People have been dumping rubbish and green waste in the Wombat Forrest and in the bush around the transfer station on Ajax road after hours or to avoid the fees. If you get caught you are up for significant fines and the possibility of a criminal conviction.
The Victorian State Government is taking strong action against illegal dumping in the Macedon electorate by cleaning up our parks and reserves and ensuring those who trash our environment are held to account.
An $8.5 million Illegal Dumping Clean-up Rebate Program has been announced to provide extra financial support for councils and public land managers to clean up illegally dumped waste.
Illegal dumping is a big issue for public land managers across Victoria. Councils and land managers have lobbied the State Government about the challenges and costs of dealing with illegal dumping.
Environmental Impact: Dumped green waste often introduces invasive weeds and pests into sensitive bushland and state forests around Daylesford, Creswick, and Trentham.
Fire Risk: Materials like tyres, chemicals, and dry garden waste increase the fuel load in high-risk bushfire zones.
Cost to Ratepayers: Cleaning up illegally dumped waste costs Victorian councils millions of dollars annually—money that would otherwise go toward community services.
Public Safety: Items like asbestos or broken furniture pose direct health risks to residents and visitors using local parks and trails.
Heavy Penalties: Under the Environment Protection Act 2017, individuals can face fines of up to $800,000 or five years in prison, while corporations can be fined significantly more.
The Illegal Dumping Clean-up Rebate Program will help public land managers in the Macedon electorate such as councils and Crown land Committees of Management, to clean up priority waste. The program will cover up to 50 per cent of the clean-up costs in situations where all avenues to trace the perpetrator and recover costs have been exhausted or are not feasible.
This rebate program will be facilitated by Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action and is part of the Government’s $21.5 million crackdown on illegal dumping.
To catch more people flouting the law and hold them to account, $13 million will help the Illegal Dumping Taskforce ramp up surveillance, enforcement and clean-up efforts across Victoria.
The taskforce will be led by the EPA, who will work with Conservation Regulator and undertake enforcement activities using expanded intelligence and monitoring to detect and respond to waste crimes in key locations.
All Victorians have a part to play in preventing waste dumping. To report illegal dumping contact the EPA on 1300 372 842.
To find out more about the Illegal Dumping Clean-up Rebate Program, visit https://www.environment.vic.gov.au/grants/illegal–dumping–clean–up–rebate
This item was adapted from a Victorian Government media release
