximum penalty for driving a vehicle off approved roads or tracks under section 127 of the Nature Conservation (Protected Areas Management) Regulation 2017 is up to $3,096.