Melbourne graffiti vandals to face new government deterrent in northern suburbs
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10.06.2025

Melbourne graffiti vandals to face new government deterrent in northern suburbs

Melbourne's north
words by staff writer

The initiative aims to curb roadside graffiti in the northern suburbs of Melbourne.

Fifty new graffiti-proof panels are being trialled by the state government to curb roadside graffiti in the northern suburbs of Melbourne.

The state government will trial the new technology and will retrofit the panels to noise barriers and retaining walls across Melbourne’s north.

The aim is to reduce the time spent on graffiti clean-up and removal.

Planning is still underway for the installation of the anti-graffiti panels, but they are set to be in areas that have experienced high levels of graffiti.

This includes retaining walls and abutments in Tarneit, Sunshine North, Truganina, Tottenham, Maribyrnong and noise walls along the M80 in Bundoora.

State gov to tackle Melbourne graffiti

  • State government will install fifty new graffiti-proof panels
  • Targeting Tarneit, Sunshine North, Truganina, Tottenham, Maribyrnong and noise walls along the M80 in Bundoora

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The panels will be trialled in select locations identified based on their susceptibility to vandalism.

Consequently, graffiti will be targeted across high-traffic areas in Melbourne’s northern suburbs.

These panels will blend seamlessly into existing structures and use recycled plastic waste to form what is known as a TagShield panel.

This innovative technology will repurpose diverted plastic waste from landfills, giving containers, bottles and other recyclables a second lease of life, while tackling Melbourne graffiti.

Each square metre panel features a complex network of shapes and channels that will render graffiti unreadable, made up of engineered polymer that increases paint run.

Experts will evaluate the overall effectiveness of deterring vandalism during the trial, which is scheduled to run for around 12 months.

“We hope this trial will reduce graffiti in our community as the panels blend seamlessly into the surroundings, as well as diverting plastics from landfill,” says Member for Bundoora Colin Brooks. 

Minister for Roads and Road Safety Melissa Horne says this innovative technology will help reduce unsightly graffiti in the neighborhoods. 

“The technology will help by deterring vandals after these panels are retrofitted to roadsides,” she says. 

“We hope this trial will reduce cleanup and removal of tags and graffiti by reducing the attractiveness of traditional surfaces.”

Melbourne graffiti may be getting a crackdown, but the street art scene remains.

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