12 February 2010

Stinky 1960s Loos in Southlands

| NeedHelp
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Having recently moved to Mawson, I now regularly shop at Southlands, with 4 year old in tow.

Was disappointd to find that the toilets I used when I was, oooh, about 6, are still there decades later. Original walls, original floors, and years and years of stench. You can smell them even before you reach the corner.

When my young child needs to go, I find it appalling that this is our only option. Or is it? Are there other public toilets at Southlands that I am unaware of?

They seem to be doing a lot of renovating in Southlands of late. It is embarrassing and disgusting to have the loos in this state. Does anyone know if these stinky 1960s toilets are going to be upgraded too?

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NeedHelp said :

vg said :

…and before you ask. I have 2 things

a) Kids under 5; and
b) Common sense

I’m guessing the OP possesses one but not the other. Can you guess which one?

Gosh there’s some judgmental twats on this site at times. Karma will find both you vg and Tooks.

Thanks H1NGO, I think it’s a privately owned building. Not sure.

Nevermind. This was an old thread, and I was just updating people. I didn’t expect to be attacked by vg and Tooks because I spoke up about some seriously stenched loos. God knows why they need to be so rude. Do they really think I don’t ask my kid to go to the loo before we leave home? Goodness gracious me; people who jump to conclusions should be dunked in sheep dip.

Attacked? Come on, read my post again. This is a light hearted topic and I was having a light hearted dig at you. Lighten up and stop taking things so personally ;-).

NeedHelp said :

Tooks said :

NeedHelp said :

Tooks said :

I don’t know. I can actually go several hours without needing to take a crap.

You don’t have kids do you?

No, didn’t think so.

Yep, I do, actually. I guess my kids are better trained than yours.

Trained? You mean trained like a dog that doesn’t crap when you take it for a walk?

Good job tooks.

Lol, you are so easy to wind up. BTW, kids are very much like dogs. I had my kids toilet trained by 8 weeks and sitting calmy before feeding time not long after. They don’t even need choke chains anymore when I go to Southlands. Great success!

Tooks said :

NeedHelp said :

Tooks said :

I don’t know. I can actually go several hours without needing to take a crap.

You don’t have kids do you?

No, didn’t think so.

Yep, I do, actually. I guess my kids are better trained than yours.

Trained? You mean trained like a dog that doesn’t crap when you take it for a walk?

Good job tooks.

vg said :

…and before you ask. I have 2 things

a) Kids under 5; and
b) Common sense

I’m guessing the OP possesses one but not the other. Can you guess which one?

Gosh there’s some judgmental twats on this site at times. Karma will find both you vg and Tooks.

Thanks H1NGO, I think it’s a privately owned building. Not sure.

Nevermind. This was an old thread, and I was just updating people. I didn’t expect to be attacked by vg and Tooks because I spoke up about some seriously stenched loos. God knows why they need to be so rude. Do they really think I don’t ask my kid to go to the loo before we leave home? Goodness gracious me; people who jump to conclusions should be dunked in sheep dip.

NeedHelp said :

Tooks said :

I don’t know. I can actually go several hours without needing to take a crap.

You don’t have kids do you?

No, didn’t think so.

Yep, I do, actually. I guess my kids are better trained than yours.

Just stand outside the toilets and ask people to stop pissing and crapping in the toilets, that will fix the stench.

The stench is comparable with everywhere else south of the lake……….ohhhhhhhhhhh shazam!!!

On a serious note, how about calling Canberra Connect who may be able to put you through to someone who can help. Same goes for blown street lamps, blind spots and complaing about the ACT Governments hold music.

…and before you ask. I have 2 things

a) Kids under 5; and
b) Common sense

I’m guessing the OP possesses one but not the other. Can you guess which one?

Hells_Bells74 said :

*at least they have them there if you’re desperate. Wonder how they went breathing through the renovations?

haha, yeah, agree, but we were desperate yesterday and it was the quickest pit stop in history.

Have you ever held your breath while holding a child over a metal toilet seat (with one hand), ripped paper off (with the other hand), held onto your handbag (no hooks at all), washed your hands at the basins (no soap dispensers either), and taken three pics for RiotAct, all in 60 seconds?

World record stuff. 🙂

Anyway, just wanted to update folks.

*Next time I’ll crap on someone’s front lawn, so they can go hours without composting.

Tooks said :

I don’t know. I can actually go several hours without needing to take a crap.

You don’t have kids do you?

No, didn’t think so.

Hells_Bells744:21 pm 31 Aug 10

*at least they have them there if you’re desperate. Wonder how they went breathing through the renovations?

Hells_Bells744:16 pm 31 Aug 10

Good for you Tooks, sometimes some mere mortals have less control over these things, especially if they have a liking for curries and such. Even a number one for a lady requires a whole toilet, no bushes for us in the middle of the day and kids well, please they swear they need to go to a loo EVERY place you go. They are weird like that.

Come on, everyone needs the toilet, no one is better than the other, we all do it.

Peace x

I don’t know. I can actually go several hours without needing to take a crap.

Tooks said :

Maybe stop using those toilets if they are that offensive to you?

Show me an alternative loo in Southlands and I’ll happily hang a crap there.

Maybe stop using those toilets if they are that offensive to you?

Well, I’m happy to announce that after weeks and weeks of “refurbishments”, these toilets are now half respectable. ie doors changed, a lick of paint, solid steel toilets remain. See pics.

http://img20.imageshack.us/i/photo494.jpg/
http://img839.imageshack.us/i/photo495.jpg/
http://img521.imageshack.us/i/photo496z.jpg/

However … and this is one mighty big “however”. The potent stench still remains. If we had cyber-smello–nostril-vision, you’d be running for the bucket right about now. I was in there yesterday and nearly died of urine stench odour.

Since when does a coat of paint mask the smell of 40+ years of wee? It doesn’t!

Many children, mothers and elderly people use these toilets, so this bandaid job just doesn’t cut it. Note, I’m referring to the stench, not the new appearance.

Go and take a whiff, I dare you.

Happy even, not hsppy.

Oh, and Go-Lo is open at southlands now if anyone is interested.

Hsppy to report that for the past few weeks they have been gutting these smelly loos and they are going to be upgraded.

In the meantime, you can use the two porta-loos, if you dare.

Looks like this might have had an effect. Went there today and noticed the toilets were fenced off. Either they are fixing them (behold the power of RiotAct) or converting them to office space

deezagood said :

I love the way you write needhelp (eg. ‘defecating relic’); please post more often from now on! And as a mother of small girls, I completely agree with you about the loos at Southlands. I honestly don’t understand why they have been allowed to get into this state (given that we aren’t, in fact, living in Africa or Asia).

Just call me ToyStory, I mean Tolstoy.

I visited them again the other day, (the rain made me wanna pee), and whoooa man, I was bowled over by the aroma. I think I’m the only idiot that uses them; they’re always empty. And who says my shiate don’t stink? HA!

damo1 said :

vg said :

A secret and lesser well known option is to get your kids to go to the toilet BEFORE you go to the shops.

Either you dont have kids, or are blessed with kids who have the bladder control of an adult.

Wish I had the bladder control of an adult…………

HHmm, never thought of that – the club toilets sounds like a good idea, and a great excuse to become a member. Gotta try that schnitzel.

I love the way you write needhelp (eg. ‘defecating relic’); please post more often from now on! And as a mother of small girls, I completely agree with you about the loos at Southlands. I honestly don’t understand why they have been allowed to get into this state (given that we aren’t, in fact, living in Africa or Asia).

Good schnitzel at the Austrian club.

I was goig to recommend the Austria club too – used to have a great restaurant, also used to have cheese rolls for 1.00 at the bar. Still has cheap drinks.

troll-sniffer12:46 am 14 Feb 10

Good old Aussies eh, unless you’ve lived in Africa or Asia you don’t really know what a stinky toilet is. Not that it’s an excuse for the Southlands owners.

Join the Mawson Club and take her there.

All – glad I’m not the only one who recognises these toilets reek to kingdom come.

Weaselburger – the stink does not come from a previous person’s poop. The stink is from decades of urine on the floors and walls – all built up into one massive pong. You obviously haven’t visited the loos if you think the smell comes from one sh!te. And no, your status has not improved one little bit, although you did try very, very hard which is admirable.

If the owner of the building at Southlands is reading this, please, please, please do something about it.

How can you refurbish all around it, but leave this defecating relic standing still, untouched? Are you hoping to preserve it for a museum as suggested above by Im a Country Member?

Why don’t you try holding a four year old above the seat while she does her business? Not an easy feat. And don’t get me started on how tough it is to hold your breath for three minutes? Just where do I hang my bag? On the stinky door? Oh my goodness – the poor soles of my shoes – they’d be better off running through fields of Dynamic Lifter then stepping foot into your toilets again. Right – I’m taking a doggy bag next time, and if I get fined, the magistrate may just be sympathetic to us. Oh, and watch out for that old “toilet paper stuck to your shoes” trick everyone – this toilet block is a nasty piece of work.

GardeningGirl – yes, noticed the gardening centre is gone – was there for a very long time – what a shame. New building in place, but I’ve no idea what it’s going to be? Anyone know?

gooterz – thank you!

Oh look, new threads to read, absorb and learn from.

The rain is lovely – let’s hope it sticks around.

GardeningGirl1:22 pm 13 Feb 10

“You can smell them before you reach the corner.” Oh yes, I remember, and that was why my visits to the shops were always kept short so there was no chance I might need to use them. I had been thinking of going to see if the renos were finished, the parking was a hassle last time I tried. The garden centre is gone, isn’t it, and the art and craft shop has been gone a long time? Yeah, if the best of what used to attract me is gone and the worst of what used to discourage me is still there maybe I won’t bother.

Weaselburger11:33 am 13 Feb 10

NeedHelp why don’t you just console yourself in the fact that when you use them you hate the smell of some one elses poo, after you go then the next person has to put up with hating the smell of your poo. and that’s the way the world goes around…

hey did my status improve after posting this?

I agree that the Southlands toilets are pretty horrible. Given that its a fairly large suburban shopping centre, its odd that they’ve never been upgraded.

Wow – those toilet stuck to high heaven in the 80s – sounds like nothing has changed. I never ventured in – the stench from outside was enough to put me right off.

Im a country member10:01 am 13 Feb 10

These bogs sound like a candidate for a heritage listing! I can see it coinciding with a major exhibit in the Museum of Australia; The Nation’s Capital – How We Once Shat!

There’s probably an arts council grant out there for an installation piece that incorporates a fragrance based on that classic 1960’s trough lolly / piss fusion!

Thanks so much to the helpful people above – much appreciated.

s-s-a – was thinking about having a cuppa at Bruno’s this weekend, but I might give it a miss.

vg – not a newbie at all. Been reading Riotact but not contributing for years. Not everyone feels they have to speak out on every issue under the sun just to elevate their “status”, haha.

bd84 – thank you – I’ll give TAMS a call on Monday and check it out. Ta.

Fiona – haha, and maybe next time Southlands loos could be included in the “Things Have Changed” ad …

JC – you are welcome to use them at any time, but if the Hepatitis C does take hold of you, be sure to post here. Oh, and gas masks are available for $1.99 at local pharmacy.

Yes I agree the Southlands toilets are gross and worth avoiding at all costs. Here are a couple of alternatives:

– Brunos has a nice clean toilet at the back of the shop. You will probably have to consume something so it’s a pity their coffee is dishwater.
– There are quite a few trees around the edges of the Woolies carpark that look like they could do with a bit of watering. At least that’s what I told my daughter one afternoon when she was about 3-4yo…

Do they serve the purpose? Ie give you and the rat bags somewhere to go number 1 and number 2? If so then quit complaining.

.aha ha ha ha…*shakes head*…men…

The only thing that hasn’t changed is hopeless whingeing.

How would you ‘expect’ this gibberish if you’re new to the site?

Everything is someone else’s fault…..isn’t it

I believe TAMS may maintain those toilets, though I don’t know if they own them (and responsible for upgrading) given the rest of the building is owned by a private company. I was surprised they didn’t do anything to upgrade them when they extended and refurbished the Woolworths a couple of years ago. They have been in the same grotty condition for more than 10 years.

Haha, and this is exactly the sort of unhelpful gibberish I’d expect from you two.

1. Ts – The suburb of Mawson was built from 1966 onwards. The fact that you checked on the actual date that Southlands was built is commendable. Well done, but I wasn’t far off. Not like I said 40s. I hear Pantene is great for split hairs …

2. vg – kids can go, may want to go, or just HAVE to go at any time and at any place, but hey, if YOUR kids have iron-cast bladders, then kudos to you for helping create them. Do you think I don’t ask my four year old if she needs to go to the toilet before we go to the shops? Of course I do. But inevitably, I still get the “I need to go to the tooooi-letttttt”.

Things may have changed in Canberra, but the Southlands toilets are disgusting after 40 odd years.

weren’t they whining somewhere the other day that there weren’t enough public toilets in canberra? found some!

Its probably to discourage Homos

They are comparable to the toilets at Los Angeles Union Station (the foremost rail interchange in southern california)

Here in oz we just expect pristine toilets for free. Unfortunately unless the loos become the trigger for people to shop elsewhere, it probably isn’t going to change.

vg said :

A secret and lesser well known option is to get your kids to go to the toilet BEFORE you go to the shops.

Either you dont have kids, or are blessed with kids who have the bladder control of an adult.

A secret and lesser well known option is to get your kids to go to the toilet BEFORE you go to the shops.

Trunking symbols5:09 pm 12 Feb 10

It would be a bit difficult to have “stinky 1960s loos” at Southlands considering the place wasn’t built until 1972.

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