Home Compost & Worm Farm Rebate

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Love food, hate waste?

Whether you're just getting started on your home compost and/or worm farm journey or are a pro, we're really excited to support you on your journey and offer a rebate. Composting at home builds amazing habits around earthcycling, gardening and managing food waste. 

Three-bin system (FOGO) Augusta Margaret River

What is composting?

Composting is nature’s way of recycling – a process of turning natural scraps like food scraps, leaves and paper into nutrient-rich compost to help your garden and soil thrive. The bacteria, fungi, insects and worms in compost support healthy plant growth, which helps offset greenhouse gas emissions. 

Composting can bring a second life to:

  • Vegetable and fruit scraps
  • Tea leaves and plastic-free tea bags
  • Coffee grounds
  • Crushed egg shells
  • Shredded paper and cardboard
  • Leaves, twigs, flowers, grass trimmings and other garden waste


Three-bin system (FOGO) Augusta Margaret River

What is worm farming?

Worm farming is another way to recycle your food scraps by feeding them to hungry worms. You can place the following in your worm farm:

  • Vegetable and fruit scraps
  • Tea leaves and plastic-free tea bags
  • Coffee grounds
  • Crushed egg shells
  • Shredded paper and cardboard
  • Weeds and flowers



Choosing the right system for you

We always recommend doing your own research and reading reviews before making a purchase to make sure it's the right fit for you. We've included some information below, including the rebate offers to help you get started!

Unlike traditional composting which requires oxygen, bokashi composting is anaerobic (occurs without oxygen). The bin is sealed to create a low-oxygen environment that promotes fermentation rather than decomposition. 
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Pro's
✔️ Suitable for homes with limited outdoor space
✔️ Can compost meat, diary and cooked foods that are typically unsuitable for traditional composting systems
✔️ Faster decomposition (2-4 weeks) due to the anaerobic fermentation process
✔️ As this bin is sealed, it isn't subject to pests. 
✔️ Does not require turning or mixing
✔️ Provides a fluid residue which improves soil health. 

Con's
❌ Ongoing cost - approximately $13 per bokashi mix bag
❌ Limited capacity for processing food scraps. If you generate a lot of food waste, you may need multiple. 
❌ Following the fermentation process, compost must be buried in soil or added to a traditional compost bin to fully decompose. 
❌ Not suitable for garden waste (leaves, grass, trimmings etc)
❌ May have a mild ferment odour

Eligible rebate
  • Up to $50
Need some inspiration? Check out:

Microorganisms break down organic waste into solid nutrient-rich compost which can be used to enrich soil. This process requires a delicate balance to manage airing, nutrient and moisture levels.

Pro's
✔️ Can process larger volumes of waste than bokashi and worm farms. 
✔️ Cost effective in comparison to a compost tumbler
✔️ Can also process garden organics

Con's
❌ Requires turning and/or mixing
❌ Longer decomposition time in comparison to worm farms
❌ May attract rodents, flies, and other pests if not maintained properly 

Eligible rebate
  • Up to $40

In-ground feeding stations allow naturally occurring garden worms to move in, feed, then move out again to disperse rich organic matter into the root zone of your plants. As they burrow, garden worms also create tunnels that loosen and aerate the soil, improving oxygen and water infiltration, which improves root growth and plant health.

Pro's
✔️ Worms produce vermicompost or ‘worm castings’ which improve soil fertility, structure, and water retention
✔️ Doesn’t require turning or mixing
✔️ Compact design makes it suitable for smaller gardens 
✔️ Does not require cleaning out. When the system reaches capacity, it can be removed and relocated to a new position in the garden 
✔️ Material that has not composted will continue to break down without any further intervention

Con's
❌ In-ground worm farms are more resilient to temperature fluctuations than above-ground worm farms, however extreme temperatures (hot or cold) can harm or kill worms
❌ Potential issues with anaerobic conditions, pests and odour if not managed correctly
❌ Limited capacity for processing food scraps. If you generate a lot of food waste, you may need multiple

Eligible rebate
  • Up to $40

Worms break down organic waste into solid and liquid nutrient-rich compost which can be used to enrich soil. The set up usually includes bins or beds where worms are housed, with layers of bedding material such as shredded paper.

Pro's
✔️ Worms produce vermicompost or ‘worm castings’ which improve soil fertility, structure, and water retention
✔️ Compact size – making them ideal for dwellings with limited space
✔️ Doesn’t require turning or mixing
✔️ Takes 2 -3 months to break down

Con's
❌ Worms are sensitive to temperature. Extreme temperatures (hot or cold) can harm or kill worms so you will be required to water your worms daily in summer and once per week in winter. 
❌ Scraps must be finely chopped to facilitate quicker decomposition
❌ Limited capacity for processing food scraps. If you generate a lot of food waste, you may need multiple systems. 

Eligible rebate
  • Up to $80

The same composting process that takes place in the compost bin. However, this system makes turning/mixing the compost easier. 

Pro's
✔️ Simplistic mixing process compared to traditional compost bins that require manual turning with a pitchfork or mixing tool
✔️ Improved aeration due to the position off the ground and rotating mechanism
✔️ Ability to batch compost (only available with some models). This allows for composting all year round.

Con's
❌ Typically, the most expensive composting option
❌ While tumblers simplify the mixing, they still require physical effort to turn (may not be suitable for those with limited mobility/ strength)

Eligible rebate
  • Up to $80

The EnsoPet waste composter is an in-ground solution for composting your pet’s waste. Simply dig a hole, assemble, bury, and add waste with the EnsoPet starter mix. 

Pro's
✔️ Due to the use of starter mix, the waste is quickly decomposed
✔️ Some models no not require aeration/mixing/turning 
✔️ Suitable for a range of pets (dogs, cats, guinea pigs, rabbits etc)

Con's
❌ Must be buried in-ground and therefore requires a garden bed
❌ Limited capacity, meaning residents may require multiple systems, especially with multiple pets
❌ Compost is not ideal for edible plants and veggie patches
❌ Ongoing cost (approx $15 aeration mix)

Eligible rebate
  • Up to $50

Supporting local

In the spirit of sustainability, we recommend purchasing products locally wherever possible! Here's a few options you can check out, including but not limited to:

If you do purchase products online, please note that we won't cover the cost of delivery in the rebate.

How to claim the rebate

To claim your rebate, simply:

  1. Read the Terms and Conditions below
  2. Purchase your home compost and/or worm farm and keep the receipt
  3. Download and complete the Home Compost & Worm Farm Rebate Application Form below, email to [email protected] with a copy of your receipt and proof of address (rates notice, drivers licence or another government form of ID/form). 
  4. The rebate will be processed by EFT within 8 weeks of the appliaction being approved. 

How to get your system set up

More information

  • Compost Community also have some fantastic resources including videos available
  • Can't find a home for your scraps or want to take on other people's scraps? Peels connects people with food scraps to other's nearby who compost. It’s a free, non-commercial, community project.

Terms and Conditions

  • The home composting system rebate is available to Shire of Augusta Margaret River residents only.

  • Items purchased as part of the rebate will not be provided as gifts or sold to others.

  • The home composting system rebate is available for the purchase of new products only.

  • The Shire does not have home composting systems available for purchase. Residents must purchase a home composting system from external retailers.

  • The Shire will honour receipted purchases of eligible home composting systems made within 6 months of purchase.

  • Households are limited to two different types of home composting systems within a 5-year period (for example, in 2025 you may apply for a rebate on a compost bin and in 2026 you may apply for a rebate on a bokashi bucket).

  • A photo/scanned copy of a government issued photo identification document must be provided as part of your application (for example, driver’s licence or passport).

  • If your photo identification document does not include your current residential address, a document confirming proof of residency must be provided as part of your application.

  • A photo/scanned copy of your purchase receipt must be provided as part of your application.

  • Rebate payments may take up to 4 weeks to process, funds will be transferred electronically into the nominated bank account only.

  • The Shire has the right to decline incomplete/non-conforming applications.

  • The Shire has the right to request further information if deemed necessary.

  • The Shire has a set budget for home composting rebates each financial year. Once the budget is exceeded, we cannot issue further rebates.

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Contact Details

Margaret River

41 Wallcliffe Road,
Margaret River WA 6285
PO Box 61
Margaret River WA 6285
Monday - Friday
9am - 4pm

Augusta

66 Allnut Terrace,
Augusta WA 6290
PO Box 61
Margaret River WA 6285
Tues, Wed, Thurs
9am-12pm, 1pm-4pm
The Shire of Augusta Margaret River acknowledges we are on Wadandi and Pibelmen Boodja, whose ancestors and their descendants are the traditional owners of this country.
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