Council Draws Line in the Sand on Illegal Dumping at Recycling Facilit
Published on 28 January 2026
Livingstone Shire Council is issuing a clear and uncompromising message: illegal dumping at the Farnborough recycling drop-off facility must stop immediately.
The ongoing misuse of the local site by a small number of irresponsible individuals is unacceptable and will not be tolerated.
Mayor Adam Belot said this behaviour is not just disrespectful — it is damaging, costly, and unfair to the many residents who use the facility properly and do the right thing.
“Dumping rubbish where it doesn’t belong is illegal, it hurts the whole community and Council is fed up with cleaning up after people who deliberately ignore the rules.”
“Most of our residents do the right thing. They sort their waste, they follow the signage, and they respect shared facilities. But a few repeat offenders are turning a public service into a dumping ground.”
Illegal dumping forces Council to divert staff and resources away from essential services and into costly clean-ups, these costs that are ultimately borne by the community.
“This isn’t Council’s problem alone, it’s everyone’s problem,” Mayor Belot said.
“Every time someone dumps furniture, household waste or construction materials at a recycling point, they are shifting the burden onto their neighbours.”
Council does not want to punish responsible residents, and closure of the facility is a last resort. However, if this behaviour continues, Council will not hesitate to take stronger action.
Council is now escalating its response and is exploring the implementation the following measures:
• Reducing the number of bins at the site if necessary
• Installing additional CCTV cameras to identify offenders
• Increasing Local Laws patrols in the area and ramping up the issuing of penalties to anyone caught dumping illegally, whether in person or via CCTV footage
“We are done with warnings,” Mayor Belot said.
“If you dump illegally and we catch you, you will be fined. Substantial penalties will apply.”
Council is also calling on the community to take a stand.
“If you see illegal dumping happening, report it,” Mayor Belot said.
“You are not dobbing people in you are protecting a community asset and standing up for the people who do the right thing.”
Illegal dumping degrades the environment, creates safety risks, and sends the wrong message to young people and visitors about how Livingstone Shire cares for its public spaces.
“This behaviour hurts everyone,” Mayor Belot said.
“It makes our towns look worse, it costs ratepayers money, and it risks the future of the facility for responsible users.”
Council wants the recycling drop-off facility to remain open and accessible for the community, but that depends on people using it properly.
“Council does not want to make the unpopular decision to close this facility, but if the misuse continues, then we may well need to do so.” Mayor Belot said.
Council will continue monitoring the site closely and will not hesitate to take further action if illegal dumping persists.
To report illegal dumping call 1300 790 919 or even better, take a photo of the offender and log it with our team via the Snap Send Solve App.