Public cleaning services to increase during summer holidays

Published on 11 December 2025

Torquay aerial - Civic precinct.JPG

Surf Coast Shire Council and Great Ocean Road Coast and Parks (GORCAPA) will again increase service levels for public facilities during the summer holidays to help maintain a clean environment for locals and visitors.

With more than 1 million people expected to visit the Surf Coast Shire over summer, Council-managed public toilets across the shire will be cleaned more often from Boxing Day until 27 January.

High use Council-managed public litter bins will be emptied twice a day throughout the summer school holidays and the first two weeks of the new school year.

The following Council-managed public toilet facilities will have the highest cleaning frequency:

  • Gilbert Street, Torquay (will be cleaned seven times a day during the peak period, up from three times daily during regular operation);
  • Anglesea Shopping Centre (six times a day, up from three);
  • Barwon Terrace, Winchelsea (six times a day, up from three); and
  • Lorne Visitor Information Centre car park toilet block (five times a day, up from two).

These Council-managed public toilets will also be cleaned at least twice as often:

  • Aireys Inlet skatepark;
  • Coogooorah Park, Ellimatta Reserve and Anglesea Bike Park (Anglesea);
  • Bellbrae Recreation Reserve;
  • Moriac Lions Park;
  • Torquay Skate Park (Djila Tjarri), Spring Valley Drive, Spring Creek Reserve and Whites Beach Playground (Torquay);
  • Bob Pettitt Reserve (Jan Juc); and
  • Palmer Street, Winchelsea.

Great Ocean Road Coast and Parks will regularly service more than 40 public toilet blocks and 268 bins on coastal reserves from Point Impossible through to the outskirts of Warrnambool.

Over summer there will be an increase in patrols, litter bin collections, and the cleaning of public toilets in high-use locations, including:

  • Torquay Boat Ramp (Salty Dog), Cosy Corner and Surf Beach Drive (Torquay);
  • Bells Beach;
  • Anglesea Visitor Information Centre and Four Kings Anglesea;
  • Grove Road, beside the Lorne Visitor Centre, North Lorne and Point Grey (Lorne); and
  • Apollo Bay Visitor Information Centre, Apollo Bay Harbour Carpark Boat Ramp, and Apollo Bay foreshore.

Please note: Council’s and GORCAPA’s services will be impacted on days declared by the Country Fire Authority as having an Extreme or Catastrophic fire danger rating, in the interests of community safety and not sending employees or contractors into high-risk areas on these days.

Surf Coast Shire Acting General Manager Community Life Travis Nelson said:

“We’re coming into the busiest time of year on the Surf Coast and we know how important it is for locals and visitors that our Council-managed public areas and facilities are clean and tidy.

“We’re allocating extra resources and we ask everyone to do their bit by placing waste in the correct bins or, even better, taking their rubbish home – especially if they notice a bin is full.”

Great Ocean Road Coast and Parks Acting Director Environment and Coastal Operations Leia Howes said:

“Summer is a cracking time to visit our coastline, so to support what we know is an increase in the number of visitors, we will be boosting our toilet cleaning and bin emptying schedules.

“Looking after this special environment is a shared responsibility so we’re also reminding everyone visiting the coast to not litter and take rubbish with them if there are no bins in the area or if they are temporarily full.” 

 

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