Increase in illegal dumping

ILLEGAL dumping remains a significant issue for Moorabool Shire, its council has reported.

A spokesperson said the amount of cases has increased since June 2025.

“Due to the municipality’s large geographic area, extensive road network, rural environment and proximity to neighbouring growth areas, the shire continues to experience ongoing dumping of household waste, construction materials, green waste and commercial waste,” they said.

“While many incidents involve relatively small quantities of waste, council also deals with larger and more complex dumping events that can result in significant environmental, financial and community impacts.”

They said waste contractors had disposed of commercial loads, soil and acetylene cylinders, equating to more than $650,000 from June 2025.

Illegal dumping, they said, tended to occur in remote rural roads, areas near municipal boundaries and locations with limited passive surveillance.

“Historically, council has identified recurring activity near the Melton and Wyndham municipal boundaries, along with a number of rural road networks that have experienced repeat offending,” they said.

The shire’s investigations have found a significant proportion of identified offenders continue to originate from outside Moorabool Shire.

“Illegal dumping places a significant financial burden on council and the community,” the spokesperson said.

“It diverts resources away from essential services, damages the natural environment, creates public health and safety risks and detracts from the amenity of public spaces.

“In a large semi-rural municipality, the extensive road network, bushland areas and remote locations make illegal dumping particularly challenging to prevent and manage, requiring ongoing investment in education, surveillance, enforcement and clean-up activities.”

Moorabool Shire Council uses a combination of measures to tackle illegal dumping, including covert surveillance camera programs.

Tips for residents around illegal dumping include reporting it immediately through the council’s website, customer service team or Antenno app, recording dates, times and descriptions, and never to directly confront offenders.