By Brendan Rees
City of Casey is calling on the state government to provide a badly needed toilet at a popular tourist spot in Warneet.
Residents say it’s not an uncommon occurrence for boat users to be “dying for a pee” when returning to shore at the Warneet Boat Ramp.
“It is something that is desperate for the area,” says Blight Bight resident and Captain of the Blight Bight Boat Club, Bob O’Connell.
“Over a thousand people go out on the boat ramp on the weekend. Being out for six hours, I mean I’m busting myself to go to the toilet,” he said.
Council unanimously endorsed a Notice of Motion by City of Casey Mayor Cr Geoff Ablett at a Council meeting last year.
Since then, a sign has been put up demanding the Department of Environment Land Water and Planning (DELWP) to install a toilet.
Visitors have been forced to use the surrounding area as a makeshift toilet in what’s been deemed a looming threat to public health and hygiene.
Cr Ablett held a meeting with residents at the boat ramp on Friday, 16 February, saying there was an agreeance among those who attended that the problem was worsening.
“The good thing is they all recognise we need something there. I really want to thank the people for coming out and putting their views forward,” he said.
Cr Ablett urged the State Government to provide a solution at the foreshore which fell under the responsibility of DELWP.
“Each week I hear of residents coming across pretty disgusting scenes, while disabled people and young children are often put in embarrassing situations through no fault of their own,” Cr Ablett said.
“The closet toilet block is located approximately 200-300 metres from the boat ramp, which is too far to expect users to travel just to access public amenities.”
“It’s also near impossible for people with a disability to access,” he said.
Mr O’Connell, who attended the meeting last Friday, said the boat ramp was also potentially hazardous at dusk when many boat users returned to shore and snakes roamed the area.
“All snakes travel mainly at night time. That’s when the kids (and other boat users) get out of the boat, just on dark and that’s when they got to the toilet.”
Council has written to the Member for Bass Brian Paynter and Member for Hastings Neale Burgess, requesting their urgent support for accessible male and female toilets.
A weekly bus tour of the Warneet foreshore which stops to have a picnic at the foreshore has struggled to accommodate tours due to the poor condition of toilets.
