A small frog is causing a big stir in Maribyrnong.
Maribyrnong council has removed rubbish bins from several parks in the city in a bid to protect the growling grass frog.
But the move has some growling as the council made the decision to get rid of the bins from the three parks – Beavers Reserve in Wales Street, Kingsville, and Bristow and Mappin reserves in Seddon – without knowing whether the endangered frogs live there.
Radio host Tom Elliott raised the issue on his 3AW talkshow.
A barrage of comments from listeners followed, including criticisms that the move was “a council cost-cutting exercise” and would encourage rubbish dumping in the parks.
Inner-west resident Sue Findley was one of them.
“I think I can sum it up for all park users, that to take away bins causes more pollution to the environment that would affect the ecosystem of any native animal,” she said.
Maribyrnong infrastructure services director Sunil Bhalla said the move was part of a three-month “carry in, carry out” litter trial in highly urbanised areas.
Mr Bhalla said that despite council not knowing whether the frogs existed in any of the three reserves, temporary bin removal was still important.
“While we are unaware of the existence of frogs in the local parks where bin removal and signage will be trialled, litter entering into gutters ends up in local waterways, Stony Creek and the Maribyrnong River, where frog censuses have identified a number of frogs including the endangered growling grass frog,” Mr Bhalla said.
“Litter, especially plastic litter, changes the habitat and leaches chemicals, which impacts local fauna, and especially frogs, which are very sensitive.”
The trial will end in August. The results of the trial will be made available on the Maribyrnong council website and through Sustainability Victoria.
