Litter accumulating at a popular wetland in Ballarat has sparked calls for action to be taken, with fears around the impact it is having on wildlife.
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Visiting the North Gardens wetlands - located adjacent to Lake Wendouree - on Christmas Eve to snap the array of wildlife to be spotted there, passionate bird and wildlife photographer Carol Moyse was shocked to see the amount of litter which was present in areas of the wetlands.
Her concerns were heightened when she spotted a Little Pied Cormorant with a plastic ring - such as those found on the neck of a plastic bottle - stuck around its beak.
Distressed and horrified at what this would mean for the bird and its ability to survive, she contacted wildlife rescuers. Sadly, despite both rescuers and herself trying to locate the bird in the days since, it has not yet been located for the ring to be removed.
Ms Moyse said she was disappointed at how much litter was around the North Gardens when she visited, particularly in the area closest to Gregory Street.
Describing it as "heartbreaking", Ms Moyse said it was not the first time she had seen a bird with its beak stuck in one of these plastic rings.
She fears that if litter is continuously left in habitat areas then wildlife will continue to suffer and she does not want to see this happen.
Acknowledging that it is the responsibility of people to dispose of their own litter properly, Ms Moyse said there were no bins in the area which could be contributing to the problem.
According to the City of Ballarat, the North Gardens wetlands were constructed as a stormwater drainage feature and were designed to remove rubbish, litter, petrochemicals and fine sediments from the drainage water that enters Lake Wendouree from the north west urban area of Wendouree.
But Ms Moyse, who has a keen interest in wildlife, said the area was vibrant with animals living at the wetlands - from turtles to all types of birds - and so wants to see the council clean out the traps and scrub around them more regularly so wildlife is less likely to be harmed.
She has been contacting the council and individual councillors and hopes her images will have some kind of impact so some changes can be made.
Wildlife rescuer and carer Jennifer Greenhalgh said such incidents were not uncommon and that she receives frequent calls to assist wildlife caught in litter in the Lake Wendouree area, including fishing tackle.
She agreed that it would be greatly beneficial for the North Gardens area to be cleaned up more often - at least once a week.
She added that a designated area for people to fish at nearby Lake Wendouree - away from where the birds congregate - would also decrease the number of injuries to wildlife and the likelihood of animals swallowing or being injured by fishing hooks or wire.
A spokesperson for the City of Ballarat said: "The litter is most noticeable after heavy rainfall, which flushes the litter from streets and drain pipes. Once the water flow subsides, our Lake Wendouree maintenance team collect litter from the ponds."
The spokesperson said it was "unfortunate that wildlife can be affected by waste products that are discarded and not recycled or disposed of appropriately."
"A change in social attitude is required to improve this behaviour."
To the concern of there not being bins in the area, they said bins were brought in to dispose of rubbish generated at events hosted in the North Gardens, such as markets.
The spokesperson added that the council continuously worked alongside other organisations such as the Department of Environment, Land, Water, and Planning (DELWP)and BADGAR Wildlife Rescue to ensure the ongoing safety of all wildlife around Lake Wendouree.