New Funding Program Targets Illegal Dumping Across Hinchinbrook

Hinchinbrook Shire Council is set to benefit from a new Queensland Government initiative aimed at cracking down on illegal dumping and protecting local environments, waterways and public spaces.

The Government has announced the launch of the $17.7 million Fighting Illegal Dumping Partnership Program (FIDPP), which will provide councils across the state, including regional areas like Hinchinbrook, with additional resources to prevent, investigate and enforce illegal dumping offences.

The program is designed to strengthen council-led responses to illegal waste dumping, an issue impacting bushland, roadside areas and waterways across the Hinchinbrook Shire.

Funding will support councils to employ dedicated illegal dumping compliance officers and invest in surveillance equipment, compliance signage, vehicles and other enforcement tools to deter offenders and protect community spaces.

Minister for the Environment and Tourism Andrew Powell explained the program will strengthen existing systems in place and give Council the tools needed to identify offenders, deter illegal dumping, and safeguard the local places Queenslanders care about.

“Queensland is blessed with some of the most extraordinary natural landscapes anywhere in the world, and we all have a responsibility to protect it from the harm caused by litter and illegal dumping,” Minister Powell said.

“Whether you live on the coast, in the regions, or out west, every Queenslander deserves clean parks and healthy waterways. This program is a major step toward delivering exactly that.”

Applications close at 4pm on 25 February 2026, with further information available through the Queensland Government’s Environment, Land and Water grants and funding portal.

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Illegal dumping is an issue of high concern across the Hinchinbrook Shire. Photo credit: Dave Dudley

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