St Arnaud FOGO Collection Service

Food Organics/Garden Organics = FOGO

In 2023, Northern Grampians Shire Council introduced a Food and Garden Organics (FOGO) kerb side collection trial in and around the St Arnaud township. This trial completed on June 30, 2025.

Moving forward, FOGO collection is now part of the standard household waste services for St Arnaud. In alignment with the mandate from State Government, our plan is to extend the service to the whole shire from July 2027.*

To support the continuation of this service, an annual fee of $52 per FOGO bin-service will apply. This fee will be itemised on your rates notice under waste service charges. Council is keeping this fee below the full cost of delivering the service in order to help support St Arnaud households during the transition period. This step also provides capacity for council to extend the FOGO service across the shire from July 2027.*

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* NB: based on the information available at the time of publishing, Council expected to implement the additional services in January, but this has now shifted to July 2027

What the trial achieved

Step 1.FOGO trial lessons

During the two-year trial period, the St Arnaud community helped divert over 300 tons of organics from landfill. Council also learned some valuable lessons during the trial period that helped us shape the longer-term solution, including: 

  • Local processing is not viable option at our scale.
  • We received low levels of contamination thanks to the collective efforts of the local community with not using bags in the bins, which were greater than industry standard levels.

In saying this, we still have some work to do, including:

  • Further decrease contamination levels to optimise processing times.
  • Encourage greater adoption and use of the FOGO bins across the community.

Step 2.FOGO trial timeline

  • June/July 2023: Information sessions for St Arnaud residents.
  • August 2023: Trial officially started.
  • November 2024: Feasibility evaluation for local processing completed.
  • December 2024: Trial officially stopped.

Due to the relatively small amounts of FOGO collected and the significant overheads to establish local operations, council determined that processing FOGO locally is not a viable long-term option. As a result, we explored alternative market solutions and awarded the FOGO processing contract to Bio Gro Pty Ltd.

In January 2025, Bio Gro Pty Ltd began accepting partially processed FOGO collected through our St Arnaud trial at their handling and processing facility in Newbridge, Victoria. Council is working closely with Bio Gro Pty Ltd over the next two-years to continue to keep our organics out of landfills and produce the best quality FOGO we can.

FOGO FAQs

Can I cancel my FOGO waste service?
For 2025/26 financial year, residents are unable to cancel their FOGO service. The state legislation is evolving, and we will update this FAQ as the final decision regarding the service standards for FOGO becomes clearer.
 
How do I add or cancel ADDITIONAL bins?
Please complete the online application form located under the 'online forms' tab. If you prefer a paper version, you can collect one from our Customer Service offices at either the Stawell Town Hall or St Arnaud Town Hall.
 
Can I still get my bin emptied if I put it out late?
Please contact Customer Service as soon as possible on (03) 5358 8700. The Waste team will check with the contractor to see if a truck is still operating in your area and organise collection.
 
What if the truck missed my bin?
If your bin has been missed, please contact Customer Service as soon as possible by calling (03) 5358 8700. Leave your bin out on the kerb and we will endeavour to have a truck return the following day.
 
How do I get my bin repaired?
Please report any required repairs by calling Customer Service on (03) 5358 8700. Bin repair costs are covered by council.
 
What can I put in the FOGO bin?

Online forms

You can request and/or cancel an additional FOGO bin via the respective forms below. 

Contact Us

Phone

(03) 5358 8700

Email

waste@ngshire.vic.gov.au

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