Cairns Regional Council is a local authority in Queensland, home to ~170,000 residents, covering Cairns CBD, Edmonton, Trinity Beach, Smithfield, Mount Sheridan and Gordonvale. Like most Australian councils, it runs a multi-bin kerbside collection service. The day your bins go out, and which bins go out which week, depends on your address.
This guide covers the standard Cairns Regional Council bin colours and frequencies, how to find your specific collection day, and an easier way to never have to think about bin night again.
Cairns Regional Council bin colours and schedule
Cairns Regional Council currently provides red and yellow bins to most properties: kerbside garden waste is via voucher rather than a regular green bin.
How to find your collection day in Cairns Regional Council
Your exact collection day depends on your address. Cairns Regional Council divides the area into collection zones to balance truck routes across the week, which means different streets - and sometimes different sides of the same street, can have different days. The most reliable way to check is through the official Cairns Regional Council website:
Check your Cairns Regional Council bin collection day →
Enter your address there to see a personalised schedule, including any upcoming public holiday changes.
Why bin night gets confusing
In QLD, most councils, including Cairns Regional Council, collect general waste weekly and alternate recycling and garden waste on a fortnightly rotation. That means you need to know which week of the fortnight you're in, not just which day.
Public holidays can shift the entire schedule by a day, and some councils push the rotation forward while others skip a week entirely. If you've just moved to Cairns Regional Council, your neighbours may be on a completely different rotation to you, even on the same street.
What the bin colours mean
The bin lid colours used in Cairns Regional Council follow Australia's national standard for kerbside bins (AS 4123.7):
- Red lid: general waste: the things that can't be recycled or composted.
- Yellow lid: mixed recycling: clean paper, cardboard, glass, plastic and metal containers.
An easier way to remember bin night
If you're tired of checking calendars and counting fortnights, there's a simpler approach. Bindicator is a small lamp that sits on your kitchen bench or shelf and lights up the night before collection day in the colour of the bins that need to go out. You set it up once (it takes about 2 minutes), and then you never need to check a Cairns Regional Council calendar again.
Everyone in the house can see it. No app to open, no notification to dismiss.. When someone takes the bins out, they tap the lid to turn off the light, so the rest of the household knows it has been handled.
Bindicator costs A$35 with free returns and a 3-year warranty. No subscription, no ongoing cost.
Never think about bin night again.
Ships to Australia and the UK · Free returns · 3-year warranty
Get Bindicator for A$35Cairns Regional Council bin day: frequently asked questions
When is bin day in Cairns Regional Council?
Bin collection day in Cairns Regional Council depends on your specific address. Cairns Regional Council divides its area into multiple collection zones, so neighbouring streets, and even different sides of the same street, can have different days. The most reliable way to check is to enter your address on the official Cairns Regional Council website.
How often is general waste collected in Cairns Regional Council?
In Cairns Regional Council, the red bin (general waste) is collected weekly.
How often is recycling collected in Cairns Regional Council?
In Cairns Regional Council, the yellow bin (mixed recycling: paper, cardboard, glass, plastic and metal containers) is collected fortnightly.
What happens to bin collection on public holidays in Cairns Regional Council?
Collection day usually shifts by one day after a public holiday in Cairns Regional Council, with the rest of the week pushed back. Major holidays like Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year's Day, Australia Day and ANZAC Day are most often affected. Always check the council website around public holidays. Exact arrangements vary year to year.
What if I miss a bin collection in Cairns Regional Council?
If your bins were not emptied on collection day, leave them out and contact Cairns Regional Council to report a missed collection. Most councils will return within 1–2 working days. Bringing the bins in and putting them out again the following week is the next-best option.
