In a bid to prevent overflowing rubbish bins as an influx of campers is expected to arrive over the busy Melbourne Cup period, the authorities in Victoria’s Echuca area are taking a proactive approach.
Campaspe Shire Mayor, Cr Daniel Mackrell said the council would be installing additional waste skip bins at Echuca East Boat Ramp, Victoria Park, Torrumbarry Roadhouse and Gunbower Recreation Reserve from today until November 5 to cope with campers’ waste.
“Each year, we prepare for peak periods by placing skip bins in high-traffic areas, traditionally used by campers in our region,” the Mayor said. “While we look forward to welcoming all visitors to our region, the waste that is sometimes left behind is a concern.”
Campers have no excuse nnot to dispose of their rubbish responsibly. PIC: Campaspe Shire
Cr Mackrell reminded residents that the skips were only to be used for campers’ waste, not for residential waste.
“The skip bins will be closely monitored to prevent misuse,” he said. “While our contractors will empty them regularly, we urge campers not to leave rubbish on the ground beside full bins, as this creates a significant health and safety hazard, particularly for children and other members of the public who use the area.”
The mayor said visitors were instead encouraged to take their waste to a Resource Recovery Centre, where camping-related rubbish was accepted free of charge.
One of the biggest complaints about the Big Lap that many grey nomads have is the amount of litter they can’t find at various campsites and beauty spots around the country.
And the solutions that have previously been floated range from the idea of deploying more remote area cameras to removing bins altogether.
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We have been caravaning for a number of years now
We have noticed numerous times the use of any bins provided by locals who use these bins to dispose of household rubbish.
It is not accurate to continually blame campers.
Yep got to get the rubbish into the bin.
Sounds like a load of rubbish to me.
Let’s hope that everyone uses them and not decide that walking 5meters to get to them is too much of an effort.
Some peoples behavior is hard to change.
Most of us responsible campers/caravanners take our rubbish with us, and pick up others, to ensure an area remains attractive.
A lot of campers care, especially the older ones, I cautiously say !
We have been at camps where skip bins have been provided. Sounds great, but these bins are often used by the locals to dispose of their rubbish. Not too many campers travel with lounge suites, double bed frames/ensembles or metal framed dining chairs etc. Yet it always seems to be the travelling camper that gets blamed for all the rubbish
When we first went camping up on the Murray river in the state parks, they use to have skips, and the camp sites were clean, then later, they removed them, and the camp sites were full of rubbish, then we took the rubbish into town, and there was a notice on the bin, saying there was a fine for putting in camping rubbish.