An elderly Victorian landowner says she feels “entirely helpless” after a tenant allegedly transformed her rural hobby farm into an illegal construction waste dump, leaving her fearing for her safety and potentially facing a clean-up bill exceeding $1 million.

The 70-year-old woman, who has asked not to be identified, leased her six-hectare property near Diggers Rest, north-west of Melbourne, in late June after the tenant said he intended to use the land to store materials for his plumbing business.

According to the lease agreement, the tenant was required to maintain the property and keep the land in good condition. Instead, the woman alleges that within days, the site began receiving multiple truckloads of construction and demolition waste each day, including bricks, metal, timber and other debris removed from older homes.

She says the once-quiet hobby farm has effectively become an unauthorised industrial waste stockpile, fundamentally changing the character of the property and causing significant distress for both herself and nearby residents.

“I am entirely helpless, vomiting blood and I just don’t know what to do,” the landlord said.

“I am deeply terrified for my own physical safety and the safety of my neighbours.”

The woman served the tenant with an eviction notice on 3 July after discovering the alleged dumping activity. However, she says the notice has been ignored, and she fears additional waste will continue arriving while legal processes to regain possession of the property run their course.

One of her greatest concerns is that the stockpiled material could include hazardous substances such as asbestos, creating potential environmental and public health risks as well as increasing the eventual cost of remediation.

She also fears the accumulated waste represents a significant fire hazard, particularly during Victoria’s warmer months when dry grass and combustible building materials can create dangerous conditions.

The landlord says she and neighbouring residents have repeatedly contacted authorities seeking assistance, including EPA Victoria, Hume City Council and Victoria Police.

Victoria Police confirmed officers attended the property on 17 July after concerns were raised that firearms might be stored at the site.

Police said officers searched the property and spoke with those present before determining no firearms were located and no criminal offences had occurred.

“It was determined that no criminal offences occurred, and the incident was a civil matter,” Victoria Police said.

Although police did not identify criminal offences relating to the tenancy itself, environmental regulators have taken action over the alleged waste activity.

EPA Victoria confirmed it inspected the property after receiving reports of illegal dumping and subsequently identified industrial waste that had been deposited without appropriate authorisation.

The regulator issued an Environmental Action Notice on 17 July directing the occupier to immediately stop accepting industrial waste and remove all waste deposited on the site by 14 August.

“EPA will not hesitate to take escalated enforcement action should the occupier fail to comply,” the authority said.

EPA stated that inspectors confirmed the presence of illegally dumped industrial waste during an inspection on 16 July after complaints were first received earlier in the month.

The agency says it continues monitoring the property to determine whether the occupier complies with the legally binding notice.

Hume City Council has also confirmed it is aware of the alleged misuse of the land.

A council spokesperson said the matter is currently being assessed under relevant planning and regulatory processes, with investigations continuing alongside EPA Victoria.

The tenant has previously attracted public attention after being acquitted in the Supreme Court over allegations relating to a planned terror attack and bushfire offences. The previous criminal proceedings concluded with an acquittal, and those matters are separate from the current environmental and tenancy dispute.

The landlord believes current tenancy laws leave private property owners exposed when dealing with tenants who allegedly misuse rural land.

She argues that even if authorities ultimately order the waste to be removed, existing legal processes may not guarantee she will recover the potentially enormous clean-up costs if the occupier fails to comply.

Environmental specialists note that illegally dumped construction waste can become extremely expensive to remove, particularly where contaminated soil, asbestos or mixed industrial waste is involved. Licensed disposal facilities must separate, transport and process different categories of waste under strict environmental regulations.

Victoria has faced an ongoing battle against illegal waste dumping over recent years.

EPA Victoria has repeatedly increased enforcement activity against operators using private land as unauthorised waste facilities, warning that such sites can create serious environmental, fire and health risks for surrounding communities. Recent prosecutions have resulted in significant fines, court orders and mandatory clean-up requirements for offenders who ignored Environmental Action Notices.

The regulator has also expanded its compliance activities through drone surveillance, joint inspections with councils and the establishment of a multi-agency Illegal Waste Dumping Taskforce targeting organised waste crime across Victoria.

Authorities say illegal dumping is not simply an environmental nuisance but can also undermine legitimate waste disposal businesses by allowing unscrupulous operators to avoid the substantial costs associated with lawful disposal.

Construction and demolition waste is particularly expensive to dispose of correctly, creating financial incentives for illegal dumping where enforcement is weak.

EPA Victoria warns that accepting industrial waste without an appropriate licence, transporting waste unlawfully or failing to comply with Environmental Action Notices can attract substantial financial penalties and court action under the Environment Protection Act 2017.

The Diggers Rest dispute also highlights the difficulties faced by private rural landowners who lease land for commercial purposes. While lease agreements can require tenants to maintain properties, enforcing those obligations often depends on civil legal proceedings that may take weeks or months to resolve.

During that time, landlords argue significant environmental damage can occur before possession is restored.

The elderly landowner says she hopes regulatory agencies can intervene before further waste is delivered to the property and before the financial burden falls on her.

For now, EPA Victoria’s compliance deadline of 14 August remains the next major milestone in the case. Should the occupier fail to remove the waste as directed, the regulator has indicated it is prepared to escalate enforcement action under Victoria’s environmental laws.