By Renee Wood
There are calls for bins to be placed at Yarra Valley Trail car parks and seating spots to reduce the growing amount of rubbish being left behind.
Trail users and a coffee van business have raised concerns, urging the Yarra Ranges Council to place rubbish bins in the area.
Yarra Valley Coffeeworx van owner Cas Burton is based at the car park on MacIntyre Lane six days a week and has noticed litter growing in the area as more people use the trail.
“You’ve got families that are coming for their ride or walk and they start at the other end and head this way, they’ll grab something from us or they have their own food and they don’t have anywhere to put their rubbish,” Cas Burton said.
Ms Burton said she collects rubbish from her customers and other trash that’s been left every week.
“I would at least fill a garbage bag a week and I’m taking it home to put it in my already full bins and I would say not even a quarter of it is actually my rubbish.
“You can see beer bottles, empty alcohol cans, even food waste, chip packets.”
Coldstream resident Martin Ireland has also seen a growing amount of dog bags left along the trail.
“People are carrying these bags and carrying their coffee cups and all the rest of it back to where the cars are, but when there’s no rubbish bins they’re just throwing it in the bush,” Martin Ireland said.
“There’s nowhere to put this rubbish, which I believe should be a council problem.”
Director of Environment and Infrastructure, Mark Varmalis, said visitors are encouraged to take their waste.
“When visiting our trails – whether it’s the Lilydale-to-Warburton Rail Trail, the Yarra Valley Trail or one of the hundreds of paths that criss-cross our forests, parks and reserves – we encourage everyone to be mindful of the environment, and make sure they take any waste with them when they leave,” Mark Varmalis said.
Signage along the trail also asks people to take there rubbish with them.
“Because of the size of our region, some spots in Yarra Ranges may not have bins readily available – particularly in remote areas that waste collection vehicles cannot reach.
“If you’re out on a path, trial or reserve and there’s no bin nearby, please take your waste with you until you find a public bin.”
Mr Varmalis said food trucks and coffee van vendors must manage their waste as part of the roadside trading permits.
Works are set to start next year on the Yering to Yarra Glen stretch of the trail pending planning approval and this will also provide connection to public bins in the towns at each end.
