Frustrated by the growing problem of illegal dumping around Townsville, a group of volunteers has taken matters into their own hands. Dave Dudley, who started the group Townsville Illegal Dumping Yobo's Clean Ups (TIDY), said he was tired of seeing piles of waste on his recreational bush trips.
Over seven weekends, the small volunteer team removed more than 20 tonnes of rubbish from illegal dump sites around the city. They also reclaimed two skip bins of metal for recycling. Mr Dudley highlighted the environmental impact, noting that plastics can persist for 1,000 years and wash out to sea, harming marine life and ecosystems.
As the city expands, bush areas near northern beaches housing developments have become hotspots for illegal dumping. The group collects not only household waste but also commercial construction materials. Mr Dudley believes laziness, rather than inability to pay dump fees, motivates the dumpers, especially given the distance to the landfill—30 to 40 kilometres away from development areas.
Townsville City Council operates four transfer stations for domestic waste and a landfill at Stuart for commercial and domestic waste. The council removed free tip vouchers in 2017, replacing them with year-round free green waste disposal and two free dump weekends annually. In the three months to December 2019, the council investigated 87 instances of illegal dumping and prosecuted 15 people.
Deputy Mayor Mark Molachino acknowledged the problem is worsening. He suggested that blocking access to recreational bushland or catching dumpers in the act might be necessary, but noted the council is cautious about restricting access for other users. Mr Dudley's group has installed cameras at hotspots and provides footage to the council for prosecutions, using social media and a phone app to aid their efforts.
