Clean-up of illegally dumped rubbish cost Lake Macquarie City Council more than $330,000 in the 2025-2026 financial year, new figures reveal.
A report into illegal dumping in the Lake Macquarie local government area shows almost 7500 tonnes of waste were illegally dumped, with almost 1300 separate incidents recorded.
A new community awareness campaign aims to highlight the growing financial and environmental burden, as well as encourage residents and businesses to report illegal dumping and make use of low-cost and free waste disposal options, such as kerbside bulky waste pick-up.
The campaign will feature radio and bus shelter advertising and will coincide with an escalation in surveillance and monitoring of illegal dumping sites across the city.
New infrastructure will also be installed to deter illegal dumping at hot-spot sites, including concrete barriers, gates, fences and bollards.
Lake Macquarie Mayor Adam Shultz said illegal dumping was an issue affecting the entire community.
"Illegal dumping damages our bushland, waterways and wildlife habitats and places a significant financial burden on our community," Mayor Adam said.
"Council has spent $331,000 cleaning up illegally dumped waste in the past financial year alone. That's money that could otherwise be invested in parks, roads, playgrounds and community facilities."
Council Team Leader Environmental Compliance Shane Sykes said simple, affordable alternatives were available for people who needed to dispose of problem items.
"Many items can be disposed of through our bookable bulky waste service or Community Recycling Centres," he said.
All Lake Macquarie residents are entitled to two bookable kerbside waste collections in a 12-month period, or drop-off vouchers to take waste to Awaba Waste Management Facility.
The new campaign will include advertising, social media, website content and community education activities.
Mr Sykes said community reporting played a vital role in identifying offenders and protecting local environments.
"Every report helps us investigate illegal dumping and take appropriate action," he said.
"Our compliance officers work closely with the EPA to investigate reports and hold offenders accountable, but prevention is just as important.
The Hunter Central Coast Regional Illegal Dumping Program report for 2025-2026 shows that the vast majority of illegal dumping incidents occur on Council land.
Household waste such as furniture and appliances accounted for more than 56 per cent of illegally dumped material, with tyres, commercial and industrial items and construction and demolition material the other main contributors.
Council's clean-up costs far outweigh those of other stakeholders.
Other land-owners in Lake Macquarie paid a total $82,100 in the 2025-26 financial year to clean up illegally dumped material, while NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service paid $9,900.
Offenders caught illegally dumping were forced to pay a total $7,400 in clean-up costs.
Across the LGA, offenders were issued 13 clean-up notices, eight official cautions and 78 penalty notices.
Almost 700 separate illegal dumping locations were identified across Council-owned land.
Mr Sykes said Local Aboriginal Land Council land was the next-most frequently targeted, with 46 locations. This has prompted a partnership between Lake Macquarie City Council and Awabakal Local Aboriginal Land Council to target dumping.
"Joining forces mean we can share resources and knowledge to crack down on this issue," Mr Sykes said.
Go to lakemac.com.au
