Waverley police confirmed this afternoon that Mary Bobolas was arrested at her home in Boonara Avenue, Bondi, charged with hindering a council officer during the clean-up. Waverley Council says the single-storey house, which has at times had junk piled roof-high in its front and rear yards, is a health risk and eyesore...

Bondi's house of horrors woman arrested
The big clean up today at the house in Bondi.
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Jano Gibson January 29, 2007 - 5:16PM

The 13th clean-up in 15 years of a Bondi house covered in a mountain of rubbish led to the occupant's arrest. Waverley police confirmed this afternoon that Mary Bobolas was arrested at her home in Boonara Avenue, Bondi, charged with hindering a council officer during the clean-up.

Waverley Council says the single-storey house, which has at times had junk piled roof-high in its front and rear yards, is a health risk and eyesore. The council today started a two-day clean-up operation to remove tonnes of rubbish collected by Ms Bobolas. "We've basically removed a truck-load already this morning," Waverley Mayor, George Newhouse, told smh.com.au. "The last time we were there [for a clean-up in 2005], we removed over 46 tonnes of rubbish from the premises." A neighbour watching this morning's clean-up said he was amazed at the amount of rubbish on the premises. "We didn't know the extent of how much it had ac*****ulated.

It's amazing. It goes all the way to the back," said Ian, who declined to give his surname. Another neighbour, who declined to give his name, described the clean-up as "useless", given how frequently they had occurred over the past 15 years. The latest clean-up bill is expected to top $15,000. The 2005 clean-up cost ratepayers almost $30,000 on top of a $60,000 legal bill to get court approval for access to the property. "It's costing the ratepayer a hell of a lot of money and I think really it's something that needs to be made a little bit easier so that the ratepayers of Waverley aren't out of pocket," Cr Newhouse said. He said that, under the law, if residents failed to comply with council clean-up orders, councils were forced to seek time-consuming and costly court approvals before being able to undertake their own clean-up operations.

"In 2005 an order was issued by council to clean up the [Boonara Avenue] site but, as the order was not complied with, council had to take action through the Land and Environment Court to enforce the order," he said. "We won this action and were given an order to enter the premises in December 2005 to clean up. "However the court allowed council just one clean-up operation, rather than allowing ongoing permission to access the property." Because of that, the council has had to go through the same legal battle to get access to the property again. He said the best solution to the problem would be if someone could convince Ms Bobolas not to collect the rubbish in the first place. "But if we aren't able to do that, and it's not really council's role to do that, then we have to be able to get onto the property easier." He said he had written to the Minister for Local Government, Kerry Hickey, requesting that councils be given easier access to properties with serious garbage problems.

Ms Bobolas's property has been the subject of several residents' complaints, he said. "We havent had anything in writing, but I know a number of neighbours have complained to us. "We also keep an eye on the property. It's definitely a health risk, it's full of vermin. It's something that is an eyesore. "Our residents want us to clean it up and we are doing all we can to do just that." Ms Bobolas is due to face Waverly local court on February 27 over the hinder charge. http://tinyurl.com/24dlau