A Simple Guide for Barcaldine Residents

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What You Don’t Eat, Your Garden Will!

Compost is nature’s way of recycling. By composting at home, you:

  • Reduce waste in your wheelie bin

  • Reduce odours

  • Produce free, nutrient-rich fertiliser for your garden

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Setting Up Your Compost

  1. Get your equipment

    • One or two compost bins

    • A sealed container or bucket for kitchen scraps
      (Both can be found at hardware or garden stores.)

  2. Choose the right spot

    • Place your compost bin on well-drained soil

    • Keep it close to the kitchen, but not too close to your house or neighbours

    • Dig the bin slightly into the ground to help keep pests out

  3. Use two bins if possible

    • One active bin (where you keep adding materials)

    • One resting bin (where compost finishes breaking down)

  4. Start the compost

    • Add a 15 cm layer of twigs or coarse mulch at the bottom

    • Add a small amount of soil or finished compost to boost microbes

  Layering: The Easy A–B–C Formula

Good composting is all about alternating layers: 

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A — A thin layer of GREEN organics

These break down quickly and add nitrogen.

B — A slightly thicker layer of BROWN organics

These add carbon and help prevent smells.

C — Lightly moisten the heap

It should feel like a wrung-out sponge.

Repeat A–B–C until the bin is full.

What to Compost

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GREEN (quick to break down)

  • Fruit & vegetable scraps

  • Cooked leftovers

  • Tea bags & coffee grounds

  • Eggshells

  • Fresh lawn clippings

  • Animal manure

  • Stale bread

BROWN (slower to break down)

  • Dry leaves

  • Twigs & small branches

  • Shredded paper or cardboard

  • Straw or mulch

What NOT to Compost

  • Weeds with bulbs (e.g., nut grass)

  • Diseased plants

  • Meat, fats or dairy

  • Large amounts of citrus or onions

  • Dog or cat droppings

  • Treated wood

  • Cooking oil

  • Anything with pesticide/herbicide residue

Using Your Compost

Your compost is ready when it is:
✔ Brown
✔ Crumbly
✔ Smells earthy
✔ No longer shows the original food scraps

Use it for:

  • Vegetable gardens

  • Around trees and shrubs

  • Potting mix

  • Top-dressing lawns

Routine Maintenance

  • Turn the heap occasionally with a garden fork

  • Check moisture: should be moist, not wet

  • Add more brown materials if it smells

  • Add soil or finished compost monthly to speed up decomposition

Troubleshooting

Smelly compost?

Your heap may be too wet or too rich in “greens.”

Fix: Add dry leaves, mulch, or shredded paper.

Unwelcome visitors (ants, cockroaches, mice, rats)?

Fix:

  • Avoid adding meat, dairy or oils

  • Make sure the compost heats up in the centre

  • Dig your bin slightly into the ground

  • Turn the heap more often

Compost is slow to mature?

Fix:

  • Add nitrogen-rich materials (manure, green scraps)

  • Ensure it has enough moisture

  • Turn the compost to add air

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