A SIGN warning visitors to "respect the locals" at a Wurtulla beach access has mysteriously vanished over night.

The sign was screwed to the beach access at Bellbird Court and warned visitors to clean up after themselves and give locals "first pick" of waves.

"If you're going to use Wurtulla beach don't steal our stuff," the sign read.

"Remember locals have first pick of waves. Clean up your dog's s***. Respect the locals.

"If you can't follow the above, don't come to Wurtulla."

But this morning, the sign was gone.

Wurtulla local Amy O'Carroll said the sign had been a talking point over the past few days.

She said it might have been spurred on by people leaving dog poo lying on the beach and rubbish on the dunes.

"I think some of the rules were good about picking up your rubbish, picking up your dog poo," she said.

"Some of them were definitely acceptable I thought.

She said it was understandable that someone had thought to remove the sign.

"Maybe a couple were a bit cheeky," she said.

The quiet beach is more secluded than other Coast beaches, making it a private oasis for some locals.

"It's a real local beach, you don't really get many tourists here, so I think the locals just want to really protect it," Ms O'Carroll said.

After speculation that council officers removed the sign, a Sunshine Coast Council spokesman confirmed it was not involved.