An outer Adelaide council has backflipped on its plans to install a dump point as a way of attracting more grey nomads and other travellers to the area.
Back in January, Campbelltown Council voted to approve to install a facility for the  dumping of effluent and waste water near Foxfield Oval in Athelstone.
However, the councillors faced a strong backlash from nearby residents who raised concerns about increased noise and traffic, as well as the environmental impact of the dump.
At an emotional council meeting – in which more than 50 residents packed the public gallery to listen to the 90-minute debate on the proposal – the councillors unanimously dumped their dump point plan.
Adelaide Now reports that during a public question time at the meeting, one resident said the location was not suitable for a dump.
“Athelstone is a beautiful place, not somewhere to discard waste,” the man said. “Would you like living across the road from this? This is not the place for it.”
Councillor Marie Logan was one of those elected representatives who changed her mind.
“Athelstone is the place that I care the most about,” Cr Logan told the meeting. “I was thinking about the economic benefits to Campbelltown on the whole when I made my decision, but now I see I made a mistake.”
The councillors also voted to scrap an investigation into allowing overnight parking of caravans at the site.
Was this a bad move by the council? Would you object if someone wanted to install a dump point near your ‘home base’? Comment below.
It’s the same with Sydney’s second airport. Everyone agrees that Sydney needs a second airport but no one wants it in their own backyard. I can easily empathize with the residents who object to a dump being built near where they live. On the other hand, if they want to attract GNs to their area, they have no choice but to provide that facility. Compromise is the only solution. No compromise, no GNs.
I live on a hillside overlooking and not far from the King Parrot Creek. When Council installed a composting toilet a short distance from the creek I imagined the worst, but in actual fact the toilet has not been a problem. I imagine though, that a caravan dump point would get a lot more use that ours.
Could they not come up with more sutible location?
Could they not come up with another location, if that site is unsutiable ?
Been travelling in our motorhome all over France, Belgium, Germany and Spain for the past 8 years where there are Aires with dump points all over the countries. The villages welcome the trade and there is no problem. Catch up to the rest of the world Australia.
They don’t mind our vans parked near their coffee shops, cafes, supermarkets and service stations, but when it comes to staying overnight and using a dump point – well, that’s a different matter! I am afraid I am becoming very cynical, which is not the way of a grey nomad! Will bypass Athelstone on principle!