'Nightmare' scenes at popular Aussie beach after controversial Christmas party
The sheer volume of litter has been called a 'disgrace' by local residents.
The seemingly well-established Boxing Day tradition of cleaning up one of Sydney's most iconic beaches is well underway, with workers already clocking up hours of waste removal after revellers of a controversial party left the beach in disarray.
Council workers at Bronte Beach have spent hours picking up mountains of rubbish left by thousands of partygoers who spent their Christmas Day donning festive headwear and red bathers at the beach — to the frustration of local residents.
Litter of all kinds was found lying on the beach and grassy areas as the morning sun set in, and the waste removal team worked to restore it to its original state "as fast as possible" over the course of the day.
"The Waverley Council waste and cleansing team are now onsite in full force starting to clean up the beach and park," Mayor of Waverley, Will Nemesh, said. "I have been and will continue to work directly with Council staff to ensure the area is cleaned as fast as possible."
Residents slam beach revellers for 'disgraceful' behaviour
The sheer volume of litter has worsened over the last few years, with the beach's condition described as a "disgrace" and a "nightmare" by residents.
Authorities braced for the incident ahead of time this year, introducing more than 250 additional bins at the beach and ensuring there was a strong police presence throughout the day. However, some residents said "there were nowhere near enough bins to cater to the minority who made an effort to take rubbish", adding that the cleaning crew appeared "overwhelmed".
"Full grots," one local said online about those who left the litter on the beach. "And again. [They] didn't even try and put rubbish near bins," another resident complained. "As a Bronte resident, thank you so much. [It's] better than what happened last year," a third said.
While the cleanup effort was much quicker off the mark this year, Councillor Joshua Spicer told residents: "more work still needs to be done."
One lifeguard, Anthony "Harries" Carroll, who was on duty on Christmas Day said it's the "busiest" he's ever seen Bronte in his lifeguarding career.
Waste removalists under the pump over Christmas
More waste is generated over the Christmas period due to gatherings and gift-giving, waste removalists and councils often face the brunt of the spike.
"Overflowing rubbish and bins tend to spike over busy periods like Christmas and New Year… people naturally venture out to nearby shared spaces, and both spot and generate more waste," a spokesperson at Snap Send Solve told Yahoo News. "Councils and waste services are doing their best to stay ahead, but it’s a timely reminder for residents to be mindful of what we throw away and consider options like reducing single-use packaging, composting and recycling."
Bronte Beach revellers praised for 'minimal anti-social behaviour'
Despite the large number of beachgoers at Bronte, NSW Police confirmed to Yahoo News there were no arrests made and Nemesh celebrated "very minimal antisocial behaviour".
"Overall the reports from Police, our rangers, additional security and our lifeguards have been positive… the extra measures introduced this year have had a positive result compared to previous years," he said.
However, one man in his 20s was rushed to hospital after he sustained a serious head injury when he slipped while trying to jump off a cliff into the ocean pool at Bronte.
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