Fraser Island Qld - Landings

[FlyingVizsla]

I just heard this morning, on the ABC Wide Bay News Radio that a helicopter pilot has been fined $500 for landing without permission.  The story said that no aircraft is allowed to land on Fraser Island, that the beach landing area is for the commercial operator who has permission.  The helicopter landed there and it sounded like he compromised the ALA for the commercial flight that was due in shortly.  I was in the car at the time, so I only got the gist of the story, so don't know if this was today or earlier.  The emphasis was that private aircraft cannot land on Fraser.  I have been looking for the Digital version on the ABC but couldn't find it, yet.  From FlightRadar24 Fraser Island is popular, a lot just fly around the shoreline.  I know people who fly there.

 

Any one else heard this one?

 

[turboplanner]

There was a landing strip at Orchid Beach Resort, but my exerience with the, at times procession of 4WD traffic is that I wouldn't be trying to land on the beach.

It looks good, but once the holiday makers and 4WD hirers get on, head on passing can be on the left or the right based on a last second indicator flash, and I've been pushed into the soft sand often, and close to the water as well. You couldn't control the situation once you committed to land, and taking off would be much the same, so it wouldn't surprise me if a decision had been made to prohibit operations. How a commercial operator would be excepted is another question because the risk is just as great. I wouldn't operate a helicopter their either with heaps of inexperienced 4WD drivers with anything up to tents and bikes on their Land Cruiser roof racks and their thirst for close up videos.

[spacesailor]

NOT all of us !.

If we see an aircraft, even looking like landing, l and the convoy, turn Up the beach to give more rhan a wingspan for it, to land safely.

spacesailor

[Jaba-who]

I heard the news item on the radio too. (ABC). 
The gist of the report was that not only did the helicopter pilot land where he didn’t have permission but he interfered/delayed with the fixed wings landing or departure. 
Apparently had some sort of comms with the fixed wing pilot and told him to wait and he wouldn’t be long. 
I guess that would really p!$$ off the fixed wing pilot who had to wait till the helo pilot was good and ready. 
I have no idea if the fixed wing operators were involved in reporting the helo pilot but could understand that if that was the real background they might. 
 

[kgwilson]

So what happened to the Orchid Beach strip? My understanding was you rang the resort & they advised if the grass was mown or not & gave you permission I think for a fee.

[Jaba-who]

From the radio item I listened to it was stated ( don’t know how accurately)  that the landing was on  the beach somewhere, not at the airstrip. 

[Jaba-who]

I just read a courier mail article and it says he was pinged by a ranger who saw him flying low and then landing on the edge of the beach landing area at Eli Creek ( not The Orchid  Beach grass strip) . Ranger told pilot he couldn’t land unless it was an emergency. The pilot told the ranger he would move once the passengers were loaded in. Ranger  then raised the fine. Authorised fixed wing operator not involved at all. The radio item I listened to didn’t really make it clear ( or at least I didn’t hear it..) 

[kiwiaviator]

Orchid Beach is on my bucket list. Love Fraser Island.

[walrus]

you are not even allowed to fly over fraser, let alone land.

https://parks.des.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0031/167962/op-pk-vm-landing-recreational-craft-qpws-managed-areas.pdf

 

[kiwiaviator]

26 minutes ago, walrus said:

you are not even allowed to fly over fraser, let alone land.

https://parks.des.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0031/167962/op-pk-vm-landing-recreational-craft-qpws-managed-areas.pdf

 

Page not found with the link however I managed to find it using search. I am reading it as saying you can with approval.

[kgwilson]

The document refers to LANDING in QPWS managed areas and use of a recreational aircraft in these areas. That means on the ground. Once airborne you are subject to rules defined by CASA so unless an area is designated as a Danger or Restricted area or is CTR there is nothing to prevent you flying an RA registered aircraft over that area. If the area has CASA restrictions then with prior consent you can still fly there.

Edited April 17, 2021 by kgwilson

[Ironpot]

This is all I can find in ERSA:

 

5. SP 5 - GREAT SANDY BAY MARINE PARK AND FRASER ISLAND
5.1 In the whale management area of the Great Sandy Marine Park, pilots of fixed wing ACFT must not bring the ACFT any closer to a whale than 300M unless the aircraft is at an altitude of at least 1,000FT. A helicopter must not be brought any closer to a whale than 1KM unless the helicopter is at an altitude of at least 2,000FT. For further information refer to the Marine Park (Great Sandy) Zoning Plan 2006 or contact the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service, Senior Ranger (Great Sandy Marine Park) on phone: 07 4197 4003. For information relating to flights over the Great Sandy National Park (Fraser Island section) contact the Conservation Officer (Fraser Island) on phone: 07 4127 9128 (ext 223).

 

There's nothing about the ALAs