Central Coast Recycling

Before starting a new job in November 2017, I spent 2 days attending to a few videoing tasks, which saw me exploring parts of the Gosford area on a Monday. I was here to shoot some final footage of the then current residential collection trucks which were just about to get replaced. First thing in the morning I spent some time documenting the kerbside clean-up, then I got a green waste side loader and to finish off I located a side arm on recycling. Truck #44 is the yellow bins collector I came across, right at the end of his run, before pushing in to help on a neighbouring run across the main road there in the suburb of Kincumber. Thanks to the bloke behind the wheel for being fine with me chasing along for a bit. It’s no secret this was a very cool and iconic fleet during the time it operated, with things a bit different since my 2008 visit, but it was still awesome to see and hear a weapon central coast truck like this on the job again – all long gone now though! Also always loved that unusual flashing beacon style Thiess ordered, I wonder what the influence was at the time to go with it.

The Central Coast contract started off as a fat regional partnership between the former Gosford City and Wyong Shire, with Thiess winning the job to provide collections. A large group of trucks exceeding 60 units was built up for the task, with a purity of Iveco ACCOs paired up with various sized Superior Pak side lifts and a number of large/small Garwood rear loaders for bulk clean-up and litter bins. Other trucks from a few locations also joined the gang during the years, particularly older rear loaders for clean-up work, otherwise much of the 2008 model fleet pushed through the full 10 years. Back in 2012 Remondis bought out the waste operations of Thiess, seeing the attempted uniform rebranding of the entire Central Coast fleet, however only a fraction had the blue scheme removed and front bumper painted black. A new contract for the massive amalgamated Central Coast Council was awarded to Cleanaway, which in early 2018 deployed 70+ vehicles comprising lots of Superior Pak bodies on a mix of Iveco, Dennis, Hino and Isuzu.