A round-up of community composting news, views and happenings
What we mean when we say “community composting”
LOCCAL is working hard to support the amazing work of community composters and to influence conversation and policy around the role of community composting in Australia’s circular economy.
But what exactly do we mean by community composting?
We’re talking about decentralised, cooperative processing of organic materials, mostly food scraps and garden waste, within local areas such as neighbourhoods, schools, apartment complexes or towns. It’s typically participatory and citizen-led, engaging multiple actors in the collection, treatment and use of compost produced close to where the waste is generated. Operations are small to medium scale and use a variety of technologies. These initiatives minimise transportation, keep nutrients circulating locally, and deliver social, environmental and educational benefits to their communities.
Community composting comes in many organisational forms: volunteer-run, not-for-profit, social enterprise, small business, or local government-led models. They tend to be intentionally structured to maximise community involvement and deliver social, ecological and economic benefits at the local scale. Some of the examples around the country include:
Composting on the footpath – Sustainable Chippendale, Sydney
People-Powered Composting Network in Kensington, Melbourne
Hot Composting at the University of Tasmania
Composting hospitality waste on Loop Growers’ farm near Brisbane
Composting coffee shop scraps in Adelaide – Semaphore Compost Network
Dumpster diving and backyard composting in Canberra
Community composting in high-rise apartments, Melbourne
Monthly Coffee and Compost gatherings in Singleton, NSW
Community Composting in a community garden in Denmark Kwoorabup, WA
Connecting home composters all over Australia with Peels App
Yes, In My Backyard (YIMBY) Composters in Castlemaine, VIC
Council support Community Compost Hubs in Brisbane
Inner-city neighbourly composting in Fitzroy, Melbourne
These initiatives vary in methods, infrastructures, techniques, people, cultures, species, scales and forms of labour – both paid and unpaid. They’re shaped by differing attitudes, worldviews, laws, risks and goals, and operate within broader contexts of climate change, colonial legacies, and ongoing struggles for justice and sustainability that manifest differently across communities and places.
Join us! It’s free and it’s good for you and your community!
To support these initiatives, we really want to build our membership. Please encourage your friends and colleagues to join LOCCAL.
Whether you’re a crack community composter, a backyard composter who takes in grass clippings from your neighbours, or someone who supports composters with cakes and tea (a community compost ally) – whatever your role, we want to hear from you!
Why Join?
- Connect with like-minded composters and compost champions
- Learn, share and grow community-based composting
- Have your say in shaping community composting across Australia
- Access valuable resources, knowledge and support
We host regular gatherings where members exchange ideas, hear from experts, and get involved in community composting. Whether it’s workshops, site visits, working bees, or casual meet-ups, there’s always something happening.
This month’s articles and videos
Video: School Gardens Done Right: St Laurence’s College
Jonathan Sriranganathan takes us on a tour of an inspiring garden tucked into the concrete landscape of St Laurence’s College in South Brisbane. This school is walking the talk with on-site composting, an aquaponics system featuring jade perch and goldfish, free-range eggs, and organic herbs and vegetables. Most materials are recycled, donated, or sourced second-hand, and the manual arts students have built the garden beds and benches as part of their woodwork classes. This is education in action!
Blog post: Reconnecting with Dirt: What Community Composting Has Meant for Me
While we celebrate community composting initiatives across Australia, we also love learning from and sharing the work of composters around the world. This beautiful piece by Evie English is republished with permission from the Lancashire Sustainable Food Network’s Food Futures website.
Video: The Amazing Universe that is Soil and Why It Matters!
Did you know a single teaspoon of healthy soil can hold up to 10 billion organisms? These tiny creatures drive the processes that make life on Earth possible – from growing our food to regulating our climate. Yet soil remains one of the least understood ecosystems, largely invisible to our urban world. In this video, Eli Court, CEO of Soils for Life, uncovers the incredible life within soil, why it matters for food, water, energy, climate, biodiversity and human health, and how farmers can lead the way in regenerating our most precious natural asset. Watch to discover why saving soil means saving ourselves. Watch here.
Coming up around the country
Here’s a tiny snapshot of some compost/soil/community/sustainability-focused events coming up in February. See our What’s On Guide for more events:
ACT: Green Drinks Canberra
10 February | King O’Malley’s, Canberra
A monthly event for socialising and professional networking for those interested in environmental sustainability. Meet like-minded people, make friends and contacts, learn about interesting projects and organisations, and discuss and collaborate on projects.
SA: Composting for Beginners: Turn Your Scraps into Soil
12 February | Bower Cottages Community Centre, Semaphore Park
Join the Composting Group at Bower Cottages for a friendly, beginner-focused session breaking down the basics of composting and worm farms.
VIC: YIMBY ‘Continuous Hot Composting’ Workshop
15 February | Castlemaine
Learn how to make really good compost with the innovative YIMBY ‘Continuous Hot Compost’ method. Join Joel Meadows and Mikaela Beckley for this 3-hour intensive, hands-on composting workshop. Suitable for anyone wishing to learn more about hot composting and an essential first step to becoming a YIMBY community composter.
TAS: Home Composting Workshop
22 February | Hobart
In this free workshop you’ll learn how to compost with chickens, small compost bins, large compost bays and piles, compost worm farms, and more. Run by Good Life Permaculture and supported by the City of Hobart through the Waste Education Program.
ONLINE: Debunking Home Dog Poo Composting Myths
26 February
This webinar will explore the myths, facts and current science about composting dog poo at home, offering an enviro-friendly solution for transforming pet waste into something environmentally beneficial rather than sending it to landfill.
Speaker: Dr Emily Bryson, Science Lecturer, Central Queensland University
NSW: Compost: Nature’s No-Waste Hack
15 February | Maitland
Join Dr Ernie Harbott to learn the foundations of composting and explore the connections between healthy soils, compost and growing food. Expect practical tips you can apply at home, whether you garden on a farm, in a backyard, or on a balcony.
QLD: Creating a Happy Plant Environment
11 February | Kalkie
Learn about soils and soil improvement, composting as the secret weapon to a thriving garden, choosing the right fertilisers, and understanding the importance and benefits of mulch for plant health.
Keep composting, keep connecting, and keep building soil communities!
In community,
The LOCCAL Team
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