TAMBORINE Mountain will get half a dozen new public rubbish wheelie bins thanks to the advocacy of the Tamborine Mountain Chamber of Commerce.
Chamber Secretary Anne Hardy says the bins, along with public education, will help address a rise in rubbish brought to the mountain through increased visitor numbers.
So far, Chamber members will suggest Hang Gliders Lookout and Gallery Walk for extra bins.
Ms Hardy said Council acted quickly through representations from Councillor Amanda Hay.
“Chamber members brought up the fact that there weren’t enough rubbish bins, particularly on Gallery Walk and Councillor Hay was present at that meeting,” she said.
“Councillor Hay said it was something she could investigate, came back to me and said there’s capacity to have an extra half a dozen general rubbish bins on the mountain and asked where we want them placed.”
A rubbish problem
Ms Hardy said there are not enough public bins to keep up.
“On any day, particularly weekends or public holidays, there are hundreds of cars at Hang Glider Lookout, and whilst it’s great people can enjoy the view that’s so unique to the mountain, often they leave behind bottles, cans, paper plates, napkins, all sorts of things,” she said.
“The bins really are overflowing; they just can’t take any more rubbish.”
She said in the absence of bins, people put their rubbish in strange places.
“We’ve identified a location on Gallery Walk right next to the telephone booth, because people are actually using the telephone booth for rubbish, so we thought it makes sense to put a bin there,” she said.
“People tend to not want to walk too far to put rubbish in the bin.”
More than just bins
Ms Hardy said it was not just up to Council to solve the problem.
“It would be great if we could educate people more and say, ‘hey, enjoy our mountain but please take your rubbish with you,” she said.
“I do a Wednesday morning walk through here and pick up rubbish, and sometimes people toot as they drive past because clearly, they’re pleased someone is picking up the rubbish. I know there are lots of other people who do exactly the same thing. The hang gliders who take off from here are always picking up rubbish, they do a really good job.
“Our region is huge, for Council to pick up rubbish at that level would cost so much money, so it’s great if our community can take on board that we are the custodians of the land and to look after it.”
Ms Hardy praised Cr Hay for her quick response and said the Chamber would put forward a proposal to Council about where the bins should go.
