Dozens of police stations across Victoria will serve as official machete drop-off points during a three-month weapons amnesty starting 1 September, as the state becomes the first in Australia to outlaw the weapon.

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The Andrews government passed legislation in March to criminalise the possession of machetes, with offenders facing fines of up to $47,000 or jail time. While the law doesn’t come into effect until September, secure steel bins will be set up at 45 police stations to allow residents to dispose of the soon-to-be prohibited weapons without penalty.

Drop-off locations include police stations in known crime hotspots such as Dandenong, the City of Casey and Geelong: areas that have experienced a surge in home invasions involving knives. Additional bins will be placed in suburbs like Sunshine, Melton, Footscray, Heidelberg and Shepparton.

Breaking: Victorian Government to Introduce Machete Amnesty and Safety Disposal Bins

Starting September 1, 2025, owning or carrying a machete without approval will be illegal in Victoria. An amnesty period will run until November 30, 2025, with more than 40 safe disposal bins… pic.twitter.com/0XAnNZtVSK

— Rukshan Fernando (@therealrukshan) July 31, 2025

“These knives destroy lives, so we’re taking them off the streets,” Premier Jacinta Allan said. “Victorians have zero tolerance for knife crime and so do we – we’re enacting this ban and boosting Victoria Police’s powers because community safety always comes first.”

Exemptions will apply for those using machetes for legitimate purposes such as farming and land management. Since 2020, 23 men aged 25 and under have been fatally stabbed across the state.