Aussies are being reminded not to disobey road rules when they descend onto popular four-wheel-drive beaches this festive season. It comes after a popular South Australian beach was left with years of damage after a chaotic Christmas rush which prompted a major rule change last year and has now prompted council to rethink 4WD access.
Every year, visitors descend onto Goolwa Beach, an hour’s drive from Adelaide, to soak up the sun and enjoy time with loved ones on the beach. But irresponsible drivers — including those without 4WD capabilities — put beachgoers at risk and damaged delicate sand dunes.
It prompted the state government to introduce a default speed limit of 40km/h and 25 km/h when passing or within 50 metres of a person on all South Australian beaches. Drivers ignoring road rules by speeding face hefty $5,000 fines as well as risk losing demerit points.
“It’s important to remember that the Australian road rules apply on our beaches so that not only includes abiding by these new speed limits, but wearing seat belts, giving way, driving to the left and adhering to relevant blood alcohol limits,” a Department for Infrastructure and Transport spokesperson told Yahoo.
South Australian police echoed the views of the transport authority, adding that “speeding on beaches is dangerous, reckless and poses a risk to the community as well as causing damage to the environment.
“We ask members of the public to contact the police assistance line on 131 444 if they see any dangerous driving behaviours,” a spokesperson told Yahoo.
Only 4WD vehicles are allowed on Goolwa beach but Christmas festivities in recent years has caused significant damage. Source: ABC
Changes ‘need to be made’ to 4WD beach access
To celebrate the festive period, excited holidaymakers trying to get onto the beach, packed the roads, leading to major traffic jams last year. A minor collision on the access road to the beach on New Year’s Day caused a standstill both on the sand and along the main road entering the beach.
The “huge backlog” sparked concerns the high traffic load would soften the sand and lead to some vehicles getting bogged. As a result heavy machinery was brought in to shift and pack down sand as cars sat idle.
Now, Alexandrina Council has admitted that “changes need to be made” to access the beach.
“Visitors should also be aware that the vehicle access track to the beach is open to 4WDs only and there are no recovery services for bogged vehicles,” Acting Chief Executive Officer Tash Hunt told Yahoo.
“There can be long queues for the beach access track at peak times.
“Despite the warning signage on entry, sometimes motorists without the correct vehicle, equipment or 4WD experience become stuck and block the track entirely, much to the frustration of other users.
Council has spent the past year working with state agencies to come up with “alternative options” to manage vehicle access to the beach.
“These organisations are not a point in our discussions where we can consult with the community about these proposed options, but we all recognise that changes need to be made,” she said.
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