A recent vehicle strike on turtle hatchlings has reignited calls for restraint when driving on the beach.
Loggerhead and green turtles are nesting among the dunes on Noosa's beaches right now, and these threatened species need the community's help to survive.
A family staying on the North Shore reported hatchlings lying crushed in vehicle tracks.
Noosa Mayor Frank Wilkie said hatchlings of the endangered Loggerhead turtle faced an uphill challenge to survive without being crushed in the nest or on the beach by vehicles.
"While a nest can contain up to around 150 eggs, as few as only 1 in 1000 hatchlings are estimated to survive to reach maturity," Cr Wilkie said.
"This low survival rate is a natural part of their life cycle, and human impacts like vehicle strike, which occurred on the North Shore recently, reduces survival rates even further.
"Our Destination Management Plan calls on all of us to care for Noosa's natural assets, and avoiding beach driving during turtle hatching season is a simple way to do that."
Turtles lay their eggs just above the high-water mark in the fragile lower dune ecosystems, so keeping these areas free from people and vehicles is critical for turtles' survival, especially during the November-to-March nesting season.
"People who walk or drive through dunes risk crushing turtle nests and killing hatchlings before they have a chance to reach the ocean," David O'Gorman, Fauna Management Officer, said.
"Artificial lights from businesses, homes, cars, and torches can disorient hatchlings, sending them away from the sea. When visitors ignore designated beach access points and create new tracks, they risk destroying nesting habitat. Marine debris can also trap and injure turtles.
"We also have the highest number of recorded nests on the Noosa North Shore this season, increasing the risks."
Noosa Council's Natural Areas team and coastal volunteer community organisations are working to protect turtles and their nests through stranding response, nest monitoring and protection works, as well as community education initiatives - but they need residents' and visitors' help.
Here's what you can do:
- Drive responsibly on Noosa North Shore – Do not drive two hours either side of high tide - drive only at low tide on firm sand. Driving on dunes crushes nests and kills hatchlings.
- Stay off the dunes - use only designated beach access points when visiting Noosa's eastern beaches.
- Do not drive on the beach at Noosa North Shore at night - headlights disturb nesting turtles and disorient hatchlings as they try to reach the ocean.
- Reduce artificial light around our beaches so hatchlings can safely find the sea.
"Every year, turtles return to Noosa's beaches to nest, but human activity impacts their chances of survival. By staying off the dunes, driving only on firm sand at low tide, and reducing lights near the beach, we'll be giving sea turtles the best chance to thrive," Mr O'Gorman said.
"Together, we can protect these incredible creatures and ensure they return to Noosa's beaches for generations to come."
