Arabic version: تزايد الدعوات لتقييد السيارات على شاطئ غولوا
According to ABC News, Ngarrindjeri elder Cedric Varcoe wants vehicle access to Goolwa Beach restricted to help protect endangered birds and the coastal environment. Drivers can access a 12-kilometre stretch between Goolwa and the mouth of the Murray River, a route popular with fishers and families.
Mr Varcoe welcomed birds during a Coorong ceremony marking the breeding season for some species and the return of others to South Australia from as far away as the Arctic. He said the birds are Ngartji, or totems, for the Ngarrindjeri community, which has a responsibility to preserve them and their habitat. “In our culture they’re our friend, our spiritual guide, our protectors, and when they’re not here, or when they’re no longer here, our spirit is no longer alive and strong as well,” he said.
Ngarrindjeri rangers and BirdLife Australia are working to improve bird survival through the federally funded Shorebird and Wetland Habitat program. Three hooded plover chicks recently fledged on Coorong Ocean Beach, where rangers and BirdLife Australia monitored them. The Coorong is important for resident and migratory shorebirds, which use the area to rest and build energy for return journeys and breeding.
Fairy terns are also being watched in the Coorong. The species is considered at high risk of extinction in the wild, with 1,000 birds remaining across 10 South Australian breeding sites. Two sites are in the Coorong, where the birds lay eggs in shallow nests above the high tide mark that can be difficult to see.
There is no current permit system for driving on Goolwa Beach, although one has been discussed. Beach user Wayde Eldridge said most drivers acted responsibly and that a ban would be unpopular. Adelaide University associate professor Craig Styan said no level of beach driving had zero environmental impact, while SA Environment Minister Emily Bourke said the government would continue working with agencies and councils on beach safety and coastal protection.
