Wild collection of items fished out of local wetlands in Werribee, Melbourne including illicit drugs

A family fed up with the state of their local wetlands took to the waters to recover rubbish, where they unearthed more than they bargained for, including a massive illicit drugs stash.

Paul Rushworth, his daughter Jane Rushworth and her partner Dylan Forbes scoured the waters in the 35-hectare Heathdale Glen Orden Wetlands in Werribee, in Melbourne‘s south west last month.

The trio pulled out ‘loads of rubbish’, using a 22.5kg salvage magnet, including a mangy motor scooter, a pram, three bicycles and other smaller scooters. 

Locals Paul Rushworth (pictured), Jane Rushworth and Dylan Forbes scoured the waters in the 35-hectare Heathdale Glen Orden Wetlands in Werribee, in Melbourne’s south west last month pulling out ‘loads of rubbish’

The group discovered a large haul of small nitrous oxide or laughing gas canisters, which are manufactured for pain and sedation for medical professionals but are also illicitly used. 

Mr Rushworth said the ‘Co2 canisters’ give people ‘some sort of 20-second high, they call them nangs apparently’. 

It is an offence in Victoria to supply or sell nitrous oxide if it is suspected to be inhaled for non-therapeutic purposes. 

Mr Forbes told Daily Mail Australia the disposal of the nangs in the waters was ‘pretty gross’. 

‘[There were] 100 probably, I think we still had bits of the box it came in, probably only been in there a day or two,’ Mr Forbes said. 

‘The scooters and bike are still working pretty well and we are giving them away to a few people me and Jane know.’

Mr Rushworth even jumped in the murky water after the magnet got stuck as they retrieved the heavy motor scooter out of the wetlands (pictured)

Vision of Mr Rushworth riding a ‘b***** good bike’ the group had dragged from the mire along a pathway was also posted to social media. 

The keen environmentalist even jumped in the murky water after the magnet got stuck as they retrieved the heavy motor scooter out of the wetlands. 

‘Some junk (motorcycle in particular) was too heavy for the magnet so in I went!,’ the father said on social media. 

‘I find it sad that some people could care so little for their environment but it was good to give something back to those in the community who do appreciate the wetland.’

Mr Rushworth said the ‘Co2 canisters’ were used for ‘some sort of 20-second high, they call them Nangs apparently’ (pictured, the nitrous oxide canisters used as illicit recreational drugs

The group discovered a large haul of small nitrous oxide canisters, which are manufactured for pain and sedation for hospital use but are also illicitly used for getting a quick high

Vision of Mr Rushworth riding a ‘b***** good bike’ the group had dragged from the mire along a pathway was also posted to social media

The salvagers live within walking distance from the wetlands and did the clean up over concerns about their local environment.

Other recovered items included two shopping trolleys, a tyre, fishing paraphernalia and a listless eel Mr Rushworth tried to save before returning it to the water. 

They took the mound of mess to a bin in the park area with the hope the Wyndham City Council would take it away.  

Last week only the motor scooter and shopping trolleys remained at the site. 

‘I find it sad that some people could care so little for their environment but it was good to give something back to those in the community who do appreciate the wetland,’ Mr Rushworth said (pictured, the motor scooter)

The group took the mound of mess (pictured, with Mr Rushworth) to a bin in the park with the hope the Wyndham City Council would take it away