It is the fourth crackdown on the rubbish problem this year.

Mount Isa City Council Mayor John Molony said council needed to do something before it was too late.

“With the impending wet season the last thing we want to see is the congestion of rubbish in our lake,” he said.

Cr Molony said the cost of the clean-up wasn’t a cost ratepayers should have to incur.

“These people are camping here illegally,” he said.

“Most of these people do have homes in the Gulf or in the Northern Territory and they have come here so they can drink. It’s sad in a way for these poor little devils, but we have to clean it up.”

Council works overseer Allan Cox said the council would spend yesterday and today removing any rubbish left in the riverbed.

“We’re not looking to destroy anyone’s homes. We’ve informed all the groups around town like the Riverbed Action Group and Topsy Harry that the clean-up is happening and asked them to tell the people who live here to hold onto or move their possessions,” he said.

The Riverbed Action Group Outreach Support Services said it was not opposed to the council clean-up, but would like to see it better managed.

Senior programs manager for North West Queensland Indigenous catholic social services Chris Squelch called for a revamp of the riverbed including the addition of rubbish bins.

“We know the riverbed needs to be cleaned-up – but reality is it doesn’t help. We don’t encourage people to live in the river, but we are realists and know they will,” he said.

“Chasing people out of the riverbed when they are marginalised and disadvantaged isn’t really fair. The best way is to make the riverbed a community resource, like a park, or install rubbish bins.”

He said the Riverbed Action Group had undertaken weekly clean-ups for the past year.