Police are investigating an incident at Mount Gambier’s Wulanda Recreation and Convention Centre involving an alleged attempted child abduction.

Fortunately the child was not physically harmed, however The SE Voice has spoken to a concerned parent who had previously reported what he believes to be the same man acting suspiciously in the changerooms last month.

In the latest incident, police said about 11am on Thursday a man is alleged to have approached a young child within the changerooms of the Margaret Street centre.

“It is reported the male grabbed the child’s arm,” a SAPOL spokesperson said.

“The child was able to pull their arm away and was not injured, the child exited the change room and alerted a nearby teacher.”

The man is described as an elderly Caucasian male and is believed to have been wearing a green checked shirt.

The spokesperson said the incident was reported to police who were conducting investigations throughout Thursday and Friday including viewing CCTV in the area and are “working with the child and the school to obtain more information”.

Following last week’s incident, The SE Voice spoke to a Mount Gambier father who reported seeing a man fitting Thursday’s description behaving inappropriately in the swimming changerooms.

“My wife and our two kids went to the pool for a swim on Father’s Day and afterwards I took my seven-year-old son in for a shower,” the man, who did not wish to be named, said.

“As we walked in there was a man in the first shower cubicle washing his hair, with the door wide open, just showing full frontal nudity.

“I yelled at him to shut the door, but he ignored me.

“My son and I went into cubicles further along and when I got out and was changed, this bloke was in the middle of the changerooms fully nude, without a towel on, just brushing his hair in the mirror.

“I told him he should be shutting the door and wearing a towel, and he just looked at me and said ‘why’.

“What’s worse it was obvious he was semi aroused at the time.”

The father made a complaint to centre management, before also reporting the matter to Mount Gambier Police.

“I do not feel like they took me seriously, but I told them I had worked in corrections and the behaviour of this bloke was inappropriate and seeking attention,” he said.

“I told them he would offend again, he was even wearing the same green shirt that day.”

The father also contacted Liberal MLC Ben Hood who made queries on his behalf.

After speaking with the concerned parent, Mr Hood spoke with staff at Wulanda who assured him that protocols would be put in place to better monitor the changeroom area.

“As a parent myself, it is deeply concerning to hear what had taken place at Wulanda last week and that a similar matter was reported to the centre only a month ago,” Mr Hood said.

“Wulanda is a world class centre and our region has embraced the facility since opening this year but the safety of the users, most especially our children must be paramount.

“It is also vital the concerns of parents be listened to and taken seriously in these types of situations.

“I would urge the community to let the police conduct their investigations and come forward with any information they may have which could assist.”

Anyone who may have seen a man matching this description in the area is asked to contact Crime Stoppers online at www.crimestopperssa.com.au or by phone on 1800 333 000.

Wulanda management has been contacted for comment.