Environmental advocates who dedicated themselves to clearing an “onslaught of rubbish” from an “overcrowded” campground have said the sheer volume of garbage collected in a single day highlights how “many people” were “doing the wrong thing over the holidays.”
Volunteers at Coopers Creek, along the Thompson River in the Gippsland region of Victoria, said “we weren’t even more than 500 metres downstream” before “the rubbish boat was almost full” when they embarked on their clean-up on January 12.
Taking to social media, a local woman explained how she saw “rubbish floating in the river, lodged in trees and on banks” — prompting the call to action. It resulted in a “great turnout”, in association with Gippsland Adventure Tours.
“We found bags of rubbish also left by the side of the river and even a school chair,” the local wrote online. “Lots of shoes, socks, people’s underwear and plenty of food packets including some larger items including pool toys and boogie boards.
“There was the normal measure of toilet paper and sanitary pads as well as a dead rabbit wrapped in a plastic bag which was particularly disgusting.”
Volunteers, alongside the crew at Gippsland Adventure Tours, cleaned bags and bags of trash from Coopers Creek at the Thompson River. Source: Facebook/Kelly Van Den Berg
Camping Aussies leave river in ‘disgusting’ state
The Thomson River is “a unique and beautiful habitat” that is home to a wide variety of flora and fauna including platypus, endangered grayling and other species on the endangered or critically endangered list, the woman added.
She warned that “what we did was temporary” and argued “it is the responsibility of our state government to take care of our beautiful wild places” and “not let them turn into rubbish tips”.
“Our hat is in the ring and this is not over,” she said.
The Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA) previously told Yahoo it was made aware of the “littering and disrespectful behaviour” at Coopers Creek and has urged visitors to any Victorian public place to treat it with respect.
“DEECA urges all visitors to Coopers Creek and similar recreational sites to respect the environment and the shared facilities,” a spokesperson said last week.
“It is vital that all users take responsibility for their actions and leave the site as they found it, ensuring that they take their rubbish home with them. This includes not only general waste but also items like food wrappers and used nappies.”
Coopers Creek was packed last weekend and the campground was left in a state of disarray. Source: Supplied
Those who deliberately leave their rubbish behind in any public space in Victoria can cop a $385 fine, under the Environment Protection Authority. While fines differ between states and jurisdictions, the act of littering is considered illegal in every part of the country and incurs a fine.
Campgrounds littered across Australia in worrying trend
Across Australia, the state of campgrounds is raising concerns as many are being left littered and damaged by visitors.
The issue has become particularly pronounced during peak holiday periods, with overflowing rubbish bins, abandoned gear, and scattered waste causing environmental harm and frustrating those who use the sites responsibly.
Rangers and volunteers often face the daunting task of cleaning up after campers who fail to follow basic guidelines, straining already limited resources.
Locals warn while they’ve done everything they can, ‘this is not over’. Source: Facebook/Kelly Van Den Berg
In some cases, the situation has escalated to the point where popular campgrounds have been temporarily or permanently closed.
Authorities say the closures are a necessary step to allow the land to recover and to send a message about the importance of respecting natural spaces. Environmental advocates warn that continued neglect could not only degrade Australia’s pristine wilderness but also reduce the availability of camping sites for future generations.
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