Australia’s Scenic Public Toilets #19 – The Taxpayers’ Reward, Wannon, Victoria

Last Updated on March 20, 2015 by Red Nomad OZ



Deep in Victoria’s western district, the Wannon Falls picnic area and campground is an unlikely spot to see the embodiment of Australia’s anti-Global-Financial-Crisis-future-proofing initiative.

Wannon Falls, Wannon, Victoria
It’s not immediately obvious.

At first glance, the reserve is a fairly standard – albeit picturesque – rest area.
Visitors generally head for the Wannon Falls viewing platform, with a splendid view of the falls and their hollowed-out backdrop.

Unless the visitor is a twitcher*, of course! Easily identified by their neck-breaking backward head tilt, birwatchers gaze upwards, hoping to view elusive Powerful Owlroosting in the tall eucalypts.

After exhausting these attractions, the average visitor will most likely head for the amenities – the last port-of-call before resuming the journey.
However, only the informed traveller will note the small but significant distinction that sets this building aside from most public conveniences around the country.

Because THIS loo provides a rare insight into EXACTLY where Australian tax dollars go!
Along with an extraordinary opportunity for Aussie taxpayers to simultaneously a) get their money’s worth AND b) make a statement showing how they feel about it!
Public funds expenditure outcomes like these provide assurance that government fiscal management policies and priorities will continue to represent the needs of Australian taxpayers AND overseas visitors.

Oh yes. AND bloggers who blog about Aussie public toilet oddities … !!!

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42 comments

  1. That’s a very pretty waterfall. It was interesting to see the results of Australia economic stimulus plan. We don’t have much to show for it in our area of the world.

  2. @Jen – Yeah … not quite sure what happened to the followup maintenance funding!!!
    @Michael – Haha! Spending/flushing down loo are interchangeable!

  3. That is actually pretty brilliant! i think we should do it in the US, so long as they actually CLEAN the bathrooms, which is highly unlikely! 🙁

  4. @Diane – haha! Some would say we’re weird psychos, but we know better, right? RIGHT??
    @Gemma – Over budget? A government project?? That’d be a first!!! Wouldn’t it??
    @PDP – Ah, me too. It’s an interesting spot for a piece of political advertising though, huh!
    @Michelle – for sure, but it’s a shame it’s not a bit more ‘stimulating’!!
    @Jim – Just another example of government meddling in things that should be of no concern to them!!!

  5. I’m sorry Red but normally when I go into an outback loo, it’s usually because I’m pretty desperate and I don’t need any stimulus at all!!

  6. Hmm… I’m just wondering with that fancy government sign whether or not the toilet investment went over budget! I imagine lugging appropriate materials here would have logged the first deficit! Such a fun post!

  7. @River – It’s the gorgeous cubby, of course!! Pretty impressive, huh?!?! The little block of wood to which you refer is the bin …
    @Alessandra – Haha! I’d like to see that too!! Or maybe a gold plated one??!!
    @Kath – Oh, please DON’T restrain yourself!!! And since JH, there’s been a sadly all too long procession of worthy successors …
    @Yvonne & Raphael – Yes, even the amenities are scenic downunder!!
    @Dianne – Hahaha! Would LOVE to see a glammed-up loo in an out-of-the-way spot!! Maybe one day …

  8. @Trigirl – My apologies again. It doesn’t happen often – but when it does, it’s usually about the Bill Gates version!!
    @diane b – You’re right, of course!! Weird how I fell into the same trap that I’m accusing others of!! I stand corrected, and my apologies to anyone I offended! For all the LOOS together in one spot, go to the ‘General Search Tags’ on the of my blog, and click on ‘Scenic Public Toilets’! This will give all the posts I’ve ‘tagged’ as such, from the most recent to the oldest. Enjoy!

  9. Eco friendly for sure – they have even installed a rainwater tank at the side and the walkway up is very impressive – just needs a red carpet.

  10. There are so many double entendres one could use about ‘economic stimulus’ but I’ll restrain myself…. 🙂

    …however Love Chunks was always fond of getting up from the table and saying, “Well, I’m off to drop a couple of John Howards at the pool.”

  11. With all those minerals and mines that you have when I come over I want to see a toilet with opals!

    Ciao and have a great week end

    Alessandra

  12. So which is the toilet facility? That awful little block of wood in the right of the picture? Or that gorgeous cubby house structure at the end of the walkway? (Knowing how the gubmint don’t like to let go of their munny…..)
    Please tell me it’s the gorgeous structure.
    I’d love to have one of those in my backyard. If I had a backyard.

  13. Neither have the “wrong” spelling both ways are right.
    Its amazing how the government can find the money for park toilets and school halls when there is a economic crisis but not when the taxpayers cry out for the amenities. Love your dunny posts. Is there somewhere to click to see the whole series so I can catch up on the ones that i’ve missed?

  14. @Mrs Tuna – Yes, it makes a nice change!
    @TriGirl – OMG, my apologies … just get a bit tired of explaining our ‘wrong’ spelling!!!!

  15. @Andrew – Haha! Maybe someone was removing the sign and I interrupted them?? I suspect you’re right about the political orientation … still, well advertised quick fixes win votes!
    @Mark – I couldn’t believe my luck!
    @SaucyKod – Thanksgiving twice, huh? I guess that’s a good thing! My next post WON’T be about a loo I swear!!
    @SFlaGuy – HAha, really not so different under the surface … Happy Thanksgiving!
    @Friko – Funny you should say. I’ve seen some of the best things where the loos are!!
    @Windsmoke – Maybe they’re trying to combine the two??!!
    @TriGirl – Gosh, don’t tell me I’m one of the things you’re thankful for today?? What an honour!!! (No, that’s not a misspelling – that’s how it’s spelled in English)

  16. @Betty – yeah, ‘quick win’ spending is always a vote winner!
    @Beach Bum – scratch the surface and you’ll probably find we’re not that different!
    @Linda – Please do! Only went to Little Millstream this year – so no loo pix of the big one! But can you see the falls from the loo?
    @Magsx2 – I’ve come to LOATHE those signs – they’re all around OZ! I’m more concerned by how much was spent on the signs!!

  17. Oooo – Inspired by your Aussie loos posts when visiting the widest Falls in Australia – Millstream Fall on the Atherton Tablelands recently, I think I photo’d this loo’s twin!
    May have to write a post and link it to you 🙂

  18. At least taxpayers money was spent building the toilet as opposed to taxpayers money being thrown down the toilet which has happened on many occasions :-).

  19. I am still totally bewitched by your brilliant series on public loos. It’s made me look for and at ours. Nothing as grand as the ones Down Under us available for us. It would almost be a pleasure to be caught short in Oz.

  20. We here in the US like to watch our leaders throw our tax dollars into a deep dank hole. It seems to be our favorite pastime as we keep voting the same wasters back into power. Maybe we could outsource some good ideas from down under.

    Today however we give thanks on this special day and as it might not be for fine roadside toilets, there is still plenty of other things to be thankful for.

  21. OK RED, so its Turkey Day in USA and somehow I just cannot think about outhouses, with a drumstick in my hand. ha,ha
    Gee, you have the nicest and oddest outhouses and I love all of em. I really like the photo of the Falls – that’s my fav today.
    Be good, take care, love your posts. Being a border town, we celebrate Thanksgiving twice 🙂

  22. FruitCake cut to the chase. Where are the bottom screws? The funding ran out? The falls look modest, even after a pretty wet year. Wasn’t ex PM Malcolm Fraser’s seat Wannon, which I would assume covers Wannon, so a conservative electorate. Marginal electorates get funding. Wannon gets a lavvy, albeit how needed it was and how smart it is.

  23. Hi,
    Hmmm would be very interested to know how much this toilet cost us, the words economic stimulus usually means the government got ripped off or I should say the taxpayers got ripped off. 🙂

  24. Given the screwed up nature of the United States government I’d love some tax payer money to go to some projects here in America.

    Our roads are falling apart and quite frankly thousands of bridges here are dangerous because maintenance has been delayed for years.

    Throw in the fact that Muammar Gaddafi wasn’t cold yet before dozens of United States senators were talking about spending billions there to rebuild Libya.

  25. only you can take ordinary things and make them extraordinary!
    another brilliant post about aussie public toilet oddities!

    big hugs!

  26. @FruitCake – C’mon! I’m sure a toilet was the most pressing thing the electorate needed! Haven’t looked to see which side of politics the local member is on …

  27. Yet another sign of country electorates getting only token funding; where are the two screws for the holes at the bottom of the sign?

  28. In Sicily in some places we still used the “land” as toilet…just to show where our money DOESN’T go. Here in Rome luckily we can use the toilets in cafès, some for free, others by having a coffee or something to eat.

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