108 Bargara Rd
Bundaberg East, Qld, 4670
IMPACT Community Services Limited (IMPACT) is a high profile, community owned organisation supporting the most vulnerable and marginalised members of our community. Since 1978, we have been supporting local people experiencing disadvantage, poverty and exclusion. Our vision is improving lives. IMPACT is also a Child Safe Organisation committed to the safety and wellbeing of children and young people.
IMPACT is looking for an experienced and motivated Manager to oversee our Container Refund Programs to drive operations, business growth, compliance, and high-quality service delivery.
This is a hands-on leadership role where you’ll oversee the daily operations of our Container Refund Programs, ensuring efficiency across logistics, staffing, customer experience, and compliance.
From managing teams to building community partnerships and driving business growth, you’ll play a key role in delivering high-quality, sustainable services.
To find out more, view our position description and full list of benefits on our website.
Submit your application today and provide your:
IMPACT welcomes all applications, including from Indigenous Australians, people with a lived experience of mental health concerns and recovery, a disability, those who identify as LGBTIQ+ and from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.
We believe that diversity in our workplace makes us stronger and we provide equal opportunity to all. IMPACT is proud to be an INCLUSIVE EMPLOYER 2024-2025 with the Diversity Council Australia. Selection for all vacancies is made on the basis of merit.
The successful applicant will be required to obtain background checks prior to employment, including a Working with Children Check and NDIS Clearance.
When Amy Macdonald first connected with IMPACT Community Services as a teenager, she was looking for a way into the workforce; she didn’t realise she was starting a seven‑year journey of growth.
That journey reflects IMPACT Community Services’ long‑standing commitment to growing its own pipeline of talent, with Amy’s progression from job seeker to Container Refund Point (CRP) and Logistics Supervisor a perfect example.
The organisation was Amy’s job seeker agency when she was a teenager, paving the way for her to upskill through IMPACT’s Certificate I in Conservation and Ecosystem Management. When Amy was working to attain this certificate in late 2018 and early 2019, her supervisor saw her potential.
Keen to see her grow alongside the organisation, he recommended her for a position opening at New iMAGE Laundry, one of IMPACT’s commercial social enterprises. The rest is history, with Amy marking seven years with IMPACT in February.
Amy said her four years at New iMAGE Laundry was a gamechanger, helping her understand the working world and giving her the skills she needed to thrive.
“I was 17 when I started there. It was all new to me,” Amy said. “I built my confidence in the workforce and got used to having regular work time.”
During her time at the laundry, Amy also began working Saturdays at IMPACT’s University Drive CRP, broadening her experience and helping her purchase her first home.
After leaving the laundry, Amy continued her Saturday shifts with IMPACT while working full‑time in the technology sector. Before long, however, she realised that recycling was where her passion truly lay.
She went on to take on additional hours at IMPACT, working casually at the Quanaba CRP until its closure in March 2025, before transferring to the University Drive site. It wasn’t long before a supervisory position became available, and Amy was a shoo‑in for the role.
Amy said her favourite part of the job is the people she works with.
“I like the team. I like that it's active,” she said.
The opportunities she has for growth and professional development also sweeten the deal. With support and funding from IMPACT, Amy secured her forklift licence mid last year.
Her ambitions don’t stop there, with Amy hoping to soon get her licence to step behind the wheel of IMPACT’s logistics trucks as a fill‑in driver. These trucks collect COEX container cages from the CRP depos that IMPACT services.
IMPACT Recycling and Collections Manager Gavin Steele said Amy’s journey is a powerful example of what can be achieved when people are given time, trust and opportunity.
“Amy has a very good work ethic and a high level of integrity, and she is not afraid to jump in and do any tasks required,” Gavin said.
“It has been a pleasure to see her take on new responsibilities. She leads by example, which is a great leadership trait.”
It just goes to show that when the right support is in place, potential can turn into long‑term success, not just for individuals like Amy, but for the organisation as a whole.
For more information on IMPACT’s recycling family, visit the IMPACT Recycling Hub website.
National Recycling Week (10–16 November) and National Recycling Day (15 November) are a great reminder of why recycling matters, not just for the environment, but for the people who make it happen every day.
One of those people is Jamie Stubbs, a supported employee at IMPACT Community Services’ Material Recovery Facility (MRF).
This week, Jamie has a message for Bundaberg recyclers: “Look after your environment and the workers at the MRF.”
Jamie is part of the sorting team that processes recyclable materials from Bundaberg’s yellow-top bins.
“We get heaps of loads during the day and sort all the rubbish,” Jamie explains.
“Trucks come in, empty the bins, and we sort it all out to get the stuff we need. We put stuff in the press and push it up into bales, and when we’ve got enough, we can sell it.”
Jamie has worked at the MRF for over ten years, doing many different jobs and thriving in his role.
IMPACT employs around 30 supported employees to sort recyclable products like PET plastics, tin cans, and aluminium cans.
But Jamie says there are some things that should never end up in recycling bins.
“People might not know that the recycled stuff is hand-sorted, so we see needles, nappies, plastic bags, and food scraps,” he says.
“The food is messy, but the needles can hurt us. Stop putting those things in the recycling bin!"
The MRF is owned by Bundaberg Regional Council and managed by IMPACT Community Services, ensuring that local recycling efforts create jobs and support people with disabilities.
This National Recycling Week, remember:
For more info, check out the Recycle Mate app or check out Bundaberg Regional Council’s recycling guide here.
Two of Bundaberg’s leading social enterprises, New Image Laundry and the IMPACT Recycling Hub, have received global recognition for their commitment to social and environmental excellence, achieving People and Planet First verification via the Good Market platform.
Both enterprises are proudly operated by IMPACT Community Services, and form part of its portfolio of purpose-driven initiatives that prioritise people, planet and purpose over profit.
New Image Laundry was first verified in 2024 and has once again been approved as a People and Planet First enterprise, reaffirming its ongoing commitment to social and environmental impact. Since opening in 2018, the laundry has provided employment to over 70 individuals who may have otherwise struggled to find and maintain work.
“The laundry is more than a business that provides commercial services, our team is a family that offers one another a sense of belonging,” said Rob Campbell, Acting Laundry Manager.
“This renewed verification is a testament to the incredible team at New Image Laundry and the values we live every day.
“We’re proud to be recognised for our commitment to our people and planet.”
The IMPACT Recycling Hub has achieved People and Planet First verification for the first time, marking a major milestone for its operations. The Hub includes ABC Recycling, the Material Recovery Facility, and the Containers for Change Refund Point at University Drive.
“We’re proud of the meaningful employment opportunities the Hub creates, including roles for people with disabilities, while also driving environmental sustainability,” said Gavin Steele, Recycling and Collections Manager.
“Being verified is a big achievement for our team. It validates the work we’re doing to make recycling not just environmentally impactful, but socially inclusive.
“We’re proud to be part of a movement that proves business can be a force for good.”
These verifications place both establishments within a global network of social enterprises working toward a better future. IMPACT Community Services continues to seek new and better ways to support people and the planet over profit.
IMPACT Community Services is excited to announce the acquisition of ABC Recycling, a trusted local recycling business with deep roots in the Bundaberg community.
As they looked ahead to retirement, Anne-Marie and Paul English - the long-time owners of ABC Recycling, approached IMPACT to discuss the opportunity of taking the reins. Their priority was finding a partner who would honour the values and relationships they’ve built over the years, and IMPACT was a natural choice.
This acquisition marks a key milestone in IMPACT’s strategic growth, reinforcing the Not-for-Profit organisation’s commitment to sustainability, local partnerships, job creation, and outstanding customer service.
ABC Recycling, operated by Anne-Marie and Paul for over 7 years, has earned a reputation for its dedication to both customers and staff. In that time, the business has recycled approximately 190 million containers, returning around $19 million to the Bundaberg community.
IMPACT is proud to continue the business they’ve built with care and integrity.
“We’re thrilled to welcome ABC Recycling into the IMPACT family. Anne-Marie and Paul have built something really special, and we’re committed to preserving the great culture and values they’ve nurtured through the business. This is a natural fit for our organisation and our community,” Tanya O’Shea, IMPACT Community Services Managing Director, said.
Gavin Steele, IMPACT Community Services Recycling & Collection Manager, who will lead operations at ABC Recycling, added: “ABC has always been a standout in the local industry, and I’m excited to work alongside their fantastic team. It’s business as usual, same staff, same service, now under the IMPACT banner.”
Anne-Marie and Paul said they approached IMPACT because of the values alignment.
“We’re really proud of what we’ve built, and we couldn’t be happier for IMPACT to take the reins,” the couple said.
“We chose IMPACT because they share our values, employing people not machines, and delivering great service.
“We’re looking forward to retirement and travel, knowing ABC Recycling staff and customers are in great hands.”
As part of this transition, customers who currently support IMPACT’s CRP on University Drive, Branyan, now have the option to use ABC Recycling if it’s more convenient.
This added flexibility is part of IMPACT’s ongoing commitment to making recycling easier and more accessible for everyone.
Operations will continue without disruption. Customers can expect the same friendly service and commitment to sustainability that ABC Recycling has always delivered.
IMPACT Community Services is supporting people with disabilities who want to be part of the local workforce through jobs at the city’s Material Recovery Facility (MRF), owned by Bundaberg Regional Council and managed by IMPACT Community Services.
IMPACT provides around 27 jobs at the facility for employees with disabilities under the Australian Government’s Australian Disability Enterprise. All of the waste from Council’s yellow-top kerbside recycling bins is processed at the MRF, which is located on University Drive in Bundaberg.
IMPACT’s manager of Australian Disability Enterprises Tim Van Kooten said the MRF provides a supportive work environment that allows workers to reach their full potential in this field of work.
“The Material Recovery Facility has a happy and motivated workforce, and some of our employees have been with IMPACT for more than 30 years,” he said.
Mr Van Kooten said each week the Material Recovery Facility processes around 38 council kerbside trucks of recycling – equal to around 114 tonnes of recyclable waste.
“The content is hand sorted, baled and sold to be made into new products,” Mr Van Kooten said.
“We also process commercial recycling, which is about 40 tonnes per week.”
The MRF is also the home of IMPACT’s first Container Refund Point, opened in 2018 as part of the Containers For Change scheme, which encourages Queenslanders to recycle drink containers by offering a 10 cent refund for every eligible container returned.
A second Container Refund Point, located at Green Solutions on Windermere Road, Qunaba, opened opened last year to keep up with the demand from Bundaberg residents and offer another convenient location for collecting container refunds.
Since IMPACT Launched their first Container Refund Point at University Drive in 2018, they’ve recycled more than 14,200,000 containers and put around $1.5 million back into the pockets of Bundaberg residents.
Two local businesses dedicated to recycling, have teamed up to make turning your containers into change even more accessible for the region’s coastal community.
With a specifically-modified 40ft shipping container, IMPACT Community Services and Green Solutions Wide Bay have opened a new Containers for Change refund point which is located at 417 Windermere Road, Qunaba.
The Refund Point container has been fitted out with solar power complete with a back-up battery system. The refund Point will create 6 employment positions for local people.
The Containers for Change scheme in Queensland is run and founded by Container Exchange (COEX), a not-for-profit organisation.
Under the scheme, residents can take their eligible containers (which generally display a 10c refund mark) to a refund point to cash in their recyclables.
You can request this refund via cash, or you can sign up for a scheme ID and choose to get your refund paid to your bank account, PayPal or favourite cause.
This innovative and collaborative approach to the mobile container refund point is understood to be the first of its kind for COEX.
It will be stationed at Green Solutions Wide Bay’s state-of-the-art open windrow composting facility on Windermere Rd and operated by IMPACT Community Services.
Opening times will be Monday to Friday 8.00am till 3.30pm and Saturdays 9.30 till 1.30pm.
Green Solutions provides Wide Bay residents with a free and convenient green waste drop-off and disposal site that turns green waste into compost.
Nathan Freeman, General Manager at Green Solutions Wide Bay, said: "we are super excited to be working with such a wonderful local organisation in IMPACT Community Services. This partnership will benefit the environment and our wider region, which is the heart of our business."
IMPACT Community Services social enterprises manager Rob Henderson commended Green Solutions Wide Bay for their commitment to recycling and collaboration, helping bring great results for the environment and job opportunities to the region.
This new Refund Point will be run by IMPACT in addition to the refund point at University Drive.
IMPACT hopes the Qunaba site will make recycling containers for change more convenient for residents throughout the region.
For more information visit https://greensolutionswidebay.com.au/ or phone 0418 800 398.
Further details about Containers for Change are available at https://www.containersforchange.com.au/qld/
IMPACT Community Services is encouraging Bundaberg residents to recycle their containers in exchange for the opportunity to win one of two $50 WISH vouchers (valid at a wide range of shops including Woolworths & Big W).
Throughout the months of April and May, all customers who recycle their containers at our Container Refund Point located at 78 University Drive can opt to enter the competition.
Ensuring you’re in the draw is easy; simply fill out the entry form when you drop off your bottles.
Entries are only open to container refund point customers - one entry per visit.
IMPACT’s container refund point is open from 7.30am-4pm weekdays (last customer received at 3.30pm) and 8am-midday on Saturdays.
Terms & Conditions
Anyone (except IMPACT staff & their immediate families) is eligible to win.
Prizes will be drawn on 2 May 2022 & 6 June 2022.
Winners will be notified via the phone number provided on their entry form.
The results will also be published on IMPACT’s Facebook page.
If the winner does not claim the prize within 4 weeks of being notified, the prize will be redrawn.
This competition is run by IMPACT Community Service’s Marketing and Communications department.
All sections of the form must be completed in order for the entry to be valid.
It can sometimes be a little tricky and overwhelming to know exactly how to recycle when so many different products are made from a range of materials.
But now there's an app to help take the guess work out of what goes in your yellow-top bin, what needs to be taken to special drop off points and what's general waste - Recycle Mate.
You can use the camera function or search from over 4,000 items in Recycle Mate's comprehensive directory to find out the best disposal option for your items.
Speaking with Bundaberg Now, Bundaberg Regional Council's Waste and Recycling portfolio spokesperson Cr Tanya McLoughlin encouraged residents to download the app to receive quick and convenient access to local recycling information.
“Residents have a proven desire to recycle correctly and reduce what goes to landfill, but often feel unsure if they are always getting it right,” she said.
“This innovative app uses cutting-edge artificial intelligence technology to detect hundreds of different items to find the best local disposal option.
“Simply take a photo with your device’s camera or type the item name and Recycle Mate will provide disposal options specific to our region.”
The items that you place in the yellow-top bins collected by the council go to their Material Recovery Facility on University Dr which is managed by IMPACT Community Services.
IMPACT staff sort by hand all the items that you put into your recycling bins.
At the Recycling and Collections Centre we employ 27 workers with disability under the Australian Government’s NDIS Social Enterprise program.
We provide a supported work environment where our staff help individual workers identify areas to grow their skills and undertake any training to assist in achieving their goals.
Download the Recycle Mate app from Google Play or the App Store.
For more information on recycling dos and don'ts visit the council's website here for a breakdown of recyclable materials.
Recycle Mate is an initiative of the Australian Council of Recycling with funding support from the Australian Government's Environment Restoration Fund program. Adaptation Environmental Support is the program delivery partner.
The region's can-do attitude to recycling is undoubtedly growing!
IMPACT Community Services' Container Refund Point on University Dr has witnessed a massive increase throughout the last year and December with more than a 100% increase.
IMPACT's Enterprises General Manager Robert Henderson said according to the COEX figures we had an "exceptional December" with figures up 180% on the previous year at the CRP.
He said throughout 2021 we also achieved a 108% increase on the previous year.
"This shows that recycling is being taken up by the Local Community," he said.
When you recycle with Containers for Change, you get a 10-cent refund for every eligible container you return.
Most aluminium, glass, plastic, steel and liquid paperboard beverage containers between 150ml and 3L are eligible for a 10 cent refund - they typically have a 10c refund mark on them.
You can check the eligibility by visiting the Containers for Change here.
Some of the items that are not eligible include:
IMPACT's Container Refund Point is located at 78 University Dr and open from 7.30am to 4pm on weekdays and 8am to midday on Saturdays.
By Tanya O'Shea, IMPACT Community Services' Managing Director
"STRONGER TOGETHER" is a weekly column where Tanya explores key issues. This week Tanya focuses on recycling.
During the holidays and ahead of a new year, typically signifies a time for cleaning, decluttering, and cleansing – out with the old to make way for the new.
While a refreshed and organised home is a fantastic way to start the new year, it’s important not to litter your broader environment in the process and know what to recycle.
How do you get rid of broken decorations, lights, plastic trees?
IMPACT Community Services manages the Bundaberg Regional Council’s Material Recovery Facility on University Drive, where our staff sort by hand all the items that you put into your recycling bins.
At the Recycling and Collections Centre we employ 27 workers with disability under the Australian Government’s NDIS Social Enterprise program.
We provide a supported work environment where our staff help individual workers identify areas to grow their skills and undertake any training to assist in achieving their goals.
In the lead up to the festive period, our team has shared some helpful information about recycling.
Fake trees and decorations are not recyclable, we can take the string of lights, however people are urged to tie them up securely, so they do not tangle in the machinery.
If your wrapping paper and boxes have tape on them, they can still be recycled, so be sure to pop them in the yellow-topped bins.
Batteries on the other hand are a big no to going in either wheelie bin. Car batteries leak acid and contaminate the loads and smaller batteries end up in landfill.
If you want to recycle batteries, please take them to the Council battery recycling centres.
Queenslanders go through 2.7 billion drink containers each year and for those looking to turn their eligible containers into cash, our team at IMPACT’s Container Refund Point are here to help.
IMPACT’S Container Refund Centre at 78 University Dr is open from 7.30am to 4pm weekdays and 8am-midday on Saturday.
Most aluminum, glass, plastic, steel, and liquid paperboard beverage containers between 150ml and 3L are eligible for a 10-cent refund.
Throughout the festive season the Container refund Centre will be open as usual with exceptions of the public holidays when it will be closed.
At the Container Refund Centre you can get your 10-cent cash refund for eligible containers, or download the Containers for Change app, register, then stop and drop your tagged bags with us and the money is directly deposited into your account.
For more information click here.
The tremendous work done by the IMPACT Community Service staff at the Material Recovery Facility has been praised by fellow employees, IMPACT’s board chair Leanne Rudd, Bundaberg Regional Council Cr Tanya McLoughlin and Member for Bundaberg Tom Smith during a staff award presentation.
Three employees in particular were commended for their long service and dedication at the recycling facility: Brendan Stubbs, Warren Male and Nathan Last.
Their hard work, alongside their colleagues, has resulted in tonnes of containers sorted and recycled rather than ending up in landfill or littered throughout the environment.
While today marks the start of National Recycling Week, it's business as usual for our team at the recycling facility.
With Bundaberg’s population continuing to grow, their work was essential to ensuring Bundaberg is tidy.
IMPACT employs about 27 workers with disabilities under the Australian Government's Australian Disability Enterprise (ADE) to sort through all of the waste from council's yellow-top bins.
The MRF is owned by Bundaberg Regional Council and managed by IMPACT Community Services at 78 University Dr.
There is also a refund point which lets people get a 10 cent refund for each eligible container returned as part of the Containers for Change scheme.
Brendan Stubbs was recognised for 10-years-service, Warren Male was recognised for 15-years-service and Nathan Last was recognised for 20-years-service.
For more information about the MRF click here.
