Australia’s 30 Most Polluted Towns and Their “Terrible Titles”
Australia likes to imagine itself as clean and green. Beaches, open skies, fresh air. But beneath that image lie towns where the air, water, and soil are loaded with toxins.
The Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) analysed government data from the National Pollutant Inventory (NPI) and found that some postcodes carry far more of the nation’s industrial burden than others. These aren’t just numbers on a spreadsheet — they’re communities where birds fall silent, fish float belly-up, and flying foxes struggle in poisoned treetops.
Here are 30 towns across Australia with their terrible titles — and the factories, mines, and smelters behind them.
1. Mount Isa, QLD – Australia’s Most Polluted Postcode
Families wake up to red dust on their windowsills, and kids play in soil laced with lead.
👉 https://www.acf.org.au/news/coal-burning-prominent-in-six-of-the-ten-most-polluted-postcodes-in-australia
2. Newman, WA – Dust Capital of the Pilbara
Locals say you can taste the red grit in the air; dust coats porches and lungs.
👉 https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-05-17/australias-most-polluted-towns-named/101072190
3. Muswellbrook, NSW – Coal & Power Pollution Hub
Open-cut mines scar the land; Bayswater power station pumps smoke that drifts into homes.
👉 https://www.acf.org.au/news/coal-burning-prominent-in-six-of-the-ten-most-polluted-postcodes-in-australia
4. Tom Price, WA – Iron Ore Dust Town
Cars washed at dawn are coated red again by nightfall.
👉 https://www.yourlifechoices.com.au/health/top-10-most-polluted-postcodes-in-australia
5. Traralgon, VIC – Latrobe Valley’s Smokestack
Birds flying through Loy Yang’s haze cough and fall in nearby wetlands.
👉 https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-11-16/australian-pollution-mapped-by-postcodes/10478620
6. Gladstone, QLD – Queensland’s Industrial Smoke Belt
Fishermen report fewer catches; mullet float lifeless after heavy run-off.
👉 https://www.caha.org.au/the_dirty_truth_polluted_postcodes
7. Stanwell, QLD – High NOₓ Power Station Town
A single giant stack dominates the skyline — and children’s lungs.
8. Collie, WA – Coal-Fired Hotspot
Kangaroos graze on grass flecked with coal ash.
9. Tarong, QLD – Postcode Dominated by One Plant
One power station defines the air, the skyline, and the health of neighbours.
10. Kalgoorlie, WA – Toxic Metals Mining Hub
Birds land near tailings ponds and never rise again.
👉 https://www.acf.org.au/news/coal-burning-prominent-in-six-of-the-ten-most-polluted-postcodes-in-australia
11. Port Pirie, SA – Australia’s Lead Town
Flying foxes tested in 2025 carried 3,000× safe lead limits. Children still show elevated blood lead levels.
👉 https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/mar/12/dead-and-dying-port-pirie-birds-and-bats-exposed-to-lead-at-3000-times-acceptable-levels-testing-showed
12. Port Hedland, WA – Iron Ore Dust Capital
Residents describe storms of “red snow.” A buy-back was offered for homes near the port.
👉 https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-05-17/australias-most-polluted-towns-named/101072190
13. Whyalla, SA – Steel City Under Pressure
Seabirds die after drinking from water pooled near slag heaps.
14. Kwinana, WA – Perth’s Heavy Industry Strip
Even gum leaves carry metallic dust from alumina and lithium refineries.
15. Newcastle/Kooragang Island, NSW – Chemicals by the Coast
Fish kills reported in the Hunter estuary near ammonium nitrate plants.
16. Port Kembla, NSW – Big Steel, Big Stacks
Soot collects on laundry left outside on bad days.
17. Botany Bay, NSW – Sydney’s Industrial Warning
Groundwater contamination spreads invisibly beneath suburbs.
18. Port of Brisbane/Lytton, QLD – Diesel & Fuel Hub
Dolphins spotted with sores linked to industrial run-off.
19. Bell Bay/George Town, TAS – Aluminium on the Tamar
Fish downstream taste metallic after heavy rain.
20. Hobart (Lutana), TAS – The Smelter Shadow
Children once played barefoot in backyards tainted with lead and cadmium.
21. Townsville (Stuart), QLD – Zinc & Acid
Locals say mango trees no longer bear fruit near the zinc refinery.
22. Broken Hill, NSW – Lead Mining City
In the 1990s, more than 80% of kids under five had dangerous blood lead levels.
23. Esperance, WA – The Lead Bird-Kill Disaster
In 2006–07, thousands of birds fell dead; residents recall streets lined with silent corpses.
👉 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Esperance%2C_Western_Australia
24. Queenstown, TAS – Rivers of Acid
The King and Queen Rivers ran orange, stripped bare of fish for decades.
25. Morwell, VIC – The Hazelwood Smoke Siege
2014 mine fire blanketed the valley in choking smoke for weeks.
26. Port Augusta, SA – Coal Ash by the Gulf
Fishermen say oysters are thin-shelled and weak near the ash dams.
27. Geelong (Corio), VIC – Refinery by the Bay
Sulphur smells drift into schools from the Viva Energy refinery.
28. Altona, VIC – Melbourne’s Petrochemical Belt
Laundry once came in coated grey from refinery soot.
29. Karratha/Dampier, WA – Gas & Rock Art in Danger
Flames from LNG plants burn over sacred Murujuga rock art.
30. Darwin (Middle Arm), NT – Future Pollution Precinct
Plans for petrochemicals and hydrogen hubs spark fear before construction begins.
What About PFAS?
Beyond smokestacks and tailings, another invisible danger lingers: PFAS — the “forever chemicals.”
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Linked to 53 health problems from hormonal disruption to cancers.
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Banned in Europe, still legal in Australia.
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In 10.9 million households, PFAS lives in non-stick pans, food wrappers, and stain-resistant fabrics.
They are invisible, toxic, and everywhere — a silent companion to the industrial pollution choking towns like Mount Isa and Port Pirie.
👉 https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-05-17/australias-most-polluted-towns-named/101072190
Why It Matters
From birds falling dead in Esperance, to flying foxes poisoned in Port Pirie, to fishless rivers in Queenstown — these stories show what happens when industry is left unchecked.
Pollution in Australia is not evenly spread. Working-class and regional communities carry the heaviest burden. For some, the cost is coughing children, poisoned pets, or lifeless rivers. For others, it’s a town wiped off the map.
Sources:
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ACF – Coal burning prominent in six of the ten most polluted postcodes (2022):
https://www.acf.org.au/news/coal-burning-prominent-in-six-of-the-ten-most-polluted-postcodes-in-australia -
ACF & CAHA – The Dirty Truth: Australia’s most polluted postcodes:
https://www.caha.org.au/the_dirty_truth_polluted_postcodes -
ABC News – Australia’s most polluted towns named (2022):
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-05-17/australias-most-polluted-towns-named/101072190 -
YourLifeChoices – Top 10 Most Polluted Postcodes in Australia:
https://www.yourlifechoices.com.au/health/top-10-most-polluted-postcodes-in-australia/ -
National Pollutant Inventory (NPI):
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Pollutant_Inventory -
Port Pirie lead wildlife deaths (2025):
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/mar/12/dead-and-dying-port-pirie-birds-and-bats-exposed-to-lead-at-3000-times-acceptable-levels-testing-showed -
Esperance lead disaster:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Esperance%2C_Western_Australia
⚖️ PFAS Blog Series Disclaimer
This blog post is intended for educational and informational purposes only. It does not provide medical, nutritional, legal, or environmental advice. Readers who are concerned about their health, water quality, or possible chemical exposure should consult qualified healthcare professionals, environmental specialists, or regulatory authorities.
Story Disclaimer:
Where this article includes the story of an individual, family, or community (for example, Debbie Blankenship of Elkton, Maryland, or Michael Hickey of Hoosick Falls, New York), the details are drawn from publicly available sources and reports. These stories are included to illustrate the real-life human impact of PFAS contamination. They should not be interpreted as firsthand reporting.
Research Disclaimer:
Scientific findings and statistics mentioned in this blog are based on peer-reviewed research, government reports, or academic reviews available at the time of writing. While every effort has been made to present accurate information, PFAS research is ongoing and new evidence may change scientific consensus over time. Readers are encouraged to review the linked original studies for full context.
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Any product details provided — including capacity, wattage, price, and PFAS-free claims — are based on information made publicly available by manufacturers or retailers at the time of publication. These specifications may change. Readers should verify details directly with manufacturers or stores before purchasing. Mentions of retailers (e.g., JB Hi-Fi, Myer, Harvey Norman, The Good Guys, Harris Scarfe) are included solely to help readers locate products. We do not receive commission, sponsorship, or payment from any brand or retailer mentioned.
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