The Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service has closed a park on the northern tip of Bribie Island for public safety.
The Lions Park, opposite Military Jetty at Golden Beach, has copped a battering over the past few weeks as waves driven by Tropical Cyclone Alfred washed over the island.
About 1.5m of sand has been eroded from below a drop toilet, while sand washed across the island has built up under a picnic table and shelter, rendering them unusable.
The Department of Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation has not confirmed if it will remove the park infrastructure, which also includes a water tank.
Although there is said to be little chance of a release from the toilet, waste is being removed from it as a precaution.
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A department spokesperson said rangers were currently assessing the impact on infrastructure.
“The day-use area is in a dynamic natural environment and we will carefully consider any further action we take,” they said.
The state of the park has saddened members of the Lions Club of Caloundra, which established the park and maintained it for years.
Secretary Don McLachlan said the Lions Club came to an arrangement with the then-Landsborough Shire Council to create the park, possibly in the mid-1970s.
Mr McLachlan said the council installed the picnic table frames and upright posts for the shelter while Caloundra Lions members Wally Schwabe and Bob Brebner built the remainder of the tables, the shelter and a cover on a water tank.
Members including Mr McLachlan mowed and maintained the park, which he said was well used by people who would boat or paddle across to the island to have a swim and a picnic lunch or barbecue at the park.
“The main thing that I think is that a lot of people over a long period of time enjoyed its facilities,” he said.
“I would have no idea how many people but from what I’ve heard from others and members of the public that I’ve spoken to over the years, it’s served a lot of people.”
Mr McLachlan said the current state of the park was “very disappointing”.
He said he could remember when there was 30-40m of sand east of the Lions Park rather than waves breaking on the edge and washing through.
“It’s really sad but this is Mother Nature and the proof of the pudding is that you had to walk 30m to get from the park to the eastern edge of the island, when now the water’s right up to the park on the eastern side.
“From what I’ve seen on high tide it’s running over but even on the low tide, while the water wasn’t at the shelter, it was swirling around that toilet.”
Pumicestone Passage Catchment Management Board spokesperson Jen Kettleton-Butler said “Mother Nature’s only been allowed to do half of her job”.
