As temperatures soar across the country, Aussies are heading to our nation’s coastlines in droves to cool off. But a debate erupted when one Aussie turned up to a popular 4WD spot to discover their local council had increased the fee to access the beach.
“Have a look at this guys,” the beachgoer said in a video posted online, panning his camera to a sign stating it’s $12 to purchase a “day permit” to access Aldinga Beach in South Australia.
“These guys have jacked it up,” he said, pointing to a group of volunteers collecting funds from drivers, adding that the cost of living is taking away the right to “come down and enjoy” the beach.
City of Onkaparinga council confirmed to Yahoo News Australia earlier this year the fee rose from $8 and it projects $375,000 will be collected over the upcoming summer from Aldinga, Moana, Sellicks and Silver Sands beaches.
The fee will be collected by a not-for-profit volunteer group who will receive a third of the total amount, and the rest will go towards maintaining the environment and keeping the area safe. Last summer the volunteer group claimed 50 per cent of the amount collected, the Advertiser reported.
Residents have erupted over a fee to access popular Aussie 4WD beaches in South Australia including Sellicks Beach. Source: Facebook/The Advertiser
While residents who live in the local area are exempt from paying the fee, many argue that “no one owns” beaches, and they should be free to access.
“No one should pay,” one Aussie said in response to the man’s video shared online while others questioned why anyone would want to take their car onto the beach anyway.
Others pointed out that the fee pays to “clean and maintain the beach and ramp and carpark”
Council uses fee to ‘maintain foreshore’
Despite the backlash to the fee increase, which was last raised in 2019, council has defended itsright to take a fee from beachgoers.
“The current fee reflects increasing costs to maintain our foreshore environment and manage safe use where vehicles are permitted,” City of Onkaparinga Council previously told Yahoo News.
Council said vehicle access has been regulated on parts of its foreshore since 1975, including imposing conditions such as setting vehicle speed limits on entrance ramps and on the foreshore. It also regulates access hours and exclusion areas over or along any sand dunes.
Drivers with a current Onkaparinga council vehicle beach access permit are exempt from paying the fee but those who travel on the beach without a pass will cop a $187 penalty.
Volunteer groups will collect the $12 fee from motorists hoping to access the beach. Source: Facebook
Bad behaviour on 4WD beaches costs environment
The fee rise comes as drivers travelling along Aussie coastlines in 4WDs are being called out for the “tremendous damage” their reckless behaviour is inflicting on wildlife.
4WDs travelling along the Cooloola Coast in Queensland — a 100km stretch of sand that’s home to a number of popular camping grounds — are putting endangered species of turtles at risk after driving over dunes used for nesting.
“It happens every night,” Jan Waters from Cooloola Coast Turtle Care recently told Yahoo News. “It’s generally young, inexperienced drivers who don’t stick to low-tide driving, so they retreat up in the dunes to drive home but they don’t realise the damage they’re doing.
Drivers along South Australia’s beaches have caused “years” worth of damage by driving along dunes.
“We witnessed a number of 4WDs reversing up to the water’s edge and then charging at the sand dunes trying to get up on top of the dunes,” Mr Parkes told Yahoo in 2022. “It’s shocking. The damage they’ve done is absolutely amazing.”
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