Be it riots, crime, drugs, some of the things that gave this city a poor name have been out of the control of the majority of citizens.

But each and every one of us can do something about an issue that is not only destroying one of our natural attractions, it also has the potential to ruin our reputation.

The rush of rubbish down the Macquarie River earlier this week is nothing short of a disgrace.

The river is one of the things that makes Dubbo unique, with it’s natural beauty backed up by its ability to be used for recreational pursuits, whether it be cooling down in summer, fishing, or even kayaking and dragon boating.

But our most special natural resource is being tarnished.

As with any waterway you expect there to be some degree of pollution as things inadvertently get swept into the flow.

But fast food wrappers, soft drink cans and bottles don’t fall into that category.

Their appearance in a stream of rubbish local fisherman Matt Hansen estimated to be 100m in length came about by people merely tossing their rubbish out, whether that be by the banks of the river or in the vicinity of a storm water drain.

And those things aren’t even the worst things Mr Hansen said he saw.

Used nappies and syringes are not only filthy, but dangerous as well.

This is where it becomes more of an issue.

Dubbo is one of the main tourist cities in NSW – an Evocity that is constantly trying to attract new people to come and live here.

The best way to do that is by having attractions that people can feel safe using.

Imagine being on holiday and seeing used nappies floating down a waterway. Would you want to go back?

We all need to do our bit to keep the Macquarie River as clean as possible.

Whether that means taking a few paces to place your rubbish in the bin, or maybe picking up a can or bottle you notice laying on the ground, every little bit helps.

If you wish to have a look at some of the things that have been floating down the river, check out our website www.dailyliberal.com.au.

Here you will find photos and videos that Mr Hansen has provided that might hopefully give people an idea of how big the problem is becoming.