Residents of a suburban street in Fairy Meadow are fed up with illegal dumping turning one end of their neighbourhood into a disgrace.
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The latest incident is up there with the most blatant acts of illegal dumping witnessed – and unfortunately, it has plenty of competition.
A pile of rubbish big enough to dwarf a car has been dumped at one end of Helen Brae Avenue near the front of the public housing complex there at No.1.
The rubbish appears to be the remains of an end-of-tenancy cleanout. One resident told the Mercury the dumpers came from “other locations”.
The refuse appears to include the entire contents of a home unit: cupboards, furniture, bikes, toys, a toolbox, even large rolls of ripped-up carpet, now adorn the vacant lot next door to No.1.
It is clear the problem has persisted there for some time. A sign erected by Wollongong City Council threatens fines of up to $1 million for illegal dumping.
But this has not put off the dumper, who has left their enormous refuse right next to the base of the sign.
And sadly this has been in the case in all too many dumping hotspots around the city of Wollongong – they often take place directly in front of warning signs.
On Helen Brae Ave, it is an ugly blight on the otherwise well-manicured street, and the tidy, neat frontage of the public housing complex.
One resident who contacted the Mercury, urging the dumping be exposed, said it was “an awful situation” and vermin were attracted by the refuse.
“A regular dumping ground that locals use for furniture, rubbish, etc,” the resident, named Jackie, said.
“Show readers the horrific state left by illegal dumpers outside our homes.”
Housing NSW, a division of the Department of Family and Community Services, was not able to provide comment about the problem before deadline on Thursday but said it would be followed up.
Then, following the Mercury’s enquiries, it is understood a FACS contractor was spotted on the site clean up the mess late on Thursday afternoon.
This would indicate the houseful of refuse had come from a unit at No.1.
Authorities urge residents to use the Report Illegal Dumping hotline 131 555, a joint program between councils and the Environment Protection Authority.
