Following an internal audit of all Council infringements, Yarra Ranges Council have identified some technical issues relating to a small number of parking and animal-related infringements, specifically parking infringements issued between July 2005 to July 2025 and animal-related infringements from January 2014 to February 2023.
Council is taking proactive steps to rectify the issue and ensure any affected residents are refunded appropriately. The audit found:
Parking infringements issued since 2001 remain valid, but some were incorrectly charged due to how fine increases were documented.
Animal-related infringements issued since 2013 are not valid due incorrect wording in public notices.
As a result, Council is offering:
Partial refunds for affected parking infringements.
Full refunds for affected animal infringements.
"We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience this may have caused," said Yarra Ranges CEO, Tammi Rose.
"This issue was identified through an internal audit and we will be contacting affected individuals directly where possible. We're also inviting residents who believe they may have been impacted to apply for a refund. Importantly, we are taking steps to ensure this doesn't happen again."
Mayor Cr Jim Child reaffirmed Council's commitment to transparency and accountability.
"Good governance means owning our mistakes, acting transparently, and putting our community first – and that's exactly what we're doing here."
Residents can apply for a refund via a secure online form on Council's website from Wednesday 5 November. Refunds can be claimed over the next 12 months, and applicants will need to provide basic details about their infringement and payment.
