Eligible residential properties get two hard waste and two mattress collections each financial year; bookings are compulsory, made online or by phoning 5272 5444. Accepted items include whitegoods, furniture, appliances and small amounts of timber up to 1.5 metres.
Your kerbside bins#
- Red lid, general waste
Standard three-bin residential collection for rubbish, recycling and garden/green waste. Each year Council turns about 35,000 tonnes of garden bin material into compost.
- Yellow lid, recycling
Rinsed bottles, jars, cans, paper and cardboard, placed loose. Check the council page for glass and soft plastics rules in your area.
- Green lid, organics
The green waste bin is part of the three-bin service; material is composted into high-quality compost.
The lid colours follow Australian Standard AS 4123 nationally, but the accepted-item list is set by City of Greater Geelong. See what bin does it go in for the item-by-item answers, and the purple glass bin rollout for where a fourth lid is arriving.
Getting a collection in City of Greater Geelong#
City of Greater Geelong takes the booking, sets the date and decides what it will lift, so have your address and an item list ready before you start. Most councils cap the volume per booking, and the rule above is the one that applies here.
How booked and scheduled collections differ across the country is covered in hard rubbish collection in Australia.
When your bin goes out#
Collection day is set by your street address, not by the council area, so this guide does not carry per-street dates and will not guess one. The service pattern for City of Greater Geelong is below; City of Greater Geelong publishes the day itself.
Garden and food organics in City of Greater Geelong#
The green waste bin is part of the three-bin service; material is composted into high-quality compost.
Whether a green bin takes food scraps as well as garden material depends on the service your council runs. See the FOGO bin explained, and the item pages for food scraps and garden waste.
Quick answers for tricky items#
The short answer for the items households most often get wrong. Each links to the full rule, which City of Greater Geelong can still vary locally.
- Mattress - Not a kerbside bin
- Pizza box - Green or red lid
- Batteries - Never any kerbside bin
- Soft plastics - Red lid, unless a program runs
- Garden waste - Green lid
- E-waste - Not a kerbside bin
- Glass - Purple or yellow lid
- Food scraps - Green or red lid
Hard rubbish and bin questions#
- How does hard rubbish collection work in City of Greater Geelong?
- Eligible residential properties get two hard waste and two mattress collections each financial year; bookings are compulsory, made online or by phoning 5272 5444. Accepted items include whitegoods, furniture, appliances and small amounts of timber up to 1.5 metres.
- How do I book a hard rubbish collection with City of Greater Geelong?
- Bookings are made by City of Greater Geelong, not by this guide. Book at geelongaustralia.com.au with your address and a list of items ready, because most councils cap the volume per booking.
- When does my bin go out in the City of Greater Geelong area?
- Collection day is set by your street address, not by the council area, so City of Greater Geelong is the only source for your day. This guide carries the rules and the service pattern, not per-street dates: check yours at geelongaustralia.com.au.
- What bins does City of Greater Geelong collect, and how often?
- Standard three-bin residential collection for rubbish, recycling and garden/green waste. Each year Council turns about 35,000 tonnes of garden bin material into compost.
- What goes in the City of Greater Geelong green bin?
- The green waste bin is part of the three-bin service; material is composted into high-quality compost.
- Which postcodes does City of Greater Geelong cover?
- City of Greater Geelong services 3211, 3212, 3213, 3214, 3215, 3216, 3217, 3218, 3219, 3220, 3221, 3222, 3223, 3224, 3225, 3226, 3227, 3228. Border postcodes can be split between two councils, so confirm yours against the council boundary if you sit on an edge.
Postcodes covered#
City of Greater Geelong services 18 postcodes. Border postcodes can be split between two councils, so confirm yours against the council boundary if you sit on an edge.
3211, 3212, 3213, 3214, 3215, 3216, 3217, 3218, 3219, 3220, 3221, 3222, 3223, 3224, 3225, 3226, 3227, 3228
Nearest tips and transfer stations#
Taking a sorted load in yourself is often cheapest. Tip Finder Australia maps every tip and recycling centre in Victoria with fees and hours.
More Victoria councils#
Compare bin systems and hard rubbish across the state.
Sources#
- City of Greater Geelong - official bins and recycling page
- City of Greater Geelong hard rubbish booking - geelongaustralia.com.au
Checked against these sources on 2026-07-08.