New Gympie dump likely after Bonnick Rd shuts

The future of Gympie’s rubbish services has likely been revealed as Bonnick Rd brims with trash, following a decision one councillor called a ‘pre-emptive strike’.

Councillor Bob Fredman says the decision to spend $1m on a new compactor means the council is essentially committing itself to a new dump once Bonnick Rd closes.

A new regional dump appears to be on the cards to replace the rapidly filling Bonnick Rd site with the council launching a “pre-emptive strike” by way of a $1m machine.

Councillor Bob Fredman said the proposed purchase of a new compactor despite the existing dump being on borrowed time likely signalled what direction the council was headed when it came to rubbish services.

The future of where Gympie’s rubbish will ultimately wind up remains under a cloud.

An expansion to Bonnick Rd has been approved, but staff said this would only increase its lifespan by about three years.

Mr Fredman said a recent refurbishment of the council’s existing compactor, which would allow it to run for another two years, meant “we are spending $900,000 on a new compactor which will only be used for one year unless we establish a new rubbish tip”.

“This purchase will facilitate us creating a new dump,” Mr Fredman said.

“It’s a pre-emptive strike, I hope it pays off.”

The lifespan of the Bonnick Rd dump has been extended by another three years, but what happens when it finally does shut remains unclear.

Sustainability director Adrian Burns said the long term picture was when Bonnick Rd closed “we would have an alternate regional landfill in place”.

“This compactor would simply move to that site,” Mr Burns said.

Further extensions to Bonnick Rd were still possible too, he said.

Councillors were told no decisions had been made but an update would be presented at its early November workshop.

Councillor Shane Waldock queried whether it would be better to delay a decision on spending $1m on a new compactor until after an expected November update on the future of the region’s waste services, and was told delaying a decision widened the risk of the council’s existing machine breaking down.

Shane Waldock questioned if it would be better delaying a decision on the new compactor until the update.

Councillors were told delaying the purchase increased the risk of the existing machine breaking down and putting the council in a bind.

Bruce Devereaux tried to put Mr Fredman’s mind at ease about the risk of buying the machine now.

“We can always sell it,” Mr Devereaux said, referring to the likely sale of a $420,000 truck bought by the council in March 2021 despite Mr Fredman’s objections.

Mr Burns said refurbishing the council’s compactor was almost as expensive as buying a new one.

The purchase of the new compactor was unanimously supported by councillors.

Originally published as New Gympie dump likely after Bonnick Rd shuts