Just in case you are planning a quick 2017 welcome vacation and are headed towards Australia, we have a not-so-good-news for you.
It is well known that the country which sees a great influx of tourists throughout the year, is also home to a number of popular beaches like Bondi beach, Mandalay beach, Byron Bay beach, to name a few. But, the Environment Protection Authority of Victoria has warned people recently against visiting the beaches and, more specifically, to avoid swimming. Wonder why?
The authorities have reportedly asked people to not swim in the beaches around Melbourne due to the increased flow of faeces into the waters, thus degrading its quality and making it unfit for swimming. Due to recent storms, about 21 beaches apparently have poor quality water now.
Dr Anthony Boxshall, a spokesperson with the EPA reportedly told ABC News 24 that there’s horse poo, bird poo, cow poo and even human poo. All these wastes have washed in from the streets to the waters of the beaches. With that, everything that came out on the streets through the storm water system has now flowed into the waters, he reportedly said.
This sudden change in the environment of Melbourne beaches has got people talking, and a local channel of Australia has even called the beaches as ‘Melbourne Poo beaches’. Others called it a ‘shit storm in Melbourne’, while many wondered what the sudden fuss was about, because according to them there was shit on Melbourne’s beaches all these years.
Sample how people are reacting to the news.
@zackster yes
— Freddy Jerez (@fjerez59) January 2, 2017
Melbourne: our coffee is nicest
— Jon Kudelka (@jonkudelka) January 2, 2017
Sydney: your beaches are covered in poo
Melbourne: ...
Poo beaches?? Really Melbourne, you must try harder... pic.twitter.com/e3mrKq0Rqp
— Annie Parker (@annie_parker) January 2, 2017
this isn't what i meant when I said Melbourne has shit beaches
— Hingo (@Hingo) January 2, 2017