An area of Thompson’s Track is being used as a dumping site, a regular track walker says.

The public conservation area on Thompson’s Track is strewn with car bodies, televisions, whiteware, children’s play equipment, chemical bottles, garden waste, general household litter, and unwanted carcasses left by hunters.

“In summer, you just don’t go up there because the smell is horrendous.”

The main dump site is about a kilometre into the track. It spanned almost a kilometre, says the resident, who did not want to be named.

Garden waste is regularly dumped at or from the roadside.

“This can only be from professionals by the way it’s been cut and mulched.”

DOC and Western Bay of Plenty District Council are working together on the removal of the rubbish and a strategy for deterring further dumping. Photo: Supplied.

Department of Conservation and Western Bay of Plenty District Council had been contacted, they say.

“It’s such a pity because it’s so beautiful up there. You have the ambience of the birds ... and you have all that crap below you. It’s just so sad.”

Department of Conservation senior ranger Kristine Theiss says they had not been aware of the problem on the track until now.

“Dumping household or other waste not only impacts the natural environment through contamination of waterways, soil, and air — it impacts our communities and our native species’ habitat. Though impacts may appear local, they can extend far beyond the initial dumping site.”

Of concern is the spread of the PA pathogen responsible for kauri dieback, she says.

Cleaning up illegal dumping on conservation land takes away from their core work, she says. Fly-tippers on public conservation land may be fined $300 and larger offences may incur up to two years’ imprisonment or a fine of up to $100,000.

The main dumping site is about a kilometre into the walk. Photo: Supplied.

The department is working with Western Bay of Plenty District Council - the area spans council and DOC land - to organise the clean-up of the rubbish and determine a strategy for deterring further dumping.

The district council is aware of an ongoing problem on council land at Thompson’s Track.

Waste and resource recovery infrastructure lead Tony Wilson says over the past year council had arranged for household waste to be removed from this area on average once a month, at a cost of more than $3500.

“Recently, a large palm tree cut into rounds was dumped at the site. Because of their fibrous nature, palm trees are considered general waste rather than green waste and need to be disposed in landfill.

“In instances where we are able to identify who is responsible for the illegal dumping, we on-charge them for the removal and disposal costs.”

He reminds offenders that residential green waste can be taken to recycling centres at Te Puke, Katikati and Athenree, as well as the green waste centre in Ōmokoroa.

Report rubbish dumping on conservation land to 0800 DOC HOT (0800 362 468). On council land, dob in a dumper via email customer.service@westernbay.govt.nz or phone 0800 Trashy.