An individual has been ordered to pay more than $5,000 after being convicted of illegal dumping in Hazelmere.
In August 2025, the City of Swan received a report of a person in a vehicle with an attached trailer attempting to dump waste in bushland. When Community Safety Rangers attended the site, they found the vehicle bogged and abandoned.
The dumping occurred on culturally significant lands located on the Mandoon Bilya (Helena River) floodplain.
Surrounding the vehicle and trailer was a large amount of rubbish consisting of household waste, furniture and hazardous items including multiple aerosol cans.
Following an investigation, the offender was identified and charged under the Litter Act 1979 (WA).
On June 15, 2026, after failing to appear at Midland Magistrates Court, the offender was convicted in their absence.
The Court imposed a fine of $2,200 and ordered the offender to reimburse the City for cleanup costs of $1,805.25 and legal costs of $1,162.30, bringing the total amount to $5,167.55.
In handing down the penalty, the Court acknowledged the seriousness of the offence, noting both the environmental and cultural sensitivity of the affected land, and the substantial cleanup costs incurred by the City.
The City of Swan is working jointly with the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (DWER), the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA), the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage (DPLH), and the Bibbul Ngarma Aboriginal Association to tackle environmental crime. The Bibbul Ngarma Aboriginal Association is also assisting Rangers to keep the area clean.
The City will continue to take enforcement action against those who damage the environment through illegal dumping.
The City is reminding the community that illegal dumping carries significant penalties. Under the Litter Act 1979 (WA), offenders can face fines of up to $5,000 for individuals and $10,000 for body corporates. More serious offences prosecuted under the Environmental Protection Act 1986 (WA) can attract penalties of up to $62,500 for individuals and $125,000 for body corporates.
The City is also targeting unauthorised off-road vehicle activity in reserves, with Rangers conducting daily patrols. Drivers found unlawfully operating vehicles in these areas can be issued an on-the-spot infringement of $180.
The City of Swan’s Reduce Illegal Dumping (RID) program encourages resident reporting, offers free waste disposal options and provides community education workshops. Key initiatives include two annual bulk verge collections, access to the Red Hill Waste Management Facility and recycling centres in Bullsbrook and Malaga.
