Community
24 February, 2026
Goulburn welcomes region's first Return and Earn depot
Goulburn is now home to a new Return and Earn depot designed to make recycling large numbers of eligible bottles, cans and cartons easier than ever before.
Goulburn is now home to a new Return and Earn depot designed to make recycling large numbers of eligible bottles, cans and cartons easier than ever before.
The Goulburn Return and Earn Depot – the first depot and the fourth return point in the Goulburn Mulwaree Council area – was officially opened with a celebration attended by local community groups and charities, including Endeavour Industries Goulburn and the Goulburn Men’s Shed.
The staffed depot can process up to 100 containers a minute, making it ideal for returning 500 or more containers at a time without the need to pre-sort containers.
The depot offers a ‘tag and drop’ service for people short on time to leave their bagged containers for processing, while the latest ‘tip and go’ technology makes it easier for recyclers with large volumes of containers.
The Goulburn Return and Earn machine in the car park also accepts containers eligible for the 10c refund for recyclers with smaller amounts of drink containers.
Similar to other Return and Earn recycling points like the one in Moss Vale, users can print a voucher for the refund amount, which can be redeemed at Coles supermarkets for a discount on their shopping or for cash, or they can also opt for an e-voucher or payment directly into their bank or PayPal account using the Return and Earn app on their smartphone.
Locals can also donate their refund to one of over 500 donation partners listed on the Return and Earn app, including Convoy for Kids Goulburn, who provide support for local children with cancer, terminal illness and permanent disability.
Alternatively, recyclers can donate to the current statewide donation partner, Jeans for Genes, to support research into treatments and cures for children’s genetic conditions.
“Goulburn Mulwaree Council residents are enthusiastic recyclers, having returned over 80 million eligible bottles, cans and cartons through local return points since the scheme began in 2017,” James Dorney, CEO, network operator TOMRA Cleanaway, said.
“That means millions of drink containers have been kept out of green spaces and recycled into new bottles and cans thanks to local recyclers.
“Return and Earn has recently celebrated 15 billion containers being recycled since the scheme began eight years ago and this new depot will make recycling even more convenient for Goulburn Mulwaree residents.”
Danielle Smalley, CEO, scheme coordinator for Exchange for Change agreed.
“Return and Earn not only helps to achieve a cleaner and sustainable environment; it also delivers significant social benefits to the community as a key fundraising channel for so many charities and community groups in NSW,” she said.
“Over $91.5 million has been raised from donations and fees from hosting return points since the scheme launched.
“More than $1.5 billion in container refunds has also gone back into people’s pockets, helping with the cost of living, saving for a special goal or supporting some amazing causes.”
The Goulburn Return and Earn Depot is located at 17 Finlay Road, Goulburn, and is open daily from 7.00 am to 6.00 pm.
For more information on Return and Earn visit www.returnandearn.org.au.
Read More: Goulburn, Southern Tablelands