The Gympie Music Muster has again broken the record for most containers returned at a Queensland event in the history of Containers for Change.
The music festival returned 452,687 eligible containers across four days (27-30 August 2026), overtaking last year’s record by more than 78,000 containers.
The more than $45,000 in 10-cent refunds were donated to the event’s official charity partner, prostate cancer awareness foundation Get Yourself Checked. The 2026 festival raised a total $150,880.88 for the foundation through armband refunds, container recycling, auctions, raffles and direct donations.
Gympie Music Muster CEO Greg Cavanagh said the result reflected the generosity of the Muster community and its strong commitment to supporting the festival’s charity partners.
“We are incredibly proud of what our community has achieved for Get Yourself Checked this year,” Mr Cavanagh said.
“Raising more than $150,000, our highest total to date, is outstanding and shows how deeply our festivalgoers value and support this important cause. To also collect 452,687 containers, breaking last year’s record, is another fantastic achievement.
“The Gympie Music Muster has always been about community, and this result shows what we can achieve when we come together behind a cause that can make a real difference to people’s lives.”
Gympie Music Muster is serviced by local Containers for Change operator Change Exchange, which runs two depots at Coolum Beach and Beerwah and offers container collection for events and commercial partners.
General Manager Steve Cox said Change Exchange was proud to build on the success of Queensland’s largest container return event.
“We pride ourselves on making container recycling easy for large events and we’re thrilled to see our team deliver a new record for the Gympie Music Muster,” Mr Cox said.
“Every container returned really does make difference. Giving people the chance to put their bottle or can in a dedicated Containers for Change bin helps reduce waste and puts real dollars back into the hands of organisers to reinvest into the community.”
Joe Fitzgerald, spokesperson for Container Exchange (COEX), the not-for-profit that runs Containers for Change, congratulated Gympie Music Muster on beating its record to be the biggest container return event in the scheme’s history.
“Gympie Music Muster is a nation-leading example of how events can keep containers out of landfill and raise vital funds for charity,” Mr Fitzgerald said.
“This remarkable achievement is thanks to partnership between the event organisers and local operator Change Exchange, as well as the thousands of Muster patrons who put their empties in the dedicated Containers for Change bins.”
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