Hunt on to flush out Australian toilet blocker

The hunt is on for a serial towel-flusher who is blocking Palm Cove's sewerage system and could cause a "sewage overflow" in the exclusive suburb. Council authorities cannot explain the continuing discovery of towels in the sewerage system, apparently being flushed down toilets, which have repeatedly blocked a vital pump.

"This is pretty bizarre, I've got to say," Cairns Regional Council water and waste boss Bruce Gardiner said.



"For about the last month or so we’ve been finding what looks like towels and face washers clogging up one of our pumps at Clifton Beach and we think they're coming from the southern end of Palm Cove." The council has written to homes and businesses, warning they may be inspected as officers try to find where the towels are coming from.

If found, the flusher faces fines on top of a bill for the costs of the work required to deal with the problem. The letter sent to Palm Cove properties says the council will make "every effort" to find the source of the problem.