Advanced Resource Recovery Centre

Project typeWaste & recycling
Project value$1.6 billion
Project schedulePlanning: 2026 to 2028 | Early earthworks: 2026 to 2027 | Construction: TBC | Delivery: 2032

The Advanced Resource Recovery Centre (ARRC) is a major new waste and recycling precinct planned for Stapylton. It's the biggest project of its kind ever undertaken on the Gold Coast and will play a key role in how we manage waste into the future.

The ARRC will help us send less waste to landfill, boost our ability to recycle, process organics and create new opportunities for jobs, innovation and industry growth within the circular economy.

The project will be delivered in 3 stages:

organics (green bin)
recycling (yellow bin)
management of non-recyclable or 'residual' waste (red bin)

This staged approach ensures we meet community expectations and environmental standards.

Owned by City of Gold Coast, this long-term project will focus on environmental responsibility, value-for-money and transparent engagement with residents, industry and stakeholders.

Precinct model

The ARRC brings a new approach to how we manage waste and recover resources – from household bins to industrial processes. It supports the draft Queensland Waste Strategy 2025-2030 and developing national waste and circular economy goals.

The precinct will include several facilities working together to maximise recovery and encourage participation and innovation:

ARRC Organics: Opened in 2025, this facility transforms garden and food organics into high-quality compost.
ARRC Recycling: Will improve recovery of plastics, glass, paper and other recyclables. It will also partner with private company VISY for glass remanufacturing on-site.
ARRC Energy: Will explore ways to manage residual (non-recyclable) waste.
ARRC Hub and Innovation Park: Will support community education, industry collaboration, research and solutions development for difficult and emerging waste streams.

Why we need it

The Gold Coast is one of Australia’s fastest growing cities, but our landfill capacity is limited. As more waste is created, we need new facilities to protect our environment, reduce emissions, manage costs to ratepayers and support a sustainable future.

ARRC will:

reduce how much waste goes to landfill
increase local capacity to process organics and recyclables
support new industries and jobs in the region
reduce the number of trucks and emissions on our roads
help position the Gold Coast as an international leader in resource recovery and circular economy practices.

Community engagement

We have engaged with people living and working near the proposed precinct, as well as the wider Gold Coast community, to help guide the planning and design of the ARRC. A Community Reference Group continues to provide input on behalf of local residents, businesses and stakeholders.

Our engagement approach is based on open communication – sharing information early, listening to feedback and using these insights to shape the project.

There will be more opportunities for community involvement as ARRC progresses through planning and construction.

Project status

You can stay updated on project milestones and community engagement opportunities on the ARRC Gold Coast website.

ARRC energy procurement moves to next stage

We have shortlisted a group of experienced respondents to progress to the next stage of procurement for the proposed residual waste-to-energy facility at Stapylton.

The shortlist follows a detailed evaluation of submissions received through an Open Expression of Interest (EOI) process, assessed against the requirements and criteria outlined in the EOI documentation.

The 16 shortlisted respondents have been invited to participate in a Closed EOI, which will provide further project detail and an opportunity to submit a more comprehensive proposal covering technical capability, delivery methodology and commercial arrangements.

We anticipate releasing the Closed EOI documentation in the first quarter of the 2026–27 financial year, subject to approvals.

The residual waste-to-energy facility is a key component of the ARRC precinct at Stapylton, which is set to become one of the world's first planned waste and energy precincts.

Once operational, the facility will convert non-recyclable waste – material that cannot be reused, recycled or composted – into enough energy to power up to 80,000 homes.

For enquiries about the procurement process, contact the ARRC procurement team at arrcwte@arrcgoldcoast.com.