A serene slice of South n coastline transformed into a bustling car park on Day, sparking a debate about whether 4WD’s should be allowed on beaches.
Aldinga Beach, located an hour south of Adelaide, became a hive of activity as hundreds of 4WDs converged on the sandy shoreline on Sunday.
The overwhelming number of cars sparked a debate about whether 4WDs should be allowed on beaches.
‘It’s not even enjoyable with all the people. Can’t wait for holidays to go back so we can enjoy our beaches again,’ one person commented.
‘I couldn’t think of anything worse,’ another added.
‘Beautiful beach turned into a giant ugly car park. Nothing would entice me to spend a day there,’ a third said.
But others said they were happy to see families having fun at the beach.
‘So good to see so many people out enjoying the day,’ one said.
‘As long as everyone cleans up after themselves than it’s a good thing,’ another added.
The South n state government is implementing measures to protect local wildlife and reduce environmental impacts in response to the growing popularity of drive-on beaches.
‘The increased popularity of off-road vehicles has resulted in more of them being driven on South n beaches in recent years,’ it said at the end of last year.
‘Social media sharing of ‘secret spots’ has also resulted in many places becoming so popular that the environment cannot sustain the level of use.
‘As vehicle numbers increase, so too do the negative effects’, such as disruption to wildlife, vegetation damage and weed infestation.
‘There is no intention to ban all vehicles on all South n beaches, but the state government is committed to better managing access to ensure our coastline remains sustainable,’ it said.
The City of Onkaparinga council, which manages Aldinga Beach, has raised the access fee from $8 to $12.
The money will be used for environmental maintenance and enhancing safety in the area.