11th May 2023
Wittenoom is probably the most well-known asbestos mining town in Australia and is the largest contaminated site in the southern hemisphere, comprising of 120,000 acres (50,000 hectares).
Demolition of the ghost town Wittenoom has begun, with the West Australian government warning trespassers found at the former asbestos mining site could be prosecuted.
The former town’s final resident was evicted in mid-2022, and as of September that year, the town was classified as deserted and closed to the public. A Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage spokesperson confirmed all roads to the former town site and nearby gorge have been permanently closed to undertake the demolition. "Warning signs have been installed around the active worksite," the spokesperson said. "There is no visitor access to the area and trespassers may be subject to prosecution." The spokesperson said all demolition material would be buried on site.
However, final clean-up plans for the former town are still undecided, the government is yet to commit to removing the remaining asbestos, likely due to the immense cost that would be associated which is estimated to be in the ten or hundreds of millions of dollars.
Former Wittenoom resident and retired WA Greens MP Robin Chapple said the government should bury the asbestos tailings in the old mine shafts and seal them shut. He said authorities needed to decide either way regarding a potential clean-up. Mr Chapple said he felt visitors would continue to visit the area via unofficial back roads, even if the town is gone and the roads are blocked. “If you keep on covering something up long enough, everybody will want to go and see it," he said. "You've actually got to fix the fundamental problem."
In a statement, a government spokesperson said a total clean-up of the land in and around Wittenoom was unlikely.
