Would you dump these things in your backyard, create an unsightly mess and a health hazard for yourself and neighbours?
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If the answer is no then don’t do it anywhere else. That’s our message to the people responsible for the recent dumping at the West Goulburn bushland reserve. That kangaroo limbs were also found in the pile is most concerning.
It is especially soul destroying for Mayor Bob Kirk and volunteers willingly give their time to transform this once overgrown and untidy area into something that people can enjoy. Some 25 tonnes of rubbish have been removed from the reserve over four years, all thanks to the dedication of people who care.
Unfortunately, others couldn’t give a toss. Drive up Mount Gray, Rocky Hill or any other bushland area around Goulburn and you’ll see the result. Volunteers spend hours as part of Clean Up Australia Day collecting tonnes of rubbish disposed of when nobody is apparently looking. All of that time and energy could be saved if only people did the right thing.
Goulburn is a beautiful city but the lack of pride is letting us down in this area. Rubbish tossed beside the city’s entries creates a poor impression not only for visitors, but locals. Council staff should not have to clean up waste beside State Roads for which the RMS is responsible.
Others do take pride, like Wendy Chapman who is regularly seen collecting rubbish from beside Middle Arm Road. A woman does the same on Highland Way, on the road to Tallong. The old Crookwell rail line at Kenmore was kept tidy thanks to another local’s efforts, up until rail bureaucrats became involved.
Cr Kirk is right to say that tip fees are not to blame. If we are to prolong the waste management facility’s life, there must be a price. The council is embarking on a raft of work, including a new transfer station and initiatives to reduce the amount of waste going to landfill. That’s partly why waste fees rose 7.5 per cent to $309 per property in this year’s budget.
The Woodlawn Bioreactor may be an option in the future to dispose of Goulburn’s waste but we still have to deal with the here and now. Veolia Environmental Services, despite the odour issues, is a model for waste treatment at its eco-precinct.
That’s the big picture. At a micro-level, the onus is on everyone to take a bit more personal responsibility.