The Western Bay of Plenty District Council is seeking information about a large pile of illegally dumped concrete at Thompson’s Track, near Katikati.

It is one of several offences at this location in recent months. Three large plastic containers with unknown contents have also been discarded down the bank, as well as green waste, whiteware, furniture, bags of clothing, and other household items, according to the council.

Council solid waste operations lead Katie McHugh said it was hoped someone could provide information on where the concrete came from.

“The fact that it’s reinforced concrete means it’s likely to have come from a commercial or construction site rather than a private home,” she said.

“If you think you saw it being transported or have any information about where it might have come from, we’d really like to hear from you.”

Thompson’s Track is a legal road corridor that crosses the Kaimaī Range between Katikati and Manawaru. Past the maintained gravelled section of the road, it becomes an unmaintained dirt track, popular with 4WD users, hunters, and trampers.

The site where the waste was dumped is at the end of the maintained gravel section, and spans council and Department of Conservation (DoC) land.

The council and DoC are working to remove the concrete and other dumped waste, with an estimated clean-up cost of between $25,000 and $30,000.

McHugh said it cost the council about $150,000 a year to remove and dispose of waste illegally dumped across the rohe (district).

“If we are able to identify who is responsible, we on-charge those costs, but that’s often difficult, as illegal dumping usually happens in remote or hard-to-see areas where people think they won’t be caught.”

The Western Bay of Plenty District Council is seeking information on illegally dumped concrete at Thompson’s Track, near Katikati.

The council was installing a gate at the entrance to the track in the hope of deterring dumpers.

It restricted vehicle access, but people could still access the area on foot or with bikes.

She urged people to do the right thing and dispose of any waste at the appropriate facilities.

Household items have been illegally dumped at Thompson’s Track, near Katikati.

There were community recycling and green waste centres at Te Puke, Katikati and Athenree, and a green waste-only centre in Ōmokoroa.

Any general waste that could not be recycled should go to a refuse transfer station – the nearest for Western Bay residents being at Te Maunga and Waihī, McHugh said.

DoC operations supervisor Colette Wi said the team was disappointed by the dumping at Thompson’s Track.

“It’s some of the worst we’ve seen, and cleanups are taking us away from our core work.”

Wi said DoC was working with the council “to find long-term solutions”.

Dumping of illegal waste can be reported via the Antenno app, by emailing info@westernbay.govt.nz, or phoning 0800 TRASHY.

Reports would be treated as confidential.