A Containers for Change refund point established through a partnership with Woorabinda Aboriginal Shire Council is helping the Council address local waste challenges while creating new economic benefits for the community.
Since its first collection in September 2025, the Woorabinda pop-up has recovered more than 300,000 eligible containers, putting more than $30,000 in 10-cent refunds back into the community.
Serviced every second Thursday by operator Container Refund Rockhampton, the pop-up has been well supported by residents, with some collection days receiving up to 25,000 containers.
Before the pop-up was established, eligible containers were often disposed of in landfill due to the absence of kerbside recycling services, or residents were required to travel outside the community to access a refund point.
Trevor Evans, Interim Chief Executive Officer of Container Exchange, the not-for-profit that runs Containers for Change, praised the success of the Woorabinda pop-up following a visit to the community on 2 July.
“This partnership with Woorabinda Aboriginal Shire Council shows the value of working together to deliver Containers for Change services that are tailored to community needs while creating lasting benefits for the community,” Mr Evans said.
Kevin Bell, Chief Executive Officer of Woorabinda Aboriginal Shire Council, said the pop-up had quickly become a valuable community initiative.
“The benefits of the pop-up stay right here in Woorabinda, with local people helping to create positive outcomes for our community every time they return their containers,” Mr Bell said.
“The partnership is keeping our community clean, putting money back into local hands and giving people a simple way to look after our Country for future generations. We look forward to seeing the positive impact continue to grow.”
Angela West, General Manager of Container Refund Rockhampton said the response from the Woorabinda community had been fantastic.
“The strong support from residents shows how important access to Containers for Change is, and we’re delighted to play our part in ensuring as many eligible containers as possible are diverted from landfill and recycled through the scheme,” Ms West said.
Media Contact:
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e | media@containerexchange.com.au
