Water and Waste Committee - 10 February 2026

Key decisions

• Extend Draft Waste Management Strategy deadline
  The committee recommended that the Draft Waste Management Strategy be presented to Council on or before the May 2026 Ordinary Meeting instead of February 2026.
  Residents will need to wait longer for Council's broader waste management policy settings and any related service decisions.
• Continue Millmerran waste facility trial hours
  The committee recommended extending the current trial operating hours at the Millmerran Waste Management Facility until the Draft Waste Management Strategy is considered by Council.
  Millmerran-area residents can continue using the facility under the current expanded trial hours in the meantime.

Important topics

• Millmerran waste service transition
  The report followed Council's July 2025 decision to close rural bin stations and trial longer hours at the Millmerran Waste Management Facility while considering expanded kerbside collection.
  This affects how residents in the Millmerran district access waste disposal services.
• Kerbside collection expansion did not reach required support
  An Expression of Interest for expanding kerbside bin collection closed on 31 August 2025 with 85 responses, but did not achieve the required 51% support threshold.
  Residents in affected rural areas are not moving to an expanded kerbside service based on this process.
• Contractor concerns about route expansion
  A site assessment with Council's waste collection contractor on 5 December 2025 found the contractor was reluctant to support the proposed expanded service area.
  This may limit future kerbside collection expansion in the affected localities.

Resident impacts

• Current extended trial hours at the Millmerran Waste Management Facility remain in place until at least May 2026 Council consideration.
• Residents affected by the 2025 rural bin station closures will continue relying on the Millmerran facility rather than a new kerbside expansion for now.
• No immediate new kerbside bin service expansion will proceed from the Expression of Interest process described in the report.

Places affected

• Millmerran Waste Management Facility (facility)
  Trial extended operating hours will continue until the Draft Waste Management Strategy is considered.
• Millmerran (town)
  Main community area affected by the waste facility trial and surrounding service changes.
• Rocky Creek (locality)
  Former rural bin station location closed in August 2025 as part of the service transition.
• Bringalily (locality)
  Former rural bin station location closed in August 2025 as part of the service transition.
• Kooroongarra (locality)
  Former rural bin station location closed in August 2025 as part of the service transition.
• Turrallin (locality)
  Former rural bin station location closed in August 2025 as part of the service transition.
• Cypress Gardens/Millmerran Downs (locality)
  Former rural bin station area affected by the 2025 closure and related waste service changes.

Next steps

• Present the Draft Waste Management Strategy to Council
  On or before the May 2026 Ordinary Meeting of Council
• Continue current trial operating hours at the Millmerran Waste Management Facility
  Until Council considers the Draft Waste Management Strategy
• Council adoption of committee recommendation
  Completed at the Ordinary Meeting of 17 February 2026

Extracted minutes text

TOOWOOMBA REGIONAL COUNCIL WATER AND WASTE COMMITTEE Members of the Committee Councillor Bill Cahill Councillor Edwina Farquhar Councillor Gary Gardner Councillor Trevor Manteufel His Worship the Mayor, Councillor Geoff McDonald Councillor Tim McMahon Councillor James O'Shea Councillor Kerry Shine Councillor Carol Taylor Councillor Melissa Taylor Councillor Rebecca Vonhoff of 11 Toowoomba Regional Council Water and Waste Committee 10 February 2026 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.Opening of Meeting 2.Attendance including Apologies, Leave of Absence and Declarations of Conflict of Interest Reports 3.Request for Extension of Time for Presentation of Draft Waste Management Strategy to Council 4.Meeting Con...