A LOCAL environmentalist is again calling for bollards to be installed at Lightning Swamp in the wake of an incident where a quad bike caused extensive damage to a wetland area.
Friends of Lightning Swamp president John Williams said he had initially requested City of Bayswater council to put the barriers in place about two years ago.
He believes this would have stopped the three males who got into the eastern wetland area on Sunday, August 29.
Mr Williams said about 1.45pm the trio cut fencing wire to get into the site and then drove a bike through the eastern wetlands and along the dual-use limestone path for at least an hour and a half.
He said nearby residents notified both the City of Bayswater and police but after nearly two hours of waiting for a response decided to deal with the matter himself.
City of Bayswater Mayor Terry Kenyon said the security patrol officers were dealing with another incident involving anti-social and aggressive behaviour at the time.
Mr Williams said he eventually convinced the men to leave the area.
“It was dangerous what they were doing,” he said.
“Riding at high speed along the pathway, damaging all the rushes that take many years to establish themselves.”
He said the Friends of Lightning Swamp group had put a lot of work into restoring the A-class nature reserve.
Mr Williams said he planned to attend the next council meeting to raise the issue of the bollards with council.
Cr Kenyon said the city would meet the group over the next week to look at practical measures to prevent another incident from occurring.
He said a number of measures to reduce unauthorised access to the swamp including fencing had been brought in and the city would continue to look at other measures.
“On this occasion the vandals cut their way through a fence and were clearly determined to find a way into the area,” he said.
The matter has been reported to the Morley police, who are conducting inquiries.