Waste facility access restricted

Published on 06 April 2020

The city's waste facility is now closed for residential use in an effort to discourage non-essential travel.

Council last week urged residents not to use the facility after the Government warned all Australians not to leave the house unless shopping for essentials, receiving medical care, exercising, or attending work or study.

Council's General Manager, James Roncon, said Council now had little choice but to close the facility after recent usage skyrocketed. 

"We know people want to keep busy while in isolation and that can involve doing a bit of a tidy up around the house, but we also have a responsibility to discourage non-essential travel,” he said.

"The waste facility had become a gathering point of sorts, we had 109 cars through the facility in just five hours on Sunday which is absolutely unacceptable under pandemic control measures.

"We'll now scale back the operation of the facility considerably and provide limited periods in the morning and afternoon for commercial businesses to drop off their trade waste.

"We can't in good conscience allow it to continue as a gathering point and a destination for non-essential travel."

Commercial businesses are advised that the waste facility will be open for trade waste only on weekdays between 8am and 10am in the morning, and midday and 2pm in the afternoon.

The waste facility will also be open for trade waste only on Saturdays between 9am and midday. Waste and commercial users will be required to supply their ABN or ACN as proof of business when attending the weighbridge.

All users are reminded that Council’s Ranger service is still in operation, and that illegal dumping fines range from $2000 for individuals through to $15,000 for businesses.