Lifesavers are warning visitors to a well-known beach to beware of the dangers just beneath the water’s surface.
Patrolling members at Ithaca Caloundra City Life Saving Club have helped dozens of people at the unpatrolled beach at Happy Valley during the school holidays, mainly because they have been cut by sharp rocks.
Club honorary secretary Patricia Barry said the area was alluring but dangerous, particularly after a tidal breakthrough at nearby Bribie Island a year ago.
“Happy Valley is now a lot sandier and there is now a big cove – a bay area,” she said.
“The cove has a lot of rocks in it, which are covered in oysters.
“If you look at the bay from the park at high tide, it looks attractive to paddle in.
“So that area has become packed with thousands of beachgoers during the holidays.
“But some of them are entering the water on to the sharp rocks and really hurting themselves.”
Club members have attended about 30 to 40 incidents every weekend of the holidays, while many injuries have likely gone unreported.
“We’re at our wit’s end, trying to get the message to people that while it looks nice it actually isn’t and they’re going to end up with their legs and feet cut,” Ms Barry said.
“We had one kid that swum over the rocks and cut his chest.”
She said it was difficult for lifesavers, who volunteer on weekends, to help.
“It (the area) is 500m to 700m from our patrolled beach (Bulcock) so it’s a bit of a trek to get there.”
The club has responded to incidents when necessary and has sent roving patrols there.
“A couple of our highly trained first-aid youngsters went there and were abused because of the sharp rocks, and the people said Happy Valley should be patrolled,” Ms Barry said.
“We’ve had to explain that it’s not a patrolled beach because it’s not safe.”
Ms Barry said there was a Sunshine Coast Council sign warning people of slippery rocks, and the club also erected a red flag and a sign saying ‘danger’ and ‘no swimming’.
“We thought that might make people think before they enter the water but it didn’t make any difference,” she said.
“When we attend to them, we ask ‘didn’t you see the flag and the sign?’.
“One person told us they didn’t know what the red flag meant, and others said they thought they could still walk into the bay.”
Ms Barry believed most of the incidents involved holidaymakers.
“Most locals are well aware of the danger in the area,” she said.
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