Urangan Pier ( abattoir )

[Lucky_Phill]

Prior to going to the Hervey Bay M & G at Dayman Park, I visited the Urangan Pier. At the entrance is a large sign which states, quite clearly, NO Dogs and NO Bicycles !

Not only where there bikes on said Pier, but I had to actually step over one to walk out to the end. Once at the end, the Pier resembled a bloody abattoir. Decaying bait, plastic bags, dried out Herring, discarded fishing line, empty soft drink bottles, fish scales and whole Mack Tuna, lying in the sun.

As a fishermen of many years, I was disgusted at the blatant dis-respect shown to this famous landmark. I will not lay the blame for this at anyone in particular, but I will say, the “ kids “ that inhabit this Pier showed me, in my time out there, that they are willing to forgo any manners and sense of responsibility instilled in them, by their parents.

I am not a member of the Fun Police. I will always encourage our youngsters to take up the noble art of “ Fishing “, but at what cost, I ask ? From a tourist point of view, the Pier is a dirty, smelly, polluted timber structure, inhabited by irresponsible locals. I know that a tourist may leave behind rubbish etc, but from what I have seen and had “ personal “ experience with, it is the Locals that contribute in the larger sense, to this mess.

As I walked back from the end, I truly felt embarrassed every time a ’ tourist’ passed me on their trek to the “ abattoir “.

One day, someone important enough is going to see this disgrace, and that Pier will be closed to fishing, and there will be only ourselves to blame.

So, if you read the headlines in the local paper saying “ man throws bicycles into the Bay “, send bail money to me asap. ( for the tree-huggers, that last paragraph is a joke, if ya didn’t get it )

So, those of you who now care enough, will probably ask, ‘ what did I do about this while I was there ? “. And a fair enough question it is. Well, I took note. I am prepared to go further next time, but for now, Hervey Bay Council will be receiving correspondence regarding this. It is their responsibility to police their rules, and it is also the ‘ kids ‘ responsibility to adhere to said rules. It is also OUR responsibility to address any wrongs in a manner that will encourage the offenders to think twice !

OK people, go your hardest............................

Cheers Phill

[fullscale]

here here phill
its about time that the people of hervey bay took pride in this amazing place they call home , and if they have to introduce fun police so be it were would land based fishos be in hervey bay with out that peir , i will tell ,you paying $40 to go fish at kingfisher . its about time we as fishos show the way to the juniors and the seniors , and lets not forget the council that it doesnt take much to throw rubbish in the bin bait and scraps in the water or most of all for the couoncil to put rubbish vacilities at the end the pier but hey thats just my opinion

[longtail]

as a former resident of hervey bay i know exactly what your talking about phill , i probably even know some of the locals responsible . but in the several years we were living there this problem was gradually getting worse. i think it is long overdue for the council to place bins at regular intervals along the entire length of the pier , and hire 2 garbos to empty them regulary (they can afford it , they charge enough for bloody rates). when i was last there (about 8 months ago) there was talk of council doing this , but by the sound of your description Phill it has not been done yet. when is the council and irresponsible locals going to wake up and realise what a people magnet they have in the pier? depending on how its looked after it will either attract or repulse visitors

i feel better now
cheers
jason

[westie]

Not sure if the council should pick the tab on the removal of rubbish is the answere, a few STIFF fines may work better for the offenders. Councils will do it but why should the residents pay for it.

If the young ones can't pay the fine Community Service.

2 x people to walk the pier cleaning bins out round trip
1 Hr at least
X$ Per hour
X7 days
X 52 weeks
= RATE INCREASE

It would be a small group doing it . TARGET THEM first.

I am not a local but I am a fisherman, been taught to clean up after myself by my parants, along with RESPECTING others property.

Westie

[plugger43]

phil i can tell you now that bins wont work for a couple of reasons,they would be to lazyto put the rubbish in the bin,at night they would throw the bins over the side secure the bins i here you say then they would light the rubbish in the bins,and i dont think it is a council problem.i have 2 boys who fish there a lot while most do the right thing the are those who stuff it for most.i dont know how to fix it but that is my 2 cents worth.

[TonyM]

I'm a resident of the bay and also know exactly what you are talking about.

I have complained to the council several times over the last few years as I'm sure many other residents do. The council we have is hardly likely to win council of the year, although they are quite succesfull at spending our (much higher) rates on building facilities to get tourists here.

I don't mind money being spent on tourism, in fact it's a must. It's the lack of focus on fundamental infrstrucure issues that seems to be the recurring theme. I voted my opinion. however I think the higher than usual percentage of retired residents results in votes to get more facilities targetted at that one section of our community, in fact I'm surprised that there isn't a tram out to the end of the pier allready. It's the way the cookie crumbles, however I don't think I'm unreasonable in thinking that the basics are looked after first...

I have made similar complaints to fisheries on many occaisions re the illegal fish kept, and the senseless waste that occurs however maybe it's too far for them to walk

[Dug]

Re: throwing bikes and riders into a shark infested ocean.


Remember -- A good friend will come and bail you out of jail...BUT a true friend will be sitting next to you saying, "Damn...that was fun!"

[land-lubber]

I fully agree with you. i am from Maryborough and spend a lot of my time there. in the last week leading up to the M&G, i was fishing it every day with Mharper2001. it is an absolute disgrace up there, fish guts on the pier, bait, bottles etc. we carted everything we took up out with us. i do know of the kids that are responciable, and every time i see em doing something they shouldnt (regular activity) i get up em. they were even throwing rocks in our direction when we were fishing the public pontoon in the marina, and i threatened to call the police, who i know patrol there regularly, and sure enough, around came the police on thier round, and did they pi$$ off in a hurry.
anyway, thats my 2 cents.
cheers

BTW, rubish bins would b REAL handy, i hate having to chase all my plastic wraps around the jetty when i open my tackle bag to get something and the wind blows em away.

[Gazza]

Phill, you being a 'newbie' local ,i'd suggest
IF littering or hygiene laws ...aren't policed/monitored adequately on the pier
WHY should tourists visit ,and spend bucks..to smell the place
Rates/council/tourism.....are one and the same!!
Frequent inspection and emptying of bins,etc....would help
rather than ?good? recfishos 'expecting'
a tidy and healthy fishing platform
being blamed for a few bikes and bait and wasted fish..

[theoldlegend]

Not an easy one, is it?

How about some bins strategically placed along the pier (the ones you can lock up to a post) and try them for a while. Is it possible for a ute to get out there and turn around and bring the rubbish back? If people set fire to them, then it's time to try another approach. Don't ask me what though.

The local paper could be approached to run articles showing photos of the mess and warning of dire consequences if the rubbish isn't cleaned up, although the council mightn't like the idea of fines as it would be a labour intensive and lengthy process and therefore costly.

The most extreme approach might be for the local council to close the pier altogether for a period as a result of people not doing the right thing. This might stir up some action. I guess it all comes down to education, in that part of being a responsible fisho is to take your rubbish away with you.

TOL

[scuttlebutt]

One day, someone important enough is going to see this disgrace, and that Pier will be closed to fishing, and there will be only ourselves to blame.

this is true. I think it was considered very strongly before they refurbished the pier a few years ago. It was mainly public outcry that kept it open. I used to fish the pier as a kid about 20 years ago (geez, was it that long ago?) and it's always been a bit of a slaughterhouse. Kids have different perspectives though, and I used to look forward to seeing the big mackeral frames lying out in the sun, imagining what it would be like on the end of a line. The place was almost like a trophy display, with big dead trevally, tuna and mackeral laying about stewing in the sun. As a kid I loved it. I have a different outlook now of course.

I don't have the answers, just brought back some memories that's all,

cheers,

steve



I

[Lucky_Phill]

Thanks for the responses so far.

More info has come to hand, that a Bait & Tackle Shop close to the Pier offers a $50 prize for the biggest fish landed ( I think this is done weekly ). So what happens is the " kids " catch their big GT's, Spanish, Queenies etc and lobe them down to the shop for a wiegh -in and pic, then they tale them back to the Pier and leave them on the timbers to rot in the sun.

Further, council has been ' harrased ' about htis problem, but at the moment seems to have other priorities.

Further, Fisheries have also been hammered with phone calls about this, but again, they seem to have other priorities.

With all due respect to the ' fine ' idea, we are dealing with minors here, these kids look to be as young as 12-15 years old. Trying to get them to coff up some $'s is going to be hard.

Bins are certainly an idea, and they could be made to withstand the ' trashing ' they will encounter, but, having a stinking bin out along the Pier does not actually solve the problem. The people that fish the Pier now, and take thier rubbish and bait and frames home, will end up using said bins, thus creating MORE stinky areas.

Maybe the Pier will end up like The Sand pumping Jetty down the Gold Coast, where one has to PAY for the privilege of using said jetty. These funds in turn will be used to clean and maintain the Pier. But that then locks out the Tourists that specifically come to Hervey Bay and want to walk the " Landmark " Pier.

Further, the pectoral fin was NOT removed from the Spanish Mackerel I saw hanging from the Pier on Sunday.

Do I have an answer ? Not yet, but certainly I have enough knowledge to push the revelant bodies into at least ' listening '.

BTW Dug, love ya work

cheers Phill

[Heath]

When I was there in August last year, I was also disgusted with the pier. My issue was not bikes but dog crap. All the way down the friggin pier. After my young bloke trod in the third turd in the space of 20m, we turned around & left it, never to return.

I too sent a letter to the council. never receieved a reply.

[rodbender]

Hi PHILL I fished the pier on Sunday before the m&g got to the pier at 12.00am on the saturday night the pier was in a mess then.When i left to go to the m&g i pick up as much rubbish as i could & took it with me.Pick up the decaying bait and place it in the water. The state of the pier disgusted me that much so today Tuesday 29/11/05 i rang H/B council to complain, and asked about bin,s been placed along the pier. this is what i was told, the council would not do this because

1 The bin,s would end up in the water.
2 Set alight
I said they could be chained down
3 Then was told council had no way to collect the bin's.
4. I was then told I could put the request in writing but it would probably be a waste of time because the council would not consider it.
My mrs is going to draft a letter tomorrow and I will see how I go. Don't hold much hope. Will keep yous informed.
cheers reg.

[kleiny]

phill i got bail money to get you out or let me know maybe we could get a fair few bikes into the drink & start a new artificial reef
kleiny