Eastfield Park: Croydon bushland targeted for boozy gatherings, dumped furniture

Boozed-up youths and vandals have turned a popular eastern suburbs park into no-go zone lighting fires, hosting wild parties and causing damage.

Dumped furniture, rubbish and graffiti has been found in bushland at Croydon's Eastfield Park. Picture: Kiel Egging.

Neighbours of a well-known Croydon park say the area is becoming a no-go area because of the constant rubbish dumping, rowdy parties and unruly late-night behaviour.

And one resident has called for Maroondah Council to create more walking paths at the northern end of Eastfield Park to curb the issue.

Ringwood police has asked the council to clean up the mess at the park’s northern end near Taylor’s Rd after it received complaints from residents and investigated the site.

Sgt Ryan Davis said officers would step up patrols at the northern end of the park, near Taylors Rd and Dorothy St, after it found evidence of fires, aggravated littering and consumption of alcohol.

Leader visited the area on February 10 and found dumped furniture, graffiti, smashed beer bottles and rubbish in three different bushland areas.

Police are stepping up patrols to stamp out alcohol-fuelled behaviour at Croydon's Eastfield Park. Picture: Kiel Egging.

Nearby resident Robert Corcoran said he and his partner had got used to “scumbags” misbehaving in the bushland and dumping hard rubbish.

Mr Corcoran said the behaviour had been going on for “years” with people rubbish dumping, boozing and possibly doing drugs.

He said he wouldn’t want his two daughters, aged two and eight months, wandering in the parkland unsupervised in case they picked up broken glass or other items.

“We can’t let them out in the neighbourhood or go exploring the park, we used to, but not any more,” he said.

A resident in Dorothy St, who did not wish to be named, said they had previously spotted teenagers smoking and drinking in the bushes.

The resident called for footpaths to be created in the section of the park.

“If council opened it up and took care of it, I think it would curb activity,” they said.
“The kids aren’t going to congregate where adults can see them.“

Maroondah councillor Paul Macdonald, who has the park in his ward, said he was unimpressed with the ongoing behaviour and welcomed police’s pledge of additional patrols.

“That type of thing happens when kids get bored during the holidays,” Cr Macdonald said.

“It’s disappointing when people behave like this in such a beautiful area, and police and council will deal with it as appropriate.

“We’ve had issues in our reserves from time to time, and the people misbehaving are always caught out.”

The council’s communications team has been contacted for comment.