A Lake Albert resident’s outburst on Facebook has sparked a community rally to raise awareness and prompt action against the blue-green algae outbreak.
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Lyn Taylor was venting ten years frustration when she typed out a scathing review of Wagga City Council’s management of critically high algal blooms.
“I’ve been here for more than a decade and there’s always been a smell from the lake during summer,” she said.
“But last week it was still bad at around 10pm and the odour was going all the way up to Eyre Street.
“I was just fed up.”
She wasn’t exactly expecting a big response, possibly some sympathy from the neighbours, but the feedback has been immense.
“I just had a bit of a rant on Facebook about it and the response I got was incredible,” Mrs Taylor said.
“People have been contacting me ever since the post went up and some”
Now, Mrs Taylor is preparing to front a community rally and media scrum on Wednesday evening beside her beloved lake.
“It’s something council simply has to look into,” she said.
“Lake Albert used to be the place to go for swimming and walking and now the smell is unbearable.
“We just want to get people together and see whether we can put forward some kind of suggestion and maybe see some action.”
Wagga councillor and fellow Lake Albert resident Tim Koschel said he would be heading to Apex Park with open ears.
“I’m very keen to hear what people have to say about this,” he said.
“The lake is one of the city’s biggest assets and there might be some ideas from the rally that can be brought to council’s attention.”
Friends of the Lake convener Robert Lazzarini has been keeping a weather eye on algal blooms for more than a decade and was impressed by how quickly the word passed around.
“I fully support the use of social media in this instance, it’s brought people together,” he said.
“I will certainly be in attendance to see what people have to say.”
The 82-year-old said that while the problem had been “ongoing”, lake management was “a difficult process” and urged residents to work with council to address the problem.
“We have to give council some credit that they are, at long last, recognising a problem and addressing it in some capacity,” he said.