A defence spokesman confirmed crew members of the army Iroquois had been suspended from flying duties after hovering near apartment balconies and displaying a sign reading "show us your tits."

At the time, the crew were supposed to on the lookout for potential terrorists as part of heightened security for the car race.

The helicopter and the offending sign were snapped by a specator on one of the balconies and posted on the Internet.

The Army said the helicopter crew's behaviour was "totally unacceptable".

Spectator Sue Ferguson told Sydney's Daily Telegraph newspaper that the helicopter flew between two high-rise apartment buildings on the Queensland state tourist strip.

"There were lots of girls on the balconies in bikinis," she told the newspaper. "It was obvious that the crew were trying to get a closer look. They hovered down to the third storey and just sat there."

Ferguson, 38, said she was knocked to her feet by flying debris thrown up by turbulence from the helicopter's rotors as she watched the race from street level. "It was a freak accident caused by their stupid behaviour," she said.

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