A YARRA Ranges resident convicted of illegally dumping green waste on the roadside on Gembrook Road in Hoddles Creek has been forced to pay $3100 in fines and costs at the Ringwood Magistrates’ Court.
The matter was heard in court on 8 May after the resident was charged with littering in December last year for dumping a pile of large tree stumps and branches on the roadside.
Yarra Ranges mayor Tim Heenan welcomed the fines saying illegal vegetation dumping was harmful to the environment.
“New plants can easily seed from these cuttings which, if left in environmentally sensitive areas, can destroy delicate plant and animal life balance,” Cr Heenan said.
“The Shire of Yarra Ranges is home to an enormous number of indigenous plant species already threatened by the spread of weeds.”
He said dumping green waste illegally hinders the shire’s efforts to control weeds in forests and bushland.
“The latest prosecution sends a clear message that this activity will not be tolerated in our shire,” Cr Heenan said.
Cr Heenan said residents needing to dispose of green waste can do so through the shire’s fortnightly green waste bin collection or bundled green waste collections.
Larger amounts of green waste can be taken to one of the shire’s three green waste collection centres located in Coldstream, Wesburn and Healesville.
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