FULL UP: Orange Ratepayers Association members Helen Haynes, Bev Alexander-Fisher, Brian Wood, Judy Davis and Cheryl Engsmyr filled seven garbage bags of rubbish when cleaning up the parklands along Moulder Creek. Photo: JUDE KEOGH 0106cleanup2
Just one of several trolleys dumped in Moulder Creek near the Cecil Road bridge at Warrendine Street. 0106rubbish6
A baby’s stroller dumped in Moulder Creek. 0106rubbish1
SHOPPING trolleys, used nappies, clothes, litter, a broken park bench and even a stroller were just some of the things a group from the Orange Ratepayers Association found when they spent their Sunday morning cleaning up the parklands along Moulder Creek.
Bev Alexander-Fisher said she regularly walks the circuit from Elephant Park down to Moulder Park and was shocked to see around nine trolleys dumped in the river and along the parklands.
She wrote to Orange City Council before Christmas to ask for more garbage bins to be installed to tackle the trash that regularly builds up.
“I was just appalled by the amount of trolleys and the amount of rubbish,” she said.
“I’m concerned for the wildlife in the creek.”
The group filled seven garbage bags with rubbish.
Mrs Alexander-Fisher said more bins in the area might “spark a brain synapse” for the public and stop them dumping litter in the area.
“Now there is no water in [the creek] the council could probably get in and pull a few bottles and trolleys out,” she said.
Orange City Council city presentation manager Nigel Hobden said the council pulled shopping trolleys from the water when they were reported.
“We have a four-wheel-drive utility with a winch and we will certainly make sure they are removed,” he said.
“I wouldn’t say it’s a big problem but a couple of times a year we get them in the creek line along Moulder Park.”
Mr Hobden said shopping trolleys were also often dumped at Blackmans Swamp Creek.
He said he had received Mrs Alexander-Fisher’s request for more bins and he was following it up to see what opportunities there were to install more.
Council’s mowing contractors regularly collect litter from the parklands as often as fortnightly in the popular Moulder Park area from Anson Street right up to Pilcher Park on Gardiner Road before they mow.
“At this time of year being school holidays we do concentrate on the area around the skate park which we do about three times a week,” Mr Hobden said.
clare.colley@fairfaxmedia.com.au