Fire rips through Burleigh Headland
A fire which destroyed bushland at the famed Burleigh Heads National Park might have been lit deliberately, police say.
Emergency services were called at Goodwin Terrace at 10.25pm Tuesday night after the 27ha national park was engulfed in flames.
The park on the Burleigh Headland, which is one of the most visited parks in the region, suffered significant damage in the blaze according to State Member for Burleigh Hermann Vorster.
The area, which was first set aside as a reserve for public purposes in 1886 and in 1947 was gazetted national park, is a critical koala habitat where campfires are banned.
The popular Burleigh Headland walking track was closed on Wednesday morning.
Police are investigating the suspicious fire and released spectacular footage of the blaze
The fire consumed most of the eastern and north-eastern side of Burleigh Headlands National Park before it burnt-out of its own accord, under the supervision of emergency services.
Mr Vorster said the fire burnt through around 75 per cent of the grass under the boulder clusters in the park and rangers were on site on Wednesday morning to inspect the damage.
Mr Vorster thanked firefighters and national park wildlife service rangers for protecting the community.
Nobody was injured during the blaze and no houses were at risk.
The Burleigh headland is now the only Gold Coast rocky headland that remains substantially in its natural state. It contains a variety of habitats, including grasslands, lowland rainforest and pandanus groves. It is also of cultural heritage significance to the traditional owners of the area.
The walking-track around the headland has been closed to members of the public.
Police are urging anyone with information or relevant footage, to come forward.
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