General News
4 May, 2023
“Toilet with no name”
DERRINALLUM businesses are calling for better signage for the town’s public toilets, with visitors unable to find the toilets and asking businesses regularly.
DERRINALLUM businesses are calling for better signage for the town’s public toilets, with visitors unable to find the toilets and asking businesses regularly.
Some visitors have reportedly walked straight past the building to ask businesses where the public toilets are.
Others have attempted to use the business’ toilets, with Derrinallum’s Op Shop having a sign put on the door after visitors have used the toilets in the back.
Foodworks owners Kim Harmes and Evelyn Walters said they average ten people looking for the toilets a day when the town is busy.
“Anyone that’s not from here in town will ask where the toilets are, especially on public holidays where people are coming through town and stopping,” they said.
“Even on a quiet day, we’d get at least one person come in and ask if they can use our toilets.
“The Progress Association has been approached about it; the Progress Association was going to do something because they took the signs down from the old toilet block and haven’t put them back up.”
Metro Service Station owner Kevin Molesworth said there’s an average of three or four people seeking toilets a day on a normal weekday, which goes up to seven to ten on the weekend.
Carrie Miller of Coxons Autoelectrical said there were usually two or three people a week asking at her business, or people go to the service station next door and ask.
Ms Miller also spoke of an incident with a party bus, which often parks in front of her parent’s home.
“There was one night there we had a party bus pulled up and a bunch of blokes got out,” she said.
“I was in the backyard at the time.
“I walked into them just unzipping their flys ready to have a pee, and I asked them if they could not pee in my parent’s front yard please and use the toilet across the road.
“They got a bit of a shock and ran away.”
Businesses are calling for large signage for the toilets, which Mr Molesworth said is also needed for the approach.
“We have a signboard which is 50 metres on the side of the road, but it’s not big enough for people to see when they’re travelling towards it,” he said.
“They don’t realise they missed the sign; it would have to be a big one.
“It has to be not just on one side; the board for the toilets is either not big enough or not there.”
A Corangamite Shire Council spokesperson said signs are on order, but the delivery date and best positioning of the signs are yet to be confirmed.