Rubbish Ranger Dean Walton – Surf Coast Shire Local Legend

Published on 10 November 2022

Dean Walton promised himself one thing when he realised a long-held dream to move from Melbourne to Torquay.

“I said if I get to live in the town that I’ve been wanting to live in for 15 to 20 years I’m going to do everything I can to make it the cleanest town possible,” Dean says.

“When you’re a city person and you come to a coastal town you want to contribute and return something to the community and picking up rubbish was an easy thing for me.”

The Torquay Rubbish Rangers founding member has proven true to his word.

“I do two hours picking up rubbish every weekday morning along the foreshore, Bell St and through Torquay town. I do the Surf Coast Highway from Bunnings down to Spring Creek Reserve over two days on a weekend. This morning I’ve just done Torquay North down to Anglesea on my bike along the Great Ocean Road. I do that once every seven to 10 days. I do about 20 to 25 hours every week” Dean says.

“So I’m pretty obsessed with it.”

Dean’s devotion and community leadership have qualified him as Surf Coast Shire’s latest Local Legend, recognising his positive impact in helping his community and environment to thrive.

“Dean is a humble quiet achiever who inspires and encourages others,” his nominator said.

“He should be recognised as a Local Legend for his passion, dedication and efforts.”

Dean shifted to Torquay with wife Melissa in the throes of the pandemic in August 2020 and set to work picking up rubbish solo before connecting with Rubbish Ranger groups at Aireys Inlet and Anglesea.

Members from Anglesea supported the formation of Torquay’s Rubbish Rangers, and now teams of hi-vis devotees turn out with their bags and grabber sticks on Sundays to scour public spaces.

“We’re getting maybe 10 to 15 other people coming on a Sunday wanting to help pick up rubbish,” Dean says.

“It sounds strange, surely nobody else wants to pick up rubbish, but there are some people who want to do it. They do it for environmental reasons, to teach their kids, or help the community. There are benefits all the way around, and the town looks so much cleaner, it looks great.

“Torquay is a tourist attraction, why not make it look as good as it possibly can?”

The Torquay Rangers share regular updates on their activities via the Surf Coast Community and Surfcoast Community Notice Board Facebook pages and gather for clean-ups each Sunday at 9am above Salty Dog Café, outside Bomboras Pop-Up Bar and at Fisho’s Beach.

Before his seachange, Dean already had a decent decade picking up rubbish in Warrandyte behind him.

It all grew from picking up a few cans one day while on a regular walk.

“I met a lady who was doing the same and we ended up taking bags. Then one bag turned into two bags, and two bags turned into four bags,” he says.

While he appreciates the visual and environmental benefits from his endeavours, he welcomes a deeper reward as well.

“There is a mental health benefit for me,” he says.

“I battle anxiety/depression, I don’t work any more and I find picking up rubbish is one of the only things that calms me. It totally shuts your mind off everything else that is going on in the world or in your life and you’re just focused for that time period on that next bit of rubbish.

“It’s very calming and very meditative for me.”

He is happy to clock up hours for his mental health as well as his community.

Dean says Melissa is ‘not quite as keen’ on rubbish as him, but she also is a regular with Torquay and Anglesea Rangers and regularly devotes hours combing Torquay beaches.

Dean says clearing rubbish backlogs is a top Ranger priority.

“Once you get rid of the backlog it’s much easier to just maintain a few bits and pieces,” he says.

“And you hope that a tidy town will mean less people will want to throw rubbish out.”

People can find updates on Torquay Rubbish Rangers activities via Surfcoast Community and Surfcoast Community Noticeboard Facebook pages.

Rubbish Ranger Dean’s five most common finds:

• Tissues, wipes, serviettes
• Alcohol cans and bottles
• Cigarette butts
• Coffee cups
• Food packaging – chips and lollies

And five most annoying finds:

• Dirty nappies, mainly in car parks in summer after having been thrown under cars
• ‘Nangs’ – nitrous oxide bulbs
• Food left on tables and barbecues
• Corners off lolly and chip packets
• Small Items – bread ties, tags, rubbish shredded by mowing