Residents speak out over the closure of Boonooroo toilets

After overflowing on a king tide, an old public toilet block has been shut down for good. But the local residents are anything but happy about it.

The closure of public toilets at the Boonooroo Boat Ramp has left residents outraged about what it means for their community, tourists and boaties.

Ann-Maree Macdonald has lived in the quaint fishing village on the Great Sandy Strait for six years and has been fighting with fellow Boonooroo residents to keep the toilet block open.

Ms Macdonald said the public toilets were an important facility for visitors, families and boaties.

“The families that come down here, the fishermen that put their boats in, they use it all the time,” she said.

While there are other toilets at the Boonooroo Sport and Recreation Ground on Eckert Road, Ms Macdonald said the toilets at the boat ramp were the only ones with male and female wheelchair facilities.

“Boonooroo hasn’t got much down here to attract tourists and visitors, and for them to take away the toilet right next to the boat ramp with the picnic table... where else is everyone going to use the toilet on our foreshore?” she said.

The toilets have been closed since Friday, July 15.

According to a statement from the Fraser Coast Regional Council in early 2022, an assessment of the toilet block revealed the septic tank could not be repaired, and should be removed due to environmental and public health risks.

As the system had overflown on king tides in the past, and the soil was not suitable for the drainage trenches, it increased the chances of effluent entering the environment and ocean, according to the statement.

Ann-Maree Macdonald stands outside the recently decommissioned Boonooroo toilet block.

Ms Macdonald recently wrote to council CEO Ken Diehm, expressing her dissatisfaction with how the closure had been handled.

“To decommission the only wheelchair access toilet in Boonooroo before new ones are built is wrong,” she wrote.

Ms Macdonald also contacted the Ombudsman, and said further complaints had been lodged with council.

A response from Mr Diehm to Ms Macdonald highlighted the toilets were not going to be demolished until the complaints were resolved, and advice from the Ombudsman had been received.

Ms Macdonald said the council should have sought “public participation” before making the decision to close the toilets.

“I mean have a public meeting, talk to the community...” Ms Macdonald said.

“There was no public consultation at all.”

On November 17, 2021, Ms Macdonald noted there was a community meeting with Mr Diehm, but said residents received 24 hours notice.

Since the meeting in November, Ms Macdonald highlighted the council had done a “great job” addressing the erosion on the foreshore.

While she said a new toilet facility would be good, she expressed concerns about how long it would take to find a suitable location.

Ann-Maree Macdonald (right) has been fighting to keep the Boonooroo public toilet block open with fellow Boonooroo residents since November 2021.

On June 15, Division 4 councillor Daniel Sanderson posted on social media addressing the rumours about the closure of the boat ramp.

“There have been a number of misleading posts on social media suggesting council has decided to close the boat ramp at Boonooroo. This is simply not true,” his post read.

He said the toilets presented a “public health and environmental risk” which was why the council decided to remove them.

“Please be assured we wouldn’t decommission any toilets if there wasn’t a need,” he said in a post.

“We have considered all sorts of alternatives to keep the toilets in the current location, including closed septic systems, but none of them are viable.”

Cr Sanderson added the council would not just “close a great public facility for the sake of it” and had explored all options to keep the toilets at their current location.

The Boonooroo toilet block is more than 30 years old. Photo: Fraser Coast Regional Council.

In a statement, Cr Sanderson said at the July 27 council meeting, he would propose that council “consults with residents and nearby property owners to determine the demand and support for a new public toilet” on Davies Rd.

“I will also be asking that a report be prepared on the estimated costs to make the public toilets at the Boonooroo Sports and Recreation Grounds disability compliant,” he said.

“Council is committed to providing public toilets for Boonooroo residents and visitors that are safe and accessible.

“I will continue to advocate for the best possible outcome for Boonooroo and the wider community.”

Ms Macdonald started a petition on Change.org to save the toilets which had over 1300 signatures on Thursday.

The possible two locations for new Boonooroo public toilets are on the agenda for the July 27 meeting.