Hard Rubbish Collection Melbourne: Council-by-Council Guide

Free hard rubbish collection is the cheapest way to get rid of bulky household items in Melbourne. The catch is that every council does it differently - how many collections you get, whether you book or wait for a set week, how much you can put out, and what they'll refuse.

Get it wrong and your pile sits there, or worse, you're fined for illegal dumping.

This guide covers the councils around Melbourne's south-east and inner east in detail. If you're elsewhere in Melbourne, the general rules below still apply - check your own council's website for the specifics.

The basics, wherever you are

Almost every Melbourne council now requires a booking. Putting items on the nature strip without one is classed as illegal dumping and can attract a fine, even if a collection is due.

Most councils won't take:

• Hazardous materials - asbestos, chemicals, paint, gas bottles
• Car parts and tyres
• Building and renovation waste (bricks, concrete, plasterboard, fencing)
• Soil, rubble and general garden waste unless bundled per their rules
• Commercial waste - hard rubbish services are for residential properties only

Increasingly, batteries and items with embedded batteries are refused (e-scooters, power tools, cordless devices) because of fire risk in collection trucks. These need a transfer station or e-waste drop-off.

Presentation matters. Items go on the nature strip, not your driveway. Keep the footpath clear. Don't block cars or sightlines. Put items out in the window your council specifies - too early and you risk a fine.

Council-by-council

City of Monash

(Oakleigh, Chadstone, Clayton, Mount Waverley, Glen Waverley, Ashwood)

• What you get: one free collection per year, on a set week for your area - not booked. Usually between July and September.
• How much: up to 4m³ (roughly 16 standard 120L bins)
• Extra collections: you can book an additional paid collection for a week that suits you
• Apartments: residents in multi-unit dwellings may not be eligible - check with your building manager or body corporate first

Changing in 2027: Monash is moving to a booked system. From 1 July 2027 you'll be able to book your collection, choosing either 4m³ once a year or 2m³ twice. The 2026 service stays as-is.

City of Glen Eira

(Carnegie, Murrumbeena, Caulfield, Bentleigh)

The most generous in this list.

• What you get: three free collections per financial year - plus three bulk cardboard and three bundled branch collections
• How to book: online or by phone, before 5.30pm the day before
• When: collected on your normal bin collection day - put items out the night before
• How much: under 4m³, no single item longer or taller than 2m
• Important: items must be on the nature strip, not your driveway, or they won't be collected
• Not accepted: batteries or anything with an embedded battery - remove batteries first, and take embedded-battery items (e-scooters, power tools, smoke detectors) to a transfer station
• Apartments: eligible even if your block doesn't have council bins

City of Boroondara

(Camberwell, Hawthorn, Kew, Balwyn, Canterbury, Ashburton, Surrey Hills)

• What you get: two free collections per financial year, bookable any time - there is no annual street collection
• How to book: online; you'll get a confirmation email with a 12-digit reference
• Lead time: demand is high - expect a few weeks between booking and collection, so plan ahead
• Mattresses: limited to two items total (two mattresses, two bases, or one of each)
• Timber: up to 12 neatly stacked pieces, no fencing or pallets
• Whitegoods: accepted, including fridges, washing machines and dishwashers
• Put out: no earlier than two days before collection. You'll be posted an orange sticker to display on the pile
• Apartments: blocks of 14 units or fewer can book individually; 15+ units, the body corporate books
• Also: two free bundled green waste collections in April and October, plus the Riversdale Depot in Camberwell for drop-offs

City of Stonnington

(Malvern, Armadale, Toorak, Prahran, Glen Iris)

Different model again - area-wide, not on-call.

• What you get: two free area-wide collections per year, typically autumn and spring. You'll receive a brochure with your street's date
• Booking: most residents don't need to book for the free collections - they happen automatically for your street
• Paid extra collections: available, up to 5m³
• Limits on paid collections: individual items under 20kg, items under 1.5m long (except mattresses)
• Important: fridges, air conditioners and mattresses must be declared when booking or they won't be collected
• Put out: no earlier than 24 hours before your date
• Worth knowing: anything dumped on your pile by others counts toward your volume

City of Whitehorse

(Box Hill, Blackburn, Mitcham, Surrey Hills, Nunawading)

• What you get: two free booked collections per financial year
• How to book: online, or phone the contractor on 9780 6120. Book by 5pm Wednesday for collection the following week (longer in busy periods)
• Important: you must tell them what types of items you're putting out - hard waste, bundled green waste, metal and e-waste, and mattresses go on separate trucks. Items not declared risk being left behind
• Put out: the weekend before your collection week, by 6am Monday. Not earlier
• You'll receive: an information pack with an orange BOOKED sticker for your pile
• Extra collections: available at a cost

City of Kingston

(Cheltenham, Mentone, Mordialloc, Moorabbin, Chelsea)

• What you get: two free on-call collections per financial year - book whenever suits you
• Background: Kingston replaced its annual September/October street collection with this on-call system, so if spring suits you, just book then
• Extra collections: available at a cost

Bayside City Council

(Brighton, Sandringham, Hampton)

• What you get: two collections per year for residential customers
• How to book: online

City of Greater Dandenong

(Springvale, Noble Park, Keysborough, Dandenong)

The most limited allowance in this list.

• What you get: one free collection per financial year (1 July – 30 June)
• How to book: online, or phone WM Waste Management on 9721 1915, Mon–Fri 8am–5pm
• Put out: by 6am Monday of your collection week, no earlier than the Saturday before. Don't add to the pile after 6am Monday
• You'll receive: a pink BOOKED sticker that must be displayed
• Furniture tip: don't dismantle furniture - broken-down pieces can be reclassified as building material and refused. But anything over 1.5m needs cutting in half so it can be collected safely
• Collection: may take two vehicles, so not everything goes at once
• Note: Greater Dandenong has no council-run transfer station; nearest ones are in neighbouring areas

Quick comparison

Correct at time of writing - councils change these, so confirm on your council's site before booking.

When hard rubbish isn't enough

Council collection is free and it's the right choice when it fits. It often doesn't, and the usual reasons are:

You've used your allocation. One or two collections a year doesn't cover a renovation, a house move and a garage clear-out.

You can't wait. Boroondara warns of weeks between booking and collection. Monash residents outside July–September wait months. If you've got a settlement date or an inspection, that's not workable.

It exceeds the volume. 4m³ sounds like a lot until you empty a garage. Anything over is left behind.

They won't take it. Renovation debris, building materials, tyres, chemicals and increasingly batteries are all excluded. A whole-house clear-out is mostly things councils refuse.

You're in an apartment. Some councils exclude multi-unit dwellings, or require the body corporate to book.

You can't carry it to the kerb. Councils collect from the nature strip only. If it's upstairs or you can't lift it, the free service doesn't help.

What we do instead

We come to you, carry everything out - including from inside, upstairs and down side paths - and take it away, usually the same day.

No booking window, no item limits, no sticker, and we take plenty of what councils won't. Around 80% of what we collect is kept out of landfill.

Full pricing: How much does junk removal cost in Melbourne?

Being straight about it: if your council collection is free, available, and covers what you've got, use it. We're worth paying for when it's urgent, oversized, excluded, or you can't do the lifting.

Frequently asked questions

Can't wait for council collection, or got more than they'll take? Call 0435 377 111 or send a photo for a free, fixed quote - often same day.

Family-run and based in Oakleigh, servicing all Melbourne suburbs. Rated 5.0 from 105 Google reviews, fully insured, and around 80% of what we collect is kept out of landfill.