Taking a car boot of general waste to the tip costs $25–78 in Australia's capitals in 2026-27, and bulk loads $217–$505 per tonne depending on the city and the gate: Sydney's Kimbriki charges $505 per tonne, Brisbane City Council $264.60 (domestic) or $345.40 (commercial), Melbourne's eastern gates $406–452, Perth $217–$315 and Adelaide's hills gates $221 plus GST. The spread is mostly the state landfill levy, which runs from $90 per tonne in Perth to $180.20 in metropolitan Sydney, plus each operator's handling and GST. This page compares the published figures city by city and links to the facility-level pages.
Capital city tip fees at a glance (general waste)
| City | Car boot, general waste | Bulk rate, general waste | State levy per tonne, 2026-27 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Melbourne | $30–78 | $220–250 per m³ (council); $406–452 per tonne (eastern gates); Bingo $300 per tonne ex GST | $177.19 |
| Sydney | $45 (resident) / $60 minimum at Kimbriki | Kimbriki $505 per tonne; Bingo $440–510 per tonne ex GST | $180.20 (MLA) |
| Brisbane | $25.60 (car, up to 500 kg) | BCC $264.60 domestic / $345.40 commercial per tonne; Bingo $290–310 per tonne ex GST | $135.00 (metro, ex GST) |
| Perth | $46–51 (Red Hill, Balcatta) | Tamala Park $291.50; Red Hill $236; Balcatta $315; Henderson commercial $217 per tonne | $90.00 |
| Adelaide | $40.50–63 (Heathfield, SRWRA) | Adelaide Hills RC $221 per tonne + GST (commercial); SRWRA $280 per tonne (2024-25 list) | Set by SA EPA |
Two things explain the ranking. Sydney and Melbourne carry the two highest levies in the country, so their gates cluster at $400–500 per tonne inclusive. Perth's levy is half of Melbourne's, and Perth's council-run regional facilities (Red Hill, Tamala Park) price close to cost, so a tonne there is $217–$315. Brisbane's council gates are cheap for residents because Brisbane City Council subsidises domestic disposal and issues ten free vouchers a year, while charging commercial loads 30% more per tonne.
State landfill levies 2026-27
| State | Levy per tonne | Source |
|---|---|---|
| New South Wales | $180.20 metropolitan levy area; $103.80 regional levy area | EPA NSW, from 1 July 2026 |
| Victoria | $177.19 metropolitan; $88.42 rural municipal, $155.95 rural industrial | EPA Victoria, from 1 July 2026 |
| Queensland | $135.00 metro zone (before GST), rising $10 a year to $145 in July 2027 | Queensland Government, from 1 July 2026 |
| Western Australia | $90.00 Perth metropolitan region ($93 scheduled for 2027-28) | WA waste levy rate schedule |
| South Australia | Set annually by the SA EPA; check epa.sa.gov.au for the current metropolitan rate | SA EPA |
| Tasmania | Flat statewide levy; check the Tasmanian Government schedule for 2026-27 | Tasmanian Government |
| ACT | No levy; gate fees only | ACT Government |
The levy is charged to the landfill operator per tonne and passed through to you inside every general-waste gate fee and every commercial bin lift. Recycled, composted and recovered material carries no levy, which is why cardboard, metal, e-waste and batteries are free or nearly free at most gates in every state. Our levy-by-state guide covers the mechanics.
What is free almost everywhere
Cardboard and paper, scrap metal, car batteries, e-waste under the national scheme (computers, televisions, peripherals), fluorescent globes and, at most council sites, household paint and motor oil in small volumes. Kimbriki adds clothing and gas bottles; Brisbane City Council takes residential recycling free at the undercover area; Perth's West Metro Recycling Centre takes household hazardous waste and e-waste free for member-council residents. Mattresses ($33–$89), tyres ($10–$60) and polystyrene (Kimbriki $2,000 per tonne, Brisbane $1,618.30 per load) are charged everywhere.
Resident, non-resident and commercial pricing
Council-run facilities generally run two or three price columns and check a driver licence or rates notice. Kimbriki charges residents a $45 minimum and everyone else $60; Brisbane City Council charges commercial loads $345.40 per tonne against $264.60 for domestic; Melbourne's Monash centre charges $250 per cubic metre to non-residents against $220. Private and regional-council commercial gates (Bingo, Red Hill, Henderson) charge one rate to everyone, usually by weight, and are open to trucks that council sites turn away.
For a business in any Australian city: tip runs versus a scheduled bin
Gate fees are for occasional loads. Once someone is driving to the tip every week, a scheduled bin is almost always cheaper: the collector's per-lift price already contains the state levy, and it removes the vehicle, the fuel and the hour of someone's time each trip. Bundle Waste's published benchmarks are Melbourne's (a weekly-collected 1100L general-waste bin is $110–245 a month there in 2026); for any Australian city we benchmark quotes on request against the same provider network. Send your last invoice and we will tell you whether the gate or the bin is winning.
Ways to pay less at the gate
- Sort before you go. Cardboard, scrap metal, e-waste and batteries are free at most facilities; hidden recyclables inside a mixed load are charged at the general rate.
- Know the minimum charge. Small loads are billed at the minimum regardless of weight; combine half-loads.
- Use the weighbridge for dense waste. Soil, concrete and timber are usually cheaper by the tonne than by trailer size, and clean concrete or brick has its own low rate at most gates.
- Green waste separately. Typically 40–60% cheaper than general waste at the same facility.
- Resident vouchers where your council issues them; they never apply to commercial loads.
City guides
- Melbourne tip fees 2026-27: 14 facilities, with a page for each major gate.
- Sydney tip fees 2026-27: Kimbriki and Bingo's eight Sydney recycling centres.
- Brisbane tip fees 2026-27: Brisbane City Council's four resource recovery centres and Bingo Queensland.
- Perth tip fees 2026-27: Tamala Park, Red Hill, Balcatta, West Metro and Henderson.
- Adelaide tip fees 2026: Adelaide Hills, Heathfield, Southern (SRWRA) and Northern (NAWMA) facilities.
Sources
- EPA NSW, Waste levy rates for 2026-27; EPA Victoria, Waste levy; Queensland Government, Levy rates; WA Government, Waste levy rate schedule
- Kimbriki, Price list (1 July 2026); BINGO Industries gate rates NSW, QLD and VIC from 1 July 2026
- Brisbane City Council, Resource recovery centres
- Mindarie Regional Council, Tamala Park fees 2026/27; EMRC, Red Hill fees 2026-27; City of Stirling, Recycling Centre Balcatta; City of Cockburn, Henderson commercial waste fees
- Adelaide Hills Recycling Centre, Rubbish dump fees; AHRWMA, Heathfield fee schedule (July 2025); SRWRA, Gate fees 2024-25
Frequently asked questions
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