At a glance
- Where and when
- Shoal Bay Access Road (off Vanderlin Drive), Karama. Open every day 7:00am to 5:45pm; no vehicle can enter after 5:45pm and the gates lock at 6:00pm. Closed Christmas Day
- Free for households
- City of Darwin residents dispose of household waste for free by swiping an access tag. Commercial waste and home renovation waste are charged
- Green waste
- Free at Shoal Bay Mulch, open 8:00am to 4:00pm every day; bring your access tag
- Reviva Reuse Shop
- Donations 8:00am to 5:00pm, shop trading 9:00am to 3:00pm, seven days; no access tag needed to visit
- Who it’s for
- Darwin households with a tip run to plan, including renters, apartment residents and people clearing a garden
- What to do now
- The City’s Sorting your Load page sets three layers (general waste, cardboard, scrap metal and hazardous items first; green waste second; reusable items and small recyclables on top); the access tag belongs to the property
- Last checked
- Monday 9 November 2026, against the City of Darwin Shoal Bay pages
- Not yet confirmed
- The fee for an annual access tag for people outside the municipality, and the commercial and renovation charges; the City’s pages point to its fees and charges document rather than listing them
Shoal Bay Waste Management Facility is open every day from 7:00am to 5:45pm, and Darwin households get in free with an access tag. The tag belongs to the property, not the person, so a renter has to ask the landlord or rental agent for it. This guide sets out the hours, who can get a tag, how to sort a load and what the City says it will and will not take, using City of Darwin’s own pages, checked on 9 November 2026.
When is Shoal Bay open?
The City’s Using Shoal Bay page gives separate hours for the three areas households use.
| Area | Days | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Shoal Bay Waste Management Facility (Transfer Station) | Every day | 7:00am to 5:45pm |
| Green Waste Mulch area | Every day | 8:00am to 4:00pm |
| Reviva Reuse Shop | Every day | Donations 8:00am to 5:00pm; trading 9:00am to 3:00pm |
The facility is closed on Christmas Day. The City’s note on the main hours is specific: no vehicles can enter after 5:45pm, and the gates lock at 6:00pm. The address is Shoal Bay Access Road, off Vanderlin Drive, in Karama. For the Reviva Reuse Shop, the City says to turn off before the weighbridge.
Do I need an access tag?
Yes, to use the domestic lane. The City’s Access Tags page describes the tag as an electronic key, sometimes called a tip-tag, tip-key or dump-key. You swipe it at the box on the driver’s side of the entrance to open the boom gate.
| Your situation | What the City says |
|---|---|
| Home in the Darwin municipality that pays the waste levy | Eligible for a tag. All residential properties in the municipality were issued one when the system started in 2007 |
| Renting | The tag is assigned to the property, not the tenant. Ask the rental agent or landlord |
| Apartment or unit building on a private waste service | Not eligible. If the building pays the waste levy, you may be eligible |
| Just built or moved in | Apply with the online webform. A new home has to set up its waste service first |
| Live outside the municipality | You can apply for an annual tag, which carries a fee |
| Moving house | Hand the tag to the new resident or agent. If the new property’s tag is missing, apply for a replacement; the City says a minimal fee applies |
If a tag stops working, the City lists two common reasons: it was deactivated because you no longer live at the registered address, or something is wrong with the tag. Talk to the weighbridge staff at Shoal Bay or call City of Darwin on 08 8930 0300. Commercial operators cannot use a household tag; they enter through the commercial lane on the right, where charges may apply.
How should I sort my load?
The City recommends sorting by material before you arrive, which it says saves time and recycles more. Its Sorting your Load page sets out three layers.
| Layer | What goes in it |
|---|---|
| 1. First layer (loaded first) | General waste, cardboard, scrap metal, light bulbs and fluorescent tubes, e-waste and car batteries, gas bottles, hazardous chemicals |
| 2. Second layer | Green waste (excluding soil) |
| 3. Third layer (on top) | Reusable items for the Reviva Reuse Shop; small recyclables such as mobile phones, printer cartridges and household batteries; white goods, which go to the signed area next to the Reviva Reuse Shop |
The page notes that car batteries must be regular ones, because hybrid car batteries have to go back to the manufacturer. Gas bottles are capped at 9kg, and oil and paint at 10 litres.
Where does green waste go?
The City does not run a green waste collection. Residents take household green waste to Shoal Bay Mulch, inside the facility, for free, and need their access tag to enter. The Green Waste page lists what is accepted:
- palm fronds
- shrubs
- small tree prunings
- lawn clippings
- tree stumps
Two City pages give different stump limits. The Green Waste page says stumps up to 1.5 metres long and 20 centimetres in diameter; the Types of Waste page says up to 120 centimetres long and 20 centimetres in diameter. Soil is not accepted at Shoal Bay Mulch. The City says green waste put in the red-lid bin ends up in landfill, and that the mulch and potting mix made from green waste are sold to the public.
What can go in the Transfer Station?
The Types of Waste page sorts domestic waste into places inside the facility.
| Waste | Where it goes and any limits |
|---|---|
| General waste, cardboard, scrap metal | Transfer Station |
| E-waste | Light bulbs and tubes, mobile phones, regular car batteries, household batteries, TVs, computers, printers, power tools and solar panels. Reusable electronics can go to Reviva, and Test & Tag is done on electrical items |
| Household batteries | Not accepted: commercial battery waste, embedded batteries such as vapes, and batteries over 5kg including home battery systems. Contact the installer or a licensed battery specialist |
| Gas bottles | Under 9kg accepted; commercial gas bottles, oil and paint are not |
| Oil and paint | Up to 10 litres |
| Soil and asbestos | An application must be filled out before disposal |
| White goods | Fridges, freezers, washing machines, dishwashers, microwaves and aircons go to the designated area next to the Education Centre |
| Home renovation waste | Charged; goes to the Transfer Station via the weighbridge |
The City’s hazardous waste page gives a slightly different gas bottle figure, up to 9.5kg, from the 9kg on the Types of Waste and Sorting pages. The City’s contact number is 08 8930 0300. The Sorting page also puts the white goods area next to the Reviva Reuse Shop, while the Types of Waste page says next to the Education Centre. EV and hybrid car batteries are not accepted and go back to the manufacturer.
What does the Reviva Reuse Shop take?
The City calls the Reviva Reuse Shop the first stop before the Transfer Station. It is run by Resource Recovery Australia, a not-for-profit social enterprise and registered charity, and the phone number is (08) 7918 2523. Anyone can visit Reviva without an access tag.
The Types of Waste page lists what Reviva accepts, grouped by kind:
- Furniture: chairs, sofas, tables, dressers, bookshelves, bed frames and office furniture
- Household goods: kitchenware, glassware, working kitchen appliances, stain-free bedding and linen, decorative items
- Clothing: clean, unripped clothing of all seasons and ages, shoes, bags, belts, hats and jewellery
- Books and media, board games, puzzles and craft materials
- Sports and outdoor items: bikes, scooters, skateboards (including electric), camping gear, exercise equipment, outdoor furniture, barbecues and garden tools
- Toys, musical instruments, event decorations, pet accessories and suitcases
- Home improvement items: paint, light fixtures, tiles, pavers, bricks and plumbing supplies
Anything Reviva cannot take can go to the Transfer Station, except renovation waste, which is charged.
Where can small recyclables go?
The City’s hazardous waste page says household batteries, print cartridges and mobile phones can be dropped at the Civic Centre, Nightcliff Community Centre and HPA – Shoal Bay Trash and Treasure, as well as at Shoal Bay itself. For TVs and computers, the City also points to businesses taking part in the National Television and Computer Recycling Scheme.
Sources
- City of Darwin — Shoal Bay Waste Management Facility (checked 9 November 2026)
- City of Darwin — Using Shoal Bay
- City of Darwin — Access Tags
- City of Darwin — Sorting your Load
- City of Darwin — Types of Waste
- City of Darwin — Reviva Reuse Shop
- City of Darwin — Green Waste
- City of Darwin — E-waste
- City of Darwin — Toxic and Hazardous Waste
Featured image: East Point, Darwin, 2019 (photo: Dietmar Rabich / CC BY-SA 4.0) (text added)
OZ Local Updates is an independent local guide and is not affiliated with City of Darwin or Resource Recovery Australia. Hours and limits are as City of Darwin’s Shoal Bay pages listed them on 9 November 2026.