Charles Sturt Council says it will check submerged trolley near Henley Beach jetty ‘within 20 days’

Normally it’s sharks or jellyfish that beachgoers have to be aware of below the surface, but in one beachside council it’s a metal shopping trolley. Lucky council’s been quick to react … not!

Charles Sturt Council has been made aware of a shopping trolley near Henley Beach jetty which it will investigate 'within 20 days'. Picture: Facebook

A beachside council has given itself a 20-day window to investigate whether a shopping trolley is lurking below the waters and posing a danger to swimmers at Henley Beach.

An eagle-eyed resident reported the submerged trolley, about 60m north of the jetty, to Charles Sturt Council on November 8 and was told it would investigate “within 20 days”.

The resident today posted a photo of its location and complaint on a Henley/Grange Facebook page to alert swimmers of the danger.

Normally it’s great white sharks, stingrays and jellyfish that beachgoers have to be aware of below the surface – not the threat of an metal shopping trolley.

In the post, the man wrote the trolley was half buried and sitting in 1m of water at low tide.

He wrote he had also alerted a surf lifesaver who had marked the dangerous spot with a float.

One Facebook user said it was “good to be aware” of the submerged danger.

“Stepping on a rusted metal prong won’t be much fun,” she wrote.

Walkers on Henley Beach jetty. The trolley is underwater about 60m away. Picture: Mark Brake

Others believed it was the responsibility of the nearby Foodland, at Henley Square, to retrieve the trolley if it was found to belong to them.

Another user added: “Sorry but it’s not the council’s job they are only responsible up to the tide line. You should be calling the marine department”.

The council media manager Kristie Johnson told The Advertiser a customer request was made following the complaint and the resident received a response to his report the following day.

“Our crews have been working on the foreshore daily all week following the storms,” Ms Johnson said.

“We were on the beach with the excavators today, however the tide is too high and therefore the water is too deep for our crews to safely retrieve the trolley.

“We do monitor the foreshore daily and there is a low tide on Wednesday next week at which time we expect to be able to retrieve the trolley safely.”

Marion Council last year tried to use a by-law to fine shoppers and supermarkets almost $200 for failing to return trolleys, in a bid to rid the streets of them.

The by-law was only enforced for a few weeks before the state parliament’s Legislative Review Committee voted to repeal the by-law.

At the time, retailers said they would be unfairly penalised if the council became the first in the state to crackdown on trolley dumping.