About the online tutorial

Who is the tutorial for?

The tutorial is for residents of Blue Mountains City Council.

What is the tutorial about?

The tutorial is designed to give you a basic understanding of how to compost or worm farm effectively. It does not go into the science of compost or any gardening information.

What do I need to do to get my discounted compost bin or worm farm ?

First, you must be a resident of Blue Mountains City Council. Once you complete the quiz with a score of 100% you will be asked to register your name, address and e-mail and you will receive a confirmation e-mail with details on how to order your worm farm or compost bin. This e-mail will be valid for two months, after which you will need to re-do the quiz. 

What if I fail the quiz?

You can attempt the quiz as many times as you need to pass, and you can return to the tutorial to find the answers.

Is anything else required of me if I "Join the Compost Revolution"?

The Compost Revolution is about building community capacity - we encourage everyone who registers to tick the box to "join the Compost Revolution". This does not mean you will be committed to anything, but you will be able to get more support and be invited to sustainable living events, festivals and workshops such as; organic gardening, home energy saving, keeping chooks and much more.

Can more than one person in my household do the tutorial?

Multiple people in a household can do the tutorial and quiz multiple times, however only one person in a household can register to receive a discounted compost bin or worm farm.

Can I do worm farming and composting?

Doing both at home can work well and you can complete both the compost and wormfarming tutorial and quiz to learn how to do this. However, after you register you must choose to receive a discount on either a compost bin or a worm farm.  If you wish to purchase both product types, your local hardware store will be able to help you with the product not ordered through compost revolution.

I live in a unit with no balcony or garden space - what are my options?

You can worm farm in a garage or even a bathroom or kitchen. You will need to empty your worm liquid and solids occasionally and can give these to a neighbour or friend.  Alternatively you can give them to a community garden, school, or local environment group. 

I don't need a new bin but I want to be part of the Compost Revolution, is this possible?

Yes, simply complete the quiz and register by ticking the box to receive Compost Revolution updates, including events, festivals, forums and workshops.

I already know how to compost.  Do I need to do the tutorial to get a free bin?

You don't need to do the tutorial but you do need to do the quiz to register for your compost bin or worm farm. The quiz is simple and quick and you can complete it at your own pace.

What type of compost bins or worm farms do we get?

If you choose a compost bin you may order: 
• an MC 220 Composter Bin
• a 'Revolver' compost aerator 

If you choose a worm farm with worms you may order:
• a Vermihut 3 tray worm farm 
• a bag of 500 live worms

Is there anything special that I need to be aware of if I order live worms?

If you order live worms to go along with your worm farm, please be aware that they are delivered by Registered Mail with Australia Post which requires a person to sign for the goods. If you cannot be home you will receive a notice slip to pick up the package at your local post office. It is very important that you get to your local Post Office as soon as possible to ensure they are still healthy when you get them home. The longer they are left the more chance there is they will die and you will need to purchase a fresh batch.

Can I pick up my compost bin or worm farm from Council to save on delivery fees?

Unfortunately you cannot pick up your order directly from Council offices as they are delivered directly from the wholesaler to your home to keep costs low.  

Join the backyard compost revolution!

The Compost Revolution service is a fun way to learn about composting and worm farming from the comfort of your own home. People all over Australia are joining the revolution and finding out how to create their own soil and fertiliser while reducing the waste they send to landfill.  You simply do a quick tutorial here on this website then claim your discounted worm farm or compost bin. Once you have registered and paid, Blue Mountains City Council will approve your order and we'll deliver it to your door within a few weeks.

The project began in the eastern suburbs of Sydney with Waverley, Randwick and Woollahra councils running hundreds of workshops teaching people how to compost and worm farm. The response was huge and the resulting carbon and cost savings over landfill drove a decision to expand the programme online. In 2012 – a year and thousands of households later – the programme was expanded nation-wide as a partnership between the founding councils and social enterprise Revolution Apps (the company that operates this web site on behalf of your local council).

Blue Mountains City Council

Blue Mountains: the City within a World Heritage National Park.

Our local community is serious about caring for the environment. That's why Sustainable Blue Mountains 2025 - the community’s strategic plan - places 'Looking after the Environment' as one of its key directions.

Improving the way we deal with our waste is one way that Blue Mountains City Council and its community can look after the environment. By joining the Compost Revolution, you can take a big step towards reducing waste and recycling precious resources.

This is because Compost Revolution shows how easy it is to recycle and reuse the household waste using composting and worm farming. For the average household, over 60% of garbage could be recycled through composting, while over 30% could be recycled through worm farming.

With Compost Revolution you can turn the food scraps, garden waste, paper and cardboard into food for your soil and plants, rather than ending up in your garbage bin. Not only will your garden be greener, you will also send less waste to landfill.

If you have questions about the Compost Revolution or Blue Mountains City Council's waste management services, please contact us at:

Blue Mountains City Council

2 Civic Place

Katoomba NSW 2780

E: [email protected]

T: 02 4780 5000

W: www.bmcc.nsw.gov.au

Contact Us

Visit our website for questions about Recycling and Waste management in the Blue Mountains.

For questions about the Blue Mountains City Council Compost Revolution service please email Waste and Resources Project Officer email council@bmcc.nsw.gov.au.