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The Rural Clean-Up Program is an annual skip bin service offered to several Hinchinbrook Shire rural communities. Recently, the service has been offered in the following areas:
- Long Pocket;
- Crystal Creek;
- Mount Fox;
- Stone River;
- Abergowrie;
- Bambaroo; and
- Hawkins Creek.
The purpose of the program is to allow for these rural communities to prepare for the upcoming cyclone season. Each area has been provided with two skip bins to cater for the separation of general waste and scrap metals.
A recent review of the program shows that the annual cost lies around $30,393, equating to $596.88 per tonne of waste collected.
| Location | General Waste (T) | Steel (T) | Cost Contractor | Gate Fees @ $72.72/T | $/T | |
| Abergowrie | 12.66 | 3.6 | $8,282 | $921 | $632.16 | |
| Bambaroo | 5.54 | 1.44 | $2,670 | $403 | $507.71 | |
| Crystal Creek | 0.42 | 0.68 | $1,614 | $31 | $1,527.50 | |
| Hawkins Creek | 6 | 3.06 | $3,399 | $436 | $479.62 | |
| Long Pocket | 3.6 | 2.9 | $4,111 | $262 | $719.82 | |
| Mount Fox | 1.52 | 1.7 | $2,760 | $111 | $931.60 | |
| Stone River | 3.94 | 3.86 | $5,107 | $287 | $734.42 | |
| TOTALS | 33.68 | 17.24 | $27,943 | $2,450 | $596.88 | $30,393 |
Table 1: Total program costs for 2021
The developing issue of future waste levy impacts on the Hinchinbrook community, combined with the need to drastically reduce waste to landfill, in line with 2050 State targets, has seen Council actively searching for a more effective, as well as cost efficient, program. The purpose of the program would be to assist all Shire ratepayers, not just those in rural areas, in the disposal of outdoor items that could be potentially hazardous in the event of a storm or cyclone.
Council is therefore proposing a renewed clean-up program prior to storm season, via the Storm Season Clean Up Program. This program will offer two annual dump days where eligible items can be disposed of and is open to all Hinchinbrook Shire households.
Acceptable items include domestically sourced outdoor play equipment, outdoor furniture, barbeques, scrap metal and green waste. These items can become airborne in a storm or cyclone and cause injury and damage to property.
Council would like to hear your thoughts on whether the Storm Season Clean Up Program should be offered in place of the existing Rural Clean Up Program. The consultation period will close midnight Sunday 17 April 2022.
To provide feedback, please complete the Survey Monkey below. For further information, please contact Council's Waste Services team on 4776 4600 or waste@hinchinbrook.qld.gov.au.