It is one of Australia's most deadly towns and described as the most contaminated site in the Southern Hemisphere, but the three remaining residents of Wittenoom have steadfastly refused to budge.

Key points: WA Government aims to legislate compulsory acquisition of Wittenoom residents' properties

WA Government aims to legislate compulsory acquisition of Wittenoom residents' properties More than 2,000 deaths linked to blue asbestos mining town, where operations ceased in 1966

More than 2,000 deaths linked to blue asbestos mining town, where operations ceased in 1966 Expert says site may never be safe for human habitation

Successive state governments have attempted to buy them out since the blue asbestos mining town, in Western Australia's remote Pilbara region, was formally degazetted in 2007.

Now, with tourists increasingly visiting and posting photos on social media from the contaminated site, the State Government says it has no choice.

It will introduce legislation into Parliament today to compulsorily acquire the remaining five homes, and force out the final three residents once and for all.

"There are only three remaining residents who are simply refusing to sell their property to the state on a voluntary basis," WA Treasurer and Lands Minister Ben Wyatt said.

"So unfortunately, for their own protection and the protection of tourists who travel through the Pilbara region of Western Australia, we are now required to introduce legislation to compulsorily acquire those properties.

"The reason we need to do that is because we need to ensure those properties can't be bequeathed to other people, and we need to ensure that the town itself no longer encourages tourists to come onto the location."

Town stumps governments for generations

Not much remains of Wittenoom, once a thriving asbestos mining town. ( Reuters: Tim Wimborne, file photo )

The question of what to do with Wittenoom has plagued governments for more than 50 years, since 1966 when it was closed for good.

Wittenoom: 1946-2007 The town of Wittenoom once lived and breathed blue asbestos

The town of Wittenoom once lived and breathed blue asbestos It was built at the entrance of Wittenoom Gorge in 1946, to house workers who returned home coated in deadly dust from the mine and mill 10 kilometres away

It was built at the entrance of Wittenoom Gorge in 1946, to house workers who returned home coated in deadly dust from the mine and mill 10 kilometres away Its roads were paved with asbestos tailings

Its roads were paved with asbestos tailings By 1961, a former Wittenoom miner was diagnosed with mesothelioma and died, the first of more than 300 former mine workers to die of the disease

By 1961, a former Wittenoom miner was diagnosed with mesothelioma and died, the first of more than 300 former mine workers to die of the disease The mine was closed for good in 1966, and the town's population peak of approximately 20,000 people began to rapidly decline

The mine was closed for good in 1966, and the town's population peak of approximately 20,000 people began to rapidly decline The WA Government officially struck Wittenoom from the map in 2007

It was built on the doorstep of the Wittenoom Gorge in 1946 to house workers at the nearby blue asbestos mine.

Hundreds of deaths have been linked to the mining activity, and the entire town is a declared contamination site.

The surrounding country remains littered with deadly blue asbestos tailings.

But still, tourists continue to flock to the site.

"The danger of blue asbestos is well-known and well-documented," Mr Wyatt said.

"Unfortunately those few remaining residents at the Wittenoom site do invite people on and do encourage tourists to visit Wittenoom and the surrounding gorges.

"That is an incredible danger to the health of those people.

Despite its lethal history, Wittenoom resident Mario Hartmann continues to welcome tourists. ( ABC News: Melanie Garrick, file photo )

"With history, people sometimes forget, and as a result you are seeing people posting pictures of themselves on Facebook and on Instagram highlighting the fact that they are in one of the world's most contaminated sites.

"I don't think they appreciate the danger that they've put themselves into.

"This is ensuring that in the future people don't continue to go onto the site of Wittenoom, don't wander through the gorges, and don't put themselves in such significant danger."

Government buys up properties

Over the past 12 years, the WA Government has successfully negotiated the voluntary purchase of 21 properties.

In its heyday, Wittenoom had a population of over 20,000 — and a popular racecourse. ( Supplied: State Library of Western Australia )

The remaining five properties and three residents will be offered generous compensation — $325,000 for a primary residence and another $65,000 if they own a second property.

The Government would also contribute $50,000 to moving costs, Mr Wyatt said.

It had previously made three offers to the remaining residents, all of which were rejected.

"They [the residents] know that this is certainly the only option that the state has," he said.

"We are ensuring the compensation is more than reasonable, in fact it is generous because we understand that those who live there don't want to leave. They've made that very clear to the state.

"It's the end of a long, long process. One that we'd prefer not to take, but one that is necessary."

The Government hopes the legislation will pass parliament by the end of the year, and that the residents will chose to relocate of their own volition.

Nationals MP Vince Catania said he would examine the legislation, but agreed something needed to be done about the former town.

He said the town was also a huge financial burden on the local council, and the government should consider whether it should be excised from their responsibility.

'May never be safe'

Mr Wyatt will meet with Banjima traditional owners in the next couple of weeks to discuss what can be further done to clean up the area.

But he conceded that it was unlikely the legacy of Wittenoom would ever be eradicated.

Asbestos tailings at Wittenoom Gorge are clearly visible to this day. ( ABC RN: Kirsti Melville )

"I don't think we can actually ever make that area entirely safe for human habitation because it's been well described that Wittenoom is perhaps the most contaminated site in the Southern Hemisphere," Mr Wyatt said.