REMEMBER WHEN

GOLD COAST BULLETIN Thursday July 18, 1985

FORRESTRY officers seized 18 trail bikes when they set up a cunning trap to catch riders in the State Forest.

The bike riders had painted arrows on trees to mark out a race circuit but the officers changed the arrows to lead the off-road races into an ambush.

The bikes were released after a first warning but the officers said future offenders risked fines higher than those for drink driving. All the riders were adults with high-powered mostly unregistered bikes.

The blitz over the previous two weekends signalled a major crackdown on abuse of the 1700ha forest on the edge of Nerang.

The problems included:

• Rubbish dumping

• Shooting

• Car stripping and dumping.

• Drinking parties.

• Stealing wood and trail and four-wheel drive vehicles.

As well as the round-up of trail bike riders, the State Forestry department announced the forest was to be cleaned up and strictly controlled.

Among the officers involved in the crackdown was Forest Ranger Mike Devery who was pictured by the Bulletin with one of the trial riders’ signs in the Nerang State Forrest.

The news came as political tense times continued between Mayor Denis Pie and his councillors. The fury was linked to Alderman Keith Thompson releasing confidential budget documents in a public meeting which revealed the size of the rates rise would be significantly larger than expected.

The row culminated with Ald Thompson declared a “hypocrite” by Ald Pie over the matter, with the budget boss sacked from his position.