Tourist in a Tesla sparks warning after making 'crazy' mistake at popular Aussie beach
The acting chief executive of the local South Australian council told Yahoo News that holidaymakers must be aware of their vehicle's capabilities.
They're certainly not the first to do it, but they might just be the first EV driver to get stuck on the sand at the infamous Goolwa Beach in a Tesla sedan.
Aussies have mocked the misguided holiday adventure of a tourist who needed to be rescued by other beachgoers, while locals have shared concern incidents like this will see stricter rules enforced at the popular 4WD beach, known for its chaotic scenes at this time of year.
Video shared from the South Australian hotspot over the weekend shows a Tesla bogged in the sand, with the man who shared the video helpfully pointing out the Tesla vehicle was "not a 4x4".
Others on the beach soon came to the rescue with a 4WD needed to later drag the electric car out of the beach and back to the road.
One of the men who helped drag the Tesla to safety had initially headed down to the beach for a swim before ultimately lending his recovery gear to extricate the car from the sand.
The Adelaide resident who helped out told Yahoo News the driver was "definitely a tourist". "[They] could hardly speak English. And the Tesla had Victorian number plates so could have potentially been a rental," he said.
"Was quite rushed to get it out the ramp to avoid bigger issues as people get pretty impatient so didn’t have much time to talk to them," he added.
Tourist blasted for 'crazy' beach effort in Tesla
Online, overwhelmingly Aussies were shocked at the decision by the Tesla driver to tackle the sand.
"Wow some people never seem to amaze me," commented one person. "WTF this is crazy," another agreed.
"Deserves to be left there for trying in that car," one Aussie joked.
This time last year, Goolwa Beach turned from heaven to hell for thousands of holidaymakers after a collision on the entrance ramp caused a standstill both on the sand and along the main road entering the beach. At the time, the backlog sparked concerns the high traffic load would soften the sand and lead to vehicles getting bogged, so heavy machinery was brought in to shift and pack down sand as cars sat idle.
The beach is one of the busiest in the state and a favourite of 4WD enthusiasts but has come under increased scrutiny in recent years over driver behaviour amid a rise in popularity.
"I was driving out when it was stuck and just shook my head," one local remarked online about the Tesla driver's fail.
"The council needs to put a camera up at the entrance and fine everyone who drives onto the ramp in a non 4WD, past the sign that says 4WD only," another said. "This is going to get the beach closed. It's already under the microscope and it's only a matter of time before the council says 'no more'."
Changes to come for popular 4WD beach, but tourists warned to pay attention
Authorities and the local councils say irresponsible drivers — including those without 4WD capabilities — put beachgoers at risk and damaged delicate sand dunes.
Speaking to Yahoo News, Acting Chief Executive Officer of the local Alexandria Council, Tash Hunt, said it's the responsibility of tourists to know the capabilities of their vehicles, to pay attention to the signs and heed the relevant warnings.
"Visitors should also be aware that the vehicle access track to the beach is open to 4WDs only and there are no recovery services for bogged vehicles," she said.
"Despite the warning signage on entry, sometimes motorists without the correct vehicle, equipment or 4WD experience become stuck and block the track entirely, much to the frustration of other users."
She also noted that tourists will need to be patient when accessing the popular spot as thousands continue to flock to the area, which is just over an hour from Adelaide.
"There can be long queues for the beach access track at peak times," she warned.
Alexandrina Council has admitted that "changes need to be made" to access the beach but they won't come in time for this holiday season.
The council has spent the past year working with state agencies to come up with "alternative options" to manage vehicle access to the beach.
"These organisations are not a point in our discussions where we can consult with the community about these proposed options, but we all recognise that changes need to be made," Hunt told Yahoo.
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