Residents are being warned Maitland City Council will no longer tolerate illegal dumping at a prominent suburban “hot spot”.

And, the organisation is set to utilise $83,000 of grant funding to tackle the issue on Weblands Street in Aberglasslyn.

Council has designed measures to prevent, deter and educate the community on the environmental impact of such troubling offences.

New Report Illegal Dumping (RID) signage is already in place at entrance points to the site, nestled between Aberglasslyn and Rutherford, with bollards, cable fencing and access gates ready for installation along a 550m stretch of the area’s western perimeter next month.

Currently, the two suburbs make up approximately 25% of Maitland’s population.

There were 216 instances of illegal dumping documented via RID Online across the Local Government Area (LGA) in 2022/23.

But, specifically, 20 of those were recorded at Weblands Street, approximately 10% of all Maitland cases reported during that period.

In the coming year, council will also install illegal dumping surveillance cameras to support investigations carried out by rangers.

Maitland City Council’s coordinator regulatory compliance Gemma McMahon said the 27.95-hectare site in Aberglasslyn had a “longstanding issue of illegal dumping and antisocial behaviour”.

“Over the past five years, approximately 50 tonnes of various waste types – such as household rubbish, green waste, vehicle parts and industrial waste – have been illegally dumped at the site and removed by council,” she explained.

“Weblands Street comprises bushland and unapproved 4WD and trial bike tracks, and is accessible via several entries, which contributes to people being able to drive in and dump their waste easily.

“Offenders have taken advantage of the site’s accessibility and proximity to urban and industrial areas, while a lack of surveillance and enforcement have limited council’s ability to take action.”

Ms McMahon said the funding would also aid the clean-up of 10 tonnes of waste currently littering the site.

“Ultimately, we aim to create a cleaner, safe and more sustainable Weblands Street,” she added.

“That will enhance the overall quality of life for the community and protect the local environment.”

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