MARGARET River has become a dumping ground for bombed-out backpacker cars, with ratepayers footing the bill and few options for finding the culprits.
Augusta Margaret River Shire was forced to deal with 57 abandoned vehicles in the past year and a similar number the previous year.
Senior shire ranger Peter Fagan said the shire was working with police to identify vehicle owners and issue infringements, but the efforts were usually fruitless.
“Given the relatively high occurrence of temporary addresses listed against abandoned cars we assume that they are being left by travellers or itinerant workers,” Mr Fagan said.
“Police will provide rangers with the last known address, but in a lot of these cases the owners addresses are listed at backpacker establishments or temporary accommodations making them more difficult to locate.”
The shire is responsible for removing a vehicle from a road verge or reserve after 24 hours if the owner cannot be found – sooner if the car is posing a danger or obstruction.
Margaret River police chief Sergeant Brett Cassidy said his agency took over only if the vehicles were stolen, but that car theft and dumping had not been a major issue locally.
Margaret River Towing owner Gordon Johnston said he was appalled at the lack of responsibility many travellers had displayed.
“At least 90 per cent of these cars are just left by backpackers and it makes me angry that it’s ratepayers who are footing the bill,” Mr Johnston said.
Mr Fagan said the removal, clean-up and investigations were an imposition on the shire’s limited resources.
“These vehicles look unsightly and become a target for vandals,” he said.
“Engine oils and fuels can potentially become an issue if left in sensitive environments. People should be taking responsibility to correctly dispose of their cars if they don’t want them anymore.”
Margaret River Towing had charged the shire for just nine removals in the past year, at a cost of $165 per tow. The financial cost to ratepayers had been offset largely by the towing contractor’s ability to recoup costs by selling unclaimed wrecks.
While the shire was entitled to sell roadworthy vehicles at tender, none of last year’s 57 vehicles were saleable, and just two were sold in the previous year, netting $771.
