A Maddingley resident said he feels “despair” about the volume of illegally dumped rubbish that has accumulated at a heritage site in Moorabool.
Resident Bernard Katthagen said he enjoys visiting the Ingliston Bank railway cutting site – which is included in the council’s heritage overlay and contains remnant railway cutting construction basalt.
“There’s a nice view if you climb up to the trig point,” Mr Katthagen said.
“It was a beautiful spot before it got spoilt.”
Concerned about the environmental effects of illegally dumped rubbish, including the release of microplastics, Mr Katthagen said the rubbish he picks up “often breaks down into microplastics”.
“I find that time and time again when I pick up litter, it disintegrates in my hands,” he said.
“We need a national approach to waste ending up in the environment and just being left there … our politicians are kidding themselves if they think enough is being removed.”
He said other approaches to the issue of dumping could include reducing the amount of plastic produced and sold and charging for tyre disposal when you buy a car or have replacement tyres fitted.
“That way the cost of disposing of tyres is already included and there is no incentive to dump. I know this won’t be popular, but again, you can’t expect people to do the right thing,” he said.
“Above all, all levels of government – local, state and federal – must get together and work out ways to tackle waste and its handling and disposal.”
A V/Line spokesperson said the organisation has been made aware of rubbish dumped along the rail reserve at Rowsley and it is “now planning for its removal”.
