Queensland police ramp up beach patrols after spike in 4WD hooning

Police will be ramping up beach hoon patrols along the Cooloola Coast near Fraser Island after a recent spike in dangerous and potentially deadly activity.

The joint operation with Queensland Parks and Wildlife comes after police had to deal with several dangerous and alcohol-related incidents involving four-wheel-drives last week.

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"Some of those were drink drivers, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, doing doughnuts on the beach, putting people's lives at risk - one was being towed behind a 4WD on a wakeboard," Gympie Patrol Group Inspector Pat Swindells said.

"(Officers) had found there had actually been a drag strip that had been set up with witches hats and light sticks."

The incidents come almost a year after Tyreece Pilot, 18, was killed following a 4WD beach rollover at the Sunshine Coast's Teewah Beach.

"It wasn't that long ago a couple of young fellas were hooning on the beach and one got ejected from the car and got rolled on and killed," Inspector Swindells said.

"People are being injured as a result of stupid driving, and the consequences are dire."

Officer-in-charge Chris Watson said that there would be an increased presence of marked cars along the region, as well additional surveillance.

"There's a small minority of four-wheel-drivers who are ruining it for everyone else," he said.

"We're asking people just to enjoy the beach, enjoy driving."