Resource Recovery Australia

A word from the General Managers

In March, we opened our first Victorian Reviva Reuse Shops at the Wallan and Seymour Resource Recovery Centres. The two shops are making reuse more accessible for Mitchell Shire residents while creating up to nine local jobs, including opportunities for people experiencing barriers to work.

That same month, RRA began delivering the City of Sydney Doorstep Recycling Service, helping residents recycle batteries, electronics, textiles, paint and other items that cannot go into kerbside recycling bins. The team completed 978 scheduled collections in the service’s first three months, with growing demand leading to an additional collection day.

In May, we took on the management of eight waste transfer stations across the Clarence Valley. This was one of the largest expansions of new sites in RRA’s history and brought 22 local employees into our team. The opening of Reviva Grafton soon followed, giving the region its first Reviva Reuse Shop and another practical way to keep quality items in use.

Across all our operations, our teams continued to deliver strong outcomes for people and Country. RRA provided 210 employment opportunities, with 55.7% of employees joining us while experiencing barriers to work and 16.7% identifying as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people. We delivered 4,806 training and development outcomes, an increase of 18.1% on the previous year.

Our Reviva Reuse Shops welcomed 148,569 customers, an increase of 8.5%, while The Tinkerage welcomed 1,455 visitors across Dunmore and Rockhampton, an increase of 82.6%. The Mobile Community Recycling Service collected 193 tonnes of problem waste from households in Sydney, 7.3% more than the previous year.

As RRA grew, we also made time to bring our people together. Our first biannual leadership conference brought managers from across Australia to Brisbane for two days of learning, site visits and conversations about leadership, operational standards and our responsibilities as a social enterprise. It was an important opportunity to share knowledge across sites and strengthen the relationships that support our work.

We were proud to be named a finalist in the Waste Innovation and Recycling Awards 2025 for Workplace of the Year and to see RRA’s experience shared with the wider waste and resource recovery sector. At Waste 2026 in Coffs Harbour, NSW State Manager Jarrod Roskell presented our community-driven approach to repair and reuse, showing how The Tinkerage helps people build practical skills, confidence and stronger connections with their communities.

There were also many local moments that reflected the character of our teams. At Reviva Darwin, the team invited local families to help build Santa’s float for the Darwin Christmas Pageant using recycled and repurposed materials. It brought reuse to life while giving local people the chance to contribute to a much-loved community event. These moments matter because RRA’s work has always been about being part of the communities where we work and creating opportunities for people to contribute, learn and belong.

FY26 was also personally significant for us. Matt celebrated 20 years with RRA, having joined as a depot hand at Tuncurry in 2005, while Ally celebrated 12 years. We have both grown alongside RRA, and it has been a privilege to work with so many people who have shaped it into the social enterprise it is today.

We’re grateful for the care and commitment our teams showed this year through a period of considerable growth. New contracts and sites only succeed because people welcome each other, share what they know, solve problems together and stay focused on delivering the best outcomes for their communities. Our people did an incredible job of making that happen.

As RRA continues to grow, we want to do so in a way that stays true to who we are – creating meaningful jobs, strengthening the communities we work in and finding better ways to keep valuable resources in use. We are proud of how far we have come together and excited about what comes next.