On the 14th May '25, Quenton Gay (Sustainability Officer at City of Ballarat) was welcomed by a group of 40 members and guests to our weekly meeting.

Our club has a very active environmental committee so Quenton's presentation about a proposed Gross Pollutant Trap (GPT) on the Yarrowee River was of great interest.

Quenton explained councils challenges in controlling waste / litter and their efforts to reduce environmental waste in hot spots such as industrial estates, strip shopping centres and new housing construction areas. The resources required to control and gather waste at the source are generally beyond the scope of local authorities. One solution is to install GPTs in waterways - downstream of the main litter sources.

City of Ballarat is in the consultation and planning phase for the installation of a GPT on the Yarrowee River downstream of the CBD near the Sunnyside Mill complex. Construction of the infrastructure is planned to be completed over the summer of 2026/27.

Public information / consultation at: Yarrowee River Stormwater Litter Trap