A woman has voiced her disgust and disappointment at the behaviour of some people who frequent Crusoe Reservoir at Kangaroo Flat.
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Meggs Hannes and her four-year-old daughter like to visit the popular reserve to swim and enjoy time outdoors, and say it is one of their favourite places, but littering and the antisocial behaviour of some others who use the precinct has left them considering finding another swimming spot.
Ms Hannes said a lot of rubbish was left along the shore and the path, including plastic cups and straws, bottles, cans, and “hundreds and hundreds” of cigarette butts.
“We take a bag when we go and pick up litter, and we could easily fill a shopping bag with rubbish just along the area we walk,” she said.
There are no bins at Crusoe Reservoir, but a sign at the gate instructs visitors to take their rubbish home.
Not only was the rubbish “disgusting”, Ms Hannes said, she was also concerned about water pollution.
When the Bendigo Advertiser visited the reservoir this week, cans, a bag of rubbish, a blow-up toy and cigarette butts were found within a short distance of the gate.
The precinct is home to native birds, fish, amphibians, reptiles and mammals.
But it is not only the littering that concerns Ms Hannes.
There were often teenagers drinking and behaving raucously, she said, and people swearing and talking inappropriately loudly within earshot of her young daughter.
She said she recently saw a man swim, with a stubby in hand, to the pontoon, from where he urinated into the water.
She said such behaviour would not be tolerated in any other public area.
Ms Hannes believes more people and families would visit Crusoe Reservoir – “one of our best swimming spots” – if the antisocial behaviour was reined in.
“As it currently stands, I don’t think it offers a family-friendly environment,” she said.
She suggested there could be attendants at the reservoir, or a ban on smoking and drinking, to discourage littering and antisocial behaviour.
The City of Greater Bendigo did not respond to requests for comment before deadline.