Meadow Flat Transfer Station
Closure due to vandalism – FAQs
The Meadow Flat Transfer Station was vandalized on or around the weekend commencing Friday 31 July 2026 and, as a result the facility has been closed since Monday, 3 August 2026. Council is working with insurers and getting quotes to determine the cost of repairs.
What would need to be done to reopen the transfer station?
Vandalism of the Meadow Flat Transfer Station has an impact that exceeds tens of thousands of dollars of damage to the facility.
Repairs are costly and time consuming requiring the replacement of multiple components that are essential to the management of the facility.
As well as disrupting access to the facilities for an extensive period of time, repairing the damage places significant strain on Council’s resources, including financial and human resources.
A review of the viability of the facility, based on an assessment of the risk of the damage reoccurring after the repairs are made, is required before any work is undertaken due to the financial and operational impact of vandalism on the community.
Council is investigating both the cost of repairs and the additional costs of necessary changes to secure the facility to prevent this type of damage reoccurring. The facility can only reopen if its operation is safe and sustainable.
When will the transfer station be reopened to residents?
Council does not have a date for the reopening of the transfer station.
Due to the financial impact of vandalism to council owned facilities, it is necessary to review whether the facility can be adequately secured to prevent similar incidents in future.
The damage appears to be to the security infrastructure, such as the fence and camera rather than the waste infrastructure. Why can’t the facility continue to receive waste?
Supervision of the facility with the camera and enclosure with fences to manage access and contain waste are minimal requirements for reducing operational risks. Operating the facility without the necessary repairs is not an option because of the risk of the waste facility to the health of people, the environment and economy.
The bins and shed were not damaged so why can’t these be used?
Operating the site without appropriate security places Council at further risk from incorrect waste disposal.
It is estimated that 10,000 battery-related fires occur in Australia every year and there have been incidents of fires in Council’s garbage trucks and waste facilities. The risk of fires is only one of many risks posed and without a camera or fences to manage the site these risks cannot be effectively managed.
We pay the Waste Disposal - Rural charge. Are we going to get a refund for the time the tip remains closed?
No, there will not be refunds of the Waste Disposal – Rural charge.
Households will continue to generate waste even though the nearest transfer station is closed. This waste will still need to be disposed of and managed through Council waste facilities.
The Waste Disposal – Rural charge applies to households that are outside the kerbside bin collection area and pays for the provision of waste facilities for self-hauled waste. It is a substantially lower charge than the charge that applies to households that have a kerbside service.
While domestic waste from households with the Lithgow Local Government Area can be disposed of at Council’s waste facilities without a gate fee charge; there are significant costs to manage this waste and waste disposal is not free.
Isn’t it unreasonable to ask residents to take waste to another facility if this is further away?
Waste transfer stations operate to try to provide waste facilities within a reasonable travel time for people without a kerbside service. Council must also balance the provision of waste facilities and the costs involved.
Noticeably more rubbish is being illegally dumped on Curly Dick Road on a daily basis. This is extremely unpleasant.
Illegal dumping is a criminal offence. The NSW Government enforces illegal dumping laws with extensive resources to catch offenders and heavy penalties including fines and jail time.
Residents are encouraged to report illegal dumping through this link: https://ridonline.epa.nsw.gov.au/.
If there is an emergency such as toxic fumes or chemicals, call 000.
If dumped waste is an immediate environmental risk and requires an urgent response call Council on 6354 9999 and the EPA on 131 555.