New Garden Organic Service

GO stands for Garden Organics material. GO bins are designed for your garden waste. This organic waste will be collected fortnightly and then processed into a suitable product. This allows for nutrients to be returned to the environment in parks, gardens and farms.

Council is committed to rolling out the new service from July 2026 to eligible properties that meet service criteria. Upon delivery, eligible properties will receive an information pack to inform them about the GO bin.

For eligible vacant land within the GO service locality, a future GO service will commence upon construction of a domestic residence.

A GO service would cease where a domestic residence is demolished on a property with Council approval.

• Reduce landfill - by separating garden waste, more organic material can be diverted for re-use rather than ending up in landfill.
• Reduce costs - diverting organics effectively reduces costs associated with landfill disposal fees and the Queensland Waste Levy, which helps to keep waste charges lower over time as the waste levy increases in the long term.
• Environmental benefits - composting organic waste reduces emissions and returns nutrients to the soil through compost and mulch.

• Barney Point
• Boyne Island
• Calliope
• Clinton
• Gladstone Central
• Glen Eden
• Kin Kora
• Kirkwood
• New Auckland
• O’Connell
• South Gladstone
• Sun Valley
• Tannum Sands
• Telina
• Toolooa
• West Gladstone.

The new Garden Organics (GO) service will start in July 2026 in the higher-density areas of our region.  This helps us to ensure the collection routes, processing activities, and service costs are well established before expanding further.

Localities that aren’t listed are not part of the initial rollout and GO collection vehicles will not be servicing these areas. In the future, these areas will be considered for inclusion to grow the service via a service request, community consultation, community forums. When that happens, the GO service will be mandatory for properties that meet the service criteria in the expanded localities - just like in the initial rollout.

Council is committed to engaging with communities about future expansion. Resident feedback will help guide decisions as Council continues to plan and assess the growth and expansion of the GO service beyond July 2026. 

The following domestic property types located within in the identified suburbs will receive the GO service: 

• Standalone houses (single-unit dwellings)
• Properties up to (and including) a maximum size of 2,000 m².

The following domestic property types are not currently included to receive the GO service: 

• Multi-use dwellings (units, apartments, townhouses, duplexes)
• Rural and rural residential zoned properties.

Council is currently outworking the fees and charges for the new GO service to cover the cost of collecting, processing and administering the service, and remains focused on providing residents with the best value for the new service.

The service will be offered on a fortnightly basis. Collection days will be fortnightly on the opposite week to recycling bin collection. Please make sure your bins are correctly placed on the kerbside and spaced 1 metre apart.

A 240L bin with a green lid.

Yes, domestic properties not meeting GO service conditions may apply to opt-in if:

• Located in a GO service locality; and
• A GO collection vehicle passes the property.

Once approved, cannot opt-out.

Opt-in allows multi-unit dwellings, properties over 2,000 m² in size and rural and rural residential zoned properties to apply and be included in the GO service following service commencement from July 2026.

No. Properties located in the suburbs to receive the new GO service and that meet GO service conditions will receive a GO service from 1 July 2026.

• Flowers
• Garden pruning  
• Grass clippings  
• Leaves and loose bark 
• Shrubs  
• Weeds  

• Compostable items like paper plates, wooden spoons, coffee cups and lids 
• Doggy poo bags 
• Fruit or food scraps 
• Garden accessories like pots, ropes, garden hose.
• General Waste 
• General waste items that belong in your red bin 
• Large logs, branches and stumps – these make the bin too heavy to service 
• Plastic bags  
• Recyclable items like e-waste or clothing that can be taken to you closest transfer station 
• Recyclable items that belong in your yellow lid bin 
• Stones, concrete or masonry.

The GO service will not replace the existing kerbside collection services.

Residents should continue using the recycling bin as usual by separating recyclable materials from general waste. The GO service is specifically designed to collect organic garden waste and promote resource recovery.

Businesses and commercial properties play an important part in recovering organic materials and Council is considering how they can be included in the future expansion of the GO service. 

Yes, special GO bin trucks will collect your garden organics to be delivered to the dedicated resource recovery area to be processed into a suitable reusable product.

If your household generates more garden organics, options may include: 

• Applying for an additional GO bin
• Taking your additional garden organics to a Council waste facility
• Acquiring the services of a local green organics collector.  

Sort your GO bin right by making a green GO bin lasagne.  

Ingredients: 

Dry garden organic material 

Wet garden organic material 

Method:  

1. Place dry ingredients like twigs and small branches on the base.  

2. Place your grass clippings over as these tend to be wet. 

3. Cover with dry garden materials. 

4. Make sure the lid closes and nothing is poking out.  

NOTE: materials must be placed loose in the bin and NOT in plastic bags or boxes.