Mornington Peninsula Shire Council needs to come clean about its roadside spraying policy – who is applying the chemicals, what instructions does Council give the contractors and which herbicides are they using?
There seems to be a pattern of concerning behaviour regarding dangerous chemicals, with ratepayers having just found out that we had to foot the bill when contractors applied the wrong chemicals to football ovals (MP News 8 September, “Huge bill after ovals’ turf accidentally poisoned”).
In addition to ill-advised herbicide use, what responsibility does the council take when contractors behave aggressively towards a resident who is concerned about the apparent lack of rigour of workers doing the spraying?
On 17 August 2026, two contractors inside an unmarked ute carrying a large container of liquid chemicals were seen spraying the roadside in Main Ridge, an established agricultural area. Several properties there are on the ‘No Spray’ list, some with ‘No Spray’ signs on their fences.
This is not the first time their boundary areas have been sprayed. It has in fact happened several times. Why is our Council continuing to disregard residents’ wishes?
It was not possible to identify the company that our Council contracted to undertake the Main Ridge spraying because the crew was in an unmarked ute – although its registration number was visible.
The driver wore a cotton mask, while the passenger, who was holding the applicator gun, wore full protective gear.
Roadside crews spraying chemicals out the window of a vehicle, driving around farming areas with containers of herbicide, also poses health and safety risks.
These chemicals are not harmless. The community needs to have confidence that their application all over the Shire is being done responsibly.
Did these contractors know what weeds they were targeting? Did they have training in spray drift? The complexity of using these chemicals at scale is detailed in the 83-page Spray drift assessment manual. Although we can’t expect each contractor to read this long document, those managing the roadside spraying should have an understanding of spray drift.
Spray drift is damaging our biodioversity, our environment and, for those with water tanks, possibly their water supplies.
Years of work spent establishing a farming enterprise adjacent to the roadside can be gone in moments when spraying is not done properly. Spray drift is also increasing the risk of fire in the hinterland primarily by drying out vegetation that is not being targeted.
Disappointingly, Shire employees have a long history of ignoring the spray drift issue. Numerous complaints containing photographic evidence have been submitted. How much evidence does the Shire need before they tackle this issue?
Given the long-standing concerns about spraying on the Mornington Peninsula, several community groups have begun collecting time-stamped photos of the place and date of spraying. They are concerned that restoration plantings – for bio-links and koala habitat – may be accidentally dosed with herbicides via drift from roadside spraying.
On this most recent occasion, when the driver of the ute saw that photographs were being taken, they did a U turn. Before speeding off, the man working the applicator gun pointed the nozzle. This aggressive and reckless act was clearly meant to intimidate the photographer. The accidental release of herbicide from this equipment could blind a person, among other longer-term consequences.
Residents are paying for this work through their rates. At a minimum, residents are entitled to know what herbicides are being used, and at what concentration. Yet, we are unable to get this information from the Council.
More than 1,700 km of roads are managed by the Mornington Peninsula Shire Council. Although it has outsourced the job of roadside spraying, the council remains responsible for any adverse outcomes.
To protect our environment on the Mornington Peninsula, the Council must collaborate with local residents. We must all remain vigilant to ensure the correct herbicide is applied to weeds, and its application is undertaken responsibly. Our future depends on it.
First published in MP News on 15 September 2026