Kiama resident Keith Easther is calling for more frequent safety inspections at popular public parks, following an unpleasant experience while preparing for his daughter's fifth birthday party last Sunday at the public barbecue area at Hindmarsh Park.

Easther, who had arrived early to set up and start the barbecue, noticed something was off when a strong, foul smell was emanating from one of the park’s public barbecues.

One of the hot plates also had plastic melted onto it from whichever vandals had decided to wreak havoc.

“I cleaned it thoroughly - scrubbed and rinsed it - but the smell just wouldn't go away,” he said.

“It was pretty foul, and when even my daughter said it was disgusting, I knew it wasn't safe to use.”

Rather than risk cooking on the council barbecue, Easther went home to collect his own.

While the incident did not spoil the party, he shared his experience on the Kiama Community Page on Facebook, not as a complaint, but as a simple notification of what happened, and to remind families to stay cautious.

“I have no doubt that people the night before have defecated and urinated on the BBQs considering the smell when the BBQ was turned on,” he wrote in his social media post.

“I’m not blaming the council,” Easther told The Bugle. “But as a tourism town, we should have daily visual inspections on high-volume parks.

“Not all of them - just the main ones. Someone could simply drive around, check that everything’s safe, and tape off any areas that aren’t until maintenance can come through.”

Easther says his main concern is for children's safety, especially with the new enclosed slides at modern playgrounds.

“Parents don't see what is inside - only the kids do. One day, someone's child might get a … surprise,” he said.

While Council staff have since cleaned the barbecue, Easther hopes this experience sparks conversation about the importance of maintaining Kiama’s public spaces - particularly those that attract large numbers of visitors.

“We can’t police everything,” Easther said, “but simple daily checks during busy periods could make all the difference.

"We live in such a beautiful place - we just need to look after it.”

Kiama Council issued a statement to The Bugle to confirm it recently received customer requests in regards to the barbecues that needed cleaning in Hindmarsh Park.

According to the statement, "these requests were responded to promptly and the BBQs were cleaned. In general, Council has a good turnaround time for responding to customer requests for cleaning and maintenance of Council facilities.

"We encourage residents and visitors to report any issues they may have, provide suggestions or submit positive feedback via our website.

A Council spokesperson also said the CCTV system on Terralong Street is no longer working as it was damaged in a storm in early 2024 and requires a full upgrade.

Council is seeking grant funding to undertake this work. The system was originally installed in 2015 with funding support from the NSW and Australian Governments.