An elderly man is dead after he was allegedly assaulted while on a morning walk in the Queensland holiday town of Noosa Heads.
Police say emergency crews located the 87-year-old unconscious with head injuries on a beachfront path at the northern end of Hastings Street on the tourist strip about 6am on Sunday.
Bystanders tried to help the man ahead of the emergency response but he died at the scene shortly after.
A 27-year-old man was taken into custody by officers without incident approximately 100m away and a crime scene was declared.
The man is assisting detectives with their inquiries.
It is believed the two men were not known to each other.
Detective Inspector Chris Toohey said the elderly man had sustained serious head injuries.
“It’s tragic circumstances for an elderly male going out for his morning walk,” he told reporters.
“The injuries were quite severe to his face, and he was laying face up on the concrete path.”
Sunshine Coast investigators have appealed for witnesses to come forward and are urging local businesses and homeowners near the first rock groyne built across the beach, with CCTV captured between midnight and 6am, to contact them.
Investigations are ongoing.