Gremar Image Story with Images Photography
Shame of the Suburbs
by Greg Buck
Photography by Gremar Image ©
From time to time my wife and I like to trip around our area in the Northern suburb of Wanneroo
and its outlying areas to see what progress has been made and to grab some of
those past glory days of open un spoilt land where nature and the environment live in harmony.
How mistaken we are to think that these open bush lands ,not 26 km from the
hectic suburban population of this place called home to many thousands ,
could somehow escape peoples habits of polluting and interfering
with nature in such a way that it just amazes us to think how ignorant we all can be.
We have lived in this area for over 30 years and have witnessed
the rapid growth from a small country town in the late 50s through to the 60s
when development commenced in the township of Wanneroo.
The area was a quiet peaceful place where life was at a slower pace and the environment in no danger of destruction,
according to the powers to be, or maybe it was just plain ignorance in every ones outlook on life at the time.
We had found our little place of beauty and tranquility 23 km from the hustle and bustle of the big city of Perth
and believed we had it all and nothing would change anything for the rest of our lives.
How wrong we were to think that this was possible and that we had no responsibility to the future of this community
and future generations other than to see development go out of control with more bush land,
market gardens and farming land bought up and developed
into residential and semi rural blocks to cater for the masses from the city.
Slowly over the years suburbia grew into masses of homes and
people who brought their ignorance and no tolerance for the environment with them.
Blocks of land purchased by the thousands with housing built of all types
with no second thought to what impact this would all have on our environment.
Blocks were stripped naked of their trees and shrubs taking all those species of animals,
birds and insects away or burnt in a pile in the middle of a desert of building lots.
This has had a marked effect on our environment, driving a lot of these animals to extinction in this area.
Along with the many bad practices by the community, shire councils and developers
in how we live distribute and rid ourselves of rubbish and fertilizer use on lawns and gardens.
Planting trees and shrubs that are not contusive to the area,
causing the spread of exotic plants to destroy native bush and flora of the area.
Water was used like there was no tomorrow, farmers and market gardeners used fertilizers
without the knowledge or maybe just plain ignorance of what could happen in the future
if we dared to look into what was in the makeup of these fertilizers and the effect on the environment.
To our credit we have now come to realize and pull our heads out of the sand to try and rectify
a bad situation that is of monumental concern, that governments across the world
now are changing their policies and the way we think about how we live to try and leave
Some part of this world for future generations to enjoy as we have in the past.
What has brought me to this story is our trip on a pleasant November Sunday afternoon in 2009
enjoying what we have left of rural and bush land north of our city of Wanneroo.
There on one of our major roads called the Old Ranched Road,
approximately 26 km from our home and the town of Wanneroo,
at a lay by where cars and travelers can stop for whatever reason,
lays a site that stunned us in disbelief and guilt.
Rubbish had been dumped on the side of this lay by in a way that defies common sense and reality .
House rubbish and general rubbish from all walks of life was to be found.
This rubbish had been there for some time without any action to have it
removed from this site by any authority within the Shire of Wanneroo.
Still reeling over the shock of this disgraceful dumping by my fellow human being, we then, on driving along Flynn Drive,
heading west back toward Wanneroo road, noticed not far from the Industrial area along Flynn Drive
on the southern verge a large quantity of asbestos fencing with other assorted rubbish, dumped
in the bush not 5 meters from the main road verge.
This was a real shock to see. Not just the
fact of its dumping in this bush land but the fact it is in eyesight of everyone who passes by this site.
Not one person has made an effort to have this removed. Asbestos is dangerous to
handle but this surely does warrant action for its removal in a proper and safe way immediately.
Its seems to me the public ,community and services such as the Shire Council ,Transport Departments
and any other local authorities are all waiting on each other to act and hope maybe, it will just go away.
We are ashamed to be a part of a community who will allow such behavior
to continue without any thought for our environment and wildlife.
There will always be rogues within our community who just don't care but the local authorities
must act immediately to remove the rubbish and investigate who the culprits
are and deal with them accordingly to our laws that cover littering.
This is a crime and should be investigated like any other crime. Those found guilty
should face the full force of the law to deter others who may think this is a smart way
to dispose of their rubbish and most of all to protect the environment for future generations.
We hope that by writing this story it may prompt those who are in a position to act in a
responsible way to make sure these unsightly dumplings' are removed with haste so there is no or little impact on our environment.
We hope that we as human beings can treat our environment with the respect they wish on themselves.
www.gremarimage.com
If anyone within our community see's such events along the way then say something to the local authorities to get it removed.
If you witness anyone dumping rubbish illegally then report them immediately to the local authorities.
Take down there number plate ,take photographs if possible and where it is.
DON'T IGNORE WHAT IS A SHAMEFUL ACT BY THE COMMUNITY.
Please study the Images below and be ashamed that this is how we as human beings see the world.
We as a responsible people must take action to stamp out this abuse and rape of our environment.
Those responsible for what you see in the Images below must be made to answer for there actions.
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