Pine Ridge Rd Coombabah: Illegal dumping culprits caught

Offenders who dumped sofas, fridges and other rubbish on a small suburban reserve have been issued with fines after council officers caught up with them. FULL DETAILS

OFFENDERS who dumped sofas, fridges and other rubbish on a small suburban reserve have been issued with fines after council officers caught up with them.

Locals were dismayed when the junk was last month dumped at the Pine Ridge Rd, Coombabah reserve for two weekends in a row.

However following a tip-off from the community council officers were able to identify the offenders and issue them with fines.

Division 4 councillor Cameron Caldwell said the action sent a strong message that illegal dumping would not be tolerated. 

“The vast majority of Gold Coast residents take enormous pride in their suburbs and illegal dumping is completely unacceptable," Cr Caldwell said.

"This enforcement action sends a clear message to potential offenders that they will be caught and face large fines.

"If people have rubbish to dump, then do the right thing and go to one of our free Council tips.

"We have continued our increased surveillance and installed warning signage at this location."

AUGUST 8: HOW WE FIRST REPORTED WHAT HAPPENED 

COUNCIL is planning a major crackdown after illegal fly-tippers struck at a northern Gold Coast nature reserve for the second week running.

Locals were furious on Monday to find a large collection of household waste had been dumped overnight in the reserve at Pine Ridge Rd in Coombabah.

The junk appeared just days after council workers had cleared a truck-full of old sofas and mattresses from the same spot, which adjoins the environmentally sensitive Coombabah Lakelands Conservation area.

Scott Lingard, who lives in a complex beside the reserve, said the dumpers were spoiling the area for local residents.

“In the past there’s been the occasional bits and pieces left there – a mattress, a TV, that kind of stuff – but in the last two weeks it’s been masses of stuff,” Mr Lingard said.

“The one over the weekend looks like someone has literally emptied out their garage and dumped it here.

“It’s in a spot where it’s literally next to the driveway of the complex I live in.

“It doesn’t leave a great impression of the street, and it’s wasting council’s time cleaning it up. It gives a really crappy view of the area.”

Councillor Cameron Caldwell at the Pine Ridge Rd site targeted twice in two weeks by fly-tippers.

Division 3 councillor Cameron Caldwell said it was extremely disappointing the area had again been targeted over the weekend.

Cr Caldwell said council officials were investigating a number of leads in relation to the first dumping incident, with offenders facing fines of up to $2875 for individuals or $10,783 for corporations.

“It’s incredibly disappointing that people use suburbs as a dumping ground when we have free tips,” Cr Caldwell said.

“Most Gold Coast residents have an enormous amount of pride in their suburbs, and these people are showing a shameful level of disrespect for other Gold Coasters.

“Following my recent Facebook post we have had a number of leads which have been passed on to Council officers to investigate.

“We have requested extra signage and covert surveillance to be placed at that location to catch and deter offenders.

“Unfortunately illegal dumping breeds more illegal dumping, which is why we are clamping down on that particular location so that it doesn’t continue to be a problem.”

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Originally published as Pine Ridge Rd Coombabah: Illegal dumping culprits caught