These community members are cleaning up the bush around Ballarat - driven to action by feelings of frustration at seeing it treated like a dumping ground.
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Zac Budge is the founder of Sunday Sweep, a community effort to clean up Ballarat between 7am and 8am every Sunday morning.
If something frustrates you, you can do something about it.
- Zac Budge
What started as two mates taking initiative to clean up the bush is turning into a community movement.
Nine people joined Zac Budge and Matt Burch on their second clean up last week.
Through social media posts and a new Sunday Sweep Facebook page, the pair are expecting more people to turn up to help with this Sunday's clean up.
"I was sick of seeing rubbish everywhere and it seems like no one ever does anything about it," Mr Budge said.
"I thought 'I have got spare time in the morning, why not start doing something about it and start cleaning it up?'."
"Now the goal is to create as much awareness as possible and give people the option that they can come down and join in themselves."
Watch Zac Budge's video below of rubbish in the Yarrowee Plantation.
The team of nine people worked to clear 31 bags of rubbish from the Yarrowee Plantation last week.
The rubbish dumping hot spot between Mount Pleasant and Mount Clear, an area Mr Budge described as atrocious, will be a focus of the Sunday Sweep team in weeks to come.
READ MORE: 'Disgusting' dump reignites resident anger
Mr Budge has used left over tip vouchers to dispose of the rubbish collected the past two weeks and is hoping other volunteers would also donate tip vouchers.
City of Ballarat told The Courier it was not responsible for cleaning up the Yarrowee Plantation. The Courier is awaiting confirmation on what authority is responsible for this land.
However, City of Ballarat infrastructure and environment director Terry Demeo said the city's trails and waterways team was constantly cleaning up rubbish from areas around the Yarrowee Creek and regularly inspected known dumping locations.
"Across Ballarat, illegal rubbish dumping costs council about $85,000 per year which includes disposal costs, staff time, investigations and follow up," he said
"There are also obviously environmental impacts so it is important waste is treated appropriately."
The dumping of household or industrial waste on a site that is not licensed to accept it is an offence under the Environment Protection Act 1970 and can attract a fine of $7929, or considerably more if the case goes to court.
You can report illegal dumping to the City of Ballarat or the EPA if it is commercial quantities or extremely high amounts (measured in hectares).
Those interested in joining the Sunday Sweep can meet on Sunday at 7am at 1 Dianne Court Canadian. Follow Sunday Sweep on Facebook for more information.
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