Beach rubbish an ’embarrassment’

A regular there for many years, Mr Harris was astounded on New Year’s Day to find a makeshift party venue left on the sand.

He and another man spent two hours removing, in two utility loads, rolls of carpet, couches, a gas bottle, plastic chairs, wheelie bin, empty bottles and other trappings of a New Year’s Eve celebration.

Mr Harris said rubbish was worse after public holidays but visitors left behind empty beer bottles, fast food wrappers, fishing bait bags, milk cartons, pallets and other debris at any time of year.

Dog droppings were unsightly on the foreshore path.

‘It’s an embarrassment taking overseas visitors there,’ he said. ‘We see television protests about culling of sharks but if people leave rubbish on the beach, there will be no marine life.

‘They are not taking a pride in their community.

‘If people make an effort to take things down there, then they should make an effort to bring them back.

‘This is a beautiful beach and it is sad they cannot do the right thing.’

Mr Harris said he wanted to make beachgoers aware of their responsibilities and for the City of Wanneroo to clean the beach more often.

‘Kids play around with the rubbish and eventually, if there is a big swell, it can be washed into the ocean, which is not nice,’ he said. ‘We need to maintain the beaches for our children.

‘We don’t want them to grow up so they cannot swim or see the marine life.’

City of Wanneroo infrastructure director Dennis Blair said maintenance crews regularly inspected Quinns beach and removed litter.

‘Arrangements will now be made to undertake inspections and to remove litter immediately after the long weekends and public holidays,’ he said. ‘Consideration is also being given to utilising the soon-to-be-purchased pathway sweeper on the Ocean Drive pathway frequently.

‘The City placed additional bins out over the Christmas period, which remained in place until after Australia Day.’