Continued vandalism incidents at Narrabri Creek amenities

DYLAN SMITH

Local amenities near Narrabri Creek are among the recent targets of vandals who have defaced community assets.

The Rotary Club of Narrabri’s Selina Street shelter precinct has become the most recent victim of graffiti after the front of one of its gazebo structures was spraypainted.

The toilet block at nearby Cameron Park was also recently damaged, as was Selina Street itself with the graffiti on the bitumen.

Narrabri Rotary Club president Julie Herbert expressed her disappointment at the recent damage to town facilities, including the club’s well-used shelter area.

For the local club, which later this year will mark its 80th anniversary, it will need to repair the facility.

Mrs Herbert said it was particularly disappointing that the vandalism would compromise funds from going to other worthy community causes.

In recent years, Rotary had removed its old ‘igloos’ and installed the new metal structures along with a new barbecue.

As a further addition to the precinct, the club dedicated a tree and bench area to much-loved local practitioner, the late Dr Bob Anderson.

Narrabri Shire Council will this week discuss graffiti management as part of its scheduled ordinary meeting.

Recent vandalism at the public toilets at Cameron Park. Photo: Dylan Smith.

It follows a mayoral minute moved by mayor Darrell Tiemens in July, noting community concern about graffiti and tagging across the shire.

Cr Tiemens received unanimous support from fellow councillors in seeking comprehensive details around graffiti management practices as well as its impact on the shire.

“Narrabri and the surrounding towns have experienced an increase in instances of graffiti and tagging across both public and private assets,” the business paper for this week’s meeting states.

“Evidence suggests that a significant proportion of the graffiti is attributable to a small number of repeat offenders who target multiple locations within a short period of time.

“The graffiti is often consistent in style and content, indicating coordinated activities across a number of sites and asset classes.”

A further report relating to graffiti management, discussed at the council meeting, will be included in next week’s edition.