Builder charged for illegal dumping and protected tree removal in Yeppoon

A builder and his employee have ordered to pay more than $27,000 at court for dumping construction waste and removing 23 protected plants from his Capricorn Coast property.

Trevor Mulholland of Stroud Homes Rockhampton was charged with illegally dumping construction waste and destroying protected plants.

A Yeppoon house building company owner and an employee have been fined more than $27,000 for illegally dumping waste and destroying protected plants.

Trevor Brian Mulholland, 48, and his employee Michael Peter Mcgown, appeared in Rockhampton Magistrates Court on May 12.

Mulholland owns Stroud Homes Rockhampton, which opened in Yeppoon in 2020.

Trevor Mulholland of Stroud Homes Rockhampton, which is based at Yeppoon.

A Department of Environment and Science investigation in June, 2021, found Mullholland directed Mcgown to clear land at his Bungundarra Rd property mapped as ‘high-risk under the Protected Plants Flora Survey Trigger Map’.

This was despite Livingstone Shire Council advising Mulholland in March and May, 2021, that the property had “environmental significance, including a protected cycad plant”.

The clearing destroyed 23 grass trees, which were protected under the Nature Conservation Act 1992, and only able to be removed with a permit or exemption.

Photos supplied from Department of Environment and Science of the dumped construction material.

Mulholland also further instructed Mcgown to dump about 10 cubic metres of waste including bricks, concrete, timber, dirt and tiles into a creek running onto the Bungundarra property between May and December, 2021.

Mulholland has since removed the waste, replanted the 23 grass trees, and planted an extra 23 grass trees.

Photos supplied from the Department of Environment and Science of the dumped industrial waste at the Bungundarra property.

Mulholland pleaded guilty to taking protected plants, carrying out assessable development without a development approval, and wilfully and unlawfully depositing a prescribed water contaminant in waters.

He was fined $23,500 but no conviction was recorded.

Mcgown pleaded guilty to taking protected plants and was ordered to pay $4,398.18 in costs with no conviction recorded.

The DES said the outcome was a “strong reminder to property owners that environmental laws still applied on private property” including with creeks.

“The department hopes this serves as an important reminder to all property owners to be mindful of their responsibilities to ensure they comply with their environmental obligations to protect our precious environment,” it said.

LSC Water, Waste Management and Environment portfolio holder Councillor Andrea Friend said the council was committed to stopping illegal dumping and destruction of protected flora and fauna.

“There is never an excuse,” she said.

“We live in such a beautiful place abundant with wildlife and we all have a right to a clean, safe place to live, work and play.

“I urge people to be part of the solution, not the pollution.”