The men drove over small trees and disturbed culturally significant ground.
Both men pleaded guilty to all charges.
Two men have been fined a total of $15,500 after posting a video of themselves illegally driving through two protected areas north west of the Gold Coast, damaging native vegetation and culturally significant areas.
Both men were sentenced in Beenleigh Magistrates Court yesterday (7 June 2023).
On 27 November 2021, the men filmed themselves driving separate vehicles, a green four-wheel drive and a dune buggy, through Plunkett Conservation Park and Wickham Timber Reserve.
While entering the reserve, the men passed multiple signs advising that vehicles were prohibited from entering the area.
The pair, in their vehicles, crushed small trees, drove up rock formations and disturbed the culturally significant ground.
In December 2021, the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service was notified of an almost hour-long online video titled ‘4X4 session goes bad’, depicting both men driving through the park and reserve.
The video was viewed more than 6,600 times before it was removed.
Part of the video showed one of the vehicles’ side mirrors breaking off from the car. Rangers found this mirror, as well as damaged trees and tyre marks left on rock formations, while inspecting the areas identified in the video.
In September 2022, following an investigation by the Department of Environment and Science, both men were charged with two counts of interfering with a natural or cultural resource of a protected area without authority and one count of interfering with forest products on a timber reserve without authority.
Both men pleaded guilty to all three charges. They were each fined $7,000 and ordered to pay $750 in costs.
This outcome serves as an important reminder to always obey signage and road rules when entering national parks, conservation parks, State forests and timber reserves.
Motor vehicles are not permitted to be driven off-road in such areas, and where vehicle entry is allowed all motor vehicles must be registered for use on a public road and drivers must hold a valid driver’s licence.
Rangers monitor social media for illegal activity in protected areas and will take strong action against those who disobey the rules or damage our protected areas and forests.
