Graffiti

The presence of graffiti can cause people to feel unsafe. It creates a perception that nobody cares about the area, and if left unattended it often attracts more graffiti and may even encourage other more serious crimes. Graffiti impacts the health and wellbeing of a community. Public spaces that are graffitied will often be avoided by legitimate users, and if the graffiti is racist or contains discriminatory themes it can personally offend individuals or community groups. 

What can you do?

1. Prevent it

There are some simple things that you can do to deter graffiti, including:

• Use fencing that can be seen through to create a sense of openness and surveillance. An offender will be less likely to target an area that has a high degree of visibility from your home and neighbouring properties. This style of fence is also more difficult to graffiti.
• Choose dark colour paint when painting out graffiti to help reduce the likelihood of graffiti appearing on your property.
• Textured or rough surfaces act as a graffiti deterrent. Apply anti-graffiti coating where possible to help deter graffiti.
• Plant prickly shrubs or creepers that are low growing.

2. Report it

Graffiti is a punishable offence and we encourage the community to also report all incidents to Victoria Police. 

Council property

• If on Council property
  Submit an online form or contact Council directly

Private property

• If on private property, report the incident to your local police station. If possible, provide the following details:
  • time and date of graffiti offense
  • location
  • digital photo (if available) to be recorded as evidence

You can also report private property graffiti to Council so we can send a voucher to help with removal.

 Other public infrastructure

• If on other public infrastructure see the telephone numbers listed below, or contact Council if you are unsure who owns the property.
  •  VandalTrak
    www.vandaltrak.com.au
  • Victoria Police:
    • Croydon 9724 0100
    • Ringwood 9871 3000 
  • Telstra (payphones) 13 22 03
  • VicRoads (signal boxes, traffic lights, road signs) 13 11 70
  • Rail Networks and bus shelters
    • Railway stations, trackside graffiti, bus shelters: contact Public Transport Victoria on 1800 800 007 or give them feedback online
    • Graffiti on private property that abuts a rail asset (including fences and walls on the rail corridor) is the responsibility of the private owner.
    • VLine and ARTC - visit their contact page
  • Australia Post (post boxes) 13 13 18

  • AusNet Services (electricity poles) 1300 360 795

3. Remove it

We strongly recommend that you remove all graffiti as soon as you can. Not only will the graffiti be easier to remove, but your quick response sends a positive message to the community. It is also less likely that your property will be targeted again if the graffiti is removed immediately.

Free graffiti removal kits or paint

Council has kits available for Maroondah residents and businesses to remove graffiti from a variety of surfaces. Come and pick up your free kit from Council’s Service Centres. We also provide vouchers to help with painting over it.

Recommended methods of removal 

Paint out: painting out graffiti is the easiest method of removal. Here are some tips:

• Thoroughly clean the surface.
• Aim for the closest colour match possible.
• Consider using a sealant first to ensure complete coverage of the graffiti.
• Keep any spare paint handy for easy removal if the graffiti reappears.

To receive a free paint voucher report graffiti online or contact Council.

Further information