Man illegally bulldozes mile-long stretch of national park to build driveway

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Last edited Mon Oct 20, 2025, 07:32 PM - Edit history (1)

This happened in Queensland, which is the Texas of Australia. There’s a Queensland-to-Oklahoma pipeline of rodeo riders. Check out the Oklahoma Panhandle State University rodeo team.

Man illegally bulldozes mile-long stretch of national park to build driveway

Authorities say the destruction caused extensive environmental damage that could take years to repair.

Alesandra Dubin
Creator
Aug 30, 2025 1 min read

A 74-year-old man has been fined after carving a makeshift driveway through a protected national park in Queensland, Australia.

Authorities say Frank Reginald Jones used heavy machinery, including a front loader, to clear a dirt track stretching more than two kilometers (about 1.2 miles) through Bowling Green Bay National Park, south of Townsville, according to a report in Australia's ABC News. Over the course of eight months, he not only cut through bushland but also dumped concrete, bricks, and pipes to build makeshift causeways and even a boat ramp.

Queensland Parks and Wildlife conservation officer Craig Dunk said Jones had previously been warned that any works within the park would require a permit. “It’s been a massive eyesore in that area for nearly four years now … it has ruined it,” he told ABC. Investigators found that the path cut through more than 19,000 square meters of bushland, including mangrove habitats and other protected plants.

The national park is internationally recognized for its wetlands and birdlife, and is home to multiple endangered and vulnerable species. Officials say cleanup and restoration will begin soon, but warn that recovery will take significant time. Crews will need to remove waste materials, a burned truck, and restore damaged waterways.

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