An Aboriginal group has closed a popular swimming hole and walking trail, sparking a community uproar.
Proper Good Vibes Pty Ltd has closed the gate to a public road leading to the Cameron’s Pocket waterhole in Eungella National Park, near Mackay in central Queensland.
The Aboriginal company “temporarily” suspended access over concerns about pollution, vandalism and overcrowding. courier mail reported.
A sign has been placed on Brodies Road, which leads to the swimming spot, to inform the community of the closure.
“Access is temporarily closed… due to the large volume of people abusing the natural environment,” it said.
‘(And) water pollution, vandalism, theft and overcrowding.’
The move has angered not only locals but also Mackay Regional Council, which issued a Proper Good Vibes notice ordering it to open the door next week, or face further action.
Local councilor and former federal MP George Christensen has been inundated with complaints.
A sign was placed on a door (pictured) explaining the closure of the public road, preventing visitors from reaching a nearby water well.
A local Aboriginal business closed access to Cameron’s Pocket (pictured) in Eungella National Park, near Mackay, because visitors had been vandalizing the area.
‘Brodies Road is an official road reserve and motorists should not be prevented from accessing the road. “I have been informed that the council is taking action,” Cr Christensen posted on Facebook.
A spokesperson for Proper Good Vibes, which was established last month, told The Courier Mail that it is in the process of acquiring a property on the road which it is currently renting.
He defended the measure because it was necessary to protect the environment, as well as visitors, after last month, on King Charles’s birthday, 57 cars veered “off the road, going through our property, destroying it.”
The spokesperson said his business partner, Aboriginal artist Leon Namai, also found it necessary to close the road because people had been “stealing fruit and vegetables”.
“We found 126 dirty diapers and 58 sanitary pads scattered next to the pool and human feces floating in the drinking water,” he said.
A dead goanna whose head was smashed by beer bottles and long-necked turtles that left the area.
‘Leon and I are First Nations people and we are custodians of this country. We have no rights, we have responsibilities (and) our responsibility is to protect nature at all times.’
The picturesque Eungella National Park is popular with locals and visitors to the area (pictured) but a lot of rubbish, such as nappies, has been dumped in its waterhole.
He added that they had tried unsuccessfully to get the city to allow Proper Good Vibes to install public toilets and trash bins, as well as a walking path through the property and a parking lot.
But local residents did not seem concerned about the lack of amenities around the swimming hole, instead taking their outrage to Facebook to shut down the closure.
“No one owns the swimming hole or the road to it, the road is a public road and the creek is a national park…they think they are running the show, they don’t even own the property yet,” one wrote .
Mackay Mayor Greg Williamson told The Courier Mail that although it is a public road, tenants have brought “a number of issues” to the council’s attention, including the rubbish left behind.
Williamson said the council is working to find an “amicable solution” with tenants and is urging visitors to the area to take their rubbish home and “stay off private property”.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Mackay Regional Council for comment.