The pile of rubbish dumped at Mt Kembla, angering local residents. Photo: Michele Tydd.
Do rubbish dumpers have no shame? Clearly not, judging by this pile of household waste strewn in a very significant part of Mt Kembla.
Although certain areas of this historic village are hotspots for grubs seeking the cover of remote bushland, this one was brazen and offensive on several levels.
The picture of the dump site with its stone sculptures in the background shows rubbish that has been dumped in the circle of the Mt Kembla Mine Memorial Pathway, a community project opened in 2009 to pay homage to the 96 men and boys who died in the Mt Kembla Mine explosion in July 1902.
A band of retirees gather there each week to weed, prune, mow and plant flowers to keep the area in tip-top condition.
What they and many other passers-by found particularly galling about this incident was that this rubbish was dumped less than two metres from a large bin that would have taken many of the smaller items.
Linda Costello, on behalf of the volunteer workers, said they were shocked and extremely distressed when they arrived to discover the dumping.
They all know Mt Kembla experiences illegal dumping, but they had never witnessed this level of disrespect.
“Not only was it unsightly, but it was dumped onto the garden which surrounds the memorial circle, and in doing so some plants were flattened,” said Linda.
Instead of getting on with their routine work, some volunteers had to chase down small, lighter items of rubbish to prevent them fluttering onto the pathway and areas where they would be difficult to retrieve.
The memorial pathway is a wonderful community asset for the wider community to seek peace and quiet and much of its success is thanks to the thousands of hours volunteers contribute to its upkeep.
And what strikes you about community respect for this facility is that it is rare to see litter on or around the pathway.
Wollongong Council is investigating the dumping at the Mt Kembla Mine Memorial Pathway. Photo: Mary Louise Cregan.
Many people who passed the litter after it was dumped were angry and disheartened, particularly when it’s clear the perpetrators had done it in darkness and barely bothered to walk two steps from the car before they scuttled away.
After a resident contacted Wollongong City Council, an officer attended the site to investigate and tape the rubbish for removal.
A council spokesperson said there was nothing in the dumped material to identify the owner or the transporter of the waste.
“The incident remains under investigation and anyone with information that could help identify the perpetrator or the vehicle is encouraged to contact council,” the spokesperson said.
“Council takes a proactive approach to illegal dumping and has previously installed cameras in locations identified via reports at regular hotspots for illegal dumping.
“Council has not received a substantial number of reports relating to this particular site, but where such behavior is witnessed, residents are encouraged to note details, so that appropriate action can be taken.”
But do we need a “substantial number” before action is taken?
For the descendants of victims who died in what remains Australia’s worst mine disaster, this is essentially a sacred site, therefore it could and should be treated as a “sensitive site” which requires protection with cameras scanning the area.
Sure, the fines are hefty – up to $15,000 for individuals and $30,000 for corporations – but they clearly don’t stop morons who think they can dump their rubbish wherever they please and scarper off.
The anniversary of the Mt Kembla mine disaster is only weeks away – what a gift for the village to have those cameras installed by then.
