No quick fix to roadside trash problem

STATE road authorities say they will clear a growing collection of rubbish at Murradoc Road “in coming months” as community concerns regarding environmental and safety concerns mount.

Murradoc Road connects Drysdale to St Leonards and is the access road to the Drysdale Resource and Recovery Centre.

The tip path has increasingly become cluttered with waste ranging from hard rubbish items such as mattresses and furniture to general litter such as cans and plastic bags.

Resident Norma Willoughby described the event as an “environmental disaster”.

“We see birds pecking at these synthetic materials that are just strewn along the gutter each side of the road,” she said.

“And of course, all of this is leeching down into the bay via the natural water courses. Our marine life will be suffering and it will be long term.

“It’s also very embarrassing when you have visitors, especially from overseas.”

Other residents have also raised safety concerns at potential hazards caused by rubbish along the single-lane road, which has a 100kmh speed limit.

Ms Willoughby and other community members say their complaints to authorities regarding the problem date back to Christmas.

The state government’s roads department said it conducted regular maintenance inspections of its road network, which includes Murradoc Road, but that a dedicated clean-up effort would be some time away.

“We will be cleaning up roadside rubbish on and around Murradoc Road over the coming months,” Department of Transport and Planning acting regional director Liam Butcher said.

“Illegal dumping remains an ongoing challenge for both the Department of Transport and Planning and local councils.”

The City of Greater Geelong did not provide detail of its response or advocacy regarding the problem, but said it was also frustrated with illegal rubbish dumping that cost it “thousands of dollars” each year.

“We responded to more than 5,600 clean-up requests in 2022, which is disappointing when you consider the impact this has on the environment and the city’s resources and increased costs to ratepayers,” acting city infrastructure director David Greaves said.

“The city have worked hard to create waste solutions for our community with two free hard waste collections and local Resource Recovery Centres in North Geelong and Drysdale.

“We urge community members to consider the impact of rubbish dumping on the environment and the community.”