Gunnedah Shire Council's Waste Deposition Centre is proving to be a winner.
The centre at Gunnedah Waste Management Facility won the Outstanding WARR Project: Regional category in November at the 2025 Waste Innovation & Recycling Awards in partnership with Container Waste Solutions. It was also a finalist in the Outstanding Innovation, Project, or Facility category of the 2025 Australian Landfill and Transfer Station Awards in July.
Opened in October 2024, the LBin Waste Transfer Station designed by Container Waste Solutions, has reduced the need for the public to dispose of their rubbish in the main landfill site and effectively delivers safer, compliant operations at a small cost while exceeding performance expectations. The centre was funded through Council's Waste Management budget.
Council's Manager Waste Sheridan Cameron said the previous process of the public depositing waste directly at the landfill created safety and compliance challenges, so the centre was a positive step forward for the community.
"Essentially, the centre is four covered concrete bays with bucket-shaped bins where residents can deposit their rubbish. When the bins are full, they can be removed by a staff member using a front-end wheel loader and the contents deposited in landfill," she said.
"It's a great initiative to educate the community to be more waste-minded, and it also makes depositing your rubbish a safer, cleaner and more pleasant experience," she said.
"The community feedback has been that it is a great area to unload to compared to the main landfill area.
"It also reduces the potential of accidents, ensures safety of users and employees, and enables employees to identify waste that is considered hazardous and capture it before it goes to the main landfill and disposing of it correctly. Examples include e-waste and tyres."
Mrs Cameron said there were also a cost-saving for the ratepayer because staff could control the placement of waste in the landfill cell, which maximised landfill space.
Other regional councils have inspected the Deposition Centre since it was opened and applied for grants to install a similar set-up in their respective Council areas.
"It's fantastic that this Council initiative in the Gunnedah Shire is leading by example and other councils are eager to get on board as well," Mrs Cameron said.
"It just goes to show that innovation in waste is no small thing, and everyone benefits."
Caption: Gunnedah Shire Council's Manager Waste Sheridan Cameron in the Deposition Centre at the Gunnedah Waste Management Facility.
