Smoking ban to be enforced on Mornington Peninsula beaches

Smoking will be banned at some of Mornington Peninsula’s most popular beaches and public areas in a bid to reduce the tens of thousands of cigarette butts littering the coastline.

The beaches and foreshore areas at Rye, Safety Beach and Mount Eliza will be subject to the smoking bans from this month. The Point Leo Foreshore Reserve management committee said it was also considering a ban this week.

Smoking will be banned on the popular Rye beach. Credit:Eddie Jim

The strategy to reduce smoking and litter is part of a six-month trial that is likely to result in a permanent ban.

The Mornington Peninsula Shire has chosen not to fine smokers who refuse to butt out, but confirmed this may be a future option.

The shire will install signs asking people to put out their cigarettes before entering the beaches. It will also place bins at beach entrances.

Mornington Peninsula mayor Despi O’Connor said about 35,400 cigarette butts were picked up across 16 Mornington Peninsula beaches on Clean Up Australia Day in 2019 alone.

Anti-litter campaigner Josie Jones with some of the cigarette butts she has collected from Rye beach. Credit:Joe Armao

“Cigarette butts negatively impact on the environment, waterways and wildlife and make up 48 per cent of all litter counted in Australia,” she said.

The ban will also apply to Civic Reserve in Mornington, Bunguyan Reserve in Tyabb, Crib Point Recreation Reserve and shire offices at Rosebud, Mornington and Hastings.

Smoking bans have gathered pace in public spaces over recent years. The Surf Coast Shire has already banned smoking on its beaches, including Torquay, Anglesea and Lorne. The Port Phillip City Council has also outlawed beach smoking.

The Bayside City Council followed suit last year, introducing a smoking ban across all its beaches. In May the council warned that local laws officers would patrol beaches, issuing warnings for a first offence and $200 infringement notices for subsequent offences.

The pocket cigarette bins that Josie Jones hopes will be distributed on the Mornington Peninsula. Credit:Joe Armao

She also wants the council to distribute pocket-sized ashtrays or hand bins so that people have a convenient way to dispose of rubbish. “It enables people to take responsibility for their waste.”

Ms Jones, an avid underwater photographer and free diver, said many people would think twice before dropping rubbish if they knew about the vibrant marine life that lived in the bay at Rye.

Quit Victoria director Sarah White said the smoking bans in Bayside had strong public support.

“We know when kids see smoking it makes it look attractive,” she said. “Modelling smoking is a bad thing. Not having smoking around is a good thing.”

Dr White said reducing the prevalence of public smoking also made it easier on people who were trying to quit. She said fines may not be necessary to ensure smokers followed the rules on the beaches.

Dr White said education was better than enforcement using fines.

“Community expectations are a really good enforcement,” she said.

“I would say 99 per cent of smokers do the right thing. That dirty look is often enough.”

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