RAW ROW: Green protesters face claims of creek stink

ENVIRONMENTAL activists staying near Bowen will be subject to a council investigation following concerns overcrowding is causing damage. FILE IMAGE

ENVIRONMENTAL activists staying at a property near Bowen will be subject to a council investigation following concerns overcrowding is causing damage to the local environment.

Whitsunday Regional Council Mayor Andrew Willcox said council had received complaints that as many as 60 people were overcrowding the dwelling on Normanby Road at Bogie.

Locals fear a lack of appropriate toilet and shower facilities could be releasing raw, untreated sewage into the natural water ways, according to Mr Willcox.

Council is looking into the matter.

"We are very serious about this sort of thing, and our council's job is to make sure these people do the right thing," Mr Willcox said.

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"If these allegations and complaints are founded then council will do everything in their power to stop it... and if we get to a stage where we can't do anything then we'll use the law to support us."

Cr Willcox said there was no sewer where they were staying, just a septic system designed for a certain amount of people. He said a single dwelling with one bathroom was only fit to accommodate five people.

"You don't have to be Einstein to do the maths which is why we have rules in place against overcrowding," he said.

"Where are people going to the bathroom? If that runs into the Bogie River then where does that go?

"Sometimes the job within council is to save people from themselves."

Whitsunday Regional Council community and environment director Julie Wright said council was working with the information they had to determine if anything unlawful was occurring.

"We don't have any approvals or amenities for the sheer volumes of people out there so what are they using?" she said.

"They could be using portable toilets and having everything pumped out and doing everything correctly, but at this point in time we don't know."

People at the protest camp have been contacted for comment.

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