Arrawarra Beach: Inside the idyllic seaside town where tensions are at boiling point after the arrest of a migrant fruit picker, 34, for the alleged rape of a local girl, 17 - as chilling details emerge

EXCLUSIVE 

Chilling details can be revealed of a migrant farm worker's alleged broad daylight rape of a 17-year-old girl at an idyllic beach village - as authorities warn they want to clear out the hundreds of seasonal farm workers who call the area home.

A 34-year-old Samoan national was charged last Friday with the alleged aggravated rape of the local teen, with court documents revealing the accused man allegedly kept the victim's clothing and jewellery. 

The accused man is one of hundreds of Pacific Islander berry farmers living in seasonal worker accommodation at Arrawarra Beach, north of Coffs Harbour, on the NSW mid-north coast. 

Police allege the man attacked the teenager in broad daylight in bushes next to the Arrawarra Holiday Park surf school, not far from where thousands of young backpackers spend the summer living in caravans and tents.

Coffs Harbour Local Court was told detectives had taken fingernail scrapings from the man and were seeking further forensic evidence, such as DNA, via a court application. 

The man told the court via an interpreter he would plead not guilty and had 'no idea why I am here'. 

His arrest has sparked disquiet in the town of just 100 locals following a recent spate of drunken and lawless behaviour unrelated to the alleged rape.

Influx in Arrawarra 

The Arrawarra beach strip is regarded as a hidden gem hidden among the more suburban-style towns in the area, with a laid-back vibe, kangaroos on the beach and pristine surf conditions. 

Each year, hundreds of workers from Timor-Leste, Papua New Guinea and Pacific Island nations such as Vanuatu, Kiribati, Tonga and Samoa arrive in Arrawarra to harvest fruit for Australia's largest berry producer, Costa.

Since 2019, up to 450 berry pickers on Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) visas have been housed at the Arrawarra Beach Holiday Park in converted shipping containers and army dongas stacked with bunk beds. 

The influx of berry pickers each year has left some residents worried their slice of paradise is being destroyed. 

The 120 locals who live in just 63 houses complained about episodes of drunken aggression by the workers and rubbish left on the beach, in sand dunes and local waterways. 

Residents have taken photographs and videos of bottles, garbage, vermin and even maggots swimming in the creek by the beach. 

Each morning dozens of buses start up around 5am to take the berry pickers up the Costa farms at Corindi, returning at about 4pm.  That is often when residents claim troubles - unrelated to the alleged rape - have occurred.

Trouble in paradise 

Residents claim alcohol has caused numerous drunken fights and other incidents in the past. 

One father said his 13-year-old daughter was allegedly 'stalked and approached' by three men aged in their thirties, which saw him move away from the worker accommodation site several months ago.

Two adult women said in the last few years they had become frightened of going out after dark.

'Of course most of the guys coming here from Pacific Island nations just want to earn some money and hopefully send some back to their families,' one of the two  Arrawarra residents said.

'But there others who make you worry about walking outside your house from dusk onward because they are out there going through your bins, or urinating on your lawn.

'The workers' dongas and shipping containers at the beach park is by law a dry site, but there are workers who bring alcohol back there or go drinking somewhere and return drunk.' 

Daily Mail Australia witnessed workers getting alcohol after work this week. It was unclear where the drinks would be consumed, as they are forbidden on site.

Some of the men who had purchased wine and beer drove on to stop at Happiness Massage at the Woolgoolga Men Stress Relief Centre. 

One long-time Arrawarra resident said she hated to see 'honourable men' blamed for transgressions by their 'less honourable fellow workers'.

However, she said locals had been putting up with 'drunk men falling asleep on their verandahs, or 'coming back home after you've been away to find them sleeping inside'. 

'I feel sorry for some of the workers,' she said, 'but that's what happens when you expose a small community to the disruption of having so many men unsupervised and with no security crammed into a tiny area.'

The female resident said last Friday's alleged attack had naturally heightened the 'community radar' about bad behaviour.

Daily Mail Australia is not suggesting any of the individual workers interviewed and photographed this week at Arrawarra and surrounds for this story have engaged in any unlawful or antisocial behaviour.

After last week's alleged attack, a security guard was posted this week on the perimeter of the worker accommodation at Arrawarra.

Coffs Harbour MP Gurmesh Singh and council officials claimed the seasonal workers would be cleared out of Arrawarra Beach in the next week. 

Costa Berries told Daily Mail Australia the company 'is transitioning employees here through the PALM scheme out of the Arrawarra accommodation'. 

'In light of recent events a decision has been made to fast track this movement,' they said.

Innocent workers from Fiji and Tonga told Daily Mail Australia the alleged rape was 'sad' - but 'we just want to do our work then go back home'.

Nathan Folkes, who owns the Arrawarra Holiday Park worker accommodation, has previously blasted criticism as 'lies and fabrication' and accused locals of being prejudiced against Pacific Islanders.

Daily Mail Australia asked Mr Folkes to comment about the alleged rape by one of the workers at his park, and about the prospect of all the seasonal pickers being relocated elsewhere.

'Sorry, I can't talk right now,' he responded via text.

It is believed operators providing housing for PALM workers are paid $160 per week, and can earn more by supplying transport to and from the farms. 

The man arrested at the holiday park at about 5pm last Sunday for the alleged rape has formally been refused bail and remanded in the Clarence Correctional Centre until January.