BILLY’S BEACH FUNK
SURF-LOVING Surfers Paradise identity Billy James used to have popular bar Billy’s Beach House – now he has a beach funk with the famed stretch of sand shut.
“Surfers is 90 per cent tourist, 10 per cent local. Even though put up as one of the bigger beaches, tourists had stopped coming. Surfers is probably the beach where the least people are.”
THE Gold Coast’s peak business group has warned traders near the city’s famed beaches will suffer from the closure of oceanside car parks.
All car parks between Main Beach and The Spit have been blocked off along with closure of the beach at Surfers Paradise, The Spit and Coolangatta.
The beaches were deserted yesterday morning just hours after the closure came into effect, with a handful of people in the water or on the sand.
But the Gold Coast Central Chamber of Commerce president Martin Hall said it would have an added negative impact on beachside businesses doing takeaway drinks and food.
“There’s no easy answer because people have been told to stay home and the way to do that is to close the car parks,” Mr Hall said. “While it is frustrating, it’s a temporary pain and it is for our survival.
“Let’s hope after this weekend we can focus on surviving before things eventually start to reopen.”
Mayor Tom Tate, who initially shut The Spit carpark at the weekend before then bringing in some beach closures and making beachfront parking bays off limits, yesterday said he was pleased with the first day of beach closures.
“The reports I’ve received is that the beach closures are working,” he said. “The message from the authorities is to stay home and stay in your suburb or neighbourhood. If you have to get in the car to reach the beach, it will likely be a waste of your time as the carpark closures announced yesterday are now well under way.
“For those who are able to get to the beach – exercise and then head straight home.”
Gold Coast surfers and beachgoers were in turn targeted south of the border yesterday by NSW police.
Tweed Byron Police District commander Superintendent Dave Roptell warned Queensland surfers if caught at a northern NSW beach, they would cop a fine.
Tweed Shire Council closed beachside car parks a day after Gold Coast, with 22 sites blocked off between Duranbah and Pottsville yesterday.
Tweed Mayor Katie Milne said rangers would patrol the Tweed to discourage people from breaking the rules at the Easter weekend.
Ms Milne said unauthorised cars entering a closed public car park would be fined.
It came as southern Gold Coasters took social distancing matters into their own hands, in a bid to keep their own patch of sand open.
Signs at Palm Beach read: “Sorry but, if you don’t live here don’t surf here. Local 4221 residents or within a 5k radius only, until COVID-19 restrictions are lifted. Locals, if it is crowded please spread out or stagger surf times to enforce social distancing.”