CONCERNS about the growing spread of illegal and excessive signage across the peninsula have prompted councillors to begin a review of the shire’s signage policy.
Following a unanimous vote in favour of Cr David Gill’s motion at the 12 April council meeting, a detailed report on signage on the peninsula is expected by September 2026.
Residents have raised ongoing complaints about the increasing number of real estate signs, advertising boards, and promotional billboards across the region.
During debate, councillors discussed how signage has become a growing source of frustration for many residents who believe the visual clutter is affecting the character of local communities and increasing safety concerns.
“Signage has been a huge problem for the peninsula,” said Gill.
“I’ve been counting and I stopped at about 225 or 226 in Balnarring around the village.”
“It’s a public issue, it’s an issue that communities in our villages and most of our 40 townships and villages and small communities, they would like to see us take some action.”
This motion does not implement any rules or bans regarding signage but brings up a broader discussion about practical solutions. It includes a report on the proliferation of real estate signs and proposals to deal with the problem, as well as reports on general signage policy issues and solutions. There will also be a consideration of community consultation for public feedback on issues.
During debate, Cr Stephen Batty brought up sign writers and their influence on the current signage issue. With his amendment, the motion now includes the consideration of a roundtable meeting with real estate agents and sign writers to discuss real estate signage issues.
“The signs that are obviously put up, the real estate signs that are put up are put up by sign writers,” said Batty.
“If they know where you can where you cannot place a sign, that will stop this illegal, which I call illegal, putting up of signs in spots where they’re not meant to.”
Cr Andrea Allen pointed out that some billboards, especially on the southern peninsula, are important, including from South East Water to promote connecting to sewerage.
“Not all these billboards are illegal or promoting events and that sort of thing,” said Allen.
“And most of the events like art shows and those sorts of things, they know they have to put them on private land and they’re lucky to have people that live on prominent roads that are willing to have the signs up.”
Cr Patrick Binyon highlighted the distraction of the signs along the road and safety concerns and noted that during elections there are often candidate signs across the region which don’t follow the sign regulations.
“We don’t want this in a long-term, too hard basket, we want to see what we can achieve,” said Gill.
“This is so we can concentrate on the sign issue, on ones that have a chance of solution.”
First published in the Mornington News – 19 May 2026
