Council Dumps Dalbeg Skip Bin Service

Dalbeg residents may now face more than an hour’s drive to dump their waste after the local skip bin service was shut down.

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Burdekin Shire Council’s decision to discontinue the Dalbeg disposal service follows a six-month trial period, during which seven customers used it across two collection events held in March and May this year.

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The trial, introduced in late 2025, replaced a permanently available skip bin at Dalbeg Hall, which had been removed due to ongoing misuse.

The revised model provided scheduled, supervised waste collection days on a quarterly basis, with a user-pays component for selected waste items.

Mayor Dalle Cort said it had become an “unjustifiable" use of ratepayer funds, citing both “very low” community utilisation and increased operational costs.

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“Council has a responsibility to provide services that are fair, efficient and sustainable for the entire community,” Mayor Dalle Cort said.

“However, the results of the trial clearly show that the service is not being used at a level that justifies the cost to Council.”

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Clare-based Councillor Amanda Hall rebuked the decision, fearing it could leave remote residents behind.

“We can’t continue losing services out here. The population isn’t there for the constant usage, but that doesn’t mean that people don’t use it,” she said.

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“[Services] do have to be cost-effective … and I can appreciate managers trying to reduce costs, but people still pay rates, and they pay a lot of rates out here.

“It’s very disheartening for the people that live in the further areas.”

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Residents of Dalbeg and Millaroo must now make use of waste facilities in Clare, Ayr, Home Hill and Kirknie.

Cr Hall said this could mean drives up to “an hour and a half” long to facilities in town.

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“[People] won’t travel that far. [Rubbish] will be dumped illegally on the side of the road, and then how much is that going to cost council?”

Council acknowledged the risk of illegal dumping following the removal of the service.

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Mayor Dalle Cort urged residents to continue to dump waste responsibly.

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“We understand this change may be disappointing for some residents, and we encourage the community to make use of the available waste facilities to ensure waste is disposed of responsibly,” Mayor Dalle Cort said.

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