Volunteers have hauled more than half a tonne of illegally dumped rubbish from forestry land at the southern end of the Sunshine Coast in what has been labelled a “not unusual” event.
Six members of Night Eyes Water and Land Care Group tackled two dump sites near Roys Road last week, eventually removing 610kg of rubbish over three trips to the tip.
The haul included multiple beds and mattresses, five televisions, children’s toys, a car tyre and general household waste.
Night Eyes president Dennis Evans said Monday’s substantial find was “fairly common”, with volunteers regularly removing large amounts of dumped waste from Sunshine Coast waterways, foreshores, parks and forestry land.
“The forestry (government team) definitely keep an eye on it, but they have a massive area to oversee. So, we do what we can,” Mr Evans said.
“TVs, fridges, washing machines, mattresses. It’s not unusual to pick up that sort of stuff.
“It floors all of us at Night Eyes what we find and how often.”
Mr Evans said the group conducted water patrols in its pontoon boat around five times a week through the Pumicestone Passage and Pelican Waters’ canals, while land clean-ups take place a few times a week.
“Even around Caloundra we can pick up 100 to 200kg of stuff dumped in certain areas.
“I was out in the boat this morning and we only got about five or six kilos of rubbish, but six kilos of cigarette butts and plastic bags is a fair amount.”
Mr Evans believed disposal costs could be one factor contributing to the illegal dumping, but said many of the items volunteers recovered could be taken to council facilities without charge.
According to Sunshine Coast Council’s waste and recycling website, domestic customers can dispose of a range of items for free, including whitegoods and electronic waste, such as televisions and computers.
The latest figures from council showed more than 6100 community reports of illegal dumping had been received and investigated over three years.
In a bid to combat the growing issue, the state government is investing $13.7 million state-wide in the Fighting Illegal Dumping Partnership Program, with $270,000 allocated to Sunshine Coast Council and $295,000 to Noosa Council.
However, the funding comes amid rising waste charges.
The cost council attributes to the state government’s so-called “bin tax” has increased by about 22 per cent in its second year of being passed on through Sunshine Coast household bin charges.
Council confirmed $46 was built into the cost of a standard 240-litre bin service this financial year to cover the portion of the waste levy not offset by the state, up from $37.70 in 2025-26.
Council expected to pay about $18 million for the domestic portion of the levy this year, while receiving about $9.5 million from the state towards the cost.
The waste levy is one factor in a broader 71-cent-a-week increase in the domestic collection charge for general waste, recycling and garden organics bins, alongside increased contractor and service-delivery costs.
General domestic waste disposal fees at council facilities have also increased.
A small load now costs $20, up from $18 last financial year, while a medium load has risen from $52 to $56 and a large load from $104 to $112.
Loads weighing more than 500kg are charged at $224 per tonne, up from $208.
Anyone caught illegally dumping can face on-the-spot fines starting at $2763, while maximum court penalties reach $172,700 for individuals and $863,500 for corporations for larger-volume offences.
Mr Evans’ message to people considering dumping rubbish was simple: “don’t do it”.
He said Night Eyes, which dates back to the mid-1980s and now has 84 volunteer members, would continue to work in conjunction with the government and council to tackle the issue.
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The group relies on donations, grants and other funding to help cover costs including fuel for its boat and vehicle.
To volunteer or find out more about Night Eyes, visit the group’s Facebook page.
Dumping can be reported to council or through the state government’s litter and illegal dumping online reporting system.
