In the early hours of February 14, a significant incident involving a subcontracted truck, linked to a major poultry production operation, left a substantial trail of deceased poultry through the heart of the township, and a lingering ‘fowl’ smell.
A Darlington Point resident told the SRN a suspected malfunction of the truck’s tailgate left a trail of chicken carcasses the length of Carrington St, the main road through the town, starting at the Lions Park and continuing well out of town.
“The confronting mess was unavoidable to commuters travelling through, as the spill extended across the only bridge, meaning motorists had no choice but to drive through the biological hazard.
“The road was allowed to remain open at reduced capacity due to the high volume of through-traffic the area receives, and lack of detour options in the vicinity,” the resident said.
The impact wasn’t just the road surface. Disappointed locals reported that their vehicles were subsequently covered in residue and a “disgusting” odour was reportedly clinging to cars, turning a quick trip across the bridge into a cleaning nightmare.
Several residents have reported multiple washes have been ineffective at removing the contamination and smell from vehicles.
The SRN was told perhaps most frustrating for the community was what they considered to be a lack of accountability at the scene.
There was no indication the truck driver was even aware of the tailgate malfunction, or the lost load, as neither the vehicle nor driver were present when the sun rose on the mess, and reports suggest poultry remains were seen stretching as far as 20km past the township.
The burden of the "fowl" mistake and its subsequent cleaning operation fell to Murrumbidgee Council, with workers called in early Saturday morning to begin the arduous task of scraping the road and cleaning the area.
Using heavy machinery, crews worked diligently to clear the main debris through town, a process that no doubt became less enjoyable as the sun rose.
The incident has left the community questioning a perceived lack of intervention from key regulatory bodies. Residents said the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR), the agency supposedly charged with public safety within the heavy transport industry, was absent from the scene.
A resident said the silence extended to the Department of Primary Industries (DPI) and the Environment Protection Authority (EPA).
Despite the spill representing a major environmental contamination, potentially exposing the community and their pets, livestock and the Murrumbidgee River to disease, or worse, no representatives from these agencies were sighted during the clean-up.
Questions have also been asked about the origin of the load. The sight of deceased poultry by the truckload raised local alarms, with some questioning why such a vast number of birds had succumbed to death without any prior public notification or safety advice from the supplier.
“As these unanswered questions linger, so does the stench. This is one Valentine's Day that Darlington Point won't be forgetting anytime soon,” the resident said.
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