Rockhampton Regional Council will introduce updated weekend opening hours and a new commercial customer trial at the Gracemere Waste Facility next month.
Starting 1 March 2026, the facility will open its doors earlier on Saturday and Sunday, with hours shifting to 7am to 3pm, and weekday hours remaining unchanged from 9am to 3pm.
Waste and Recycling Councillor Shane Latcham said the changes are aimed at improving access and to better understand the needs of local commercial operators.
"Changing weekend hours at Gracemere gives the community earlier access to the facility, which we know is particularly important for people who prefer to visit in the cooler part of the day," Councillor Latcham said.
"At the same time, Council will be running a three-month commercial customer trial to better understand demand and whether this type of service could work long-term.
"The trial will apply only at the Gracemere Waste Facility and will allow Gracemere-based commercial operators, using vehicles of 4.5 tonnes GVM or less, to dispose of cardboard and scrap metal, including white goods."
Cr Latcham said those taking part in the trial will need to follow specific requirements to ensure safe and efficient operations.
"We're asking commercial customers to do a few simple things that make a big difference to how safely and smoothly the site can operate," Cr Latcham said.
Commercial customers must:
- Sort their loads so cardboard and scrap metal are separated from other waste types, which aren't permitted for disposal.
- Remove polystyrene from inside cardboard and place it in the polystyrene recycling trailer
- Note: commercial loads of polystyrene are not permitted as part of this trial.
- Remove general waste from cardboard and scrap metal, such as plastic strapping and soft plastics, which can be found in cardboard packaging.
- Note: only small amounts of residual waste will be accepted at the Gracemere Waste Facility, less than 240 litres in size and will be charged at the minimum charge for commercial general waste disposal.
Divisional Councillor Edward Oram welcomed the trial and encouraged local Gracemere commercial operators to take advantage of the new arrangements.
"Gracemere is growing, and this trial is an important step in understanding how our facilities can better support both the community and local operators," Cr Oram said.
"It gives us the opportunity to see how commercial and domestic customers can safely and efficiently share the site, and whether this type of service is something that would benefit operators in the long-term.
"We're asking everyone to be patient and considerate of staff as they adjust daily operations to accommodate the trial, particularly in these early weeks.
"Council will also have operational controls in place to safely manage vehicle movements and interactions between domestic and commercial customers throughout the trial period."
Council will review the findings of the trial after the three‑month period concludes and consider the long-term feasibility of the service.
