North Burnett council votes to close Mundubbera washdown facility

A North Burnett washdown facility has been closed after it was revealed wastewater was flowing into a nearby creek, potentially causing an expensive biosecurity risk.

Councillors also expressed concerns over the continued spread of rats tail and how the closure of the facility would impact that spread. Picture: Rae Wilson

The immediate closure of a North Burnett washdown facility has been confirmed as the council works to avoid a potential fine worth hundreds of thousands of dollars and a biosecurity event.

North Burnett Regional Council voted on Wednesday to close the Mundubbera facility immediately following a 2022 audit which found the site failed to comply with several regulations.

Council chief executive Margot Stork said during the meeting that waste disposal at the facility was a major risk and a fine for noncompliance could cost the council hundreds of thousands of dollars.

It was revealed instead of running into a sewage line, wastewater from the Mundubbera washdown bay was running into a nearby creek.

It is one of four facilities in the North Burnett to allow those travelling through the region to wash down their vehicles to minimise the spread of harmful weeds and seeds.

The councillors held a lengthy discussion on the matter, where it was also revealed the Mundubbera facility was not the only one with compliance issues, with Gayndah and Eidsvold bays also requiring work to meet regulations.

North Burnett Regional Council Mayor Les Hotz worries some will not washdown their vehicles following the closure of the Mundubbera facility.

“It is very clear the process there at the moment could be creating or adding to a biosecurity event,” Mrs Stork said.

The North Burnett council is expected to regulate their own biosecurity risks under the Environmental Protection Agency and the Biosecurity Act.

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“We are not in a position to report ourselves to ourselves nor can we leave the matter the way it is,” Mrs Stork said.

She urged the council to vote to close the facility due the multiple and expensive challenges that would come with fixing the site.

She said there was no space in the budget to allocate funds to rebuilding or creating a new washdown facility in Mundubbera.

Mayor Lez Hotz worried that if the site was shut down permanently people would not travel to one of the other facilities in the region, which could also contribute to a possible biosecurity event.

The council discussed selling the site, but due to the level of work required to make it compliant questioned how many would be interested in purchasing.

Councillors Susan Paye and Melinda Jones declared conflicts of interest due to their own use of the site and did not take part in the vote.

After a lengthy discussion the council voted to shut down the facility effective immediately while efforts were made to look into alternatives for the Mundubbera community.

The council are also exploring ways to improve other non compliant washdown bays in the North Burnett.

Those wishing to make use of washdown facilities will have to travel to Gayndah, Eidsvold or Monto.