A FIFTH of World Heritage-listed Fraser Island foredunes have been destroyed by four-wheel-drive vehicles, prompting a call for limits to be set.

At least 235 vehicle tracks have been cut across Fraser’s dunes, with most related to camping.

Because dunes were the first defence against storms, vehicle-induced damage was likely to accelerate erosion and shoreline retreat, researchers said.

Of the island’s 124km of ocean beaches, 122km  are open to vehicles.

Thomas Schlacher, associate professor of marine science at the University of the Sunshine Coast, said the bare sand of inter-tidal areas was often regarded as being more resilient to vehicles than sensitive dunes – but this was wrong.

“What is generally not known – or at least appreciated – is that beaches are diverse ecosystems in their own right,” Professor Schlacher said. “Contrary to popular belief, beaches are not marine deserts.”

A beach could contain dozens of invertebrate animal species in the sand. If smaller species were counted, this rose to hundreds.

Drivers who thought they did not damage beaches because they drove on the hard sand at low tide were wrong, Professor Schlacher said.

“They don’t realise they are driving over little animals underneath the surface,” he said.

“The tide washes over their tracks and makes everything nice and smooth again but the damage has been done.”

Sunshine Coast Four Wheel Drive Club vice-president Paul Dickson said he was sick of people who had nothing better to do with their time than attack 4WD owners.

“Why don’t they get a life?” he said. “They want to put all humans to death so animals can inherit the earth.”

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