Crime warning for Japanese visitors to Queensland's Gold Coast

This isn't good:

Japan's Foreign Ministry has issued a travel advisory for Japanese visitors to Australia to beware of high rates of crime if they go to Queensland's Gold Coast.

The warning on the Foreign Ministry's website draws particular attention to the dangers of staying in budget accommodation.

The travel advisory lists a series of assaults and robberies on Japanese visitors to Surfers Paradise in February and March and warns that crime there is on the increase.

Being a country boy at heart, I've never had any desire to visit the Gold Coast – photos of it remind me of Miama, another place I've never been. I doubt I'm missing out on much. Maybe if I didn't spend – waste? –so time blogging I'd have a hankering to travel. Nah, I've made the trans-Pacific flight too many times; flying has lost its appeal.