Find out how we can help with graffiti removal, or even how you can remove it yourself.
Graffiti removal
Our Graffiti Management Program aims to reduce incidents of graffiti in our City by:
- cleaning laneway graffiti using supervised community correctional services teams
- removing graffiti from commercial and residential private property, subject to resources and priority
This table will help you report graffiti to the right people.
| Where is the graffiti? | Who’s responsible? | Contact |
| Council property | Council | 9524 3333 |
| Clear bus shelter | Adshel | 1800 501 402 |
| Red letterboxes and green delivery boxes | Australia Post | 13 13 18 |
| Trains, stations, railway bridges or overpasses, and other railway property | Metro Trains | 1800 800 007 |
| Fire hydrants | South East Water | 13 28 12 |
| Telephone boxes, stations and poles | Telstra | 1800 011 433 |
| Power poles or street lights south of Balaclava Road | United Energy | 13 20 99 |
| Power poles or street lights north of Balaclava Road | CitiPower | 13 22 06 |
I need help removing graffiti from private property
We can help you remove graffiti from commercial and residential private property, subject to resources and priority. We also make regular inspections for graffiti on private property.
Where resources allow, we’ll remove any graffiti from the exterior boundary when it is visible from a public place.
We won’t remove graffiti from private property if:
- it belongs to utilities, such as power poles or phone boxes. Instead we report it to relevant utilities and encourage you to do the same
- we need access to the property, such as down a driveway
- the graffiti is more than 1.8 metres high.
Our availability to remove graffiti also depends on resource limitations and priority.
How do you remove graffiti?
We use two primary methods to remove graffiti:
Pressure washing/blasting
This method combines chemical treatment and Class A recycled water to wash graffiti off hard surfaces. It may leave a shadow of the graffiti on porous or raw surfaces, and we can’t guarantee complete removal.
Painting
If graffiti is on a painted surface, our authorised personnel will only paint a neat rectangle (if practicable) over the graffiti. We’ll choose a colour from our limited colour palette (PDF, 45KB).
If you want a different colour to what we offer, you can provide your own paint or hire a contractor at your expense.
Please note: if you’ve received a Notice of Intention to Remove/Obliterate Graffiti and want to choose your own colour, you must consent using the form attached to the notice and provide your contact details.
What if I don’t respond to a notice of intention to remove graffiti?
If you don’t respond to the action described in the notice within 10 days of the date of the notice, we may take action to remove the graffiti without further notice.
In accordance with the Graffiti Prevention Act 2007, you’re not eligible for compensation for any loss, damage or injury to property resulting from or arising out of any act or omission done in good faith by us or anyone authorised by us, in relation to removing graffiti.
What if graffiti reoccurs?
If graffiti reoccurs, we recommend you notify the police and quickly remove the graffiti. Evidence suggests if you remove graffiti quickly, it’s less likely to reoccur.
I want to make alternative arrangements
If there’s graffiti within your title boundary or you want to make alternative private arrangements, you can contact our graffiti management officer for information.
Can I get a graffiti removal kit?
You can get a graffiti removal kit free of charge from our Service Centre, corner Glen Eira and Hawthorn roads, Caulfield. There is a limit of one kit type per household.
I want to report someone for graffiti
If you see someone committing an act of graffiti, call Victoria Police on 000.
If you know someone who has vandalised property, call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
