Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service Rangers disgusted by illegal rubbish dumping

Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service rangers were disgusted by the amount of rubbish they found during a recent clean-up of bushland at the base of the Burra Range Lookout, within White Mountains National Park.

White Mountains National Park is in the Desert Uplands bioregion and it is renowned for its rugged environment and spectacular sandstone bluffs and gorges. It is home to fourteen different ecosystems, including lancewood forests, open woodlands, laterite pastures, sand dunes, heathlands and spinifex grasslands.

A crew of rangers from Hughenden recently spent a day at the Burra Range lookout, using a winch to remove 18 truck tyres, one front end-loader tyre and two full 100 litre drums of general waste including bottles and cans.

Acting Senior Ranger Billy O’Grady said the Burra Range Lookout is a well-known rest-area on the Flinders Highway about 80 kilometres north-east of Hughenden, where people take a break before continuing their journey.

O’Grady advised “Unfortunately, people have been treating the lookout as a dumping ground and there was a general feeling of disgust among the rangers during the clean-up.

“There are rubbish bins at the lookout, and it does not make sense that people are throwing rubbish over the edge instead of using the bins.

“We believe the general waste is deliberate littering and in terms of the tyres, we believe it is illegal dumping to avoid paying fees at the tip.

“That means the tyres are likely to have been deliberately dumped at the lookout rather than being blow-outs from long haul trucks.

“Either way, dumping rubbish and tyres at the Burra Range Lookout is unacceptable and, in an arid environment, the tyres are a major fire hazard.

“The rubbish and tyres can also pollute the national park and cause harm to our magnificent native animals and visitors to the park.”

O’Grady said anyone with information about the illegal dumping should called 1300 130 372 and report it.

“Rangers investigate every report of illegal dumping in our national parks and State forests, and there are hefty fines for people deliberately polluting our environment,” he said.

“This diverse environment makes it one of inland Queensland's most botanically diverse parks, and rangers are determined to keep it pristine.

“People who visit any Queensland national parks are asked to respect the environment and take all their rubbish and food waste with them.”

Images courtesy Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service