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Wodonga PFAS Contamination Class Action

Shine Lawyers is pursuing justice for property owners in Wodonga whose land has been contaminated by PFAS chemicals used by the Bandiana Military Area.

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About the Wodonga PFAS Contamination Class Action

From the 1970s to at least 2004, the Australian Defence Force (ADF) regularly conducted firefighting drills using a type of firefighting foam known as Aqueous Film Forming Foam. This foam consists of toxic chemicals known as ‘PFAS’.

The class action alleges that the Department of Defence negligently allowed these toxic chemicals to escape from the Bandiana Military Area, and contaminate local environments. These contaminants have negatively impacted properties, land values and the livelihoods of the Wodonga community.

Shine Lawyers has filed a class action to seek compensation for Wodonga property owners who have suffered loss in their property value due to contamination caused by the Bandiana Military Area.

The ADF finalised a detailed site investigation report of the Bandiana Military Area in September 2018, with results detecting PFAS in surface water and ground water on-base. A number of potential PFAS source areas were identified on-base, including the Former Fire Fighting Ground and the current Fire Station, with levels of PFAS detected in ground water and surface water being above guidance values. The report also identified other potential sources of PFAS contamination, which included the Albury Airport and the Wodonga Fire Station.

location map

Investigation Area

As part of their investigation, the Department of Defence has released a map identifying the investigation area. Download the map

Important Notice

The Wodonga PFAS Contamination Class Action does not include personal injury claims for exposure to the PFAS contamination. The adverse health effects of exposure to PFAS chemicals, and the viability of a class action will continue to be investigated. Class actions such as this have been run in other countries around the world for both defence force personnel and communities.

How to register for the Wodonga PFAS Contamination Class Action

If your property is located in the Wodonga contamination investigation area, and was owned by you on 1st October 2016, you are encouraged to register for this class action so that you may seek the compensation you are entitled to.

To register for the Wodonga PFAS Contamination Class Action, you have two options:

Option 1

Register your details and enter into the Funding Agreement to become a

Register for the Class Action now

Option 2

Register your details, without entering into the Funding Agreement to become a

Register for the Class Action now

The registration form will load in a new window and will take no more than 5 minutes. Please ensure pop-ups are not blocked.
If you have any questions or require any assistance in registering for the class action, please contact our Wodonga PFAS Contamination Class Action team on 1800 066 173.

Other communities that are part of the PFAS Contamination Class Action

After successfully achieving justice for the Oakey and Katherine communities, Shine Lawyers are now seeking compensation for similarly contaminated areas surrounding Defence bases across Australia, including Bullsbrook, Darwin, Edinburgh, Richmond, Townsville and Wagga Wagga.

Case Documents

Statement of Claim

Contact Us

If you have any questions or require any assistance in registering for the class action, please contact our Wodonga PFAS Contamination Class Action team on 1800 066 173.

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Who is Shine Lawyers’ Class Action Team?

Shine Lawyers’ Class Action Team includes some of the firm’s most experienced solicitors and support staff. The team includes:

Jan Saddler profile
Jan Saddler
Joshua Aylward profile
Joshua Aylward
Tristan Gaven profile
Tristan Gaven
Alexandra Marlborough profile
Alexandra Marlborough
Caitlin Wilson profile
Caitlin Wilson

Common Questions

Per- and poly-fluoroalkyls (PFAS) are a class of harmful chemicals commonly found in products that reduce heat, stains, grease and water. They are common in many household products, such as carpets and non-stick cookware. PFAS are concerning because they do not naturally degrade. They are ingested by humans and animals, and accumulate in the body. A small amount of daily exposure can lead to high concentrations over time.

PFAS soil and groundwater contamination can lead to high levels of the chemical in drinking water, agricultural land, animals and residents.

The full effect on human health is not known.

This is a class action against the Commonwealth of Australia (Department of Defence) (Commonwealth). It is alleged that the Commonwealth negligently allowed contaminants within the fire-fighting foam, to escape from the Base, subsequently impacting the value of surrounding properties.

If you register as a 'Represented Class Member' of the PFAS Contamination Class Action you will be represented by Shine Lawyers and Litigation Capital Management (LCM), the company funding this class action.

If you register as a 'Registered Unrepresented Class Member' of the PFAS Contamination Class Action you will not enter into any contract with Shine Lawyers and Litigation Capital Management (LCM), the company funding this class action. Please note that in future, the Court may require you to contribute to the legal and administrative costs for this case out of any compensation you may receive.

If you have any questions or require assistance in completing your registration, please contact Shine Lawyers on 1800 066 173.

No. If the claim is unsuccessful the litigation funder will become liable to pay any adverse costs on behalf of all claimants.

Regardless of the outcome, the litigation funder and Shine Lawyers will only be repaid from any settlement or judgment amounts, not out of the claimants’ pockets.

It costs nothing to join the class action.

Legal fees are currently paid in part, and disbursements in full, by litigation funder Litigation Capital Management (LCM).

For the remaining legal fees, Shine Lawyers is acting on a No Win No Fee basis. This means the legal fees will only be recovered if the proceedings are successful.

If the Class Action is successful and a judgment of damages is awarded to the people of Wodonga, the costs and fees paid by LCM, to bring the proceedings to a successful outcome, will be deducted from the amount of damages received from the Commonwealth. The final legal costs will depend on the amount of work, and time, required to resolve the claim.

If the class action is successful, the amount of compensation will vary from property owner to property owner as it depends on your individual circumstances.

The Wodonga PFAS Contamination Class Action is seeking damages for property owners for economic loss. This includes the diminution in value to their property.