KEY POINTS:
Fed-up residents are backing a police call for a liquor ban at Te Arai Pt Beach to stop drunken youths camping, fighting, lighting fires and vandalising the area.
The forest and conservation area north of Auckland is an isolated haven for car-loads of youths escaping the stern police gaze at nearby Mangawhai.
The Rodney District Council will today consider the request for the ban from 6pm to 6am every day at the isolated spot.
It could be a double whammy for hooligans, as the Kaipara District Council is also considering an all-year ban on beach boozing at Mangawhai.
Combined, the proposed bans would ban drinking along most of the coast between Whangarei and Rodney Districts.
Rodney has had complaints about unruly visitors from residents next to a headland bought in August for an Auckland Regional Park.
This looks 23km down Pakiri Beach, and next door the district council has a 26ha reserve fronting the beach.
"Alcohol is usually part of the scene and law and order is far away," says a report by council officers Wayne Knightbridge and Paul Green.
"There is a real cost to the council from vandalism, environmental damage to the sand dunes, threats to wildlife, fire risk and damage caused by thoughtless 4WD vehicle use and irresponsible behaviour."
The dunes were home to the endangered fairy tern and New Zealand dotterel.
"Public safety is also at risk from over use of alcohol, which can result in the loss of enjoyment of other beach users from noisy and uncontrolled gatherings," the report said.
Parks manager Ian Murray said problems with vandalism, illegal fires and rubbish dumping were increasing.
It was becoming harder for the council to maintain toilets, "No Camping" signs and beach furniture.
Park benches had been dismantled and used to fuel camp fires.
The requested ban starts three hours earlier than the permanent ban at Orewa and summer bans at Omaha Beach and Muriwai.
But police say that at Te Arai, trouble - including fights and assaults - starts at nightfall.
Rodney Constable Andrew Hawkins says in the application that the liquor ban won't prevent day-time visitors enjoying a wine or a beer with a picnic.
