About the online tutorial

Who is the tutorial for?

The tutorial is for residents of the Mount Alexander Shire.

What is the tutorial about?

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

What do I need to do to get my compost bin or wormfarm?

First off, you must be a resident of a Mount Alexander Shire.  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 get your bin. This e-mail will be vaild for two months.  Staff at the Council will be checking to ensure that only one compost bin or wormfarm is received per household.

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"?

We encourage everyone who registers to tick the box to "Join the Compost Revolution". This does not mean you will be committed to anything else but you will be able to get more support and be invited to events and workshops that are related to composting, organic gardening, cooking and food sustainability.

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 compost bin or wormfarm.

Can I do wormfarming and composting?

Doing both in a home can work well and you can do both the compost and wormfarming tutorial and quiz to learn how to do this. However, after you register you must choose either to receive a compost bin or wormfarm. If you want to do both you can buy a compost bin or wormfarm from a garden store.

I live in an apartment with no balcony or garden space what are my options?

You can wormfarm in a garage or even a bathroom or kitchen. You will need to empty your worm liquid and solids occasionally and give these to a neighbour or friend, or find a nearby park or community garden give them to.
Otherwise the best option is to drop your food scraps off at a communal compost bin or community garden weekly.

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

Yes, complete the quiz and register ticking the box to receive the updates, you will be invited to Compost Revolution events and programs.

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

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

About the Compost Revolution

The Compost Revolution is community initiative coordinated by the Mount Alexander Shire Council with help from many individuals and groups in our community.

The average Mount Alexander Shire residential garbage bin contains a large amount of organic waste, mostly food scraps, which is transported to the Castlemaine landfill where it rots without air to form harmful greenhouse gases. Home composting or wormfarming are easy, fun and important ways of reducing the volume of these valuable materials going to landfill, cutting down on the associated greenhouse gases and returning nutrients back into the soil. By increasing the number of households that compost in our shire we can reduce our ecological footprint and improve our local environment and community.

 The Compost Revolution includes the following components:

  • Discounted compost bins or wormfarms for residents of the Mount Alexander Shire who complete the on-line tutorial or attend a compost and wormfarm workshop
  • Workshops on related themes such as organic gardening & cooking to avoid food waste
  • Events to celebrate community action, network and socialise including International Compost Awareness Week celebrations

If you find video demonstrations helpful, there is a great one on the Planet Ark website featuring Costa from Costa's Garden Odyessy.

Mount Alexander Shire Council

The Mount Alexander Shire Coucil is committed to sustainability. That's why we have developed an Environment Strategy and a Greenhouse Action Plan that list all the things we are doing with our community to improve our natural and built environments.

Council is also committed to recylcing and sustainable waste management. Our Waste Management Strategy outlines our commitment to provide sustainable solutions to the collection, disposal and recource recovery of waste. It strives to provide a sound basis for Council to implement actions and strategies to achieve waste minimisation, increased reclycing and improved waste treatment and disposal across the Shire. Development of the Compost Revolution in our region is one of the actions in the Strategy.

Copies of the Waste Management Strategy and additional information about waste management in the Shire can be found at our website - www.mountalexander.vic.gov.au/wastemanagement .

Copies of the Environment Strategy and additional information about sustainability in the Shire can be found at this link - www.mountalexander.vic.gov.au/environment.

You can also contact council on 5741 1700 or [email protected].

International Compost Awareness Week

Did you know that International Compost Awareness Week runs from 6 - 11 May? See below for the events happening in our Shire in 2013.

Worm Farms and Compost Tea Workshop

Sunday 5 May 2013

9:30am - 12:30pm

Mount Alexander Fruit Gardens, Harcourt

Cost: $44

This workshop will introduce you to worms, their crucial role in your garden, how to provide the perfect environment for them, and what to feed them. You'll also be introduced to fungi, bacteria, and other tiny microbes that live in healthy soil, and learn their important roles in helping your plants grow.

During the second part of the workshop you'll check out a worm farm; watch a compost tea brew being made; learn how to make a home-scale compost tea brewer from simple, easy-to-source components; and look down a microscope to see for yourself the types of critters that grow in the right conditions.

To register, please click here.

Building Healthy Soil Workshop

Sunday 5 May 2013

1:30pm - 4:30pm

Mount Alexander Fruit Gardens, Harcourt

This workshop covers the theory of soil structure, and will introduce you to the fungi, bacteria, and other organisms that live in healthy soil, and their important roles in helping your plants grow. During the second part of the workshop you'll learn and practice some simple soil tests to do on your own soil.

To register, please click here.

Biodynamic Composting Workshop

Sunday 12 May 2013

10:30am - 3pm

Newstead Community Garden, 26 Panmure Street, Newstead (rear Anglican Church)

Cost: Free

The hands-on workshop will show you all you need to know about the principles behind making a biodynamic compost heap and preparations.

There will be plenty of time to get your hands dirty in this workshop. You are encouraged to bring along a shovel, fork and gloves, and any surplus chemical-free kitchen scraps and green waste that you may have at home.

Lunch and morning/afternoon tea will be available to purchase for $15.

Registrations are required for catering purposes. To RSVP to the workshop, please contact Jay Smith, Environment Education Officer on 5471 1828 or email [email protected].

Contact Us

The Compost Revolutiom is an initiative of Mount Alexander Shire's Environment Strategy. Council is committed to sustainability and sustainable waste msnagement. You can find out more about other sustainability initiatives and programs at our website, www.mountalexander.vic.gov.au , or by contacting us on 03 5471 1700 or [email protected].