What the job involves
Green waste builds up fast in a Bendigo garden. Spring growth gets cut back, gums drop bark and branches through summer, autumn brings leaves, and storms leave limbs on the lawn. Bins fill up in a week, and not everyone has a trailer or wants to spend a Saturday at the tip.
We come with a caged trailer, load the garden waste by hand, and rake up the ground underneath so there's no mess left where the pile was. Branches are cut down with loppers and a bow saw so they pack in tightly, which keeps the number of loads, and the cost, down.
In Greater Bendigo, garden waste goes to the City's Eaglehawk Landfill, where it's kept separate from general rubbish. In Castlemaine and district it goes to the Castlemaine Transfer Station on Sluicers Road. Mixed loads cost more and recycle less, so we keep green waste clean of other rubbish.
This service is often added on to a gardening or clean-up job, but it works fine on its own. Point at the pile, and it's gone.
How it works, step by step
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Show us the pile
Send a photo or two and tell us roughly how much there is, and whether the trailer can get close or it all has to be carried out.
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Fixed price
We quote a fixed price based on the volume and the access. You'll know the total before we turn up.
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Load and rake up
We cut long branches down to size, load everything by hand, and rake and sweep the area so it's clean underneath.
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Take it to be recycled
The load goes to the council facility that takes green waste, where it's kept out of landfill.
What's included
- Prunings, hedge clippings and branches we can lift by hand
- Grass clippings, leaves and bark
- Weeds, old plants and spent annuals
- Cutting branches down to size so they pack tightly
- Raking and sweeping up after loading
- The tip fees for the green waste
Not included
- Household rubbish, building waste or furniture
- Soil, rubble, rocks or bricks
- Stumps, or logs too heavy for two people to lift
- Anything hazardous, such as paint tins, chemicals or gas bottles
How pricing works
Green waste removal is priced by volume, which means how much of the trailer it fills, plus how hard it is to get the material to the trailer. A pile beside the driveway is quicker than one at the bottom of a sloping backyard behind a narrow side gate.
Our loads are commercial, so disposal fees are part of the price. We'd rather be upfront about that. If you have a trailer and the time, Bendigo residents can drop off domestic garden waste at Eaglehawk Landfill free of charge, within the City's limits. Mount Alexander Shire also runs a free green-waste period for residents each spring. For everyone else, we confirm a fixed price before we start.
What we don't do
- Hazardous waste of any kind, including chemicals, paint, oils and gas bottles
- Asbestos, or anything that might contain it
- General household rubbish or hard waste
- Tree felling or cutting up large trunks
Common questions
Can't I just put it in my green bin?
For small amounts, yes, and it's free. In Greater Bendigo the lime-green-lid organics bin is collected weekly and takes prunings up to 100 mm thick that fit in the bin. We're for the pile that would take your bin months to get through.
Where does the green waste end up?
Bendigo loads go to the City's Eaglehawk Landfill, where garden waste is accepted separately from general rubbish. Castlemaine and district loads go to the Castlemaine Transfer Station on Sluicers Road.
Is there a free green waste period in Castlemaine?
Mount Alexander Shire runs one for residents. This year it's Saturday 31 October to Sunday 15 November 2026 at the Castlemaine and Maldon transfer stations, with proof of residence. The waste must be free of rubbish and noxious weeds. Check the Shire's page for the conditions.
Does Mount Alexander Shire have a green bin?
Not yet. The Shire currently has no kerbside organics collection and plans to introduce a food and garden organics service from July 2027. Until then, garden waste has to go to a transfer station or be composted at home.
Do you take soil or old pavers along with the garden waste?
No. Soil, rock and rubble aren't green waste, and a load with them mixed in is charged as general waste, which costs everyone more. We take garden material only and can tell you where to take the rest.
Do I need to be home?
Not if the pile is easy to reach from outside. Leave the gate unlocked, tell us where it is, and we'll send a photo of the cleared spot when we're done.