Grants available for rural landholders to clear illegally-dumped waste

Primary producers and landholders in the Goondiwindi Region may be eligible for grants of up to $50,000 to assist with the costs of removing and safely disposing of illegally-dumped waste from their properties.

Residents can apply for grants of up to $50,000 (excluding GST) for projects to remove illegally dumped waste that is either hazardous, difficult to access, or requires specialist equipment to remove.

The funding is part of the state government’s Keeping Queensland Clean: Illegal Dumping Grant Program and is geared towards land managers such as primary producers, natural resource management groups, nature refuge holders and special wildlife reserve managers.

Cr Rob Mackenzie holds Goondiwindi Regional Council’s portfolio for Waste Management and is a steering group member of the Darling Downs and South West Waste Strategy and infrastructure plan Advisory Group. He said the safe disposal of waste was essential for the environmental health of our region.

“Illegally dumped waste not only contaminates our land, but can potentially result in toxic chemicals and poisonous materials entering waterways, or the introduction of pests and weeds into our environment,” he said.

“Council is in full support of projects that seek to reduce the amount of illegally-dumped material in our environment and ensure its correct disposal,” he said.

“Illegal dumping on private land is fortunately not something we get many reports on in the Goondiwindi Region,” he said. “But cleaning up illegally-dumped waste safely and properly can certainly be costly or require specialised resources, so there may be some landholders or producers out there for whom this will be a great opportunity to dispose of waste without the expense.

“This funding may help local producers to tick another item off their list, so they can get back to their many other important jobs on-farm in a safe and clean environment.”

The grants program will close on 18 February 2022.

All applications must be submitted through the state government’s online grants administration program: https://www.qld.gov.au/environment/pollution/management/waste/litter-illegal-dumping/grants-funding

“I encourage all eligible residents to make the most of this funding and get their applications in early, before submissions close next month,” Cr Mackenzie said.