This paper explores how the geography of household putrescible waste disposal facilities (tips and landfills) has changed in Melbourne over the period 1966 to the present; and how this may relate to residential amenity. Many scattered tips in the inner suburbs of Melbourne, for example, are now urban parks. Future research seeks to quantify these relationships using repeat‐sales residential property data. In this paper, data on 150 facilities and their life cycles has been collated from EPA licensing and post closure data; and from a series of Melways street directories beginning in 1966. A key finding emerging is that over time, the number of waste sites in Melbourne has reduced, while their size and concentration has increased. Drawing on Census data, it appears that facilities with substantial numbers of nearby residents are listed as priority sites, with frequent odour and air quality complaints. The importance of potential conflict between landfills and residences in Australian cities is underscored by the Stephenson's Road containment breach, and by ongoing opposition to proposed landfills.
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