Coastal councils locking down for Easter

Stu Nettle picture
Stu Nettle (stunet)
Swellnet Dispatch

Though the date changes year to year, the Easter holiday is generally assumed to be the last warm weather holiday of the year. After that, the water temperatures drop, cooler weather kicks in, and surfers no longer have to make space for their fair weather friends.

So as a last ditch break for the coast, Easter is up there with Christmas in terms of crowds on the coast. 

This year, however, the message from coastal councils is clear as a bell: stay away.

It's not a statement taken lightly by councils who welcome the influx of visitors and their money to tide over the quiet months to come. Yet two consecutive weekends where coastal councils around Australia have been overrun have forced their hands.

Every council on the eastern seaboard, from the Sunshine Coast to Yorke Peninsula, have either strongly warned visitors to stay away, or they've signalled legal action will be taken if people are caught away from their primary place of residence - which, it should be noted, doesn't include holiday houses.

The following are links to council media releases, beginning with Sunshine Coast Council and working clockwise. They are not final and may be updated through the day. If you have questions please check with your council or health.gov.au

As a rule, if you don't think you can do it, then don't do it.

Sunshine Coast Council beaches are open but hang under the threat of closure. “My message is simple – Stay Home,” Mayor Mark Jamieson said. "Tell your friends and families not to come to the Sunshine Coast this long weekend.

Mayor Jamieson said the Queensland Police Service would patrol beaches and anyone flouting the rules risked being fined. “Large numbers of people congregating could force more facilities to close,” he said.

Gold Coast City Council has closed a number of beaches, limited some to locals, and put road blocks in place at others. "I say to Logan and Brisbane people, we love you, but we don't want you visiting us right now," the Mayor Tom Tate said.

The road to D'bah ends here

The one way border crossing had led Queensland surfers to travel to northern NSW without the possibility of reciprocation. Yesterday, NSW launched 'Operation Tortoise' and in the press conference they made special mention about license checks of cars in the Tweed and North Rivers Region. In this video, a message to Queensland surfers begins at the 2:00 minute mark. Fines and jail time are on the table.

All council areas from Tweed south to Bega will have council officers out, but they'll also fall under the remit of NSW Police - refer again to video above about movement outside of your local area.

Also worth noting, though not mentioned in that speech, is that NSW police will use license plate reognition technology to determine how far people are from their place of residence.

Byron Shire Council has made explicit mention to visiotors, as have Clarence Valley Council, who have closed many carparks at beaches and boatramps.

MidCoast Council has closed all beaches.

Central Coast Council has asked people to stay away and invoked the threat of $11,000 fine to people caught travelling there without reason.

Select beaches in the Northen Beaches Council remain closed, all beaches in Eastern Sydney remain closed, while the beaches of Sutherland Shire Council  will close tonight.

Shoalhaven City Council beaches are open to locals but they've threatened to close them if guidelines aren't followed. Similar warning have been sounded at Bega Shire Council.

Across the border in Victoria, all Bass Coast Shire beaches are closed over Easter. Mornington Peninsula Shire beaches remain open but like some in northern NSW, hang under the threat of closure: “Our beaches will be monitored and if people gather or flout restrictions on beaches under our control then we will remove all public access to them, even for exercise”

Surf Coast Shire Council, arguably the area most at risk from travelling surfers, has issued a number of warnings, to date all of them advising travellers to heed government health warnings about unnecessary travel. Swellnet will keep an eye on any changes.

Over in SA, the City of Victor Harbor  has dumbed the message way down: "The message cannot be clearer – please don’t visit us this Easter." On the other side of Adelaide, Yorke Peninsula Council have curtailed camping by tent or caravan with anyone wishing to do so having to apply for special exemptions - holidaying isn't one of them.

Swellnet takes the message from the good folk at Victor and implore everyone to stay at home this Easter - the message simply can't be any clearer.

Lastly, tensions are running very high around the coast, a return to 70s localism is being welcomed by some, but all we can say is try talking to visitors first. If they still don't listen then take a photo, let them see you do it, and email it to the police in your state. Leave the violence out of it.

Remember, the lockdown isn't forever, and the coming winter months will take the heat off the coast.

Comments

Blowin's picture
Blowin's picture
Blowin Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 10:07am

Cops out on the highway pulling everyone over with a please explain.

Nearly had to flash my tits to get the green light.

donweather's picture
donweather's picture
donweather Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 2:57pm

Which Highway Blowin?

Blowin's picture
Blowin's picture
Blowin Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 3:02pm

Old prince’s highway.

Thegrowingtrend.com's picture
Thegrowingtrend.com's picture
Thegrowingtrend.com Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 10:17am

This is going to get bizzzzare

billythekid's picture
billythekid's picture
billythekid Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 10:17am

"Lastly, tensions are running very high around the coast, a return to 70s localism is being welcomed by some, but all we can say is try talking to visitors first. If they still don't listen then take a photo, let them see you do it, and email it to the police in your state."

Take a photo and email it to police???? Swellnet, it's not illegal to drive to the beach for a surf, by yourself or with your household members.

Dr Brett Sutton on Monday wrote on Twitter: “Yes, you can drive directly to a place of exercise if there’s nothing adjacent to your home.”

There is nothing in the legislation prohibiting driving to exercise.

The fact a mountain bike rider driving from Bonbeach to Redhill to ride had the cops overturn his fine demonstrates this - see https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/police-fine-man-1652-for-dri...

Swellnet, you don't make state and national laws. Neither do councils.

stunet's picture
stunet's picture
stunet Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 10:22am

Hey Billy,

If someone with interstate plates rocks up I'd say it's safe to assume. The same advice, i.e community members working with police, is given across almost every single council media release and is also mentioned by the cops.

But I guess there will always be people such as yourself looking for loopholes.

EDIT "There is nothing in the legislation prohibiting driving to exercise." Watch the video, mate.

Womp780's picture
Womp780's picture
Womp780 Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 11:04am

Now hang on a minute, he has a point. Your message was for ANYONE at any beach who sees "visitors" to report them to the police. You didn't originally state anything about number plates which is only going to be a give away in a very specific region around the qld nsw border. I'm sure you can see the major flaws in that logic. What is the cut off? How far away does one have to live before they are a visitor? How does a "local" go about finding out where that person is from?

Most importantly, it is not up to you guys as a surf report website to be telling people what they can and can't do. Don't get me wrong, I agree that everyone should stay put as much as possible but it's all very confusing and some of these rules seem very hypocritical. If I'm not allowed to drive directly to my nearest break by myself which is 15kms away and get some exercise away from others, then you coastal lot shouldn't be allowed to come into town where I live and go to the shops, parks, doctors, etc. But no one is up in arms about that.

My point is, I understand you lot not wanting the holiday throngs of city folk over Easter, etc. But telling everyone who doesn't have a beachfront home that they can't even drive down alone and directly to/from the beach for a quick splash is not your job, not factual, and just comes across as selfish and spoiled. Like I said, if you're gonna be like that, you'd better not be relying on any surrounding towns and cities for any of your own needs

stunet's picture
stunet's picture
stunet Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 11:33am

Oh for fuck's sake, another Libertarian bending the rules to his own ends.

First, I didn't say what you claimed I did. Go back and read it, this time with your comprehension goggles on.

Second, the rules apply across the whole nation, cutting across all council and state jurisdictions, so there's gonna be some grey areas for people such as yourself to keep exploiting. But the central tenet is one of intent: the authorities, all of them, not just head locals but police and doctors, dont want people travelling out of their postcodes - for want of a description. 

Thirdly, have you been in a coma the last month, mate? Your last paragraph has been debated ad infinitum while you were on life support or whatever it was that took you out of concious living. Pick up some newspapers or catch up with websites to see where the debate is at now.

Stop wasting our time here.

Womp780's picture
Womp780's picture
Womp780 Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 12:02pm

Don't make assumptions fuckwit, I haven't been for a surf since early Feb (or even left my suburb for that matter) because I don't want to contribute to the spread. Like I said, if you're going to carry on like this don't you dare set foot out of your little wanky coastal bubble to any surrounding towns or cities. And yes I read/watch the news every day. There is nothing about having to stay within a postcode as of yet. If you want to actually cite some legislation that I've somehow missed I will happily admit I'm wrong.

If you had a few brain cells to rub together, you would see that my main point is actually that you guys aren't in a position to be telling people what to do and you certainly shouldn't be telling people to take it upon themselves to be deciding who should or shouldn't be on the beach. Funny how you've not addressed that point huh?

Stick to your day job mate and leave the policing to... ya know... the police.

stunet's picture
stunet's picture
stunet Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 12:17pm

Yes, the police, who made the video I linked to and which I later cited in my reply, and which I assume you still haven't watched.

Who also suggested, as did many councils via media releases - also linked to in the original article - for citizens to co-ordinate with police where necessary.

Who also, at least in NSW, can auto detect via license plates how far you are from home.

I mentioned postcodes with a caveat - "for want of a description" - because aside from the border incursions there's no hard and fast rules yet. But, as the officer say in the video, "we will take action".

Everything I've written is available in media releases going up around the country but fuckwits such as yourself think I'm the one do the policing.

Womp780's picture
Womp780's picture
Womp780 Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 12:35pm

You explicitly encouraged people (who were out surfing themselves) to take it upon themselves to confront others who they deemed shouldn't be surfing and then to report them to the police based on laws that don't exist yet as you just admitted yourself. That is fucking stupid and it isn't your place to do so as a surf report website. How can you still not wrap your head around this??? It's a very simple point.

I agree that people shouldn't be traveling willy nilly or in groups for anything right now and I'm not advocating for people to head to the beach, the opposite in fact, but this isn't your place to be calling for people to start confronting each other. That is just ridiculous. If your local beach gets too crowded, the police will sort it out themselves and in the meantime stay away. Like I said, stick to surf reports

AndyM's picture
AndyM's picture
AndyM Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 12:37pm

Personally I'm ok with community policing - if I see a car with Qld plates and they're obviously travellers, I'm ok with passing their details along by means of a photo.

I think it's a fair suggestion.

stunet's picture
stunet's picture
stunet Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 12:42pm

Confrontation?

No. I actually encouraged the opposite.

You see, while you were in your coma you may have missed that the confrontations have already begun.

What I wrote is in keeping with the messaging to co-ordinate with authorities, not something I'd encourage under normal cicrmstances, but then these aren't normal circumstances and this weekend the showdowns will happen.

Hence I then went further and wrote, "Keep the violence out of it".

Womp780's picture
Womp780's picture
Womp780 Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 12:56pm

"a return to 70s localism is being welcomed by some, but all we can say is try talking to visitors first. If they still don't listen then take a photo, let them see you do it, and email it to the police in your state"

That is a direct quote from you and that is definitely confrontation. Approaching people and telling them they shouldn't be there and then making a scene of taking photos of them and their property when they "don't listen" is extremely confrontational and is exactly what you recommended. You aren't even making sense now

stunet's picture
stunet's picture
stunet Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 1:00pm

Oh mate, please, if you're going to quote me, quote the whole thing including "Leave the violence out of it."

The rest is being suggested by various councils and cops.

Go argue with someone on a YouTube video, mate.

Blowin's picture
Blowin's picture
Blowin Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 1:25pm

theinsider's picture
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theinsider Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 2:59pm

Womp I live in Byron, and it's a massive problem here. Backpackers with no work are just hanging out on the beach playing soccer, multiple families with packs of bored teenage kids from Qld hiring out AirBnB's to get out of the city. Beaches in Qld get closed, so everyone just drives down here.

Town is closed, there is nothing else to do, no cafes, shops, restaurants are open, all other entertainment is cancelled so EVERYONE is heading to the beach. One carpark gets closed, so everyone squeezes into the one up the road. The beaches in Byron are a circus at the moment. With Easter coming the local community are rightly very worried, I've witnessed heaps of cars rolling into Byron and Broken Head over the last week, I've seen heaps on incidents of people (all visitors) flouting the social distacing protocols and I've seen zero in the way of enforcement from constabulary. If the beaches here get crushed, which they already are, they get shut down for everyone, all the visitors leave, and we get stuck with closed beaches.

So yeah, I reckon if we see an infringement, that we have an obligation to say something and I reckon that as a surf news website, whose modus operandi is encouraging people to go surfing, then Swellnet have a clear responsibility to remind people of their legal obligation to stay home.

Vic Local's picture
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Vic Local Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 4:26pm

I worked in Byron in the very early 90s and they had big problems with drunken idiots coming into town for NYE. One year the local heavies set up a road block north of town and pretty much told the partiers to fuck off.
Having said that, most of the backpackers really are in a no win situation. They can't get flights out and self isolating to go fruit picking is not as easy as it sounds. As long as they are behaving themselves, cutting them some slack is the best option. No sympathy for regular tourists doing the airbnb thing.

Blowin's picture
Blowin's picture
Blowin Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 4:49pm

Just another Anti-Australian dog.

You cast aspersions on Australians in the early ‘90’s and Aussies doing “ the Airbnb thing “ whilst generalising that modern foreign backpackers are the back bone of our nation, hard working and respectful.....get fucked !

Backpackers are literally the No 1 super spreaders of virus in Australia.

Waverley/ Bondi is the epicentre of Australian Wuflu because of selfish , disrespectful backpackers.

Coming from the Vic Local muppet who won’t accept someone surfing safely and now he’s giving a free pass to the entitled backpacker cunts who’ve maintained their party schedule and their #Vanlyfe beachside car park piss- take despite local objections and government regulations.

What does Vic Local do for a living ? Guaranteed he is talking his own book. Another with their hand in the till of Australia.

Qatar airlines alone just announced another 48,000 seats out of Australia in the next few weeks. All those rescue flights by QANTAS to save Australians.....why aren’t they chockas with unemployed temporary visa holders such as backpackers ?

And where are the equivalent flights from backpackers home nations ?

Backpackers, unemployable visa holders.....fuck off. Your visa conditions legally require you to hold enough money to return home....get the fuck out now. You are not deserving of Australians going into further debt so you can suck off the taxpayers teat and continue your little jaunt around our homeland.

Our Prime Minister has told you to go home.....so go home.

Vic Local's picture
Vic Local's picture
Vic Local Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 4:49pm

Cast aspersions? go ask any long term Byron resident what NYE was like in the early 90s. I saw it, and it was a fucking disgrace. Bunch of drunken idiots trashing the town, starting fights, and stealing anything not nailed down..
When exactly did I say that "modern foreign backpackers are the back bone of our nation, hard working and respectful.....get fucked !"? I didn't. Stop making shit up.
The rest of your post is pure bullshit as well. Only a matter of time until you start banging on about the Chinese again blowin. I suspect you're on the loud-mouth soup and can't corner some poor bloke at the pub to spread your racist shit, so you get on here to do it.

Blowin's picture
Blowin's picture
Blowin Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 5:01pm

You can’t even comprehend your own shit , let alone anyone else’s .

You’ve just generalised an entire generation of Aussie’s through Byron as riotous fuckwits and yet you have this to say about the same backpackers who’ve been photographed en mass throughout Australia not giving a fuck about Australians or any virus ...

“most of the backpackers really are in a no win situation. They can't get flights out and self isolating to go fruit picking is not as easy as it sounds. As long as they are behaving themselves, cutting them some slack is the best option. “

How the fuck do you know what situation “ most. “ backpackers are in ? How do you know they can’t get flights out ? As for “ As long as they’re behaving themselves....” FFS , you’ve just gone blue in the face ranting at Aussies who dare drive ten minutes to surf solo at their nearest beaches.

Yet now you’re all goodwill and kindness of man in your assessment of the same fucks who are literally the main cause of viral spread in Australia.

You know why they shut Eastern suburbs beaches in Sydney ? Because the backpackers refused to do the right thing as kindly requested by Australian authorities .

What do you do for a living , Vic Local ?

Answer the question or shut the fuck up. You derive your income from tourists or foreigners somehow....and you are therefore just another corrupted self interested fuckstik.

Blowin's picture
Blowin's picture
Blowin Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 5:19pm

From The Insider ( a couple of posts ago ):

“Womp I live in Byron, and it's a massive problem here. Backpackers with no work are just hanging out on the beach playing soccer “

And that’s the truth of it. The whole fruit picking trope is a piss take. Maybe.....maybe !.....5 percent of backpackers pick fruit. The rest are baristas or waiters or whatever service job they can score. Now they can go home.

Australia doesn’t need or want foreign tourists taking Aussie jobs with millions of Australians unemployed.

Playing soccer on the beach at Byron. Dodging rangers at Margarets . Shitting in the dunes at Granites.....you are not entitled to welfare from Australia.

Go home now.

daboots's picture
daboots's picture
daboots Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 8:59pm

Racist posts should not be allowed
SwellNet should mediate these and pull them down
Racism is not okay

Blowin's picture
Blowin's picture
Blowin Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 9:30pm

Backpacker isn’t a race you muppet.

el kooko's picture
el kooko's picture
el kooko Friday, 10 Apr 2020 at 7:30pm

lol Meanwhile the ruby princess but yeah it’s the backpackers faults not the clusters in charge

Ben Harding's picture
Ben Harding's picture
Ben Harding Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 8:25pm

Agreed. I was just thinking about how hard it would be for backpackers. Treated with contempt no doubt, noone is gonna win here. It's pretty much nearly fucked and we are hurtling towards that destination at lightning speed now . These times are truly unbelievable.

lawncigar's picture
lawncigar's picture
lawncigar Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 11:01pm

I live just north of Byron and the influx of Qld surfers and people over the past 2-3 years has been unbearable. Carloads of them.. the past week no different and I’m happy to see the back of them by whatever method.. Stay Home.. it’s not going to kill you..

el kooko's picture
el kooko's picture
el kooko Friday, 10 Apr 2020 at 12:44pm

Lives in a tourist mecca & complains about crowds

theinsider's picture
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theinsider Friday, 10 Apr 2020 at 1:07pm

You ain’t reading the memo are you El Kooko? I ain’t about crowded surf, it’s about public health & safety. Myself & lots of friends in Byron have had our livelihoods wiped out due to social distancing restrictions, so I’m kinda inclined to take it all a bit seriously & have stern words with anyone who isn’t. Surely that must be obvious? Or are you just here trolling for a reaction?

el kooko's picture
el kooko's picture
el kooko Friday, 10 Apr 2020 at 7:09pm

I’m responding to lawncigar & their comment that crowds over last 2-3 years have become unbearable, nothing to do with CoVid. But by all means get up on that high horse, yeehaarrr

dayzoff's picture
dayzoff's picture
dayzoff Saturday, 11 Apr 2020 at 9:45am

Well said mate, the South Coasters of NSW want everyone to fuck off cause they have poor health facilities. Fact; the NSW health dept pays the ACT govt a massive bag of money every year so that NSW south coast residents will be transported in an emergency by road or air to the Canberra Hospitals where they then have access to ACT taxpayer funded beds. The most common vehicle you will see on the Kings Hwy is a NSW Ambulance taking people up to Canberra Hospitals. But now if I own property on the South Coast and in Canberra I’m not allowed to split my time between the two areas. Careful about biting the hand that feeds people......!

billythekid's picture
billythekid's picture
billythekid Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 3:02pm

Read the legislation mate. There’s a difference between a request and a law.

trevbucky's picture
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trevbucky Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 10:56am

Rumour has it several WA councils including City of Busselton, Mandurah & Geraldton are looking at shutting beaches too in the next 24 hours.. looking at South Trigg cam I can see why! Please use some common sense people.

Shane Dillon's picture
Shane Dillon's picture
Shane Dillon Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 11:22am

Trev....I live in Geraldton. Bowes River is a classic break about 45mins north of town here...near Horrocks. Apparently 40+ guys in the water on the weekend and the shire put signs and witches hats across the road in yesterday trying to stop people. Heard guys yesterday just moved everything out of the way to get through. The shire is now going to erect permanent fencing/bollards etc to close it off. Similar numbers at Head Butts last weekend with carloads of 6-8 people making the 4WD trek....just killing it for everyone else. When the beaches ARE closed, they can thank themselves.

trevbucky's picture
trevbucky's picture
trevbucky Friday, 10 Apr 2020 at 4:20pm

I’m not surprised the local crew moved the witches hats, and they’ll move bollards and barriers too I’d say! (I’m surprised it gets so crowded up in Gero though!). I counted 70+ guys out at a popular spot in Mandurah today.. and to be honest I was expecting worse. Most seemed to be locals, so it seems people are listening to the local Mayor and not coming down from Perth (as 25% of Mandurah’s population are seniors and more vulnerable to COVID-19).

pittsy's picture
pittsy's picture
pittsy Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 10:38am

I see the kid's point:
Everyone stay home... but if you're out for a surf and see someone else out for a surf then harass them????????? What would the email be; "excuse me officer this person is out doing the same form of exercise that I'm doing, but they drove here by themselves in a car from a further distance than I drove and/or walked". For the servo argument/rebuttal, people are still allowed to fill up so as to keep using their car for the reasons on DHHS site no? (work, health, exercise??).

For what it's worth I'm injured (good timing?) cant surf so fret not just interested in the strangeness unfolding

Womp780's picture
Womp780's picture
Womp780 Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 11:19am

Exactly what I've been thinking. I understand trying to keep hoards of Easter holiday makers away, but at other times, surfers telling other surfers that they shouldn't surf while they are surfing themselves seems ridiculous. The local park across the road from my place is full of people and dogs exercising every day (all spread out of course). I would feel like an absolute clown going down there for a jog and asking everyone else where they lived and then reporting them to the police if I arbitrarily deemed them a "visitor". Some serious self reflection is needed here I think

freeride76's picture
freeride76's picture
freeride76 Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 11:42am

Bit different Womp.

but hey, if people were travelling from out of the area, especially from areas of high infection to low infection to exercise at the park, that would be a problem, and pretty fucking stupid.

it's not really that hard to understand is it?

Womp780's picture
Womp780's picture
Womp780 Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 12:13pm

How do I know they're not coming from an area of higher infection rates? There aren't many other large parks around this region and most of them arrive via car...

I personally stopped going down for a surf months ago and just stick to the park for exercise now. It's just hard to see all this commentary coming from the coast at the moment without noticing an underlying theme of "my waves, fuck off" which I haven't noticed around any other public rescource that's all

Sprout's picture
Sprout's picture
Sprout Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 12:31pm

Because there's hardly car loads of people traveling from far and wide to stay at Newfarm Park for the week is there?

Womp780's picture
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Womp780 Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 12:39pm

When did I say anything about staying for a week? My point was why should I not be allowed to drive a few ks directly to have a quick dip by myself at my nearest wave but everyone else is still allowed to decend upon the park near my place?

cd's picture
cd's picture
cd Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 7:56pm

Hey Womp if you drive a few k's and go for a surf by yourself at your nearest wave - no problems. Not many people would be grudged you of that. So all good mate. But around here and i'm guessing other reginal/ tourisim coastal towns the problem people/ locals are having is with people coming to their local from 1.5 - 2.5hrs away. and are therefore not getting the greatest reception under the current circumstances.

milney's picture
milney's picture
milney Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 3:17pm

I think in many regional locations it is also complicated by the fact that plenty of people who are local to an area live reasonable distances from the places they surf (think the Margaret River region, where the main settlements along the main road are around 10k from their nearest surfbreak). In WA, travelling across regions has been banned for the last week, and so in theory all the surfers currently surfing along that stretch of coast are residents, long-term escapees from elsewhere, or those who, in true selfless fashion, found rat runs that enabled them to dodge the police checks and escape 'down south'. So, in effect, the area is presumably now mostly being surfed by 'locals' only. Applying the analogy that if you have to drive to the surf then you probably shouldn't surf, that would mean a large number of local surfers in the region would therefore not surf. I can't see too many of those crew making that choice - they would see themselves as local residents driving directly to a location where they can then engage in exercise. And are they wrong? Or would Prevelly residents be telling Margarets town residents to go home? I suspect they wouldn't. While, as many have stated, the principle is reasonably straightforward, the application of it can get messy. I have a funny feeling that, when push comes to shove, lots of us will tend to apply discretion in circumstances (and not just surfing) that then justify our own preferences, choices and actions - which is a fairly natural human response. On another note, I can see passions getting pretty strong here - do we perhaps need to be more gracious with each other? We're all trying to navigate our way through uncertain waters, and we may all be wrestling with worries that influence how we respond to what we read and hear.

dayzoff's picture
dayzoff's picture
dayzoff Saturday, 11 Apr 2020 at 9:47am

Well said

Robo's picture
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Robo Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 10:39am

Nothings changed here.

pigdog's picture
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pigdog Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 5:24pm

Pure gold some of the comments.

mikehunt207's picture
mikehunt207's picture
mikehunt207 Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 10:43am

Billy is the the "new kid "on the swellnet block and is a rebel who just likes debate his rights to be a tool. Get out there billy ! Give it to em mate. Soon nan and pa will be dead and you,ll get that inheritance and the justice youve been demanding.
Should be Billythesuperspreader...

Vic Local's picture
Vic Local's picture
Vic Local Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 11:35am

The way billy carries on, he could well be a super spreader, just like the Aspen set who made Toorak and the Mornington Peninsula hot spots.
The fact that he's proud of this and thinks it's a noble thing is beyond pathetic.

stylemaster1970's picture
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stylemaster1970 Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 10:46am

Where you from Billy?

gedsta's picture
gedsta's picture
gedsta Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 11:12am

The message here in the Tweed Shire is..... "it's fine to surf but keep within your own postcode." Pretty simple!
So you might have to surf the local beachie instead of the points....big deal.
I'd go as far as to say, if you can't walk or ride a pushy to the beach, then don't go.....
Surfing isn't "the" only form of exercise.....

Kellya's picture
Kellya's picture
Kellya Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 11:21am

Mandurah has closed White Hills and Tims Thickett for access by 4wd. Good idea, less tempting for the city fold to come down for a beach bash.
Tomorrow morning with be interesting over here. Hot day, light winds and a little bit of swell.....

trevbucky's picture
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trevbucky Friday, 10 Apr 2020 at 4:28pm

Yeah I saw that in the local paper! I counted 70+ guys out at a popular spot in Mandurah today.. and to be honest I was expecting worse. Most seemed to be locals, so it seems people are listening to the local Mayor and not coming down from Perth. I’d say they’ll close some of these other popular beaches in Mandurah pretty soon.

merkin's picture
merkin's picture
merkin Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 11:30am

If they amended the rule to "No driving to exercise" just for the Easter break it may have helped a bit. I know you could find loopholes but hey.

views from the cockpit's picture
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views from the ... Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 11:35am

Some valid points made here...
Oztralya is a loony factory.

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mcbain Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 11:43am

Always had you pegged as a fellow lefty Stu, but didn't realise you were more 'East German Stasi' than Scando Social Democrat... Photos of suspicious cars and emailing to the Police! You keeping some files on website contributors as well...;)

stunet's picture
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stunet Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 11:51am

Less Stasiland and more Witness.

Dunno about down your way, but the conversation around here is getting heated, and I figure the threat of a photo is better than old school carpark justice.

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mcbain Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 11:59am

Fair enough.
Some mutterings and graffiti down here at the more frequented spots and no shortage of people in the water here when the waves are good (more than usual it would seem). Almost all regular faces where I am, with a couple of obvious out of town number plates thrown in - which doesn't seem to ruffle any feathers at the local, as long as everyone stays out each others way....easy to do here.

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Roystein Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 11:45am

Tread carefully peoples. Some of the control being exercised here by police and others is a foray into some tricky territory. What attitudes are being formed here that might not be wound back? How is this causing fellow Australians to turn on each other? Why are some councils twisting the government guidelines and is it legal? The mountain bike example is interesting.
Womp makes a good point. My local has an extended path and waterfront foreshore in Brisbane, with no surf. It is busy all hours of the day with a wide range of people who are responsibly exercising their ability to legally exercise. Should I be blowing up that they may have drove here to do so? It seems like I could based on how some other areas are acting but I won’t be.
I am trusting that this crackdown will be short lived and confined to the Easter period. If it isn’t then it’s inequitable and impinging on some of the freedoms our country is built on, I believe.

Sprout's picture
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Sprout Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 12:01pm

Grow up.

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dayzoff Saturday, 11 Apr 2020 at 9:52am

Well said, anyone who pays one of these 1984 big brother fines must have rocks in their head. Defend yourself at court, they will be thrown out. No precedent at law, no case law and as the govt continues to prove its incompetence with constant misinformation then you also have ignorance as a valid defence! They are only issuing most of these fines cause revenue from fines has plummeted. Very few speeding fines revenue coming in, they have to make it up elsewhere.

Sprout's picture
Sprout's picture
Sprout Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 11:59am

----------
Border passes now compulsory for anyone wanting to enter Queensland

Anyone wanting to enter Queensland will need to apply for a pass, as the state tightens border restrictions ahead of the Easter long weekend.

The new system, which also applies to Queensland residents, means those wanting to enter the state will need to apply online for a permit, similar to those already issued to Tweed Heads residents who cross the border into Coolangatta for work.

The Queensland government has issued 230 infringements to people illegally crossing the state's border since the first round of restrictions came into place last month.

Speaking on ABC television this morning, the state's police commissioner Katarina Carroll said more than 800 cars had been turned around at the border.
----------

donweather's picture
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donweather Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 3:14pm

There's not one ounce of this new information on the Qld Gov Website. It hasn't been updated since 25 March 2020. Media reporting it, but nothing officially from the Gov yet.

freeride76's picture
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freeride76 Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 12:00pm

It won't last Roy. 3months tops.

too much money at stake.

But hey, Brisbane is a city. The numbers of infected people are (relatively) high.

Moving from high infection to low infection is how the virus spreads into areas.

Do you really not get that?

All the info on that is freely available.

The problem they are trying to circumvent is high numbers of city people going and taking their Easter breaks at coastal/regional areas and thus causing virus outbreaks which will show up a couple weeks later and potentially overwhelm small regional hospitals.

If that did happen, then the resulting resentment, would be very real. Because people would have their loved ones lives put at risk.

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Roystein Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 5:58pm

Yo freeride
Yeh I do get things. I’m just adding something to the conversation. I do see your point and the point of what you discuss in general but I am looking at it from the lense of someone from a highly populated area moving into another highly populated area to exercise. That is the crux of it. I am not talking small regional towns here. Sunny coast is not regional. Neither is the Gold Coast. I am not sure the tweed is either. I don’t know if Byron fits in there either. The movement of People in and out outside of surfing would be considerable. So how do you start to define what is acceptable and what is not under the current legislation? This is where is seems people are making their own calls depending on where they live. When does a “city person” cross the line In terms of Their travel For exercise? When does a regional person cross that line? This is what I’m getting at.

freeride76's picture
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freeride76 Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 7:06pm

it seems they are trying to make it pretty clear to me.
stay home, don't travel.

not my calls.

I hope they start relaxing restrictions as soon as possible.

but the rules - as far as they have been defined- seem clear enough.

If I was looking at getting a go out I'd be looking at a super quick pre-dawnie, if I was in your shoes and you were desperate.
otherwise, I reckon people will appreciate you holding your fire.

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N.P Friday, 10 Apr 2020 at 11:54am

Hey freeride76, I occasionally follow these forums and also notice your comments. Amongst all the recent throwing back and forward it’s good to see that you’re still one of the few to maintain a diplomatic stance on most contentious issues.

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freeride76 Friday, 10 Apr 2020 at 12:03pm

hahah, thats the first time ever, anyone has called me diplomatic on the internets.

There's a lot of people hurting right now, and everyone deserves a bit of physical and mental health top-up from the ocean. I appreciate that. Doesn't matter where you live.

but I'm running errands for some old people down here and they are very vulnerable, so I and many others appreciate their interests being protected, at least in the short term.

I think, in the short term, we have to prioritise health.

people getting tubes stuck down their throat ain't a good outcome.

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batfink Sunday, 12 Apr 2020 at 11:29am

Hey FR, solid points, easily understood. Think the Qld govt are now getting drivers going back to Qld to explain themselves. They closed the border to NSW, makes sense, but only one way - makes no sense. NSW should have closed to QLDers as well for non essential travel.

I asked the other day about moving between Eastern suburbs Sydney, moderate infection in my LGA to higher infection rate Central Coast. Was mostly interested to see if facts would sway the issue at all. Wasn't surprised that some couldn't quite pick up the nuance.

Somewhere down the track I have to assume they will allow travel within regions as part of the gradual easing of restrictions, assuming we can get a few weeks with zero infections.

Sydney to central coast should be one of the regions, south of Helensburgh another, one starting north of central coast the next one. Should be based on infection rates for the area.

But that's a way off yet.

In the meantime just ban all surfing and swimming everywhere. Not much point in travelling then.

Or is it just eastern suburbs of Sydney people want to see locked down?

topgeer's picture
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topgeer Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 12:01pm

Jeez, you blokes dont know how lucky you are, at least you can still surf (in some states) in your own postcode! Here in NZ, surfing, fishing and any other form of recreational pursuit that could involve any possibility of getting into trouble or an emergency situation requiring medical or emergency services is verboten...by law. Nada, nothing. So no surfing for anyone... and Gissie has been pumping.

Vic Local's picture
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Vic Local Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 12:12pm

look on the bright side topgeer. NZ will be in a much better position to lift restrictions much earlier than Australia. The most likely scenario is restrictions will be lifted gradually. I can definitely see a situation where surfing is OK but travelling to surf isn't in NZ. You could have a glorious few months coming up.

topgeer's picture
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topgeer Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 12:15pm

Yeah viclocal, always light at the ned of the dark tunnel, we have the farker under control over here, so we should be out of lock down in a few weeks and no touros or driftins from o/seas.

Vic Local's picture
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Vic Local Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 12:19pm

Adern has been outstanding and so too have the NZ people. Act early, act hard, benefit in the long run. You guys are going to come out of this a lot better than Australia,

seaslug's picture
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seaslug Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 3:58pm

VL agree, She's a very classy act PM Adern, scotty from marketing could learn a thing or three from her including wiping that smug condescending smile from his mug

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Vic Local Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 4:12pm

Australia should never forget that it was Premier Dan Andrews who forced the Federal government's hand on isolation. Scotty from marketing was dithering and without Andrew's early lockdown, Australia could well be in the type of shit the UK currently faces.

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seaslug Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 4:16pm

Yes, agree VL

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Blowin Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 5:23pm

FFS.....Dan “ Manchurian “ Andrews was still spruiking the F1 an hour before common sense shouted the silly fuck down.

He’s being told what to do . Another useless ALP sell- out with the price tag hanging from his collar.

seaslug's picture
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seaslug Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 6:35pm

Ahh forgot about that one Blowin, thanks for the reminder

Cromwell's picture
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Cromwell Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 12:17pm

Well there were definitely some blowins around here this morning and a few dark mutterings were heard but dobbing them in? Not unless they were way out of order. I think leaving it to the police is the way to go. We really don’t need confrontations happening.

Vic Local's picture
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Vic Local Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 12:07pm

Just burn them Cromwell. Over and over again. The blowins might actually then get the message locals don't want their health put at risk.

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Cromwell Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 12:15pm

I think dropping in might actually be illegal now.

Craig's picture
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Craig Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 12:09pm

My attitude right now is that I'm grateful that I can still pop down to the local, get a wave in, have a quick reset and freshen up and then continue on the day away from everyone.

Even if it is a lesser quality bank, on a different board to make it more enjoyable, just be happy that most beaches are still open.

Don't go trying to find loopholes and possibly spreading the virus into new areas. It's simple and sensible, don't over think it. Just stay local this Easter.

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freeride76 Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 12:12pm

good call Craig.

ilikelamb's picture
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ilikelamb Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 12:14pm

At the end of the day surfers are generally a selfish bunch, with a lot generally metaphorically fighting for their waves and going to great lengths to get a surf in.
Finding loopholes in laws and thumbing the nose at rules and authority is par the course amongst other things like lying to your boss, significant other, and non surfing friends to get that season in.
Being involved in other individual pursuits the same arguments about participating in your sport and what constitutes reasonable travel to exercise are being played out all over social media..... all with the somewhat selfish interest and similar rhetoric.
It seems there’s a lot of everyone for themselves.....
I’ve had a pretty dark week mentally and a surf would definitely go along way in clearing some of those clouds but with an hours drive to the coast for now I will be utilising the bush locally for some walks and bike riders.
Let’s just be thankful we are allowed that at the present.
Anyway the ones that get it will already understand and the ones that won’t probably never will.
Anyhoo
Be safe and think about the consequences whatever you do.

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Craig Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 12:17pm

Stay well ilikelamb, yeah it's good you can still get get into the bush and nature for a mental reset. Keep that up no matter how hard it might be to do sometimes.

ilikelamb's picture
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ilikelamb Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 3:37pm

Thanks mate, just had a fun ride and there’s nothing better than a bit of vitamin D and Mother Nature in its various forms.... also coming home to the news of some rent relief which will go along way in helping business survive.

Craig's picture
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Craig Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 6:54pm

Great to hear!

Vic Local's picture
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Vic Local Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 12:21pm

Well played ilikelamb. Stay safe.

Blowin's picture
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Blowin Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 12:29pm

How about a little joke to cheer you up, ilikelamb ?

Q/ What do you call a kiwi with 100 girlfriends ?

A/ A farmer.

Another ?

Q/ What’s 10 metres long and has 37 teeth ?

A/ The bus from Logan to Brisbane.

Vic Local's picture
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Vic Local Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 12:41pm

What did the bra say to the hat?

You go on a head, and I will give these two a lift.

ilikelamb's picture
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ilikelamb Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 3:38pm

Lol

ilikelamb's picture
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ilikelamb Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 5:11pm

Cheers

billythekid's picture
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billythekid Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 3:15pm

It’s not a loophole in the law. You are allowed to drive to the beach and have a surf. Simple. No loophole or tricky shit needed.

ilikelamb's picture
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ilikelamb Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 3:43pm

Not what I said but that can be your interpretation, sure.
Messed up times we are living through.
Out of curiosity how far do you think it’s ok to drive to go for a surf at the present?

Vic Local's picture
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Vic Local Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 4:15pm

Out of curiosity how far do you think it’s ok to drive to go for a surf at the present? ilikelamb, you should see the shit billythekid has been pushing on a different thread. He genuinely thinks we should ignore the lockdown to protect the economy. If old people die, that's a price he is willing for others to pay. He's a conservative nutter who boasts about meeting his mates from Melbourne for a surf.

ilikelamb's picture
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ilikelamb Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 5:00pm

Yeah seen it.
As surfers we are inherently risk takers for personal rewards.
I for one have been shot at, surprisingly more than once, for accessing surf spots in New Zealand and El Salvador.
Suffered a bout a Hep A from surfing a pumping river mouth in El Sal that took about 2 weeks to recover from, the chocolate coloured water was a give away.
Stayed out on outer islands in Tahiti when we were told that Dengue was spreading fast and we should go, only leaving once we finally got it.... worst 12 ferry ride ever.
Strangely I’ve never contracted malaria but have helped a number of people get onto some form of transport to get to Singapore for better medical treatment.
Also nursed one through a relapse where I thought the bloke was going to die at one point..... that was wild.
Have watched sea ulcers grow to volcanic proportions until a trip to the mountains is necessary to stay out of the water and speed up the healing
Chuck in the obligatory driving to the hospital to get half a dozen or so stitches.
All of the above only really affected my health of the person in questions.... personal risk.
So here we are in a time where ones own actions could have serious consequences for others health.
Yeah Billy the Kid seems like a tool, he lives 5 minutes from the beach and he wants every muppet it come down and surf with him, lol what a fucking idiot.....but hey that’s surfing for ya.

.cylinders's picture
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.cylinders Sunday, 12 Apr 2020 at 9:15pm

I've been shot at in NZ too... wasn't out East on a particular shingle bar river mouth was it?

Ol mate with the black singlet and the dreads was pretty pissed off, but we had him laughing and carrying on by the time he had escorted us back to our car. Steinlager goes a very long way in them parts.

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uncle_leroy Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 12:17pm

A surfer goes to the beach to then complain about other surfers being at the beach.......
Police doing random road blocks locally, non-local licence address, go home.
Dare say that come the weekend, that go home will be accompanied by a small but very expensive piece of paper.

velocityjohnno's picture
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velocityjohnno Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 7:56pm

A divorce settlement? Geez, that's heavy.

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owgoodaquads Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 12:22pm

Preparing for incoming, but... why should surfing be different from any other activity? Don't do it for a while, stay local, stay at home, avoid people, it will be there later. As gedsta said if you can't walk or ride don't go, it's not the only exercise.
Interestingly, where I live the beach has been ravaged by environmental impacts for years and seldom broke. Recently, there's been a bit of a push for change and there's been some pleasant improvements, i.e: you can surf at least, long way to go, blah, blah, blah. Anyway, in the last few weeks the crowds have been crazy (for here). It's almost like some are moving around/visiting in spite of the warnings. I've made the choice to not paddle out, even with friends and other 'locals'. Yay for me ;)

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savanova Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 12:22pm

Living in a south coast town (still covid free ATM and we have 3 retirement villages) there have been caravans, camper trailers, boats loaded with holiday gear heading through town the last couple of days, local fishing shop had a guy and his kids from western Sydney coming down camping for the long weekend. The stupidity is obvious. When you can't legislate common sense what do you do? Hopefully the cops follow up with the fines from plate recognition. Sydney is a cluster stay there and save some lives. If you do come you won't be made welcome.

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sangsta Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 12:24pm

Wishing the Swellnet Community a very happy Easter.

Everyone, including our Police, Councils, Carers, Health workers and Surfers are learning on the fly, adapting as we go. So pat yourselves on the back, it is a tough journey but we are getting through this.

The surf will be there long after Covid-19 ,

Stay safe and stay positive!

Sprout's picture
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Sprout Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 12:34pm

https://www.facebook.com/SunshineCoastCouncil
New car park closures and a warning from the police.

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Blue Blue Room Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 12:39pm

Can't believe these coffee addicts they're just congregating every day waiting for their take away hit, I see very little social distancing. Just having a harmless chat while they're waiting! Thought a gathering was limited to two people only? I guess I'd be one of them if I still drank the stuff, glad I gave it away! There's a spread cell right there. These city folk love their coffee! I bet these Easter vacationers are going to need there coffee fix. We're social animals & people love the social commonality of coffee. It does bring people together even if they don't know each other. This ritual addiction won't go away! Example, holiday maker with the virus brings down the virus hands it over to the barista, the barista unknowingly passes it on to his staff & then the community. Maybe possible!
Please stay home everyone!!!!

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NDC Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 12:42pm

The way I read Stunet's original comment he was trying to discourage more physical confrontations with the suggestion of photo's - trying to encourage a dialling down of tensions, not the other way around .

And I agree with Billy... and many others that the rules contain a degree of ambiguity - but perhaps it's inevitable and/or sensible and/or optimal that they do

I reckon Billy n Stu might find they're having something of a violent AGREEMENT - ur both pretty fast to agro up and start chucking about personal insults - cooler heads in times of crisis gents ... just a suggestion

One annoying thing my wife noticed on the NB's this weekend was a lifeguard park there quad bike next to a person sunbaking (and clearly not exercising and not observing the spirit or letter of the rules) and proceed to blast out a repeat of the rules to the beach in general and then drive away from an obvious infringer ... WTF

I suppose it can't be an easy thing for peeps like lifeguards to be asked to enforce these guidelines but who has a job that's always easy... I think if they started giving out some hefty and visible fines to obvious infringers a bit more that would tighten things up and make generally good compliance even better - I'm realllly hoping people do the right thing over easter mainly and I actually think they will, like many it means a lot if I can just get a 3 min dose of salt water and reckon I'm in a position where I can do that without undue risk

Yes, I drove to the beach - but I live in a neigbouring suburb (think it's the same postcode - interestingly the nearest beach within my postcode will be shut this weekend but I can go further, over the hill, remain in my psotcode and go the next beach which is open) and think I was within the guidelines, no I didn't surf and haven't for about a month (usually I'm 2-4 times per week) -, but I did get in the water to help my kids and got my daily dose of exercise too - we didn't linger and kept our time in the water shorter than normal - then we stayed home all day.... depending on who you talk to in this thread it seems I'm a fuckwit or I'm doing OK by my fellow man ... the longer I live the clearer it seems that there's a lot more grey than black or white in life ... I wish it wasn't the case, but seems it is so u gotta start adapting I s'pose

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stunet Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 12:56pm

Cheers mate...

That was exactly my intention: less violence.

The rules are ambiguous because they're made on the fly and cut across all jurisdictions, but the one thing that's clear as a bell is intent.

I read about thirty media releases from councils and cops this morning and there's nothing in my article that couldn't be found in them, except for my own opinion about leaving the violence out of it.

Blowin's picture
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Blowin Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 1:40pm

Stunet.....the Begbie of Swellnet.

velocityjohnno's picture
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velocityjohnno Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 8:02pm

Blowin's picture
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Blowin Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 8:21pm

Cannot get enough Begbie.

How you doing , VJ ?

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see.saw Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 12:46pm

Whatever the rules, me driving to where I surf, by myself or with my son, put on wetty, surf, take off wetty, get in car and drive home. No social mingling or contact. I can’t see any harm in that. Can anyone else. Point it out to me and I’ll review it and it might change my mind. Don’t start with “you might injure yourself....” because that can happen anywhere doing anything. Jogging, bikes, driving to the docs or shops. Case in point. My wife broke a bone in her foot, then another time, twisted her ankle needing treatment, slipped onto her tailbone no treatment. All in the last year and a half, walking for exercise. And don’t worry, I’ve told her she’s a clutz already.

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gedsta Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 4:42pm

To quote Tango:
"The messages across the country are very clear in that:
- You can go out for exercise, medical, groceries, school and work.
- No non-essential travelling outside the local area except to school or work.

How much bloody clearer does it need to be? You can surf for legitimate exercise if you maintain social distancing, but don't travel outside the local area for it."

I'm sorry see.saw but ignorance of "the rules" is the problem..
If you drive 5 minutes to the beach (in that case people should bloody walk or ride a bike...) the bloke up the road thinks it's ok to drive 6 minutes, then before long the bloke an hour away reckons it's ok to drive 'cause the neighbour is doin' it...then we've got a car park full of entitled surfers.

Hence the reason they've had to close many coastal car parks.

The argument that my little bit isn't hurting anyone is flawed. Ask any one of the 51 families that have lost a family member to this highly contagious disease. To draw an analogy, it's like saying that Australian doesn't need to do anything about climate change because our "small" contribution will have minimal effect. I'm sure you've heard the current catch-phrase....."We're all in this together" and we've all got to do our bit.

Driving your young fella to the beach for a surf is no different to the story in this thread about the bloke taking his boys on a fishing trip to the south coast for Easter....

Instead of giving your son a lesson in your self-serving attitude, how about giving him a lesson in humility, unselfishness and respect.

cd's picture
cd's picture
cd Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 8:10pm

well said, seems a lot of people can't get there head around it.
FFS seems like there are a lot of people are: a. dumb, b. selfish, c. ignorant, d. all of the above

daboots's picture
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daboots Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 9:25pm

How about people who live in Margaret river? Are they allowed to drive to prevalley?

Or people who live in cowaramup - are they allowed to drive to grace town?

see.saw's picture
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see.saw Friday, 10 Apr 2020 at 4:32pm

Hey gedsta. Just drove the 15 minutes to the beach, had a fun surf with my boy, no harm done. You Still didn’t give me a reason why i should change my mind. I wouldn’t put anyone at risk and didn’t. I was self distancing when Morrison was going to the football. My wife’s a nurse, and a career for her mum. Have to be extra careful and have been for months. There’s nothing you could say I want to hear or don’t already know.

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see.saw Friday, 10 Apr 2020 at 4:40pm

Forgot to mention. A call to local police...it’s ok to drive to your nearest beach to surf. Ha

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batfink Sunday, 12 Apr 2020 at 11:39am

"How much bloody clearer does it need to be? You can surf for legitimate exercise if you maintain social distancing"

It's so clear, it's also wrong.

That's how clear it is.

daboots's picture
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daboots Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 9:22pm

Right on

Mcface's picture
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Mcface Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 12:48pm

The closest (open) beach to me this weekend is now an hour's drive from me and will likely be packed out due to the neighbouring closures, so it looks like it's a no go for me anymore. It's a bummer but I can understand why they're closing the beaches here - a lot of people flouting the social distancing rules (locals and blowins).

Similarly I can understand where Billy is coming from. I don't think a short drive to the beach for lone surfers who respect the rules is considered a problem by health professionals, moreso its because of those looking for a beach day out with their mates. Otherwise they would have quite simply enforced no driving for exercise.

Not sure how far away you are from the nearest break Billy but might you need to sit this weekend out mate and wait until the beaches closer to you are back open.

Those who are lucky enough to be on the doorstep of open breaks should be thankful for every minute they have to enjoy the big blue during these times, as should we all for living in a country that (mostly) has our backs during times of crisis.

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billythekid Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 3:18pm

I’m five minutes. But that’s not the point. Anyone is legally allowed to go for a surf at the moment in Victoria - police commissioned said it on 3AW at about 1130 this morning, the legislation says it too. What’s not allowed is going in a group and hanging out.

marcus's picture
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marcus Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 1:22pm

there won't be any surfing at newcastle anyway, its 3ft and "dangerous surf conditions".
quick everyone head to the harbour

NDC's picture
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NDC Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 9:49pm

Funny hey Marcus... covid aside theY close the beach due to dangerous conditions on 2’ days all the time now ... makes me laugh - used to get closed Twice a year for the biggest swells only ... fear of litigation, cotton Wool-ing everything and everyone...

ringmaster's picture
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ringmaster Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 1:24pm

It's all getting a bit aggro & snarly in here.......

I just want to float off into the Nias sunset on a clean chest high day with the delightful Kitty Putresuol and her harem of 'lady loggers'.........

Sprout's picture
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Sprout Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 1:32pm

I love to watch them from behind as they paddle for the waves.

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barrytheblade Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 1:39pm

The east coast should be on the same page as WA and not allow people to travel from region to region...simple as that, no grey area and everyone then knows the deal.

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Faunt Leroy Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 1:40pm

Margarets and Gracetown will be out of control. Makes me want to spew up.

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seaslug Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 3:07pm

Doesn't apply if you are Nat Fyfe, photographed surfing in Margaret River. Fuk the WA region border closures. Just going to drive from Lake Grace and pick up some lime in Margaret River, better get a surf in as part of my exercise regime.

Eugene Green's picture
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Eugene Green Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 3:12pm

Don’t forget boranup, redgate, ebrook, g/g, smiths, yalls etc all busier than ever. Packed out by the same crew that are terrified of sharks and stay out of the water no problem when there is a threat to THEIR OWN safety.

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fitzroy-21 Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 2:03pm

Central Qld coastal boat ramps, cops are patrolling. If you are not from the postcode of that boat ramp, you will be going home without wetting the boat and a hefty fine.

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palpacino Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 2:06pm

Thanks for the update Stu.
Unfortunately a fair bit of negativity on here today.

For those whose glass seems to be half empty, I hear there’s still some room on the Stab threads for your acrid vitriol.

Stu, any word on whether the NSW National Parks have closed their beaches for the long weekend?
From what I can see, it’s just campgrounds and picnic areas.

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stunet Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 2:14pm

Thanks mate, gotta tread lightly, eh?

About a week back the NPWS selectively closed some parks - i.e not a state-wide closure, it was up to each park.

FWIW Royal National Park is completely closed during Easter.

There's a list of other closures in this link.

Eugene Green's picture
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Eugene Green Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 3:18pm

That’s a lot of negativity aimed at people being negative mate.
:(

Slishco's picture
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Slishco Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 2:11pm

Hey wait a minute. Did somebody say I cant drive down to the Goldie from Brisie for a surf tomorrow!? Thats crazy talk!

vicbloke's picture
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vicbloke Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 2:33pm

Been a long time stalker on this website and writing for the first time. Surf Coast Shire have made some good argumets about travellers into the region. However, open to suggestions here. I live 15 minutes from Surf Coast, have all my life, have been surfing the region for about 35 years, dont have the same postcode, wouldn't call myself a local but know plenty of them and surfing is my only excerise. If you were me would you surf this weekend? Legally it appears im not breaking laws.

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hoody Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 2:53pm

Surf dude we all need to stay sane. Just respect others personal space.

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tango Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 2:59pm

Maybe not breaking laws, VB, but definitely stretching the logic. I don't think it matters how long you've been doing something or who you know from one particular area - I know a few crew in Lorne and Kennett but there's no way I'd even consider driving down there. The issue is travelling around and potentially spreading it faster, and placing more strain on the local medical resources.

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vicbloke Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 3:36pm

Had a mate jsu call and said hading to KR on Saturday. Advised hime not a great idea and wont be heading there. Not sure how it would put a strain on medical resources when if I injury myself I can access 3 major hosptals in Geelong. Appreciate the input

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tango Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 4:17pm

Good advice, VB.

From my perspective the strain comes from a few angles. Lets say you potentially unwittingly spreading the virus to others you encounter on the trip - they might be other surfers, or possibly someone you stop to help, someone who squeezes past you in the carpark. Or if you get injured and end up in a local medical centre getting stitched up and give it to the nurse and GP, who then pass it on and/or need to self-isolate for 14 days and not be able to tend to sick people. Or worse, as is evidenced in other parts of the world, they become very sick and die. Or they have a chance to make it through, but the ICUs at all 3 hospitals in Geelong are full of people who were infected by someone who was asymptomatic and went surfing anyway, despite the advice.

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KR Beast Friday, 10 Apr 2020 at 1:21pm

Agreed not a great idea,thanks for giving good advice. If your mate lives no where near here,,,he’s a prick. Majority of the crew down here have responded really well, only travelling about 10 minutes from home for a wave at most,,,I’ve only surfed at home where I live 100 yds away,most aren’t bothering leaving there towns or homes,no one hanging around the car parks except crew from Torquay and Jan Juc, who thought it was ok to drive down the Ocean Rd to camp or stay in their cars and coaster buses,the arrogance after bitching about Melbourne or Geelong crew coming to Torquay. Don’t go searching far from home,you may find that your not welcome at the moment.. A few in the water this morning and most weren’t from any where near here. Waves were tiny and inconsistent. Attitude from these pricks is the guidelines only apply to others, go home,stay home and ride your partner instead.

tango's picture
tango's picture
tango Friday, 10 Apr 2020 at 7:10pm

That's shithouse if the Torquay/Juc crew are driving down the coast in my opinion. Addis should be the end of it. Full support to tell them to piss off home.

KR Beast's picture
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KR Beast Friday, 10 Apr 2020 at 7:55pm

It’s only shithouse whilst we’re in this situation, amazingly the issue has improved heaps,thankfully,But there will always be arseholes that will do anything to justify what they want without thought for anyone but themselves,,that’s life, I live in a small village with a popular wave,but I live here for more than just this wave, The Otways are a magic place to live. Yes I can get a bit territorial, but for me Localism is for small minded crew that have never travelled or shouldn’t with the attitude. If you can’t handle crew surfing your local, maybe consider local crew when you travel up the coast,interstate and overseas and they get pissed with tourist hordes.

tango's picture
tango's picture
tango Saturday, 11 Apr 2020 at 10:54am

Agree with all that. Hope you get a few without the crowds this week.

hoody's picture
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hoody Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 2:51pm

Thanks Whomp780 and Stunet,
Best bitch session I've heard in ages. I needed a good laugh.
Whompy you really should go have a surf, just a quick one ,keep to yourself, get some positive ions from the ocean.
A mate of mine put himself and family into isolation too weeks ago. His kids couldnt even come to the beach for a splash. I even offered to park well away from him on the beach and let our kids say Gday once they were in the water.We are in a rural area and its hard to even find someone at the beach.
Take it seriously but don't let fear take over, the media have done a great job of fanning the flames.
Fear is the real enemy.
Oh and Goat Boaters

stunet's picture
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stunet Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 2:57pm

Cheers Hoody,

This morning, I was splitting time between arguing on the internet and homeschooling three young kids. Stressful!

At one point I almost called my nine-year old a fuckwit then explained long division to Womp780.

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surfstarved Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 3:47pm

Only two at my place Stu, but after approximately 45 minutes I was scouring the dark web for people smugglers who might be willing to take my 12yo. I already had shitloads of respect for the job teachers are doing, but that's gone to the next level now.

fuhrious's picture
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fuhrious Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 4:57pm

When you were home schooling did ya have ya comprehension goggles on?

stunet's picture
stunet's picture
stunet Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 4:58pm

Not going there.

It's 5 o'clock, I'm putting another pair of goggles on.

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Patrick0710 Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 5:48pm

I’m calling bullshit! No one understands long division.

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GreenCT Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 3:03pm

This is so bizarre

The faster we eradicate this virus the sooner this ends.

It will be like a giant jigsaw puzzle and as one postcode and the next erdicate it these areas will open up to each other.
Then it will go state by state then country by country.

It's another 3 or 4 weeks if we get our shit together. What ever your beliefs on it are it's simple thing to ask to get through it.

As Blowin refers to the giant Ponzi needs to continue. His alternative of it collapsing is to nightmarish to contemplate.
We have high property prices, high cost of food, relative high wages to other countries so it is what it is.

So the sooner that starts the better so if you miss out on a month of surfing versus sadly a few not listening and it goes on for months on end which is a better outcome ?

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velocityjohnno Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 8:20pm

Basically this. NZ is gonna come out of this very well - lock down hard and early and get out early and with fewer casualties. Then we can make Mr Jobson Growthe happy again.

Lanky Dean's picture
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Lanky Dean Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 3:08pm

I forgot my pop corn, entertainment at its finest. straight up though,
nobody should be surfing right now, or everybody should be surfing right now. its one or the other. In all honesty, talk to medical professionals, this is serious people.

tango's picture
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tango Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 3:33pm

I think Swellnet have done us a great service collating this straightforward info and in encouraging photos and not violence.

I totally disagree that there's any ambiguity, but there are definitely people who don't want to see the wood for the trees simply because it doesn't suit them.

The messages across the country are very clear in that:
- You can go out for exercise, medical, groceries, school and work.
- No non-essential travelling outside the local area except to school or work.

How much bloody clearer does it need to be? You can surf for legitimate exercise if you maintain social distancing, but don't travel outside the local area for it.

To enjoy surfing doesn't mean you’re entitled to it, and that applies to all of us. If the beaches are closed to surfing: don’t surf. If surfing is permitted, it’s for people in that local area. If it drags on a few months, will you say that you should be able to go to the mountains because skiing is your exercise? I'm sure some muppets would try that one on.

Anyone travelling outside their local area to go surfing is effectively telling the local community that their own salt fix is more important the community's health. Given that, I have no problem with the fuzz throwing the book at anyone flouting it. Definitely preferable to the meting out of old-school carpark justice for those too thick and/or selfish to do the right thing.

The fly in the ointment in Victoria is that the government has said it’s OK for people to visit their holiday homes. This is an edict that beggars belief, until you consider how many politicians and their hangers-on probably own holiday homes. Classic hypocrisy and the most shitful thing they have done corona-wise so far. Normal people? Sorry, no camping or airbnb. Well-off types? No worries.

So, if you haven’t been fortunate enough to grow up on or move to the coast (or didn’t want to give up the good $ of city career options, or been reluctant to leave your comfort zone for whatever reason, or shied away from exhorbitant council rates for no real benefit) or didn’t feel you needed to, then this is where the chickens come home to roost.

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Frodge Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 4:56pm

Reading a lot of people throwing around the word entitled.
Just because you live near the beach, it’s not yours and your not entitled to it. It everyones to enjoy, in our case, by surfers, surfing responsibility.
What is responsible? Keeping numbers down this weekend would be key - all surfers need to play their part. Practice Social distancing & I’ve said it before, if we are going to surf but afraid of losing the right to surf, all surfers need to accept we’re have to surf less. If u have surfed already this week, don’t go again this weekend (if it’s still allowed in your respective spot/s)
Rules are clear and nobody is looking for loop holes apart from those who are saying don’t come surf in my area.
Graham Ashton was asked today by Neil Mitchell, is he concerned about surfers going to the surf coast for a surf this weekend? His answer was no, as per Dr Sutton’s advice, it’s allowed, what he doesn’t want is holiday makers flocking to the beach.

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tango Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 7:16pm

Sorry Frodge, but I never said that because you live near the beach you're entitled to it. I fully appreciate that it's public land and owned by everybody. That's the beauty of the Victorian coast - 96% in public ownership. I don't think anybody else has suggested that either.

I acknowledge that the coast is where the majority of the world's surfing gets done. But what I do think people who live on the coast are entitled to is to have visitation stopped when there's a global pandemic occurring. And for the Surf Coast, it's especially relevant given we have Geelong and Melbourne just up the road with the vast majority of corona cases for the state and community transmission occurring. I don't give a red rats arse whether people surf "responsibly", although that helps. The main game here is the visitation. For argument's sake, let's remove the whole waves thing. What if there were a stack of mad-keen sailors, and Port Phillip Bay was the ducks nuts, and for fun we're going to assume you live in Melbourne quite close to the beach near one of the hotspots......would you still think its cool for people to visit during a pandemic or would you tell them to go home and be a bit more mindful of their behaviour? This is the only loophole - travelling surfers think they're different. They are not.

That's why the local Mayor has asked everyone not to come. That's why the local State MP is publicly calling for land managers to close the beaches to everything for Easter (and to cover their arse).

Saying don't come to my area means "don't come to my area cos there's a pandemic happening." It means fair go, mate, this is serious. Don't visit for a while til this settles down.

All surfers definitely need to play their part, as you rightly say. That means people should be staying local, if not staying at home. Getting exercise in your local area. Unfortunately for those who don't live near the beach, that means you don't get to surf for a while. I can't understand how surfers who live away from the coast think they're somehow exempt from the requirements of the rest of society not to travel unnecessarily.

I haven't heard Ashton's comments myself, so I have to say those words come as quite a surprise and bordering on a complete brain snap on his part. They're concerned about fishos, golfers and every other recreational activity known to mankind, so much so they've banned pretty much the lot. Maybe Ashton has no idea about surfing visitation, maybe he thinks it's only a few crew ducking down responsibly to the out of the way places, and he hasn't seen the carloads of young blokes pulling up at the name breaks that I've been told about. In which case, it will be interesting to see whether Ashton's minions book anybody in the beach carparks with Melbourne rego as was rumoured today. Fingers crossed.

Happy Easter.

Frodge's picture
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Frodge Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 7:38pm

Tango

Appreciate your further comment, especially the calm rational nature of it.

My money is currently on no fines will be issued to surfers, travelling alone who are practicing social distancing.

Hopefully some fines get issued to those travelling from any distance in car loads, or hanging out talking shite.

Hope you have a happy Easter to.

NDC's picture
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NDC Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 11:21pm

No ambiguity?

What is local?

Postcode? Suburb? Neibghbourhood? Walking distance? Cycling distance? 5 min drive? 15 minute drive? Locality? Local gov area?

... And even if you define ‘local’ the next person defines it differently? And the authorities - who maybe should define it - haven’t to my knowledge defined it either.

Maybe there’s good reason not to define it -

... but mainly, it’s just got me stumped how you (and plenty of others it seems) think there’s no ambiguity, trying ... but can’t reconcile it

Vic Local's picture
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Vic Local Friday, 10 Apr 2020 at 10:53am

People will pretty much make up their definition to suit their own selfishness.

tango's picture
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tango Friday, 10 Apr 2020 at 12:53pm

I suppose I don't see ambiguity because I don't have anything to lose. Those who have something to lose will have a much harder time seeing things clearly, given the internal conflict they'll no doubt have: do I stay in my local area and do the right thing, or do I drive to the next town or municipality for a quick paddle and run the gauntlet?

Local area - pretty straightforward if you remove the self interest of wanting to go surfing. Where do you do your shopping? Where do you live? Where do the kids play sport? Come on, it's simple. Your local area is pretty much a 5 minute drive from your house, unless you live on a farm or a pretty small place.

I agree the authorities haven't defined it...yet. They're trying to give people some sense of control over this and to exercise common sense. If everyone displays some, things will probably turn out OK. If they keep trying to find loopholes to justify driving 15-20 min or an hour to go surfing somewhere they don't live, then we risk things turning out much worse medically and with restrictions getting tighter to save us from ourselves.

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milney Friday, 10 Apr 2020 at 1:19pm

And there's the rub. Most things that most people do most of the time are in their local area - sport, leisure, shops, schools, etc - and so in this context people should be able to meet their needs, and do the things they still need to do, within that local context. Surfing, however, is an activity that doesn't work that way for everyone, hence the debate - those who aren't 'local' to a surfspot are probably more likely to apply the rules differently in order to justify their decision/desire to continue to surf, and probably feel some resentment regarding people who are able to surf 'locally'. This is probably heightened when the notion of selfishness comes in - none of us like to think we are selfish, and so the be 'accused' of it will tend to get people's backs up somewhat. Someone who has to drive 15 minutes for a surf would tend to react to an accusation that they are being selfish from someone who is able to continue to surf locally, which is then defined as not a selfish thing to do. Of course, my wife reckons (and I suspect many, deep down, would acknowledge) that surfing is an inherently selfish activity, which makes surfers prone to that kind of self-justifying thinking. You only have to peruse some surfcams to see that there are plenty of surfers who can't really help themselves, and aren't able to make the decision to simply not go surfing for a period of time - which, in the context of what lots of other people in other places are experiencing, probably doesn't constitute a massive sacrifice. I'm in the surf mecca that is Perth, but the level of freedom we still have seems considerably more than the east coast, and is far in excess of what my family members in the UK are experiencing - in which case not surfing for bit shouldn't be that hard. Of course, being in Perth, and with travel outside it banned (I'm surprised other states didn't implement an intrastate regional travel ban, as this seems to be the cause of much angst), it isn't an especially hard decision to choose not to surf - I'm not missing much, and a quick check of cams suggests that, if I did surf, I'd have plenty of friends.... which brings me back to the point of many surfers not really able to help themselves.....

velocityjohnno's picture
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velocityjohnno Saturday, 11 Apr 2020 at 2:46pm

Great post, nailed it.

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NDC Friday, 10 Apr 2020 at 10:18pm

Hey tango

I fully expect you’re right - plenty of people not wanting to lose their freedom to surf will rationalise ways to interpret the rules so they feel they’re within the rules, and getting to continue to pursue their passion

There’s other people though who want to do the right thing - and be seen to do the right thing because optics do matter in these situations - And who find the scope for interpretation in the guidelines makes it difficult to assess if there fulfilling their obligations. I know because I’m one of them.

As it happens I live within about 5 mins drive Or so of the spots I visit. So I’m operating inside your interpretation of what’s a fair thing - but others reckon ‘ ‘local’ means something different e.g walking distance

In all reality - I don’t expect it’s people like us wondering what local means (or not wondering in your case) who will be the swing factor.... seems like most heat is surrounding groups, travelling an hour or more, and coming from urban infection hotspots to regional towns

All the best to you tango
Look fwd to your comments on the flip side of this when these threads
Are about riding waves and not responding to pandemics

tango's picture
tango's picture
tango Saturday, 11 Apr 2020 at 2:58pm

Cheers, NDC.

I reckon the local thing is a bit grey, too, but I think I said earlier or on another virus-related thread that I think a reasonable interpretation of local entails the community you usually circulate within. Plenty of people in this part of the world have to drive 5 min to get to the shops in town thanks to urban sprawl. If people in the new estates want to surf the reefs they have a 10min drive ahead of them, but my point is that's the area they live in, shop in, etc. I take issue with people who are effectively visitors thinking it's OK to travel outside their local for no good reason.

Down here we have large surfing populations in Armstrong Creek and Geelong/suburbs, but we also have a lot of crew come over from Barwon Heads, Ocean Grove and the places inside the bay on the Bellarine when the reefs are on. In my opinion, if they can't surf where they live, they shouldn't really be travelling outside their area for waves while the pandemic is happening. Travelling unnecessarily is being frowned on everywhere and surfing just pulls the wool over people's eyes, it seems.

Yes, I'm looking forward to this stuff being a memory.

freeride76's picture
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freeride76 Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 3:34pm

We're not going to eradicate this virus.

Thats not the path we are on.

We are suppressing the spread of the disease through the community to make sure the health resources can cope (flattening the curve).

That will take months, not weeks.

NZ is trying to eradicate the virus: problem then being, with no vaccine, you need to keep the country sealed off into the indefinite future.

Australia is doing a good job at flattening the curve.

Vic Local's picture
Vic Local's picture
Vic Local Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 4:42pm

"NZ is trying to eradicate the virus: problem then being, with no vaccine, you need to keep the country sealed off into the indefinite future."
I can see two advantages if NZ can eradicate the virus. First, apart from international tourism and international students, the country's economy can start to recover. Secondly the Wallabies can't lose the Bledisloe Cup again. Best result we will have for two decades.

Lanky Dean's picture
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Lanky Dean Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 11:21pm

You follow rugby , there is no way you are Victorian then.
A very interesting turn of events today.

loungelizard's picture
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loungelizard Sunday, 12 Apr 2020 at 11:13am

Well spotted! Like reformed smokers, new”locals” often seem the most agressive

Vic Local's picture
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Vic Local Sunday, 12 Apr 2020 at 11:19am

This is true lounge lizard. I've seen some shithouse behaviour from the Warrallily board rider club crew, including abusing a teenage girl after dropping in on her. How long does it take to become an old local? My first surf at Bells was in 91, and I've lived here for more than two decades. Am I a new local still?

The Shaper's picture
The Shaper's picture
The Shaper Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 3:39pm

Hey the rednecks are out !! Ya spitten baccy and totten a shotgun too???
You who of course will at some point travel for surf..............saw one guy posting a photo of a redneck sign at Angas ..........shure he lives there but he moved there from elsewhere....not a local at all just like 90% of the neanderthals emerging with this attitude.....everyones has come from somewhere......... ........Lets at least try to get a grip on reality.......
. .............I observe civic obligations and will do so across this weirdness, thanks Stu....but SURE don't appreciate seeing Redneckery promoted along with little nanny lectures in return for my SUBSCRIPTION. Facts are most welcome they make for proper journalism. Really disappointed . ..

stunet's picture
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stunet Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 4:27pm

What's more redneck, thumping an obvious out-of-towner who's disobeying civic obligations, or doing as authorities are saying and co-operating with the cops?

What you call my "nanny lecture" is on numerous media releases today, repeated here because I think it is better than the violence simmering just below the surface.

You may also notice that others have appreciated the attempt to quell violence.

Whatever we've posted over the last week, even the most innocuous or factual notice, someone has taken exception to it.

Today it's your turn.

Strange times.

Stimpie's picture
Stimpie's picture
Stimpie Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 4:08pm

ilikelamb's post is spot on. I'm in a similar situation and stopped surfing 3 weeks ago. Its fuck'n doing my head in knowing people are out in the water when its 2-3' and offshore and I'm not......isn't envy one of the 7 deadly sins? If so, then I'm going express to hadesl. Never has being an 'inland surfer' of 30+ years been so frustrating.

So I've decided to dust off the old 90's mountain bike, pump up the cracked tyres, slap on the crusty protec and fang about the local creeks bike paths to keep my sanity. Not quite surfing, but better than anything else we're allowed to do (skateparks are closed too.....fuck!!).

So if you're lucky enough to live at the beach, and you get a surf in then enjoy every minute of it. Have a happy & safe Easter everyone, I'm off to buy a bike pump.

Vic Local's picture
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Vic Local Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 4:23pm

Classic Stimpie, I went for a mountain bike ride (from my house) and saw plenty of interesting bikes on the trails. Reckon a few hadn't been ridden for a while. Plenty of big sweaty blokes out jogging for what looked like the first time in years. I reckon there's a few peeps who are going to come out of this lockdown in the best shape they've been in in decades. Good luck to them.

Robo's picture
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Robo Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 5:38pm

No different than going for a surf by car.

Vic Local's picture
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Vic Local Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 5:44pm

Bullshit Robo, From the moment I left my house to the moment I got home I didn't touch anything other than my handlebars or pedals. I didn't leave a c-19 hotspot and come into an area relatively free of the virus. Bike riding in remote areas has to be about the most isolating form of exercise there is.
I just got back from a walk and the beach carparks are full despite the surf being absolute crap. So much for don't travel over Easter. Wonder if billythkid and his wanker mate were in the group of young blokes drinking beer and checking out the surf.

Blowin's picture
Blowin's picture
Blowin Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 6:05pm

They were backpackers.

Prove they weren’t.

Vic Local's picture
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Vic Local Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 6:22pm

They had Australian ascents you bell end, and I recognised one of them. He won't be getting too many waves by himself when I start surfing again.

Blowin's picture
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Blowin Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 6:38pm

Why do you hate Australians ?

Vic Local's picture
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Vic Local Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 6:47pm

I don't, I won't tolerate fools no matter where they are from. Why do you excuse people for being dickheads, just because they come from the same country as you? Pretty fucking stupid way to go through life if you ask me.

batfink's picture
batfink's picture
batfink Sunday, 12 Apr 2020 at 11:49am

Blowing, you really are a dick sometimes. Try to temper that a bit during these troubling times, rather than ramping it up.

Robo's picture
Robo's picture
Robo Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 6:26pm

I can go for a surf it’s a 7 min drive and not touch anything but my car and surfboard, oh and surflock, surf on my own, so what’s the difference? So ok for you to walk around car parks spying too then lol.

keano's picture
keano's picture
keano Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 4:30pm

PUBLIC HEALTH ALERT:

Health officials in the Illawarra today have announced that a new water borne strain of COVID19 has been discovered off the beaches of the Illawarra. The new strain is thought to have escaped from the infamous Cruise Liner the Ruby Princess after it docked briefly in Port Kembla this week. Officials have stated this version of the virus is behaving in a extremely volatile and aggressive manner, and appears to be targeting surfers from the southern and eastern beaches of Sydney, although there has been a number of reported cases from the northern beaches as well. The strain displays uncharacteristic first symptoms of bleeding from all orifices, before the more common dry cough and high fever present. A directive from NSW public health will be released later this evening stating that any Sydney based surfer considering driving south this week to avoid doing so for the danger associated with catching this violent strain of the virus (or having your photo taken by a very reasonable human who has tried to explain to you why you shouldn’t be in the area, who you have ignored, and who may have a genuine medical concern for their family or friends by you ignoring government health directives.)

#STAYTHEFUCKHOME

Cromwell's picture
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Cromwell Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 4:44pm

No doubt over the next few days NSW is going to reap a fortune in fines. The police have warned that they will be scanning number plates not only on the obvious main roads out but also the alternate routes. If you’re lucky the fine may come later and you will at least get your surf in, if not, you will get the fine and be told to go home. This is not about localism, it is a reasonable short term policy to protect us all. There have been very few cases in my area but it is also 50km to the nearest ICU beds and they would be filled very rapidly if there was a cluster of infections. This is it. This is the height of the crisis, this is when you can do the maximum damage. Once it is clear the hospitals have the capacity to cope the restrictions will be lifted.

tommy123's picture
tommy123's picture
tommy123 Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 4:56pm

Try tell that to the hundred surfers out snapper , greenmount and dbah right now on the surfcams . It’s flat and so so so
Shit . All of em are kooks hoping to catch something

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Vic Local's picture
Vic Local Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 5:47pm

Same down here, I just went for a walk along the beach and only recognised 2 surfers in the water. Kooks everywhere doing their annual Easter trip to the beach. Fucking wankers are going to turn the Surf Coast into a Mornington Peninsula type Coronavirus hotspot.

Blowin's picture
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Blowin Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 6:40pm

Waverley is the epicentre due to disrespectful backpackers.

You obviously have a monetarily derived blind spot for the foreign cash cows.

tommy123's picture
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tommy123 Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 6:47pm

Yeah and look what happen beaches are closed no one out ... your blind to think it’s ok to have a hundred kooks surfing shitness ... I surf south of Sydney away from any crowds n kooks .

Vic Local's picture
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Vic Local Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 6:50pm

Wrong again blowin. Do you ever tire of posting absolute BS?

_Bodhi_'s picture
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_Bodhi_ Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 5:18pm

I find it interesting that the other week Queenslanders were forced to the polling booths, the medical experts saying its a lot safer than shopping at woollies, however, the beach is unsafe, perhaps the next epicentre, even though at the same time we are being praised for flattening the curve and doing the yada yada (social distancing)… Hmmm okay, just saying & I can walk to good surf, a so-called ‘privileged local’, and not impacted by these temporary barriers.

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calk Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 5:41pm

I haven't been for a surf in a fortnight, but if the climate online is anything to go by there are going to be some very exasperated people in the water once things do start going back to normal. Will be interested to see if there is a trend towards more conflict in the lineups.

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billythekid Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 5:59pm

I just want to make it super clear to any Melbourne people, geelong people and vic people all over that there is absolutely nothing illegal about driving to the beach for a surf- on your own or with people from your household. Just don’t hang out in the carpark and on the beach

If your unsure because of all the swell net propagated hysteria and redneck attitudes by a few on this forum, then read the legislation yourself. And listen to the vic police commissioner on 3AW today around 1130- he made the point they’re after people in groups not people driving down for exercise.

If you need to destress, come on down to the surf coast where I live and provided you keep to yourself, I’ll be happy to see you here. So will many others. The attitude of virtue signallers on this forum is really not how most people think.

Swellnet is not a representation of the law or even of community attitudes. It’s starting to be the worst thing about surf culture with its little messages about what you should and shouldn’t do

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Vic Local Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 6:19pm

billythekid, you've got to be the biggest wanker I've ever seen on any forum. What part of don't travel to the coast can't you understand? There's nobody down here, except yourself, who is dumb enough to be encouraging people to come surfing out of Melbourne and Geelong. I guess that's what happens when you're devoted to a fucking insane right wing ideology where you're happy for people to die to protect the economy. You're even happy to spread the virus because you think it will be good for society. What sort of fuckstick thinks that's a good thing given the carnage this virus is causing in the UK and USA?
If you get a nasty dose of Coronavirus it's called karma and it's spelt "suck shit arsehole".

Blowin's picture
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Blowin Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 7:00pm

Huh ?

You’re promoting backpackers to travel across the nation to pick fruit and you call someone a wanker for safety going surfing ?

On your bike , MAMIL.

Vic Local's picture
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Vic Local Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 7:21pm

"You’re promoting backpackers to travel across the nation to pick fruit"
Yes, farmers are absolutely desperate for labour and backpackers are desperate for money. Travel of course needs to be done with sensible isolation policies to protect regional populations. Food is essential. You don't want 1 cent of taxpayers money going to backpackers, you want them to fly home ASAP (even though that is often impossible), and you don't want them living in Sydney. What exactly can a backpacker do mate, go starve somewhere quiet? Would that be OK with you?
"and you call someone a wanker for safety (sic) going surfing ?" No I called someone a wanker for being a wanker and encouraging others to travel long distances for a fricken hobby, spreading racist BS, ignoring expert advice, and generally being an arse.

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tango Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 7:47pm

Well I just want to make it super clear to any Melbourne people, Geelong people and Victorian people all over that there is a global pandemic going on and the communities all along the coast are begging you not to come and risk spreading the virus which is the source of the pandemic. It is how the vast majority of the local people think, I can assure you, as well as all the medical practitioners and others with any form of responsibility for anything.

Which is completely at odds with people like Billy who don't seem to understand the stakes at play here. Perhaps you're from Melbourne, Billy, or perhaps you're unaware of just how selfish and ignorant you are. But I also want to make it super clear that if you want to irresponsibly advocate for increasing the risk to the local community, then you probably should be prepared for the rough end of the stick from said community.

IMO Swellnet is doing a good job with this - they're actually doing the responsible thing (there's that uncomfortable word again, Billy) and passing on what pretty much every local and state authority are publicising, rather than trying to act as though it doesn't apply to surfing.

So I do hope that when the crew from Hawthorn get pulled over with boards on the roof they feel secure in telling the constable it's all good and that they have the Chief Commissioner's blessing and there's no specific mention of the word surfing in the government gazette.

A $1650 fine for being a fuckwit sounds like a pretty light penalty to me.

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Skin Flute Friday, 10 Apr 2020 at 3:38pm

Swellnet responsibly still putting out surf reports and broadcasting local conditions on their surf cams so people that don't live near the coast can be kept up-to-date.

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tango Friday, 10 Apr 2020 at 3:45pm

Not sure about your angle here SF, but just because there's a surf report it isn't an invitation to travel unnecessarily.

The coastal towns are often referred to as "holiday" destinations, which is partly true, but all too often people seem to forget that a lot of people actually live on the coast.

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Skin Flute Friday, 10 Apr 2020 at 4:04pm

I'd say if you can pop down the road to check the surf you wouldn't need the report/cam. I think it's pretty hypocritical to be telling people not to travel to the surf but then dangling the carrot in front of their face in the form of a report and a surf cam.

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Frodge Friday, 10 Apr 2020 at 4:07pm

Skin Flute
don’t forgot, surfing is allowed.
Jumping in your car to exercise is allowed, despite people making up rules about how far u can go (yes, don’t travel to remote communities etc etc..)
SWELLNET is doing nothing wrong.
In the case surfing gets banned, Swellnet can still put up reports and keeping cams running and will not be responsible for people who decide to break the rules.
Please no more posts about what Swellnet should do unless they’re great ideas about extra content to view during this time - how about a good old “gash of the month” contest.
Swellnet are doing a great job like they have always done.
On a seperate note,
Has anyone floated the idea that travelling to surf (exercise) is still allowed as it is deemed as low risk by those making the official rules / decisions - probably a lot less risk than everyone from any suburb or shire leaving their suburb or shire to work (particularly some jobs / work that is still allowed where social distancing is vey hard to achieve).
Final thought, if someone did bail up someone they deemed not local and violence followed, wouldn’t that be assault with a side of “breaking social distancing” rules. Seems a bit backwards, breaking social distancing rules in the name of social distancing?

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Skin Flute Friday, 10 Apr 2020 at 4:25pm

My point is they are discouraging it to 'non locals' one minute (in the article above) then encouraging it with the reports and cams the next. You can't have your cake and eat it too.

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stunet Friday, 10 Apr 2020 at 4:34pm

It's an argument rehashed 100 times over, so here's the 101st I guess. 

Many people have written that they'd like us to continue even if they cant surf because they want to see the surf and/or retain some sense of normalcy.

Go and read the 'Covid-19...way forward article'

Frodge's picture
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Frodge Friday, 10 Apr 2020 at 4:40pm

Stunet
What about the gash of the month or week idea? may need to rename it though.
It’d be good to get the Swellnet community talking about something, that hopefully no one has a negative opinion on (provided a graphic content disclaimer is attached)

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Skin Flute Saturday, 11 Apr 2020 at 10:52am

And you'll keep rehashing the same response 101 times over.

Some may want the reports and cams because they want to maintain their connection with the surf (doesn't make sense to me, i'd be watching a surf vid if I needed a surfing fix) whilst others want it so they can plan their weekly surfing calender with all this extra time off. Surf has been more crowded than ever the past few weeks, makes perfect sense with all the extra free time. It is what it is.

You can skirt around it all you like but Swellnet is geared towards surfers who aren't lucky enough to live by the coast. Turn off the cams and reports if you're serious about discouraging surfers from travelling to the beach.

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tango Friday, 10 Apr 2020 at 11:04pm

The only people making up rules are the government - and they say you can exercise but no non-essential travel, with an emphasis on staying home. So just because you can exercise it doesn't mean you should go surfing (non-essential) and out of your local area. Pretty simple if you just remove the blinkers of the inclination to go surfing.

Frodge's picture
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Frodge Saturday, 11 Apr 2020 at 8:51am

Tango
I can now see where u are getting the message wrong.
The message is:
No non essential travel.
Do not leave the house, but...
The only reason to leave the house is the 4 that we all know & Exercise is one of them.

tango's picture
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tango Saturday, 11 Apr 2020 at 10:51am

Righto, Frodge, we are going to have to agree to disagree.

Yes exercise is one of the reasons that people can leave. No argument.
The message is no non-essential etc. The thrust is stay home.

If you can justify travelling to surf outside your local area and risking spreading Covid-19 around, and potentially adding to the problem for those coastal communities, and doing so against the explicit wishes of those very same local communities who are actively and very publicly campaigning to stop visitors of all shades coming until the crisis shifts, then nothing I say seems likely to change your mind.

I just can't work out how or why you're able to cast aside the obvious moral issue here - not travelling is just so obviously the right thing to do. But hey, I can run over the road for a paddle, and you probably can't, and that's got to be clouding your judgement.

Frodge's picture
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Frodge Saturday, 11 Apr 2020 at 12:59pm

Tango
Yes we may have to agree to disagree, but we know what the rules are and what opinions are.
Yes you are right as well, that you live much closer to the beach than myself, but I’m there every chance I get (apart from, since stage 3 kicked in and I have held off for a while).
If we are talking morals though, maybe your stance should be, no one should surf at all?
If I’m coming from an area with a comparable amount of cases, with higher population (therefore less % in the population) it would be more likely that if surfing is an activity that is going to spread the virus, people living closer and surfing are doing more harm to the respective community than someone travelling from an area with equal or lower cases - in the case where they surf and go home- just like you.
If it’s within the rules, the moral thing would also be to let people abide by the rules, without the threat of any form of repercussion.
Stay safe and enjoy the rest of your Easter.

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billythekid Saturday, 11 Apr 2020 at 4:45pm

Frodge you are plain wrong, it's not an agree to disagree situation.

Well, re VIC anyway.

The legislation (in VIC):

Stay At Home Directions (No.3)
Public Health band Safety Act 2008 (VIC)

Part 3 - REASONS TO LEAVE PREMISES

9 Leaving premises for exercise
(1) A person may leave the premises to exercise, but must:
(a) comply with the restrictions on gatherings in clause 11; and
(b) take reasonable steps to maintain a distance of 1.5m from all other persons.
Note: The effect of clause 11 is that a person can only exercise with people that live at the same premises; or alternatively, with one other person with whom they do not ordinarily reside.

Read it at
https://www.dhhs.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/202004/Directi...

Nothing here saying you're not allowed to drive to the beach. Or that driving to your local is OK but driving ten kms down the road isn't ok. Nothing at all about staying in your postcode or anything to do with distance you need to travel to exercise.

So swellnet and has taken it upon itself to push this message, it's not law, its just an opinion taken up by paranoid panic merchants

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Frodge Saturday, 11 Apr 2020 at 5:21pm

Billy
It was agreed to disagree, because we were both presenting our cases time and time again and no one was going to give quarter. We were just being civil.
The rules are as above, as per DHHS.
Opinions are just that, opinions.

tango's picture
tango's picture
tango Saturday, 11 Apr 2020 at 5:58pm

Sorry, Frodge, I tried, honest I did.

Re the rules, please see the FAQs I try and point out below to William. If we ignore the FAQs and all the other guidance provided by government, the "rules" are very difficult to both interpret and apply, hence the need for help with interpretation.

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tango Sunday, 12 Apr 2020 at 12:11pm

Billy, you're persistent, I'll give you that.

Given your peculiar adherence to the absolute letter of the law, I suppose you're one of those blokes who abides by the exact word of it at all times, too. Bet you never go over the speed limit. Never had a beer before the age of 18, either. On your logic, you would have to support George Pell getting off on a legal technicality, too.

First thing: the Directions are not legislation - they are Directions under the emergency powers conferred by legislation.

If you go to the FAQs page from DHHS on those directions, which are designed to help people understand what they're trying to achieve, it gives a little more detail about exercise:
"While it may be necessary to leave your immediate neighbourhood to undertake exercise, we’re asking Victorians – please use common sense and don’t travel any further than you have to."
https://www.dhhs.vic.gov.au/coronavirus-stay-home-directions-frequently-...

On the same page they answer the question about going to the beach:
"The restrictions on going to the beach are the same ones as for going to the park. Keep visits short and maintain physical distancing at all times by keeping at least 1.5 metres between yourself and other people at all times. Your local council may decide to close beaches in your area, so it will be worth checking the council website before you leave home."

Also, Dan has already said earlier in the week:
"It's not an Airbnb weekend. It's not a day-tripping weekend," Mr Andrews said.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-04-07/easter-coronavirus-restrictions-i...

So, summing up, we have:
- directions issued by government via emergency powers to try and stem the spread of a pandemic, written in legalese and looking not to outrage the civil liberty crowd more than they have to by providing people with some flexibility.
- FAQ responses to help people with the job if interpreting the direction and its intent. In doing so, they provide a few blatant tips in the hope that people will exercise common sense and joint the dots, thus allowing the authorities to NOT have to go to Stage 4. Those key words include "immediate neighbourhood", "commonsense", "your local council", "your area".
- The Premier coming on over the top and saying no day-tripping.

If you can't see the unambiguous messaging there, you are blind. But you probably don't want to, because they ask you to keep the exercise short, and you bragged about 5hrs in the water the other day. Honestly, you're a piece of work.

To call it just an opinion is simply a grossly misleading statement. And if you think people who are concerned are panic merchants, I'd encourage you to consider the death toll in the US which currently stands at over 18,500. And the demographics are simply not what you say - it's affecting younger people as well. The article you cited in the AFR last week was shot down in The Age today.

Swellnet are doing the right thing, as opposed to people like you who insist on a letter-for-letter interpretation of the rulebook when it suits you, and ignore all the other evidence, guidance and common sense which doesn't support your argument.

Over and out, I've wasted enough time with you.

Jnrjep's picture
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Jnrjep Sunday, 12 Apr 2020 at 11:26am

Your confusing closest with local. ie. local = casual walk, closest = car trip.

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hairmick Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 8:26pm

Billythef@#king_idot !

Adam123's picture
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Adam123 Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 6:17pm

Swellnet stick to reporting the surf. All this political garbage is not needed here

Vic Local's picture
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Vic Local Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 6:26pm

Sorry Adam123, It is needed. Lives are at stake. We have two choices, stick with the social isolation thing that is working, or open the floodgates to a complete and utter disaster. I'm going to keep calling out fuckwits who put people's lives in danger, and I won't tolerate fuckwits who think this virus is an excuse for hate speech and pushing mad conspiracy theories. The standard you walk by is the standard you accept.

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Troppo Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 7:56pm

Agree Vic local!

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Cromwell Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 6:28pm

Billy you might have a point about the travel/surf/go home scenario but there have been clear statements that people are not to “holiday” which means at least one overnight stay. The difference in the level of risk is clear. If the police have cleared quick surf trips then there is no problem if people stay out of shops servos etc. Of course travelling from one part of the coast to another is probably pushing your luck.

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bipola Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 6:59pm

yeah they will catch the virus, and so they shouldn't be surprised if they do. i think the prime minster is doing a good job, shutting down beaches and staying indoors will protect us.
i been wearing mask and gloves when going to doctors and food,
i 68 years old, wear it into geraldton westpac bank, i line up in the Que. the bank manger was straight on to me to take my mask off or leave the bank. the lady behind me was coughing up a storm, it was freaking me out. i took it off. i slipped it back on until my turn came then i took it off so the teller could identify me,then slipped it back on.
again the manager came over and threatened to throw me out. i already tried to explain there was a virus that killed old people. so his next move, unknown to me, was to get the teller to type up a incident report of what happened thus keeping me there longer.
when finally finished i asked the manager for his name and business card. i have my accounts at westpac, i was transferring money to pay my bills on the net. i also have an assistance dog which gets me through my days. 2 months ago this same man banned my dog from coming into the bank. banks have no respect for people with disabilitys

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Lanky Dean Friday, 10 Apr 2020 at 1:23pm

Stay safe mr polar!

adam12's picture
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adam12 Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 7:02pm

Yo Adam123,.....what the fuck brah?

mikehunt207's picture
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mikehunt207 Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 8:20pm

Adam has been cloned! Some fucker did that to me too, mikehunt on beachgrit is not me either. Imitation is the most sincere form of flattery apparently but annoying as fuck when the clone is a tool.

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billythekid Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 7:15pm

Thanks Cromwell for at least considering my point

VL once again with the insults. It’s legal to drive to the beach and have a surf. Not travel, not stay overnight. Not hangout. Just have a surf and leave.

I’ve already demonstrated to you some of the economic impacts of shutdown- you seem to think millions losing jobs is a fair price to pay for flattening the curve.

I don’t, and neither do many others. Workers, business owners, economists, academics worldwide are questioning this. One quarter of our population has less than $1000 in savings. What are they doing while they wait for the free money to flow? What are their kids and babies doing? And how are they paying back the rent or mortgage they can’t pay after the six month no eviction period passes? Have they been asked if they want to do that?

Having this view, asking questions like these, doesn’t make me an idiot, wanker or any of the other insults you’ve slung at me

Grow up a bit, you and mikehunt both- although in his case he’s obviously just slow I don’t hold really hold that against him

People need to protect their mental health now more than ever. So if that means going for a surf while maintaining social distancing then I’m all for that.

Vic Local's picture
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Vic Local Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 7:46pm

"I don’t, and neither do many others. Workers, business owners, economists, academics worldwide are questioning this."
Which ones? I'd say they are only coming from the crackpot conservative camp. The simple fact is, every country that has taken your "keep the economy open" approach has regretted it big time. They've all ended up (or will end up) increasing restrictions eventually. How are your crackpot theories going in the USA, Sweden, and UK? Your ability to ignore the bleeding obvious really is staggering.

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Hastoes Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 8:07pm

do you have kids?

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Hastoes Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 8:09pm

This question was for billy, simple yes or no stuff .

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billythekid Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 8:16pm

Yes I have 3 - 22, 15, 12

billythekid's picture
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billythekid Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 8:16pm

Yes I have 3 - 22, 15, 12

Hastoes's picture
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Hastoes Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 8:27pm

wow! what do they think of your ideals and ideology in relationship to this issue? Have you talked ti them in regards ti this ? Do you think they'd be proud of what you stand for ? Would they forego their personal relationship with you and your wife, put you in danger of the possibility of others being infected , so they can have financial / self interested gains ? Would they themselves hypothetically go for a surf or visit a community that was otherwise free from the situation that we are currently facing ?

Hastoes's picture
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Hastoes Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 8:37pm

Fact. The virus is transmitted via human contact . Im not talking about homes or cars or business . Im talking about life. You don't teach your children to kill other people for financial gain do you? If you allow yourself to peep down the rabbit hole of money related issues its always gonna be a dirty window. This is right and wrong buddy . Life and death

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billythekid Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 8:59pm

Hastoes, according to the stats, I have a 1-3% chance of dying when I catch corona. And I will catch corona. Most of us will. The only question is how soon. I accept that.

At present, I don't have corona. Because I've been doing social distancing. That means its fine for me to surf. If I had symptoms, I'd self isolate. And that's all I expect from anyone else.

We don't all need got hide away. We need to use common sense.

As far as my views go, anyone rational would accept that the many shouldn't be sacrificed for the few, that the young shouldn't be sacrificed for the old, that those who have little shouldn't pay the price for those who have a lot. Thats what my ideology comes down to.

You're being emotional, like most people.

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Craig Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 9:03pm

You understand it's not how you fare with the virus, but when infected it's the others you pass it onto and the traces you leave when moving through other communities that don't have the facilities to cope with a large outbreak of COVID-19.

pigdog's picture
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pigdog Friday, 10 Apr 2020 at 9:49pm

If you get swine flu in Victoria you go to the Alfred and when that's full all its sister hospitals for elective surgery are now set up for potential bird flue victims. No small community will support carona because they don't have icu ect. They go to Melbourne.
You don't go to gp for it or if you think you have it you go to carona test point.
Your not allowed to a gp if you haveflu symptoms or temp fever its phone appointments only for those.

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velocityjohnno Saturday, 11 Apr 2020 at 3:57pm

Geelong University Hospital has ICU quarantine for CV, to my knowledge.

icandig's picture
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icandig Saturday, 11 Apr 2020 at 4:10pm

The old Baxter House / Geelong Private Hospital is set up (or in the process of being set up) for COVID cases.

Hastoes's picture
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Hastoes Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 9:16pm

Yes you are right. I've chosen to air my emotions. It's great to hear that you've been practicing social distancing, and if you were to show symptoms you'd self isolate.
Personally as a parent and a human, id not be encouraging any non essential travel at this time. The risk is potentially too great for young and old.
Would you encourage your kids to travel at this time if it meant that it could affect another human young or old?

Rochko B's picture
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Rochko B Friday, 10 Apr 2020 at 11:49am

Contrary to the flue virus, the youth are not at risk

Hastoes's picture
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Hastoes Friday, 10 Apr 2020 at 12:10pm

I believe that statement that the youth are not at risk to be untrue. As I understand, kids seem to be in general, A symptomatic but there has been deaths in the youth. They can act as carriers, and pass the virus onto other people. This would appear to be a more dangerous situation , as it would be more challenging to find the cause of an outbreak if it did occur.

belly's picture
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belly Friday, 10 Apr 2020 at 1:18pm

Yep, people need to be more careful in what they post in these times. A quick google search shows many teenagers have died and I believe there have been single digit age deaths as well.

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mikehunt207 Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 8:16pm

Slow may be the truth billyyourkiddingme but somehow I,m the one who is able to understand the meaning of what EVERYONE is saying, re stay the fuck at home, stay the fuck in your area if you want to exercise/ surf, from pollies, to the law to surfers everywhere and more importantly the medical profession, who are the ones who you are really fucking in the arse with your narcissistic mentality (and hopefully you wont be relying on in the next couple of months).
I,m still managing to live my life, work have a quick surf (and leave) without having to justify any rebel without a cause millennial cocksucker attitude that your projecting here.
Nobody here agrees with your superspreader mindset mate , all about you and your "rights" to do what you like,,just so you and your boyfriend / "mate" / whatever can drive up from your local to meet at some distant nude beach or whatever the fuck the real justification for your determination is to do as you please is really all about.
Might be quicker to just hold a pillow over the face of mum/dad/nana/pa or whoever it is your hanging on to carrk it so you can get you cash mate.
Finding myself agreeing with Vic local on something might keep me awake tonight but just goes to show that nothing will surprise you as much as human behavior.

Vic Local's picture
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Vic Local Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 8:28pm

Thanks mikehunt207. I think. Welcome to the dark side.*
*wink.

billythekid's picture
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billythekid Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 8:46pm

Hey Mike, everyones saying it, everyone must be right.

And what's with this assumption I need someone to die to get their cash? I own my house 5 mins to the beach. I sold my shares and put my super into cash early march. I'm getting paid and working no worries through this shit. I'm fine.

My concern isn't for my sake, like you keep suggesting. It's for people younger and less fortunate than me. The 6 million who are going on job keeper. The 1 million who are going on job seeker. The nearly 800 000 small businesses staring into months of no revenue. The apprentices and students who either won't finish or will finish and stare at upwards of 50% 18-25 yo unemployment. And that's not to mention the big companies who will layoff tens of thousands and put up prices when trade comes back, squashing households and businesses. Yeah, virgin wants a 1.3b bailout. And if they dont get it and they go under there go thousands more jobs and an airline monopoly. There goes a 20-30% rise in domestic airfares and more pressure on tourism. There go coastal economies smashed. The other corporates diluting shareholders to raise capital cos they're looking at no revenue. Crushing superannuants. Don't get me started. You're way outta your depth.

Hastoes's picture
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Hastoes Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 8:54pm

haha fuckn depth. You clearly don't grasp the concept of the word . Lets start at the beginning shall we. Life and death.

billythekid's picture
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billythekid Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 9:02pm

What's your point?

Hastoes's picture
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Hastoes Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 9:27pm

I can't me more specific. I can't help you . You wouldn't listen . You'll most likely put it down to my lack of emotional intelligence. I feel sorry for you . Money isn't life friend.

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billythekid Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 9:35pm

Money is life. Got no money? Got no food, got no shelter, got no life. This is true.

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Hastoes Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 9:41pm

Hypothetical; if someone approaches you and your family, demands to take possession of all of the money and assets that you have, or they'll kill you all. What would you do ?

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Hastoes Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 9:44pm

Life came before money. Did you have kids for money ?

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billythekid Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 9:46pm

When I referred to life I meant life as in something that’s worth living

If you asked me would I rather be homeless and in poverty or dead I’d rather be dead

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Hastoes Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 10:06pm

Shit man, unfortunately people including myself at certain times, have been in position to question if this. Is the life that's worth living. It's a question that a lot of us go through daily. It's what I would call normal. When in the "dark" I have to remind myself that I have a family to live for. A wonderful wife, two kids, a brother- sister mum & dad. They tend to remind me, in certain self reflective time of despair, that life is worth living. I do love the fact that in the life i've lived so far, that i've skied the Tasman glacier , surfed wilks passage and heli skied the back of the southern alps. I like my car, I love where I live. But id trade it all in for my wife & kids .With no money, It'd be seriously challenging , but id like to think that id be able to keep them safe and somewhat happy.

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mikehunt207 Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 9:34pm

Always been out of my depth billyboy but that doesnt mean I think i,m so important that I can go against the grain cause I think I am so much smarter than "everyone" else . School smart life dumb they say. If you live 5 minutes from the beach and you,ve got this self entitled attitude you really are just trolling this thread or just a total cunt (more likely). Hope nobody close to you gets fucked by this virus but if they do their blood is on your hands no doubt.
Have a great time during your surf ,legend.

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billythekid Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 9:37pm

Mike, you started with the attacks on me, here and elsewhere. It's a discussion. People dont have to agree.

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shoredump Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 10:08pm

Chill out fellas, Billy is just being misunderstood here. Everyone here, everyone, is driving 5 minutes for food, work or surfing, every week. You’re a liar if you say you’re not. He’s just trying to point out that there’s a chance (it’s actually probable) that the vaccine won’t come along easily, and that extreme social distancing (the bits causing job losses and debt, not the 1.5m spacing at Woolies) is not sustainable.

Not sustainable = impossible dream

I guarantee you he’s not a sadist, he’s just being realistic. This is not just about patience. This is about making lemonade with lemons. There’s a very real possibility this virus never gets its own vaccine. But you guys are wrongfully trying to say that you can continue on forever with the 400 billion dollars a year social distancing program.

That’s so wrong and how the fuck can you be so blind?

It’s not magic, we aren’t “solving” anything, we have just grabbed a medical dilemma off the over 40’s and handed it to the under 40’s as a financial problem. You haven’t fooled billy or I, the problem still exists.

So back to the 400 billion dollar per year problem you want to give to the young, to protect yourself. Now i know you aren’t that silly, that you do actually agree that it can’t go on forever, right?
I mean, generally speaking, you’d prefer to deal with your own problems, and not be remembered as someone who passed the buck?

So what we are disagreeing on here is merely a matter of judgment on where we draw the line.

When do we face up to our problem and get our heads out of the sand?

boogiefever's picture
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boogiefever Friday, 10 Apr 2020 at 7:35am

Spot on..... The 2020 depression. Another present to the youth from the boomers.

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kaiser Friday, 10 Apr 2020 at 9:35pm

Halle-Fuckin-lujah

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batfink Sunday, 12 Apr 2020 at 12:03pm

So many things wrong here shoredump.

The social distancing and other measures aren't sustainable, everyone knows that, but they don't have to be.

Even without a vaccine this could be knocked on the head in 2 or 3 months, if everyone is in on it.

No new cases across Australia for 2 weeks, then another 2 to 4 weeks just to let the resin set, and then release the lockdown by gradations.

It's doable, without a vaccine, entirely so. Just lockdown.

No international travel for years, except probs NZ. They will get to no new cases earlier than us.

The rest of your piece is worried about govt debt for the future. You are under the impression the govt is like a household. They aren't. They can actually print money.

You're fretting over crap economics you read in a newspaper. It ain't like that.

Worry about your and your families health, and everyone else's.

The money will look after itself.

Hysteria doesn't help at this time.

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shoredump Sunday, 12 Apr 2020 at 1:42pm

Thanks Batfink, having not studied economics ever, I was unaware until I read otherwise, which I have when you read on in other threads. To me, this is something that should be making more noise as a lot of people are worried about debt, I know I shared what I learnt within 24hrs to help.
Being in the business of transporting people around the world, I can tell you you’d be surprised how few people travel for holidays, it’s not that simple, and the statement that if everyone was in on it, and also what’s happening in China, proves it ain’t that simple. It’s easy on paper I agree, if everyone was in on it, don’t you think I want that too? Can you just let Africa know so they can comply. Getting everyone in on it, is impossible. You should see all the holiday homes up here on the central coast, they’re filled this weekend from hotspots like Bondi, people not getting the message and spreading the virus. The trouble is too many people think it’s someone else’s job to stay home. Can’t imagine shutting down food, medicine, electricity for a few months, crazy. There will always be leaks, is my point. That’s the fabric of society.
My opinion doesn’t reflect what I like or what I want, but merely how I see it actually evolving. I look to China mostly as an example of where we are headed, for example their infection rate dropped to .42 but is back above 1, and their hammer was heavier, they are in an advanced situation than us. There’s lots to digest, mutations, low antibody immunity, I just respect this virus is all.
I hope you’re right and it’s all gone in 3 months. I personally see a lot more drama yet to come, then eventually a wuflu shot down at the chemist every April forevermore. I still urge everyone to improve their health now

el kooko's picture
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el kooko Friday, 10 Apr 2020 at 1:03pm

as if you're going to get this thing from surfing. you'll get it down at woollies or buying some crap you dont need from bunnings

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truebluebasher Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 7:56pm

Essentially last hours news is not worth shit & everybody with a cam is a Wuhan cop.

Brizzos have random [M1] Goldie Police Check + Plates + Tyre tread sand vacuum.
Goldie has random (2) NSW Army check point + Plate [ID] + Wiper blade salt licks.
All Qldurrz need a permit to return from NSW over Easter (Same as NSW)

PM: Easter Parishioners are now front line WORKERS waved thru by hand of God.
Like end of the world save list...'Miracle'...check again GG...there we are, See!
Slip on a Crucifix & hit the Byron Bay Jesus Classic. Nice 'work' if you can get it!
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-03-20/coronavirus-covid-19-scott-morris...
https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/places-of-worship-considered-wo...

Blink of an eye... lawbreakers are next minute PM : Medal recipients.

tbb advises not to approach anyone...(In 2020 that's seen as an act of aggression).
Camera doesn't lie...We see idle dobberz masterbating over half naked beachgoers.
Lazy beachbum spies are the biggest lawbreakers, but in 2020 Perving is Essential.

Example.. sites prior to here tbb saw 50 surfers in Cooly + 20 in Bondi lineups.
Trip to the Mall sees the usual 100 or more sitting on their arses...never in any hurry.

tbb has a duty to set up a call centre & employ [VISA] overstays to dob you all in!
300 / hr easy & Dutto will award tbb The Order of Wuhan.

PS: tbb has never owned a mobile phone ...How many do you do?

shortenism's picture
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shortenism Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 7:26pm

Bet ya Pell snuck through

gunther's picture
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gunther Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 10:42pm

He will be hounding the superbank all easter

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upnorth Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 7:44pm

Same same, from the times.

"Cornish residents have reported 650 holiday lets and second homeowners to the council in the past five days as people sneak to the country for the Easter weekend.
The council and Devon and Cornwall police are increasing their efforts to deter weekenders as police officers stop cars, caravans and motorhomes on the M5, A30 and at service stations and car parks at beauty spots. Visitors have been stopped on coastal paths in St Mawes, Rock and Padstow.
Rob Nolan, Cornwall council’s cabinet member for environment and public protection, said that most but not all holiday accommodation owners had stopped trading. Tourists using them have been told to go home.
“The police are relying on unnecessary travel to stop the second homeowners. They are going to ramp it up at the weekend,” Mr Nolan said. “Locals are very anxious about people moving in next door to them.”
The council asked for reports of rule breakers last Friday and by yesterday had received 650 reports, with most about Airbnb rentals.
“Airbnb won’t close their listings,” Mr Nolan said. “They are a very difficult company to get hold of.”"

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hairmick Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 8:09pm

Stay the f×#k at home! We live in a very small isolated community with a small health service, 1 doctor and a very small pharmacy. We rely on tourism for a significant amount of our economy and employment but despite the benefits of living in such a community there are significant sacrifices we make each day,week and year. Our community is already suffering hugely with the economic impact of this virus but to this point we have no confirmed cases. Local families are under financial stress but are more terrified of this virus and the impact it may have on our vulnerable loved ones. Many locals are choosing not to surf due to the fear or accidental injury that can put medical services (all local volunteers services) under additional pressure. Those who are surfing along with those who choose not to are showing signs of stress. Please respect that and stay away this long weekend and until the threat has past. We will welcome you back again but not right now. Please!

Adam123's picture
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Adam123 Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 8:04pm

Well the comment section is getting quite aggressive over a difference of opinion. Really not needed in this kind of event and just bring out the worst in people

inzider's picture
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inzider Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 8:23pm

So Blowin
What's your stance on the 100's of thousands of kiwis in Oz on special visas? Do you want us all to go home like the backpackers?
I'm a FIFO worker who lives in NZ and works in OZ. I pay tax in Australia and get nothing for it. Do you want me to go home too even though I'm helping pay for welfare ,healthcare etc etc?

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velocityjohnno Saturday, 11 Apr 2020 at 2:54pm

You can stay, but you must support the Wallabies and buy a gold and green jumper...

No crossed fingers, either

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Seymour Scagnetti Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 8:35pm

Im a little behind here. Still trying to understand why anyone would choose to live in Byron?.......

linez's picture
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linez Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 8:47pm

Nat Fyfe apparently busted having a sneaky surf in WA... police commissioner saying surfing ok if you are a pro.......

think I just turned pro....

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Craig Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 8:50pm

Ha!

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seaslug Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 9:04pm

Fremantle Dockers captain Nat Fyfe will not receive a fine after being cleared of any wrongdoing for surfing on a South West beach. Of course, what did we expect.Same as all the peps heading to their mega mill holiday homes in Eagle Bay

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velocityjohnno Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 9:02pm

Billy,

There is a pandemic going on. No one alive has any adult experience of the last one. Behaviour needs to modify to defeat it, and success has been seen in locking down areas with the virus, making sure they can't transmit it to other areas.

The quicker we can get to no transmissions in an area, the quicker it can recover: and this means jobs, businesses, mortgages etc can all get back to normal. The govt has been generous and has paused required payments, and offered massive assistance to business and workers. The funds are there to ride it out.

For areas that are not heavily infected, keep them uninfected. Isolation combined with a high % of testing has been shown to literally save the population of towns, when everything around them is in chaos and hospitals are overwhelmed.

https://www.livescience.com/small-italian-town-cuts-coronavirus-cases-te...

This is a unique situation. It requires a unique response.

If you are infected, asymptomatic, and drive down, you don't spread it to people if you are not near them (1.5m in the water, ah, don't coronaviruses survive for a while and spread on water? Hmm, might need more space) - but you do leave the bloody stuff in the carpark dripping off your wettie, on the plants along the path to the beach, on the sand. It's a persistent bugger, and has been seen to last for 17 days on the cruise ships, hopefully less on the beach. But better if it were not there in the first place. If you exercised restraint and did not do the mission to the surf, none of this would be left there.

I'm immune-suppressed. I'm most at risk. I understand the method of isolation lessening infection curves, and leading to recovery - the "hammer" and then the "dance". It's working. I'm really unimpressed with what you are typing on this thread, as it places me at risk. Can you please temper your desire to go for a surf for the sake of others?

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Stok Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 9:38pm

The last Pandemic infected 1.4 Billion people and killed anywhere from 151,700-575,400 according to WHO. This happened in 2009 and was H1N1.

I certainly understand your fears for contracting Covid (sorry to hear you're immuno compromised), but if this respiratory virus can survive on sand, on a tree, or in the ocean for a meaningful amount of time and maintain a consistency for which it can spread to other humans (i.e. into the respiratory tract) - then there's really nothing we can do. It's already likely in your town - on groceries, in your hardware store, at your local newsagent etc.

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Stok Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 9:42pm

Also, be we should all be realistic about this concept of 'back to normal'.

Firstly, people surfing or not surfing will have an absolutely insignificant effect on this.

Secondly, 'normal' will likely be very different to life earlier this year. Best case scenario, we have a short recession - still countless jobs lost, families pushed to the edge and beyond, business and industries collapsing, travel and tourism dormant for a long time. Worst case....well how far can your imagination stretch? Extended period of depression, collapsing of the global economy/supply chain, collapsing of society, war?

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billythekid Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 10:40pm

Agree

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tango Friday, 10 Apr 2020 at 11:33pm

Sorry to hear that, VJ, but plaudits to you for maintaining a level head in trying to present a reasoned view.

The challenge here seems to be that we have two competing narratives. One crowd thinks (rightly) that there will be a massive economic impact arising from all this, but unfortunately don't demonstrate that they understand how this virus works and how the health system works. They also don't give the impression that they really understand how sovereign debt and international money markets work from the sound of things, either. They're concerned about a lot of things but at the end of the day, it's the economy, stupid. They're quite OK about their parents dying for reasons known only to them, but still haven't figured out that their 20-something kids might also be in need of an ICU bed.

On the other hand we have a crowd thinking (rightly) that this virus has enormous potential to carve up a substantial slice of the population, and presents significant threats to the health system for virus infections and every other malady that afflicts humanity requiring hospitalisation. This crowd are also concerned about the potential loss of medical capacity as has been evidenced in Europe and other parts of the world. They understand it's a new thing requiring a new response, and don't profess to understand all the economics, but they're watching conservative governments throwing money at it like drunken socialists and thinking that even the neo-classical economists advising the government must be running shit scared. Not to mention the government.

The whole world, where possible, is either in or approaching some degree of lockdown which has been distilled down into the universally understood quickie of "Stay the Fuck at Home". However, there are a distinct group of people who think that doesn't apply to them. Their exercise is surfing and they'll live and die for it. Only thing is, they're not keen enough on it to live near the beach. But they still think that in this time of relative lockdown, they should be allowed to travel to another community and exercise their god-given right to go for a surf. It's reminding me of the fanatics called the NRA. No concept of the common good and a blinkered view of the world through the lens of Me.

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velocityjohnno Saturday, 11 Apr 2020 at 3:10pm

That's a pretty good post Tango & I wish you and your wife (I think who is in medical?) well in all this. We should be OK, family is nearly absolutely isolated (another member is Type 1, so we feel we need to).

Your groupings are correct - the economy will be profoundly changed (either disruption and/or gargantuan money stimulus) and this was already coming. We've had a 10 year boom, some can't understand that busts also exist, it's been on the cards for a while. If you're overleveraged going into this, I'm sorry. The virus is only the initial shock. Young people just taking on mortgages, or renting with dickhead landlords too have my sympathy. (My eldest informs me rents will still have to be paid despite being frozen for now, and will accumulate? Is this true? And that mortgage interest will still accumulate? Is that true? Sucks if so...)

The grouping of those who surfing is the essential exercise and they'll do it from afar no matter what - those guys and girls are a vector for transmission between areas. They're not bad people (except for the tiny % of sociopaths) - they are me at various stages in my life, working and living away from the beach - tho I always was as close as I could be. In some ways they are ideally positioned in life if inner city based - the best jobs, the best opportunities, best amenities, best restaurants, best availability for partners, why not have the best of the beach as well? The answer to that is that this is a pandemic.

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billythekid Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 9:24pm

Velocity...I'm not going to any towns. I live near the beach. But are you asking that everyone basically self-isolates?

I read the link btw

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Patrick0710 Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 10:03pm

When the wave pool reopens will it be Tullamarine locals only?

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Horas Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 10:07pm

FMD,all the authoritarians are coming out of the woodwork.They're really up and about,revelling in telling people how to live their lives.What you can and can't do.They've never been happier.Interesting thing about all of this is having a good look at who is who.

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Horas Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 10:09pm

If everyone is thinking alike,then no one is thinking.

- Benjamin Franklin

Stok's picture
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Stok Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 10:10pm

I don't disagree with the premises of this article, and I certainly don't have the answers.

But what we're seeing here is the lack of confidence in the government, the police and society. We're also seeing inklings of tribalism. Generally - nasty stuff for our society and Swellnet, and all of us, need to be careful of treading this line.

The more levels of conflicting and interpretative laws and rules we put out there, the more smaller communities shut them selves off to the wider population - the harder it will be to 'wind things back' and return to something somewhat normal.

Be careful in what you expect for the future - the commonly claimed 12-18 month period for a vaccine could simply be a pipe dream.

Flatten the curve, follow the laws - but understand that there's a rough road ahead and it aint black and white. If you've decided to give up surfing now to try and slow things down, don't be surprised if we're not in any better of a position 12 months down the track. Also, hell of a lot easier to blanket ban surfing if half of surfers are calling for it anyway.

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billythekid Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 10:46pm

‘It’s not magic, we aren’t “solving” anything, we have just grabbed a medical dilemma off the over 40’s and handed it to the under 40’s as a financial problem. You haven’t fooled billy or I, the problem still exists.‘

- shorebreak from above

This is exactly what worries me. It’s so wrong

dpc's picture
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dpc Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 11:09pm

This will suck however its the fairest option that stops any arguements
Close all beaches to everyone.
Surfers and anyform of exercise
nobody excluded
it will stop alot of trouble.
and the spread of the virus

velocityjohnno's picture
velocityjohnno's picture
velocityjohnno Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 11:56pm

Stok & Billy, I'll try to respond as best I can, & keep it civil etc. The pandemic I reference is the Spanish Flu of 1919-21, with secondary waves, maybe a third wave for some areas. It is the closest in its nature and the response of governments, and has a similar mortality rate, maybe even a similar infection rate, R0. I'm anticipating a similar playout on this one - unless the early success in South Korea, HK, Singapore is replicated, then it only is a few months, with the "dance" part being the putting out of small outbreaks in certain localities afterward for a period of time. To have the success of South Korea, employing similar policies (lockdown of infected areas, very high testing, strong following of infection paths) will be the way to emulate it. China has re-opened too early and is swatting new outbreaks, including Wuhan, the poor people.
Stok your inference is probably correct, it probably cannot survive as well on surfaces as I mention - I hope so. But there have been quite a few infections traced at crazy distances, like 10 stories below in a HK building, via a leaking pipe.
You're also right that "back to normal" will not happen for a long time, in the familiar shape that we know it as having. Aus and NZ might overcome it, and flights might open between them. But maybe Europe is still off limits. Australian Unis will need a different business model, as their international students may be coming from areas off limits, or we are off limits to them. It is interesting to consider that the last 20 years is perhaps the time that is not "normal", and this is just a correction back to how things have been. It used to be very expensive to fly West to East, for example, so many would drive. As for hard borders between Aussie states, never seen that in my lifetime. Didn't QLD kick the destitute back over the border into NSW at Eden Ave in times past?

Economy & recession, if you know me you know I have my head in the charts quite a lot. This thing was coming anyway. Looking to the US, inventory build ups were occurring for some time, a lot like the inventory build ups of 1928 to my historical eye.
Companies doing buybacks fueling new market highs. In Australia, the floating AUD tends to spare us the extremes, with the caveat that anything will be done to save housing and the jobs it enables. Yet this too was slowing anyway. Car sales had fallen for over a year. The wildcard is the money printing world wide (phenomenal amounts) and Australia actually starting a form of QE. Will we successfully extend and pretend? Deep recession and supply chain interruption leading to entirely new supply chains/remake of global trade, for my 2c. Was going to happen one way or another, with the geopolitics going on, that's a post-2016 phenomenon.
Agree on the 12-18 month vaccine being a pipe dream, how are the MERS and SARS vaccines going?

Billy, I'm in exactly the same situation, not going to towns, live near the beach. I'm self isolating, but it's a unique case. If everyone in an area understood and did this for 4 weeks, no problems as long as it is not brought back in. (You can imagine the disruption to jobs/businesses etc, so that's why govco have created some amazingly large support/stimulus, allowed freight and essential medical services, etc). But that 4 week isolation isn't going to happen (as a walk tonight revealed many holiday-house owners are down), so the potential for free movment/flare up/lockdown to repeat will be present. If it were me in charge, and I could influence others to support my policy, I'd probably take the NZ approach.

Horas good point about the authoritarianism, it's self-horrifying to see myself support regional/area lockdowns. But I've been in the medical coal-face as a patient for some time and have seen their thoughts. A bit of historical study of past pandemics/plagues sees that no matter the type of government, the event either burns through a population, or is quarantined into oblivion, or someone develops an antidote of some form. The libertarian and monetary historian here is so horrified at the amount of monetary stimulus he's almost going "fuck it! Blow it up bigger! Shift to Ludicrous Speed!"

And Billy, that last point about the medical problem of the over 40's being handed to the under 40s as an economic problem really is important. It is a terrible thing to endure. Our kids are in this situation. It is not nice to see the world unravel - uni, work, career path - and beyond into nightlife, friends, hanging out. This event will be a time to endure, and it sucks even more for the young as this virus is something they can be infected with and in most cases it won't do a great deal of harm.
Graduating in the early 1990s sucked in a similar way, as it was the peak of the last recession (phenomenal we've never had a recession since then...) - and the 1990s recession was the worst economic conditions since the 1920s/30's in Australia. Jobs were hard to get, degrees were getting jobs high school would formerly get you, I saw Enviro Science graduates labelling eskies as their occupation, older workers were hanging onto their jobs with white knuckles - we were stuck and so what could you do? Travel, surf, get on a cray boat, have a laugh, go back and do that 2nd degree, grit your teeth and pursue the career, laugh(sadly), party, surf and enjoy excellent music. It wasn't till about 2002 in WA that the economy took off, so that's a lost decade of career development. What has happened now is a shock event, and so how deep it gets I do not know. In addition, the young have had clubs and pubs shut, and that probably leaves a surf as the last thing left... I understand where you are coming from. It's a real tough one, the act of surfing itself probably isn't contagious (unless crowded lineup), but the travel between areas far apart increases the risk of transmission between the areas. At least there's the promise that it will eventually pass, and that it's unlikely to end your existence.

Anyway, trying to reconcile a shitty situation is the medical officers and govco's job and there are so many responses that grey areas exist; we can still surf but that contradicts driving a long way to do so given the fines being handed out. But beach house owners OK... If you see a dude with a board falling out of a sand dune nowhere near a path, surfing a peak that no one would bother with, it might be me coming out of isolation.

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Jamyardy Friday, 10 Apr 2020 at 12:31am

Interesting post VJ. Not trying to detract form it, it came across very sincere.
This has been a long winded post to get through. My first thought was something I read today :
The spread of COVID-19 is based on two factors
1. How dense the population is
2. How dense the population is
My second thought was
"What we've got here is failure to communicate.
Some men you just can't reach...
So, you get what we had here last week, which is the way he wants it!
Well, he gets it!
N' I don't like it any more than you men." … Gunners
Third was that our govt has slowly been implementing restrictions, like they are spacing them apart for what could be for various reasons. Therefore I reckon most people think we will end up in total lockdown very soon, like several other countries have done, hence why everyone is out and about now (last few weeks actually), getting their fix on nature, that they believe will soon be taken away from them for a couple or more weeks. With respect to a vaccine, I imagine many "experts" in many countries are working on this, given how widespread it is globally, the concentration for an antidote is probably also unprecedented, still it does not mean one will be found soon, or at all. Esperance in WA has locked itself out to visitors, probably the first town to do so (I think Quobba and Gnaraloo have done so as well, but they are stations and not large communities as such). I wonder if other towns will follow suit, up to now they are "requesting" visitors to not come and carrying out spot checks as opposed to check points as Esperance has done. Just my thoughts and keeping a low profile myself, hoping we all come out the other end unscathed.

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WarriSymbol Friday, 10 Apr 2020 at 1:02am

Do all the Surf Coast residents realise the roads go two ways?
How many Torquay and Juc residents who can not work from home travel to Geelong or beyond for work?
What are they bringing home with them?
Its being made out that the Surf Coast is some pristine utopia whilst anywhere north of Coombes Road is a virus ridden slum.
Surf Coast has nine cases in a pop. of 33,000 (1 in 3,666) whilst my municipality in Melbs has fifteen cases in a pop. of 166,000 (1 in 11,000).
I should be more scared of you lot than the other way around.

Anyhow, definitely all stay at home.
I haven't surfed in just short of four weeks and have no idea when I next will.
Local pools are closed so other than taking a shower I have lost connection to the water for now.
What I do know is that a Surf Coast local sure won't be welcoming back the crowds and calling me on to a wave when this drought is finally broken.

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tango Friday, 10 Apr 2020 at 11:43pm

WS I think you would be quite surprised about that. There's always been heaps of connection, and it's obvious as to who of the regular out-of-town crew are missing from the water at the moment.

I already know of a few that I'll be calling into set waves for doing the right thing when the dust settles. From the sounds of what you say, I might even call you in if you're game to stick your head above the parapet.

But you're missing the point about the 2-way flow of work. The point is that it's essential travel, and they're not travelling to Gtown or the big smoke for fun.

velocityjohnno's picture
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velocityjohnno Saturday, 11 Apr 2020 at 3:29pm

I also reckon you'll be surprised, once this is over. Love hooting someone who is stoked into a good wave, no matter where their address is. I like seeing different approaches to a wave & there we are all different.
Travel for work is only what's deemed essential now?
Anyway yours is a good point about the 2 way, and so was Jamyardy's, didn't know that Esperance had lifted up the drawbridge, they are in a great place/distance to do it.

billythekid's picture
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billythekid Friday, 10 Apr 2020 at 7:51am

I suspect reason will win out. Over 50's over 60s over 70s Over 80s and anyone else who wants to will be asked to self isolate for their own protection, while the rest get back to semi-normal life. A compromise.

Give it two months tops before this happens.

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B.B.Blitz Friday, 10 Apr 2020 at 8:01am

Of the 30 odd holiday homes I maintain here in Sunshine Beach\Noosa 90 % plus have their Brisbane or Sydney owners in residence,,,,unbelievable they think they are special and don't give a fuck.....quite a few drove up yesterday with their kids.Gunna fuck it for everyone, hope it's flat and raining this Easter.

glassworks.san-elanda's picture
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glassworks.san-... Friday, 10 Apr 2020 at 9:38am

haa that joint was fucked loooooong ago

B.B.Blitz's picture
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B.B.Blitz Friday, 10 Apr 2020 at 10:25am

Has it's days like anywhere, same crowd numbers as back in late 80s , 90s just swapped agro short boarders for maltards , beginners, backpackers and loggers.

Robo's picture
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Robo Friday, 10 Apr 2020 at 8:20am

Surely no one would be stupid enough to drive from Sydney to Noosa lol.

B.B.Blitz's picture
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B.B.Blitz Friday, 10 Apr 2020 at 10:23am

Nah true but the Brissos are, hope the cops nail them.

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Jnrjep Friday, 10 Apr 2020 at 9:00am

15ks ain't local fark off westie

Blowin's picture
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Blowin Friday, 10 Apr 2020 at 9:24am

Went to go fishing this morning. Quick check of the boat ramp around the corner and the car park is full. The closet reef to shore looked like an ocean borne jamboree.

Give it a miss I think.

mario belazi's picture
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mario belazi Friday, 10 Apr 2020 at 9:45am

I have been looking at the swellnet and coastal watch cameras this morning there are surfers surfing even on the so called closed beaches except for Cronulla and the eastern beaches, it is a bit of a contradiction. why is that?

velocityjohnno's picture
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velocityjohnno Friday, 10 Apr 2020 at 9:57am

& thanks all for the replies.

Here's an article I want everyone to read this morning, we are getting on top of it, the actions most are taking seem to be working:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-04-10/coronavirus-data-australia-growth...

Check it out, R0 of 0.81 currently. Very basically, get it below 1, and the virus can be overcome. Well done crew, the overall effect is working!

PAG's picture
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PAG Friday, 10 Apr 2020 at 10:11am

FOMO is getting to me, but I will wait till the biggest crowds ever go home ( who are all these surfers)

freeride76's picture
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freeride76 Friday, 10 Apr 2020 at 10:26am

Yep VJ.

curve is flattened. R0 below 1.

Easter is the crucial time now, if things don't get out of control ( ie super spreader events into smaller coastal/regional) areas then I reckon the restrictions will be relaxed with social distancing maintained.

thats a pretty good result.

velocityjohnno's picture
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velocityjohnno Saturday, 11 Apr 2020 at 3:32pm

Yep FR, we won't know till 2 weeks after, but it's going in the right direction.

geek's picture
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geek Friday, 10 Apr 2020 at 10:28am

If anybody wants a laugh (or cry) have a look at the south trigg cam right now. Holy shit!

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shoredump Friday, 10 Apr 2020 at 10:31am

VJ, I don’t see that as encouraging at all. China’s stats prove the hammer and dance model isn’t how it’s going to work. China used a sledgehammer and still they are >1 today, after trying to dance. The hammer destroys the rate, but it also destroys society. As time passes, and we learn more, it is becoming clearer that only the hammer works effectively on the virus, but the hammer is not sustainable, not by a long shot

We have to engage with the enemy

Craig's picture
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Craig Friday, 10 Apr 2020 at 10:39am

That's just crazy!

velocityjohnno's picture
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velocityjohnno Friday, 10 Apr 2020 at 12:12pm

Some say it may be crazy, some may see it as their reality...

It's interesting, you can actually tailor board design to these conditions - get in extremely early and stand really fast, set a traverse and get the fins engaged ASAP, generate speed ASAP, a shortish flattish board cos there's really no space to take drop and bottom turn reliably into the next section. If you're taking a drop at head high it's often into a barrel and closeout, so good practice pulling in. If you do get a bit of face and go to the bottom and turn, you can go vert right back up as the faces are steep, but that's a low %. In some ways it's a pretty extreme test of fitness and agility, though not for paddling, more like Bruce Lee levels of reflexes. It has some push too, and a bit of backwash at times. In spring, when the winter surf has created banks, it's actually pretty fun and barrelly. And yes it's always been crowded, so if there's no real defined shape, who has priority on the takeoff, the guy going left into the guy going right? Took my young one there to show him what he's missing, and he enjoyed going over the falls and getting smashed (3'+ sets, straight with odd barrelly fast right), also enjoyed the backwash going spastic on the inside. Pretty soon he was launching into it as quickly as he could. But he did turn to me and say, "Dad, I'm really glad I grew up where I did..."

wingnut2443's picture
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wingnut2443 Friday, 10 Apr 2020 at 12:47pm

I'm not sure of the rules there, but if the same 1.5m applies there, it looks to me like everyone is doing the right thing!

Are they 'congregating' though? What's the rule / definition there of a congregation?

lostdoggy's picture
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lostdoggy Friday, 10 Apr 2020 at 1:34pm

Are you kidding wingnut, haha?
Pretty sure you can drive to your place of exercise, do your exercise, then return home.
I'm not sure sitting on the beach in the sun is a part of that, what do you think?

Remigogo's picture
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Remigogo Friday, 10 Apr 2020 at 7:10pm

Water must be freezing...brrrrr....

Robo's picture
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Robo Friday, 10 Apr 2020 at 10:40am

Unbelievable, no rules there?

wingnut2443's picture
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wingnut2443 Friday, 10 Apr 2020 at 12:31pm

In the interests of clear information, it's probably an idea for everyone to read the ACTUAL Public Health Order.

It can be found here for NSW:

https://www.legislation.nsw.gov.au/_emergency/Public%20Health%20(COVID-19%20Restrictions%20on%20Gathering%20and%20Movement)%20Order%202020.pdf

At Clause 5 it reads:

Direction of Minister concerning staying at home
(1) The Minister directs that a person must not, without reasonable excuse, leave the
person's place of residence.
(2) For the purposes of subclause (I), a reasonable excuse includes doing an activity
specified by Schedule I.
Note. Examples of a reasonable excuse in Schedule 1 include leave for reasons involving-
(a) obtaining food or other goods and services, or
(b) travelling for the purposes of work or education if it is not possible to do it at home, or
(c) exercise, or
(d) medical or caring reasons.
(3) Subclause (2) does not permit a person to participate in a gathering in contravention
of Pat1 3.
(4) Taking a holiday in a regional area is not a reasonable excuse.
(5) Subclause (I) does not apply to a person who is homeless.

So, that's pretty clear right?

There is NO restriction as to distance. None, Zip, Zero. Zilch.

There is NO restriction to stay in your postcode for anything permitted (food, medical, exercise, etc.)

The Public Health Order is the LAW, and the LAW is clear.

And, while I am on my soapbox, all this QLD Rego gripe ... does everyone understand that many people live in NSW but have QLD based employers who provided them with a car which has QLD rego?

Here on the Tweed Coast there are a LOT of building companies that do it, civil / earth moving companies, air conditioning services, plumbing services, electrical services etc. All have QLD bases and QLD rego on cars but their employees live in NSW. And, FWIW, not all of them have company signage on the vehicles either!

So, before you decide to take it upon yourself to ask someone with a QLD plate why they are in NSW, have a think about the fact they may be a hard working average aussie doing the right thing.

billythekid's picture
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billythekid Friday, 10 Apr 2020 at 5:05pm

Exactly. Its not ILLEGAL so swellnet take the bullshit banner down

AndyM's picture
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AndyM Friday, 10 Apr 2020 at 5:23pm

Will be interesting to see if the people who have received fines around here decide to take things to court.

You'd like to think that the police would know where they stand in the law before they start giving out tickets.

tango's picture
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tango Friday, 10 Apr 2020 at 11:47pm

No it is not illegal, but its a commonsense and moral interpretation to not travel for surfing out of your local area.

The law just let George Pell off.

Current Affair's picture
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Current Affair Friday, 10 Apr 2020 at 1:08pm

Nice post VJ. It is probably good to remeber that the virus is not just about life and death. There are many other health issues related with catching the virus and it is affecting young and healthy people due to the sheer numbers- albeit not so much in Australia yet. https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/04/survivors-severe-covid-19-beatin...
Redback spider fatalities are extremely rare (due to anitvenom) but I wouldn't want to get bitten by one and I wouldn't want a family member in the ICU after seeing the last one come out brain damage. Stay safe and happy Easter.

velocityjohnno's picture
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velocityjohnno Saturday, 11 Apr 2020 at 2:14pm

Yes it can be very dangerous to the lungs of young & healthy people too.
Coming home like in the article, some people may feel similar to PTSD, if it's been a big enough shock, that stuff is really hard.

bluediamond's picture
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bluediamond Friday, 10 Apr 2020 at 1:30pm

Got an early morning grovel in at the local...saw no one....now back home and settling into an Easter long weekend of Bells reruns on heat analyzer. Not all bad. Happy and safe Easter everyone.

freeride76's picture
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freeride76 Friday, 10 Apr 2020 at 1:31pm

Cops booking crew.

Penalty Notices Issued - COVID 19

Four persons have been issued with Penalty Infringement Notices for failing to comply with Health Ministers COVID-19 direction.

About 2.45pm today, two Byron Bay men were spoken to upon Burns Point Ferry Road, West Ballina. Both men could not provide a valid reason for travelling to Ballina and being in public.

Later this afternoon, a Queensland man and a Byron Bay man were spoken to at Skennars Head. No valid reason was provided for travelling to the area and being in public.

All four persons were issued with a $1000 Penalty Infringement Notice.

Richmond Police District will continue to patrol the region to ensure the public are complying with the Health Ministers COVID-19 Direction.

merkin's picture
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merkin Friday, 10 Apr 2020 at 2:00pm

How fcuken dumb could you be to not be doing "something" or just stay at home?

Anyways Byron to Skennars means shit's getting real.

Just saw a mate from your village paddle out in front here :-) And one bloke with Qld plates roll the dice and go for a surf.

Vic Local's picture
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Vic Local Friday, 10 Apr 2020 at 2:08pm

Huge police presence on the coast today. I just went on a ride on my usual remote road circuit, and was amazed how many coppers were out patrolling. Anyone trying to sneak a car load of people into Barwon Heads, Torquay or Anglesea via dirt or backroads would have been getting pulled over. Lots of tickets being issued.

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seaslug Friday, 10 Apr 2020 at 2:25pm

Great VL

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boogiefever Friday, 10 Apr 2020 at 5:10pm

Pics or it didnt happen....

Vic Local's picture
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Vic Local Friday, 10 Apr 2020 at 5:17pm

Was I supposed to stop, get off my bike, whip out the phone and take photos? Maybe ask the cops to smile. I'm sure that would have gone down well. It happened. Get over it. Here's a story from yesterday with the police minister saying there would be plenty of cops on the beaches and on the roads.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-04-09/victoria-coronavirus-cases-rise/1...

boogiefever's picture
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boogiefever Friday, 10 Apr 2020 at 5:18pm

I Went to a bakery the other day and the pies were eating people!!!! I kid you not!!!!
The onus is on you dipshit to prove ur point. Good to see you riding ur bike through various postcodes spreading disease while preaching for people to stay away from the beach. Hypocrite.

Vic Local's picture
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Vic Local Friday, 10 Apr 2020 at 5:35pm

You are such a fool boogie fever. When riding a bike you don't touch anything other than handlebars and pedals. I rode a circular route away from towns and the closest I came to someone else was when they were passing me riding in the other direction 10 meters away. I challenge you to find a form of exercise that is more socially distancing. Even with my rural route, I still saw plenty of cops in vehicles including bookings being handed out.

billythekid's picture
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billythekid Friday, 10 Apr 2020 at 5:11pm

No tickets being issued for surfing on your own or with your household. I surfed 8-10 then 1-4 no worries plenty of people in the water no one getting booked

Vic Local's picture
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Vic Local Friday, 10 Apr 2020 at 5:29pm

Typical selfish flog spending 5 hours in the surf. Fuck anyone else waiting for the crowds to die down so they could get a wave. Did you meet up with your Melbourne mate? You were bragging about that on the other thread?

billythekid's picture
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billythekid Friday, 10 Apr 2020 at 5:54pm

VL I hope you didn't wear lycra while riding your bike, cos that's disgusting

BTW I was walking around Barwon Heads around 1030 this morning - cops were at the bridge, people walking around, surfing, whatever, but doing social distancing: NO ONE was getting fined. You're full of shit.

Nothing wrong with spending 5 hours in the surf. But there is something wrong with being a judgmental self righteous dickhead

Vic Local's picture
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Vic Local Friday, 10 Apr 2020 at 5:57pm

Oh my. You started your rant with " I hope you didn't wear lycra while riding your bike, cos that's disgusting" and ended it with "there is something wrong with being a judgmental self righteous dickhead".
You're drunk billythekid.

boogiefever's picture
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boogiefever Friday, 10 Apr 2020 at 5:55pm

Mamil Hypocrite vl.....you ride ur pushie through various postcodes spreading disease. You're not a spokeman for victoria, you're a tool. Get off your high horse....you're embarrassing your state.

AndyM's picture
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AndyM Friday, 10 Apr 2020 at 2:56pm

Yep cops going through this place like a kilo bag of prunes.

Still plenty of people in the water but empty waves to be had - had a solo surf of glassy head-high rock runners with clear warm water.

Bloody nice.

redclement.'s picture
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redclement. Friday, 10 Apr 2020 at 2:57pm

Bring back the grim reaper with his bowling ball. Two others out surfing the outer reef this morning. Well worth the paddle.

AndyM's picture
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AndyM Friday, 10 Apr 2020 at 4:02pm

"Redland City Mayor Karen Williams has cracked down on people trying to get around a COVID-19 travel ban after about 300 people applied to change the address on their drivers licence to North Stradbroke Island on the eve of the Easter long weekend."

https://www.beaudeserttimes.com.au/story/6718565/easter-travel-lurk-quas...

dazzler's picture
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dazzler Friday, 10 Apr 2020 at 7:15pm

Enterprising

AndyM's picture
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AndyM Friday, 10 Apr 2020 at 8:45pm

They'e all lawyers and stockbrokers, the world is theirs to manipulate as they see fit.

boogiefever's picture
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boogiefever Friday, 10 Apr 2020 at 6:00pm

Im all for opinions.... But fuck me if this forum wouldnt be a better place if vic local would just piss off from swellnet for a year or 12..... Hypocritic, self centred, righteous cock womble. And thats being nice....

kirwoods's picture
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kirwoods Friday, 10 Apr 2020 at 6:17pm

Yep agree, and that Blowin as well, both clogging up the forums with their tit for tat
drivel! Finger gets sore having to scroll through their posts. Must have plenty of spare time on their hands.

truebluebasher's picture
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truebluebasher Friday, 10 Apr 2020 at 6:34pm

Thanx to Stu & all the crew for stripping back the 50 shades of Grey.
Right from the top of Stu's excellent review we see rules change daily to here & on.

Govt deception is clearly playing tricks with our minds.
Promos to Elections to Cruise Ships to Beach rules all flip flopping
All differ by Council & State & National
NSW minister just resigned over Holiday Home runaround
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-04-10/coronavirus-nsw-minister-don-harw...

Coronavirus > Covid 19 from outer Space > Covert 999

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Dazednightrider Friday, 10 Apr 2020 at 6:55pm

What if a person lives in a coastal town making them a local but travels to the city for work a few days a week? Yes it's essential to work but they're a big risk. Tricky situation.

pigdog's picture
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pigdog Friday, 10 Apr 2020 at 9:31pm

Amen Dazenightrider
This is what I have been saying the last 2 weeks.
Some people have got there head so far up there own sphincter its absolutely hilarious how pigheaded they are.

Dazednightrider's picture
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Dazednightrider Sunday, 12 Apr 2020 at 12:16pm

I'm trying to stay away from people as much as possible. I reckon the supermarket is a bit suss.

velocityjohnno's picture
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velocityjohnno Saturday, 11 Apr 2020 at 2:23pm

Work from home if possible. Worker may wish to isolate self from family within home as much as possible if continually getting exposure in another locality known for virus outbreak. Tricky indeed. I've watched the 'Wuhan Nurse' series on YT where she is infected, but shares apartment with hubby who is not, it's a lot of PPE and avoidance, and regular tests for both.

Dazednightrider's picture
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Dazednightrider Sunday, 12 Apr 2020 at 12:19pm

We'll all be walking around in space suits soon. Or just stay in the barrel right to the shore.

ringmaster's picture
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ringmaster Friday, 10 Apr 2020 at 7:29pm

Listen.

I don't give a rats arse where any of you cunts are from. Just don't get in my way when Im paddling for a wave.

Robo's picture
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Robo Friday, 10 Apr 2020 at 9:27pm

Don’t you just kick on a body board?

ringmaster's picture
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ringmaster Friday, 10 Apr 2020 at 9:33pm

I'm actually a 'Lady Logger' Robo.

stylemaster1970's picture
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stylemaster1970 Monday, 13 Apr 2020 at 7:46am

Ya reckon

mr mick's picture
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mr mick Friday, 10 Apr 2020 at 8:13pm

Qlders to have pass now & valid reason to enter NSW from tomorrow, about time!

donweather's picture
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donweather Saturday, 11 Apr 2020 at 3:44pm

Where did you hear this from as I can’t find any info on this.

mr mick's picture
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mr mick Saturday, 11 Apr 2020 at 3:59pm

NBN news last night. Looked myself today, couldn’t find anything either, maybe I heard wrong?! Did have a couple beers under the belt by then.

truebluebasher's picture
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truebluebasher Friday, 10 Apr 2020 at 11:00pm

WA ...More Busy Good Friday Beach Pics (Scroll down the ABC Link Page)
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-04-10/quarantine-period-ends-for-vasco-...
WA Health Minister:.. (After seeing biggest crowds ever on beaches!)
People are observing regulations,
To keep beaches open is what we want.
We don't wanna close the Beaches Down!

Police thank people who didn't go to the Beach...

WTF is this?

Everyone in WA is so nice..it's doing my head in...Like another Planet..
More sirens, Yelling, Babies Cryin', Dogs Barking, Signs, Bollards, Tape! More Tape!
Get with the program.

Remigogo's picture
Remigogo's picture
Remigogo Saturday, 11 Apr 2020 at 7:59am

Sand has returned on Lieghton beach by the looks.

views from the cockpit's picture
views from the cockpit's picture
views from the ... Friday, 10 Apr 2020 at 11:01pm

seaslug's picture
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seaslug Saturday, 11 Apr 2020 at 12:42am

hehe

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PeteWebb Saturday, 11 Apr 2020 at 8:23am

Why haven't the government done more to restrict the movements and tighten the isolation measures of those who are most at risk with this virus? The over 60's can still be seen out and about going about their business. The standard argument is you can pass it on to the senior citizens and they may die.
Lock them down. Isolate them. Throw more resources at looking after them.
Has anyone got figures for Australia for the ages of those who have died? Is there stats on whether these victims already had pre-existing medical conditions?
When the government are telling younger citizens without breathing difficulties to go home and ride out the virus in isolation for 14 days why aren't the old and frail being kept out of the firing line by stricter measures?

billythekid's picture
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billythekid Saturday, 11 Apr 2020 at 10:03am

Totally agree. Tell those at risk to isolate themselves, don’t make young people lose their jobs so oldies can go shopping etc everyday.

As far as stats go you can look it up pretty easily. Basically 20% of over 80’s who get it die and it drops from there to less than 0.5% of under 30s who get it die

My local newsagent tells me she’s getting all her regular pensioners coming in every morning buying papers even though she’s offered them delivery . But her kids are stuck at home.

Vic Local's picture
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Vic Local Saturday, 11 Apr 2020 at 11:12am

billythekid. You're very good at telling other people how to act, just as long as it doesn't effect you at all. Spare me your concern for "young people". You only care about yourself, and if others have to change their ways to suit your lifestyle, so be it. That's a price you're happy for others to pay.

billythekid's picture
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billythekid Saturday, 11 Apr 2020 at 2:44pm

Pointing out that it’s legal to drive somewhere for a surf isn’t telling people how to act

Questioning the economic cost of lockdown isn’t telling people how to act.

Questioning the appropriateness if swellnet and judgmental narrow minded self righteous farts like you to tell people not to go for a surf isn’t telling people how to act

Congrats VL - another bullshit comment from you. You really have nothing of substance to add.

Vic Local's picture
Vic Local's picture
Vic Local Saturday, 11 Apr 2020 at 2:51pm

"Tell those at risk to isolate themselves" your words mate.
Hell yeah, I'm telling people not to come down for a surf, but here's the difference between you and me. I'm telling people not to do something for the benefit of others like VJ who is immune suppressed and the medicos who have to deal with it. You're telling people not do do things for the benefit or yourself.

truebluebasher's picture
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truebluebasher Sunday, 12 Apr 2020 at 2:02am

Seniors posted letters so the Govt closed their Post Offices.
Banks are automating Seniors or sentence them to outpost PO.
As Govt own PO, all senior cash goes thru them first & only
Elderly hitch 5 stagecoaches across 5 outlands to pay a bill @ PO.

Elderly then need more pain relief & struggle to the Shop.
Shop says sorry no cash, but can return as a robot any time you like..
Elderly just wanna stay at home with cash under their beds.
My bank just automated my Mum & she is furious & so am I.

Govt & Shops send Seniors out daily & detour them miles away.
Atm robot plan is near complete then kids can rule the Bus Route
As 65% seniors prefer cash this is Elder Abuse on epic scale.

WHO + Govt say Cash is fine...Grotty Pad is The Red Hot Spot.
Virus lasts 1 day on paper money but thrives 3 days on Plastic Cards.
https://theconversation.com/we-know-how-long-coronavirus-survives-on-sur...
Govt insist we transact via the most contagious means possible.
Sooner Social Credit assimilation is Complete the sooner Quarantine Ends.

mario belazi's picture
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mario belazi Saturday, 11 Apr 2020 at 8:25am

Well there are people still on the northern beaches walking surfing etc this morning on the so called closed beaches here in the shire and eastern beaches we are doing the right thing,thats right the north side have got money to burn they can afford the $1000.00 dollar fines.

Buzz1's picture
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Buzz1 Saturday, 11 Apr 2020 at 10:02am

Ummm, you can still walk, exercise and surf at closed beaches. You just can’t sit, sun bake and gather in groups on the sand or grass.

Robo's picture
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Robo Saturday, 11 Apr 2020 at 8:53am

Nothing has changed here MNC, surfing as usual without the easter crowds. Small today, hopefully swellnet report of 4-5ft for tomorrow is right, looks like a good week coming up :)
Along with xmas day it's the best day of the year to surf early if you have no little kids.

wingnut2443's picture
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wingnut2443 Saturday, 11 Apr 2020 at 10:08am

I have a company provided vehicle with Qld rego but live in Northern NSW.

I drove past 3 cop cars (2 highway patrol, one Pajero) this morning
as I was doing my morning surf check. None of them stopped me.

FWIW, I didn't have any permit displayed either.

views from the cockpit's picture
views from the cockpit's picture
views from the ... Saturday, 11 Apr 2020 at 10:44am

Actually PW has made a fantastic comment on here I reckon.
Isolate and lockdown the "at risk" groups such as 70yo+, nursing homes, cancer wards, people with compromised immunities, etc and have essentials delivered to them by people who have been tested or recovered even better.
Let the rest of society contract CV and build herd immunity more rapidly and any that need more Intensive care can be treated...

philosurphizingkerching's picture
philosurphizingkerching's picture
philosurphizing... Saturday, 11 Apr 2020 at 11:22am

Agree.
The medical fraternity needs to come up with some sort of check list where individuals can self determine how strong their immune system is.
So for someone who gets sick a lot and has a poor diet the recommendation might be to go back to work, but outside of working hours to self isolate.

velocityjohnno's picture
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velocityjohnno Saturday, 11 Apr 2020 at 3:40pm

hi views, a lot of this is happening voluntarily, including putting off non essential appointments/cancer treatments

Vic Local's picture
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Vic Local Saturday, 11 Apr 2020 at 11:20am

"Actually PW has made a fantastic comment on here I reckon.
"Isolate and lockdown the "at risk" groups such as 70yo+, nursing homes, cancer wards, people with compromised immunities".
Who is going to staff the nursing homes and cancer wards? The Easter bunny or a fricken tooth fairy? And it's not like these places aren't doing their absolute best to isolate the at risk residents and patients already.
Sorry views from the... that was not a very sensible comment.

philosurphizingkerching's picture
philosurphizingkerching's picture
philosurphizing... Saturday, 11 Apr 2020 at 11:34am

Who is going to staff the nursing homes and cancer wards?
One possible solution is that a nurse might volunteer to live in the nursing home for a month.
One reason nurses become nurses is that they are selfless compassionate people and as Brian Eno said in a recent interview, healthcare workers are the most valuable people on this planet at the moment.

Vic Local's picture
Vic Local's picture
Vic Local Saturday, 11 Apr 2020 at 12:17pm

When was the last time you went to a nursing home? Nurses, cleaners, cooks, doctors, physios , delivery people etc etc all need to be there. Do you seriously think having a nurse stay overnight is the answer.
I think you'll find people who offer simple solutions to complex problems tend not to think things through and have extremely limited expertise in the field.

philosurphizingkerching's picture
philosurphizingkerching's picture
philosurphizing... Saturday, 11 Apr 2020 at 1:19pm

Apologies for not writing a thesis on the subject.
Problem is if I say the word thesis too much my lisp comes back.

wally's picture
wally's picture
wally Saturday, 11 Apr 2020 at 3:16pm

All residential aged care facilities are in lockdown by Federal Govt order. That includes zero visitation by family members.

I did take my mother to an important specialist appointment this week. She was delivered to me at the front door and I returned her to the front door. I could not enter the building. Because mum had that brief trip outside, she is now confined to her room for 2 weeks and can only be approached by staff wearing PPE. That’s also by Fed Govt order.

Vic Local's picture
Vic Local's picture
Vic Local Saturday, 11 Apr 2020 at 3:38pm

Sorry to hear that Wally. It's a shit situation and I wish you the best. Maybe those who think it's still fine to travel to surf might want to walk a mile in your shoes.

Robo's picture
Robo's picture
Robo Saturday, 11 Apr 2020 at 4:38pm

Where are you?

PointAddict's picture
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PointAddict Saturday, 11 Apr 2020 at 11:24am

Indeed, viewsfromthe..., etc
I often baulk at adding fuel to the comments fire...however, looking forward-

UK - “We are looking at an immunity certificate, how people who’ve had the disease, have got the antibodies and therefore have immunity, can show that and get back as much as possible to normal life,” he said.

https://7news.com.au/lifestyle/health-wellbeing/coronavirus-update-immun...

UK Italy, Germany, China considering this exit strategy. No doubt Aus...

Show your wristband to rejoin society? Go to work? Get work? Go anywhere?
Or to enter the Superbank/Wavepool/etc Virus Exclusion Zone...?

shoredump's picture
shoredump's picture
shoredump Saturday, 11 Apr 2020 at 12:18pm

This is very constructive and forward momentum building. I like it. It deals with the real situation and doesn’t rely on thoughts and prayers.

I urge everyone to begin improving their health now

The Fire's picture
The Fire's picture
The Fire Saturday, 11 Apr 2020 at 5:03pm

Yepp sounds good but..

South koreans are getting re infections so please dont just think if you survived it once your home free..

I would encourage everyone to focus on their own body and get it in the best shape you can..

Yoga, breathing, de-stess yourselves, spinal alignment, positive affirmations, diet and cardio of course.

Make yourself the strongest YOU can be.

shoredump's picture
shoredump's picture
shoredump Saturday, 11 Apr 2020 at 5:40pm

Is that right?
Well that’s terrible news. I’ve seen a few other worrying reports for this solution too, that 1/3 of the recovered aren’t producing antibodies, and the fact that it’s mutating impressively already.

Maybe a prolonged hardcore shutdown is the only hope, but then Africa and South America, you know, the reality is a world wide shut down logistically won’t work, no matter how good it looks on paper.

The more I think about this the more pessimistic I become.
Like will the saviour, the vaccine, be hopeless against its mutating capabilities?

Have we entered a new age where we aren’t the apex predator each time we step out of our homes?

I don’t know enough to worry myself too much over it. The world is coming together like never before. Maybe we will solve it, and take great strength and unity into the coming battle with the environment. Maybe what’s happening in 2020 is the beginning of something special

The Fire's picture
The Fire's picture
The Fire Saturday, 11 Apr 2020 at 9:40pm

Shoredump you seem to have grasped the enormity of this shit thats going down right now.

Vaccine is 12-18months off, that's all i keep hearing/reading.
But guess what..
How long has the common flu and cold been around for? Still no. Vax for either. Oh and what exactly is in these vaxes? You would be loathed to know.
Spoiler- baby tongues among other things. YES. You read right.
All sorts if shit. Can post a link if you really wanna know. This world is never gonna go back to how it was.
Life is gonna get weird/er.

One government
One currency
Etc

Best we can do is be self sufficient, food wise, sell your house and buy land with good soil.

Less reliance on big brother the better.

Think about it, long term.

_Bodhi_'s picture
_Bodhi_'s picture
_Bodhi_ Saturday, 11 Apr 2020 at 12:59pm

I too like the idea of an immunity certificate, although I am interested to see the results of a person who receives a second bout of the virus… good luck to those individuals volunteering...

I am on the fence with the whole herd immunity vs. total lockdown, I see the benefits with both sides arguing their point, and the ethical complications. Although, if we continue to drop our daily cases and community transmission perhaps we will be a Nation totally free of the virus sooner rather than later. That’ll be a good day to party with more than two people face-to-face…

Not sure what this will look like for us in the future though, will mandatory 2wk quarantine be compulsory arriving back to Australia from a 2wk indo surf trip? Hmm possibly…

views from the cockpit's picture
views from the cockpit's picture
views from the ... Saturday, 11 Apr 2020 at 11:35am

Just cant see a way outta this until the majority have had CV and for their sakes pulled through with minor implications.
That simply cant work with lockdown procedures for everyone for very long.

Robo's picture
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Robo Saturday, 11 Apr 2020 at 11:43am

I see Lakey Peterson is at bells surfing, living with in-laws. Arrived 2 weeks ago.

Vic Local's picture
Vic Local's picture
Vic Local Saturday, 11 Apr 2020 at 12:30pm

That doesn't sound creepy at all.

Robo's picture
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Robo Saturday, 11 Apr 2020 at 1:11pm

small mind

velocityjohnno's picture
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velocityjohnno Saturday, 11 Apr 2020 at 2:35pm

It can be heavy living with your in-laws.

Vic Local's picture
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Vic Local Saturday, 11 Apr 2020 at 2:54pm

I've met the in-laws on a few occasions and they seem super cool. Always treat us lowly serfs at the comp well. Lakey is good value in the surf too. I reckon they will be fine.

nnumnuts's picture
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nnumnuts Saturday, 11 Apr 2020 at 5:13pm

So your'e saying it's ok for Lakey Peterson to go surfing but no other pricks allowed to ?

Vic Local's picture
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Vic Local Saturday, 11 Apr 2020 at 6:32pm

No, nnumnuts. where did you get that from?

nnumnuts's picture
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nnumnuts Saturday, 11 Apr 2020 at 7:47pm

Because you seem to have fairly consistently torn a new one verbally for others going for a paddle but not her .

Vic Local's picture
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Vic Local Saturday, 11 Apr 2020 at 7:55pm

I'm not going to tear anyone a new one online, based on robo's statement. I have zero idea how accurate it is or the context it was made. I can appreciate that some people are going for quick surfs and not travelling long distances to do so. They aren't the big problem. It's the travelling surfers that are my main concern here. That's based on the fact that Melbourne has way more covid 19 cases than the coast, and my observations that groups of people are travelling to the beach in the same vehicle. It's very sloppy behaviour.

Robo's picture
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Robo Saturday, 11 Apr 2020 at 8:33pm

She was on the today show this morning.

boogiefever's picture
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boogiefever Saturday, 11 Apr 2020 at 10:35pm

Vl writes.... "That's based on the fact that Melbourne has way more covid 19 cases than the coast."
Simpleton......

Is that per capita???? Do you understand how numbers work???? For fucks sake......back to school boomer.

boogiefever's picture
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boogiefever Saturday, 11 Apr 2020 at 11:13pm

"Surf Coast has nine cases in a pop. of 33,000 (1 in 3,666) whilst my municipality in Melbs has fifteen cases in a pop. of 166,000 (1 in 11,000)".
A bike ride through neighbouring surf coast suburbs sounds like a great idea.
Ohhhhhh the stupidity. Self centred prats... No thought of community outcomes what-so-ever. But ,go ahead vic yokel.... Justify comprimising all your dear locals immune systems for your personal gains on a bmx....
ding ding!!!!

icandig's picture
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icandig Saturday, 11 Apr 2020 at 4:28pm

Relevance?

Jnrjep's picture
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Jnrjep Saturday, 11 Apr 2020 at 12:12pm

Its all getting a bit much for this old man might go for a surf out the front and put shit on anyone I don't know. All ways makes me feel better.

Sprout's picture
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Sprout Saturday, 11 Apr 2020 at 12:31pm

bluediamond's picture
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bluediamond Saturday, 11 Apr 2020 at 2:15pm

That little right pit is probably the only part of the whole beach that doesn't have a human anywhere near it. haha

The Fire's picture
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The Fire Saturday, 11 Apr 2020 at 4:52pm

Eat a dick Bondi !!

velocityjohnno's picture
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velocityjohnno Sunday, 12 Apr 2020 at 3:07pm

Hahaha! "We did it better in the pandemic back in '20! Eastern staters think they are all there is to Australia..." grumble grumble

linez's picture
linez's picture
linez Saturday, 11 Apr 2020 at 5:15pm

They could all be locals sprout, lol

velocityjohnno's picture
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velocityjohnno Saturday, 11 Apr 2020 at 4:38pm

"The success or failure of Australia's coronavirus fight relies to a remarkable degree on just one thing, new modelling has found.

And that thing is whether individual Australians now follow official advice — and just stay home.

The data comes from a complex model of how COVID-19 could spread in Australia, which finds:

Coronavirus will continue to spread virtually unchecked unless at least eight in 10 Australians stay home as much as possible.
If that slips even slightly — to seven in 10 people — the fight to 'flatten the curve' will be lost.
It also suggests that school closures have little effect on controlling the coronavirus outbreak."

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-03-25/coronavirus-covid-19-modelling-st...

dave knee's picture
dave knee's picture
dave knee Saturday, 11 Apr 2020 at 4:45pm

From a rival on coastal watch, but definitely puts it in perspective

The bigger question, though, shouldn't be whether or not you are allowed to go surfing, but whether or not you should. Gonna clarify here that the next couple lines of editorial are my own, and not an official line by Coastalwatch... (as is anything I write on this website), but I think we need to switch up our thinking here. Staying at home is the priority, stop looking for loopholes to keep doing the thing you love while the rest of the country is making sacrifices for the greater good of us all. If you need to exercise for your mental and physical wellbeing, then that is allowed and encouraged, of course! And if surfing is the best way you can do that safely, then that is what you should do. But if you can do your exercise and look after your mental health from home, of which many of you can, then stay home. There are bigger problems we're facing right now than whether or not you get your time in the brine.

Yes, I’m sure that you, a responsible adult, could hit the road, drive for two hours and find a beach with no-one on it, surf and get home without injury. But I’m also sure that many responsible adults in safe cars could drive on stretches of the Hume Highway at 150 kilometres an hour safely. This isn’t about you, and that’s not how laws work. They blanket over society to protect us from the 5 per cent of drongos who don’t do things safely. The idiots who without parking attendants would park in the middle of the road. The idiots who right now aren’t washing their hands as they should, the ones who aren’t social distancing. This is something we’re all doing right now to help ensure the survival of our community’s most vulnerable. It’s quite beautiful in a lot of ways; have you ever seen a community come together in one giant act of solidarity like this before? I haven’t (and why wouldn't you want to be a part of that). So it’s a fair bummer when you see comments like “A policeman would have to shoot me in the f***ing head to stop me surfing this weekend" and to know that that’s an attitude popular in the greater surf community. People who play basketball at local courts every day aren’t arguing for their right to shoot some free throws, what makes us think we’re so special? We’re not. Shred at home. It will save lives.

Vic Local's picture
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Vic Local Saturday, 11 Apr 2020 at 8:20pm

Well said Dave knee. I'm seeing a lot of commonalities with the surfing and skiing communities. Most people are doing the right thing but there's always a handful of complete dickheads causing problems.
Despite the warning and requests not to go skiing, plenty of riders are cramming trail heads, ignoring closed areas, triggering avalanches, and getting rescued by people who would simply prefer be at home. Skiers are travelling from cities to remote mountain towns and spreading the virus. Places that should be safe in Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, Montana are getting hit hard by travelling skiers. Like my town of 20,000 there's fuck all ICUs nearby.
Thank god the surf has been crap down here this Easter. That slice of luck could literally have saved my town a world of pain.
The worst thing is, plenty of crew down here are making sacrifices. Many have lost their jobs in hospitality and can still do the right thing for the common good. Seeing other people act selfishly and stupidly really grates, because we all pay for their shitty attitudes. Exercise yes, but do it with some consideration for your fellow humans and exercise some common fucking sense.

boogiefever's picture
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boogiefever Saturday, 11 Apr 2020 at 10:13pm

Are you referring to complete dickheads who ride their pushie between postcodes???? Selfish Hypocrite.... Spreading disease because you cant miss beating ur strava time. Arrogant fuck......You sicken me.....

Vic Local's picture
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Vic Local Saturday, 11 Apr 2020 at 10:20pm

You're such an idiot boogie fever and you obviously have some pathological hatred of bike riders. I've told you before fool, I ride out in farm land. I haven't seen a pedestrian on that route in 20 years. Like I said, exercise with commonsense.

thebeard's picture
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thebeard Sunday, 12 Apr 2020 at 2:10pm

Hiya vic, I’m a little confused. As Dave knee points out, it’s not about responsible adults to drive 2 hours to find an empty beach and get home safely. It’s about the law. Yet you get to ride your bike (as a responsible adult I’m guessing). Doesn’t that go into the law? I think you bring some good point to the discussion bit at times it seems you move the goal posts to make your arguments work.

PeteWebb's picture
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PeteWebb Saturday, 11 Apr 2020 at 5:13pm

Vic Local nailed it...."I think you'll find people who offer simple solutions to complex problems tend not to think things through and have extremely limited expertise in the field."
The Dunning Kruger award goes to Vic Local for the effectiveness of surfing control in a Pandemic.

billythekid's picture
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billythekid Saturday, 11 Apr 2020 at 5:38pm

Fuck this. It's time to take one of those little yellow pills with the weird logo on it

Sprout's picture
Sprout's picture
Sprout Saturday, 11 Apr 2020 at 6:37pm

Little green ones with a Mitsubishi logo.

Dazednightrider's picture
Dazednightrider's picture
Dazednightrider Sunday, 12 Apr 2020 at 12:04pm

They were good

Robo's picture
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Robo Saturday, 11 Apr 2020 at 6:33pm

If you can’t surf shouldn’t be allowed to ride a bike either, or playing golf, Or jogging or going for a walk, no matter where you live. Fair is fair. All or nothing. If it’s that serious stay home should mean stay home except for food and essentials, cut out all the what if’s.
People passing close on paths/walkways is no different. Saw it today walking the dog, safer in the surf.
And before vic local says I don’t see anyone or touch anything on his bmx bike so can I going for a surf.

Vic Local's picture
Vic Local's picture
Vic Local Saturday, 11 Apr 2020 at 7:23pm

Robo, your ability to dumb everything down never ceases to amaze me. I guess that's a default position when thinking isn't your strong suit. Nobody, except for you is saying no outdoor exercise. You want to solve one medical problem by creating another. That's high stupidity.
I'd be happy to see groups of riders getting fined, and if big pack rides continued to happen, banning cycling is the obvious answer. I wouldn't complain at all. The thing is, the biggest group I've seen in 4 weeks is 2 riders, and they very much looked like husband and wife.
Walking is fine, if people use commonsense. The famous Bondi to Bronte was closed today because of stupid people. But you want to ban all walking outdoors. What about walking to shops? Oh dear, you didn't thinking that one through did you. If you don't have a car, Robo says starve.
Sorry, but here's a hard truth for you, surfing does deserve to get banned outright, because the behaviour of so many surfers has been pathetic. So many surfers are travelling long distance to the beach, and that causes numerous problems.
And one more thing. You bitch and moan about people getting too close while walking. How the hell do you get from the carpark to the sand on the Surf Coast? You're either walking down a staircase or narrow path or you're getting into the water via helicopter. Please tell everyone how you are doing it.

Robo's picture
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Robo Saturday, 11 Apr 2020 at 8:38pm

Get out of the house and stop watching/reading the news all day, your a fear mongerer.

Vic Local's picture
Vic Local's picture
Vic Local Saturday, 11 Apr 2020 at 9:03pm

Maybe you should go look at some news robo. Something from New York might be a good place to start.

Robo's picture
Robo's picture
Robo Saturday, 11 Apr 2020 at 9:41pm

Don’t be scared you have a better chance of winning the lotto.

Sprout's picture
Sprout's picture
Sprout Saturday, 11 Apr 2020 at 6:41pm

linez's picture
linez's picture
linez Saturday, 11 Apr 2020 at 6:43pm

+1 robo

velocityjohnno's picture
velocityjohnno's picture
velocityjohnno Saturday, 11 Apr 2020 at 8:29pm

lol sprout!
(how wide is that nearest guys board? Or he has short arms?)

The Fire's picture
The Fire's picture
The Fire Saturday, 11 Apr 2020 at 9:55pm

Omg vl you are so fuct.

Stop sucking asias cock and wake the fuck up.

The earth is older than you and wiser than you and will be around long after your stupid fuckin corpse has been devoured by maggots that share your iq.

Sooner the better.

Im so sick of reading your bullshit posts. You can paddle to the fucking horizon for all i care and dont bother looking back cos all you will see is a swathe of people giving you the finger.

Vic Local's picture
Vic Local's picture
Vic Local Saturday, 11 Apr 2020 at 10:04pm

Gee that escalated quickly. Racism, homophobia, violent abuse, all delivered with year three writing skills.
If you don't like what I post, just ignore it.
Looking forward to working with you in the future if you post racist crap.

thebeard's picture
thebeard's picture
thebeard Sunday, 12 Apr 2020 at 2:17pm

Hiya Vic, you’re posts are hard to ignore (there are so many) and let’s be fair not all of them are friendly. Wasn’t it Jesus who said something about casting the first stone or the likes?

wally's picture
wally's picture
wally Saturday, 11 Apr 2020 at 10:10pm

It’s not about saying surfboard riding is unsafe. It’s about asking people to stay local. Keeping potential clusters of infection tight and manageable. Debates about whether we could give covid-19 to that prick we dropped in on is a bit beside the point.

tango's picture
tango's picture
tango Sunday, 12 Apr 2020 at 12:21pm

Wally has summed it up in two sentences:

"It's about asking people to stay local. Keeping potential clusters of infection tight and manageable".

It's a highly complex message that many people, some of them demonstrating signs of intelligence, seem to be having trouble with.

velocityjohnno's picture
velocityjohnno's picture
velocityjohnno Sunday, 12 Apr 2020 at 3:08pm

Bingo.

Horas's picture
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Horas Saturday, 11 Apr 2020 at 10:51pm

The mob seem to be pretty happy living under the governments thumb.Who'd a thought that OZ would become a police state so quickly ,and even scarier that the sheeple would embrace it so enthusiastically .I'll leave you with one last thought
"He who would trade liberty for some temporary security,deserves neither liberty nor security."

- Benjamin Franklin.

PCS PeterPan's picture
PCS PeterPan's picture
PCS PeterPan Saturday, 11 Apr 2020 at 10:53pm

Vic Local , Ride at ease , cops were breaking groups of riders up early this morning near my area , making them spread out . I was cruising down to check the ocean on my bike and they waved me on. All good .
Last Sunday the lifeguards kicked people off the beach for sun baking inn groups , I stopped them to ask why they didn’t move us and they said because we had surfboards ( my kids and me) .
TF . . . Simmer down bloke , don’t take yourself too seriously , it ain’t worth it .

AndyM's picture
AndyM's picture
AndyM Sunday, 12 Apr 2020 at 10:03am

Exercising in a group doesn't seem like a good idea.

https://medium.com/@jurgenthoelen/belgian-dutch-study-why-in-times-of-co...

isaacday's picture
isaacday's picture
isaacday Sunday, 12 Apr 2020 at 7:57am

It's an interesting watch on a social experiment level. I'm seeing people who are usually happy to bag cops and do things like drink drive, snort cocaine, sell pot, let their dogs and cats wander around shitting and annoying others all of a sudden becoming law abiding dibber dobbers. Flushing out hypocrites by the thousands.

Vic Local's picture
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Vic Local Sunday, 12 Apr 2020 at 9:44am

Very true, Our federal government has steadily erased hard won rights for years in terms of whistleblower protection, media freedom, refugee rights, and our courts, and very few people seem to care because it doesn't directly effect them. This undermining of our democratic principles has been done for the sole benefit of the ruling party.
Take away someone's right to go to the beach to protect the wider community during a health crisis, and the new freedom zealots start screaming.

isaacday's picture
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isaacday Sunday, 12 Apr 2020 at 11:56am

In an interesting twist people have been leaving their house to drive around taking photos of other people driving around then posting pics of the number plates on FB and sending to cops. Couple of hours later the same photographers are out in the surf. Wives are sitting on the beach on yoga mats in active wear instead of on a towel in swimmers in case the cops come. "Just a local doing my daily exercise constable. By the way, did you fine those crims I sent pics of to you?"

PAG's picture
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PAG Sunday, 12 Apr 2020 at 11:25am

just saw the police ,moving people on at Narrabeen and long reef, FYI

Goofy4's picture
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Goofy4 Sunday, 12 Apr 2020 at 11:34am

Do ya reckon there's at least two very disparate conversations going on here (and pretty much everywhere there's a open forum) ?....some crew are conversing about trying to understand what the rules are and what they can and a can't do, assessing whether there are loopholes to these rules, feeling pissed by restrictions placed upon what they want to do..... and some crew are talking about how they can best look after other people, exercising the responsibility to our elders and those of compromised health ? Maybe some people aren't hearing each other?

Vic Local's picture
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Vic Local Sunday, 12 Apr 2020 at 12:49pm

You've hit the nail on the head Goofy4. The medicos and mathematicians are saying to keep this virus under control we need 80+% of the population to take social distancing really seriously. Australia has been doing this and the figures are improving. In other words the arsehole to decent people ratio is good. Now if more arseholes start taking social distancing seriously, the figures will improve quicker and the restrictions get lifted earlier. Come on arseholes, stop trying so hard to find loopholes in the guidelines, and get on the right side of history. All will be forgiven and we can smoke a virtual peace pipe now and then a real peace pipe later and much sooner. Which side are you on boys?

Robo's picture
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Robo Sunday, 12 Apr 2020 at 1:14pm

Tell that to your chinese mates at it again, they are your arseholes, glad us Aussies are starting to standard up to them, funny they are the only ones wearing masks too lol, gutless, ship them out on the next boat back.

https://www.news.com.au/finance/business/retail/shoppers-almost-come-to-...

Cromwell's picture
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Cromwell Sunday, 12 Apr 2020 at 1:48pm

Every so often there is a comment that stands out as the perfect example of its genre. So Robo congratulations, in the genre “Pig ignorant, shallow crap, expressed as offensively as possible with no evidence of rational thought occurring.” You’ve nailed it...... and this is a very significant achievement. Many here have been working that genre for years and never come close to the total absence of intelligence and eloquence you have achieved. Now, come on try for number one in the “Grossly offensive insults. “. I know you have it in you.

Blowin's picture
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Blowin Sunday, 12 Apr 2020 at 2:19pm

Wait a minute , Cromwell.

These two profiteers are obviously not Australian born . This means that they are recipients of the kindness of Australians with their very presence in Australia.

It is culturally unacceptable in Australia to profiteer with grocery items for anyone of any origin....even Australian. This is exponentially true during this time of crisis where food shortages are widespread. There is a well known limit on baby formula for this very reason. These two have no respect or regard for the society which has opened its arms to them.

Why wouldn’t these two GUESTS be deserving of any treatment such as that delivered by the brave old man in the video- who is physically threatened by a guest whilst challenging him for arrogantly flouting our society’s mores - or even robo’s attitude ?

The sentiment is correct. These two have zero concern for Australia or Australians beyond their ability to profit at our expense. You tell me why they shouldn’t be treated with abject disdain and returned immediately to their home country ?

The pig ignorance is belonging to those who would treat welcoming Australians like doormats to be trodden over in pursuit of their own self interest.

The urging to overlook such rudeness is irrational.

Would you behave that way when visiting another country, Cromwell ? I’m sure you’d be horrified if someone you knew was found to be acting that way whilst representing Australia abroad. For good reason.

If this was Balinese complaining about obnoxious Australians you’d agree wholeheartedly with their desire to ship them back to Australia. What is the difference ?

Cromwell's picture
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Cromwell Sunday, 12 Apr 2020 at 2:44pm

Blowin, you have no way of determining the CITIZENSHIP of those involved. Their place of birth is irrelevant. In fact their citizenship is irrelevant. If you don’t accept that then you are unworthy of YOUR citizenship. People who are in the country legally have the same shopping rights as everyone else. If they were in fact rorting the system it is the responsibility of the store management to address it. Old aggro mate could have notified staff and left it to them. Of course common sense in a time of social friction is unlikely to penetrate the prejudice of someone who thinks it is just fine to intimidate people in the street with a bullwhip. You are a shit stirrer, someone prepared to wind up people to go and actually do these sort of things from the safety of your keyboard. If this so disturbs, off you go and patrol the aisles of your local supermarket. See how long you last before security tell you to fuck off and stop being a nuisance and an arsehole.

Blowin's picture
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Blowin Sunday, 12 Apr 2020 at 4:38pm

For sure , VL.

I can just imagine you wringing your hands at the deep seated racism when some Balinese arcs up at a pisshead Russian pushing them out of the way on a footpath or a MuslimLombok local getting anti cause a Brazilian chick is strolling through his village in a G string.

Do you rush to the defence of a drunk Aussie skolling beers in the middle of Aceh after the locals get angry at him ? Do you call them racists and tell them it’s a global village and their customs no longer bear any weight ?

It’s called respect . You respect the customs and cultures of the country you are visiting.

You think it’s a borderless world where anyone can do anything they please without consideration for local custom.....think again. Citizenship matters. Local custom matters. The mores or a society matters.

There is cultural rejection of hoarding baby formula in Australia. There is a signposted limit on hoarding baby food formula in Australia. There is a crisis in which there is limits on hoarding baby food and our second ranked public official has publicly stated that it is illegal to profiteer limited grocery items. But you want to attack the locals here who get upset at someone who flaunts their arrogance towards them ?

People who are in this country as guests should respect our cultures.....or go home.

People who have been welcomed into Australia as immigrants should respect our culture .....or go home.

This is a sovereign nation. We have customs , laws and a local culture. If you don’t like them and don’t think you can adhere to them....go home.

Vic Local....You don’t speak for anyone but a little inbred town which you want to build a fence around. Your opinion means nothing. To be honest , you sound like a bit of a coward who would let anyone walk over him because he’s spineless.

The standard you walk past is the standard you accept and you’re willing to look the other way as rude foreign fuckwits threaten the supply of baby formula for Aussie mums. Weak as piss.

Vic Local's picture
Vic Local's picture
Vic Local Sunday, 12 Apr 2020 at 4:33pm

Geez blowin, You're criticising me for what Cromwell posted. You really are stupid.

Blowin's picture
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Blowin Sunday, 12 Apr 2020 at 4:40pm

Honestly....seen one spineless inbred and you’ve seen them all. I can’t tell the difference between you anymore.

Vic Local's picture
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Vic Local Sunday, 12 Apr 2020 at 4:50pm

Here blowin, I will help you. When you see "Cromwell commented" followed by a bunch of words, that's what he posted. When you see "Vic Local commented" followed by a bunch of words, that's what I posted. Is that clear enough for you?

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Blowin Sunday, 12 Apr 2020 at 4:44pm

No mention of the fact that in a time of social friction caused by the Chinese nation’s maliciousness you’d think that a Chinese person would have enough sense than to not stockpile baby formula as our society , custom and federal Ministers demand ......but you seem to think that this is all cool and not worthy of note.

You’re a shameless victim blamer.

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Vic Local Sunday, 12 Apr 2020 at 4:54pm

Where exactly did I say purchasing excess baby formula was all cool? First you abuse me for something Cromwell wrote, and now you're just making stuff up again. Go home Blowin, you're drunk.

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Blowin Sunday, 12 Apr 2020 at 5:19pm

OK....you should get stuck into Cromwell them. He’s gone Full Apologist for the dickheads who plunder the limited stocks of formula.

Apparently Cromwell isn’t smart enough to realise that there is options between the two extremes of kowtowing to foreign profiteers or a full blown race war over powdered milk.

I think it’ll come as a surprise to him that it’s not just possible , but a good thing , that Australian citizens are confident enough to insist that a couple of fuckers respect the customs and laws of their society without the entire nation immediately developing insatiable bloodlust and murdering anyone who appears Asian.

And that when individuals from a foreign country behave badly in our country we are indeed permitted to want them to return home to their country without insulting that entire country. Just because these two disrespectful flogs should go back to China doesn’t mean that every Australian of Chinese descent is being told to go back to Chins.

It’s called nuance.....look it up and learn it because this nuance- free perspective you are forcefully pushing onto people is very , very tiring.

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Cromwell Sunday, 12 Apr 2020 at 6:58pm

As I stated before there is nothing in the post to identify the nationality of those accused of breaking limits on the purchase of infant milk formula. Your claim that they are Chinese citizens may be correct but it does nothing to justify your assertion of it based on nothing more than their Asian appearance. Additionally, you have, twice now, encouraged vigilante type actions that at best were legally dubious and at worst, criminal offences. It seems that you believe citizens have the right to be judge, jury and executioner. This is the mentality of the lynch mob., a role in which, given your long history of offensive racist bullshit on this site, I can easily imagine for you. Your assertion that there are options between “kowtowing” and murder is true. The pity is that you lack the sense to sufficiently distance your preferred response from actual physical violence. You are a disgrace to our common humanity, an unpleasant divisive fool who invites those possessed of even less wit than yourself to acts of violence. .....and does it from the safety of a keyboard. Your attitudes would be no less despicable out on the street with your fellow neo-Nazi sympathisers, but at least then we might acknowledge you had the courage of your convictions instead of judging you to be a pathetic inadequate coward living vicariously behind well preserved anonymity. Go fuck yourself arsehole.

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Blowin Sunday, 12 Apr 2020 at 7:26pm

“Citizens have the right to be judge , jury and executioner....“

Vigilante type action , lynch mob behaviour, neo Nazi sympathisers , disgrace to common humanity, invites acts of violence,....

Please....it was an old cobber wording up a dickhead up in a supermarket .

You’re turning on the bullshit cause the fella did nothing wrong. I’d have gladly done the same.

I think you might have just jumped the shark there mate.

Strange how you don’t think the sly bastards leaving mum’s without baby formula so they can profiteer aren’t “ a disgrace to our common humanity.”

On your bike , mate. You’re a liability to Australia.

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Cromwell Sunday, 12 Apr 2020 at 8:28pm

People grabbing others they suspect of wrong doing and manhandling them is simply taking the law, or in this case the supermarket’s regulations, into their own hands. This was not old mate wording someone up it was an altercation and you can see in the image the woman being pushed around. Better watch it next time you accidentally pick up an extra toilet roll eh mate? You’ve just given every dickhead in the district the right to smack you one. The previous action you encouraged was a man screaming abuse at a group outside the Chinese Consulate and repeatedly cracking his bullwhip at them. This would fall pretty comfortably under criminal assault as no physical contact is necessary, threats and intimidation are enough. So you approve of assault against who? Random people of the wrong ethnic ancestry who happen to be in the wrong place when some moron loses his rag? If you think tolerance of these types of behaviour does not lead to more extreme behaviour then you have no understanding of human nature or knowledge of history. The long record of humanity is that violence is easily provoked by identifying some slightly different group as the “other” and then treating them as lesser forms of humanity against whom violence and terror are acceptable. Catholic/Protestant, Sunni/Shia, Indigenous/Coloniser etc etc etc. And neo-Nazi? You lost the right to any doubt a long time ago. You know what you are doing. Many Australians of Asian appearance are frequently made to feel uncomfortable by people like you. Many Asian tourists and business people come to believe that they are not welcome here. So I stand by what I said. You are a racist creep who thinks he has found a safe space to spread his toxic bullshit and who hides behind his anonymity because he lacks the courage to deal with the come back in the real world.

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Blowin Sunday, 12 Apr 2020 at 9:32pm

Random people at the wrong place at the wrong time ? What are you on about ?

There could have been 400 other Chinese in the shop who no one gave a fuck about , just going about their business.

Did they get harassed ? No.

Did the profiteers in question get “ othered “ ? No.

They were acting like fuvkwits and got called on it by an elderly bloke .

They were in the wrong.

They were in the wrong.

They were in the wrong.

Get it ?

No one else got hassled . It wasn’t a race war , neo Nazi , lynching .

It was people acting inappropriately and getting called on it and deservedly so. Whether they were new arrivals or old arrivals in Australia is irrelevant. They were flaunting the customs of our society and they knew what they were doing was wrong and they got called on it by a brave old bloke at the supermarket.

And then the young Chinese fella wanted to fight him. Instead of conceding that what he was doing was wrong he was still so arrogant as to dare physically harm an elderly Australian who was simply trying to uphold the mores of our society.

He was wrong. You are wrong . You can both fuck off back to China.

As for the bloke with the whip.....random ? He was protesting at the Chinese consul . If he’d been brandishing the whip in China town I’d agree with you . But he was slagging the CCP and Xi Jinping at their official Australian representative.

Serious question : You’re not real bright are you ?

If you saw someone doing the wrong thing would you just stand there and pretend you didn’t see it ? Is that really the type of person you are ? Are you the coward ?

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Vic Local Sunday, 12 Apr 2020 at 9:36pm

Oh please Blowin, you're about as racist as they get. You excuse racist behaviour, you spread racist bullshit, you use racist terminology that is straight out of the far right phrasebook, and you hold people with a Chinese background to a much higher standard than people from an Anglo background.
You're screaming deportation for this milk powder hoarder while completely ignoring the massive amount of hoarding that was going on (by Anglo-Saxon people) a few weeks ago.
Cromwell is absolutely right. You're a disgrace. A skid mark on the bed sheet of humanity.

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Robo Sunday, 12 Apr 2020 at 2:37pm

No need for rational thought it's all in the story, for the record i havn't given anyone any offensive insults or will.

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Faunt Leroy Monday, 13 Apr 2020 at 9:11am

https://www.news.com.au/finance/business/second-company-sent-90-tonnes-o...

What about this then? I hope im not being racist for posting this. As far as im concerned every australian should boycott these businesses. This got my blood boiling.

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billythekid Sunday, 12 Apr 2020 at 3:42pm

My kid told me Coronavirus started cos a Chinese in Wuhan had sexual with a bat

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Vic Local Sunday, 12 Apr 2020 at 4:16pm

Well the apple didn't fall too far from that tree.

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Blowin Sunday, 12 Apr 2020 at 4:47pm

Listen to Vic Local doing the CCP’s dirty work like a ball-less wonder.

Billy....tell your kid that yes, he is correct that the virus started in Wuhan but it was when a Chinese ate a bat , not fucked it.

Vic Local would have you believe that the virus came from the Virus Fairy ....and the fairy probably has an American accent.

Get a spine , VL and get a clue whilst you’re at it.

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billythekid Sunday, 12 Apr 2020 at 6:33pm

VL you’re not funny, you’re not interesting, you’re not anything positive. Your ideas are the most mainstream typical and boring ones. You spout the most obvious shit. You’ve got nothing. Just finger pointing, insulting, critical. That’s all you’ve got

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Vic Local Sunday, 12 Apr 2020 at 6:40pm

"Your ideas are the most mainstream typical and boring ones."
Your idea that we should actively spread the virus to protect the economy, and if old people die that's fine, is just plane nuts.
Australia needs to listen to the experts and pull together. The last thing the country needs is fruit loops like yourself pushing an extremest agenda.

Blowin's picture
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Blowin Sunday, 12 Apr 2020 at 6:44pm

Do they even serve nuts on the plane any more ?

I certainly haven’t been offered any of late.

Weiss bars , copious amounts of piss , coffee which makes you feel as grimed and rattled as if you’d been on a three day gack binge .....but no nuts.

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Vic Local Sunday, 12 Apr 2020 at 7:24pm

"Plane nuts" funny, but here's the difference between you and me Blowin: I'm happy to put my hand up and admit a mistake. In this case, an amusing spelling error. You on the other hand have been caught out on multiple occasions publishing absolute racist bullshit, you've abuse me for something someone else wrote, you've made up multiple statements that I never made, and you can't admit your bullshit, not even once.

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batfink Sunday, 12 Apr 2020 at 12:08pm

Thought I'd kill a bit of time on the swellnut forums.

Quite a depressing read, really.

Gonna do some exercise, actual exercise, not allowed to surf round these parts.

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Blowin Sunday, 12 Apr 2020 at 1:11pm

Weren’t you thinking of leaving years ago ?

Got to watch those golden handcuffs.

Why not treat yourself to a beer and a viewing of Gripping Stuff ? Get your exercise done then kick back on this fine Easter Sunday. Sun is shining. Temperature is perfect. Bushfires arent devouring the world . Water in the tap . Food in the cupboard. You can still breathe.....not too depressing when you think about it.

Here’s a photo of a happy dog to kickstart your feel good arvo.

billythekid's picture
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billythekid Sunday, 12 Apr 2020 at 2:09pm

Mmmm. Just returned from a few hours at a well known Vic surf spot. Not my usual fave but wasn't feeling too energetic - someone put up a bullshit sign saying saying BEACH CLOSED - but.... it wasn't closed. Just unusually uncrowded.

Thanks to whoever did that, it helped to keep the numbers down I guess.

It's great the way some people self sacrifice for others, shutting down surf breaks, confronting anyone they don't recognise, abusing people online, taking photos of any car that isn't a dual cab ute and generally telling everybody they should do more than the law requires because its the right thing to do, and they know better than the lawmakers, medicos and other experts who are running this whole corona deal.

It's great we have those people to keep the breaks nice and empty for people like me and my kids.

Thankyou.

And any of you who can see through their bullshit.

ringmaster's picture
ringmaster's picture
ringmaster Sunday, 12 Apr 2020 at 2:22pm

Im tippen it was empty because the surf is SHIT or very close to it everywhere today on the West side.

Goodonya for paddling out though. I'm gunna go for a spin on the mountain bike now so I can delay drinking until at least 3.30.

Vic Local's picture
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Vic Local Sunday, 12 Apr 2020 at 4:20pm

You're game admitting that you ride a bike ringmaster. Cue the homophobic abuse from the usual narrow-minded clowns.

Blowin's picture
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Blowin Sunday, 12 Apr 2020 at 5:07pm

Vic Local....Hope you remembered to get all the streamers off your bike before you hit a tight mountain trail ?

Ardy's picture
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Ardy Sunday, 12 Apr 2020 at 2:36pm

All I know is that my on patch here on the sunny coast it’s been fuller than full, more people than I’ve ever seen, don’t where there from but I wish they would leave very soon. Ps Vic local if we’re Alabama you guys must be Idaho

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soggydog Sunday, 12 Apr 2020 at 3:13pm

Hey Cromwell, do you even surf?

Happy dogs are gold

velocityjohnno's picture
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velocityjohnno Sunday, 12 Apr 2020 at 3:16pm

Nah Vicco has the progressive capital in Melbourne, so it's closer to San Fransisco or NY. The coast - maybe Oregon/Washington. WA is Texas.

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tango Monday, 13 Apr 2020 at 7:46am

Not so sure, sometimes I think we're Arizona with the number of Rick Kane impersonators here at the moment.

Blowin's picture
Blowin's picture
Blowin Sunday, 12 Apr 2020 at 4:56pm

“Progressive” is the most erroneous misnomer in the history of humanity.

Bunch of deluded bungholes who’ve swallowed every bit of propaganda fed to them.

Human bat fish.*

*If you’ve ever spent time on a boat in tropical waters you’ll be familiar with the coprophagious proclivities of bat fish.

thebeard's picture
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thebeard Sunday, 12 Apr 2020 at 6:03pm

This ‘discussion’ is getting a bit out of hand. Maybe turn off the computer for a bit boys and spend time doing something that brings joy. Nobody is getting anything out of this. Facing this thing called corona, we should unite. Not just as a nation, but more important as humans.

Blowin's picture
Blowin's picture
Blowin Sunday, 12 Apr 2020 at 6:37pm

I reckon it’s bringing us closer together and it’ll lead to a more harmonious country by the time it’s over.

A couple of petty keyboard squabbles doesn’t constitute the way I feel or think or act and I’m assuming that the same goes for everyone on here. Australians are by and large great people.

Don’t let a bit of cussin’ and fussin’ fool you. Rambunctious exchange of ideas isn’t a marker for civil breakdown.

We are big boys. We sling a bit of shit.

Whacko.

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Robo Sunday, 12 Apr 2020 at 7:31pm

Half or more the reason Australia is in this boat is because of the under 40’s that are priced out of the housing market so just rent and work and travel with their spare cash, and the idiots going on cruises, both bringing it back in.

See how you like that one Cromwell and VL.

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mattlock Sunday, 12 Apr 2020 at 9:24pm

This thread is kickin'. Plenty of laughs to be had.

milney's picture
milney's picture
milney Sunday, 12 Apr 2020 at 11:13pm

Don't know about you, but I'm imagining the following scenario: two blokes end up crossing paths in or around the surf (perhaps on the same boat on a Mentawais trip; perhaps two guys out the back alone on a big but not perfect day; perhaps two guys checking the surf on the point and striking up a convo), and start chatting about this, that and the other. They get along like a house on fire, and end up at the pub chewing the fat some more over a couple of pints. At some point, one reveals that they peruse swellnet a bit, and post fairly often; the other reveals the same thing. Each asks the other what their swellnet handle is, and guess what - one is blowin, the other Vic Local. What next? A bit of a laugh about it all; genuine biffo; or maybe the realisation that we are all much more than what we post on internet forums?

The Surfer Who Totally Rips's picture
The Surfer Who Totally Rips's picture
The Surfer Who ... Monday, 13 Apr 2020 at 4:42am

There has been loads of people surfing down at Cronulla over the last couple of weeks Who do not live at the beach. So I thought to define living at the beach for you.

As Swellnet says, if you do not live at the beach you shouldn't come to it and surf.

To broad? I'll explain - If you do not live in a block of units or house with direct beach access or directly across the road from the beach, please stay home till whenever Covid 19 is over. It doesn't matter if you drive, walk or bicycle down... rather don't surf. It's for everyone's good, rather keep the surf for those of us who live right at the beach.

Surfing isn't the only exercise you can do. In Sydney metro the head cop and politicians and legislation say you can travel to do your exercise. So come to the Cronulla beach and walk, run, paddle a ski, play golf, kick a ball... you can even go fishing or boating.

But please if you don't live here at the beach don't surf here! Since it's going to pumping early this week... I'll emphasise- stay home or do other exercise or we will take photos of you and put them on Facebook.

lostdoggy's picture
lostdoggy's picture
lostdoggy Monday, 13 Apr 2020 at 6:40am

Can you email me some shots you take of me?
Love to get some new surf shots.

Robo's picture
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Robo Monday, 13 Apr 2020 at 7:33am

Lol what a tosser, un Australian.

etarip's picture
etarip's picture
etarip Monday, 13 Apr 2020 at 11:25am

Reckon you’re probably a Cronulla recent arrival. Moved there from Panania or something after you left school?
Don’t disagree with social distance, but you come across as a flog. If I still lived in the Shire, within bike distance, I’d still be riding.
You still surfing Vooie, Greenhills? If so, how are you getting there?

bluediamond's picture
bluediamond's picture
bluediamond Monday, 13 Apr 2020 at 11:45am

I heard the water police were out in their boat filming crew surfing at Winki this morning. Move over Taylor Steele.

tango's picture
tango's picture
tango Monday, 13 Apr 2020 at 1:21pm

Yes, a mate told me there were 50 out by about 7am. Not bad for a normal Easter Monday, but a bit how you going. He decided to go home and get wet with a cuppa instead.
I wonder when we'll see the water fuzz edit?

bluediamond's picture
bluediamond's picture
bluediamond Monday, 13 Apr 2020 at 2:12pm

Glad i'm not there at the moment. Sounds a bit hectic.
Haha. Probably shakey as all hell footage. They should've pulled out the speed gun and sussed out how fast an actual Winkipop wave is while they were there.

ringmaster's picture
ringmaster's picture
ringmaster Monday, 13 Apr 2020 at 11:46am

Vic Local will blow up when he gets on here today to comment on the amount of crew surfing around here this morning!

Getting the popcorn ready now....

Vic Local's picture
Vic Local's picture
Vic Local Monday, 13 Apr 2020 at 2:47pm

Well ringmaster, don't go crying when surfing gets banned. What a shit show today. 3ft and 100 crew at winky/bells. Idiocy beyond belief. What were they thinking?

adam12's picture
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adam12 Monday, 13 Apr 2020 at 11:57am

Blowin you should let people have their say. Stop riding in on your white horse shooting down and belittling anyone that doesn't agree with your world view. Who voted you Judge Judy?

shoredump's picture
shoredump's picture
shoredump Monday, 13 Apr 2020 at 4:02pm

I did

Westofthelake's picture
Westofthelake's picture
Westofthelake Monday, 13 Apr 2020 at 4:15pm

Hahaha shorey...I was going to do the same thing but put a smiley face, with one hand holding a bong, and the other a longy.

PAG's picture
PAG's picture
PAG Monday, 13 Apr 2020 at 2:28pm

can we get back to the subject about which beaches are closed and why. There so many surfers in the water will council shut al the beaches soon? maybe people need to stay in there council area only or none of us can surf

billythekid's picture
billythekid's picture
billythekid Monday, 13 Apr 2020 at 2:46pm

Vic beaches are open for surfing if you do social distancing and drive by yourself or with household members

It’s totally LEGAL in vic to drive and have a surf

Don’t know about other states.

NO ONE is getting fined for surfing if they follow the social distancing rules in VIC and anyone who says they are is spreading propaganda

Vic Local's picture
Vic Local's picture
Vic Local Monday, 13 Apr 2020 at 2:57pm

Don't you dare sook if surfing in Victoria get banned after today. Despite the advice of medical people, you've been encouraging everyone to go surfing, both local and non-local. The police were out at Winki / Bells today seeing 100 surfers and packed carparks. No doubt they would have seen really busy reefs on their journey as well. All for 3 foot waves. What a shit show.
Fuck it, surfing deserves to be banned because of flogs like you. And if it does get banned, you'll cry and carry on. When the bans (if implemented) get lifted, you'll be out on day 1, no doubt paddling for every set wave, because it's all about you, and it's always been about looking after number 1. Deep down, you're a very selfish person.

billythekid's picture
billythekid's picture
billythekid Monday, 13 Apr 2020 at 2:47pm

And there’s no limit on how far you drive.

ringmaster's picture
ringmaster's picture
ringmaster Monday, 13 Apr 2020 at 4:02pm

Holy shitballs!

Ya duck out to mow the lawn and do a bit of whipper snipping for a cupla hours and THIS has all happened in the meantime!

Some of you blokes have lost it....seriously....

Have a beer & a scoob and chill out.

Robo's picture
Robo's picture
Robo Monday, 13 Apr 2020 at 5:03pm

Vic local, you must be a big wave surfer if you think 3ft is not worth going out, lucky you don't live on the east coast.
In your dreams maybe.

Vic Local's picture
Vic Local's picture
Vic Local Monday, 13 Apr 2020 at 5:36pm

50 people out at Bells and Winki, even on the best of days, is too much. Given it was only 3ft, and given all the warnings about c19, 50 people is just ridiculous.
The people who were out there should be ashamed of themselves. Nobody could be shocked if the Vic government outlaws surfing tonight. If that happens, the selfish arseholes have just fucked it up for everyone.

thermalben's picture
thermalben's picture
thermalben Monday, 13 Apr 2020 at 5:55pm

Time to lock this article, the comments are getting way out of hand. Some will be deleted shortly.. 

A timely warning for everyone: please re-read our code of conduct (here). Play the ball, not the man. We're going to be less tolerant from here on.