How to Get Here
53A Donovan Street, Blockhouse Bay. Just 3.6 km from Avondale – a straight run down Blockhouse Bay Road.
From Avondale
- Great North Road south-west, through the Saint Jude Street roundabout
- Right onto Donegal Street, then left onto Chalmers Street
- Right onto Blockhouse Bay Road – follow it for 2.5 km
- At the Blockhouse Bay roundabout, exit onto Donovan Street
- Look for the stone wall on your right at number 53A – pull up beside it
5 minutes off-peak. Blockhouse Bay Road is the main corridor – no back streets, no one-way sections, no confusion.
How the Drop-Off Works
Pull Up
Drive to 53A Donovan Street. No booking, no phone call, no paperwork.
Drop Beside the Stone Wall
Place your recyclables on the kerb next to the stone wall. Any household recyclables – glass, plastics, cardboard, e-waste, batteries, soft plastics, polystyrene, whiteware. We sort it.
Drive Away
That's it. We sort everything and deliver it to recycling facilities. You're done in under a minute.
Manny's vs the Patiki Road Transfer Station
Avondale residents have two local recycling options. Here's how they compare.
| Manny's Recycling | Patiki Road Transfer Station | |
|---|---|---|
| Location | 53A Donovan St, Blockhouse Bay | 114 Patiki Road, Avondale |
| Distance from Avondale | 3.6 km (5 min) | In Avondale (local) |
| Cost | Free | Gate fee + per-tonne charges (minimum ~$25–35) |
| Hours | 24/7, every day | Mon–Fri 7:30am–4pm, Sat 8am–4pm, Sun closed |
| Sorting required? | No | Yes – separate by waste type at weighbridge |
| Booking needed? | No | No (drive-in) |
| What's accepted | All household recyclables | General waste, green waste, recycling (separated) |
The Patiki Road transfer station is a professional facility and the right choice for large loads of mixed waste or green waste. But for household recyclables – glass bottles, cardboard boxes, old batteries, that broken toaster – you're paying a gate fee for something you can drop for free, any time of day or night, 5 minutes away.
What You Can Drop
If it's recyclable household material, bring it. We'll handle the sorting. Full list here.
When the Transfer Station Makes Sense
We're honest about this. For these situations, Patiki Road is your better bet:
- Large volumes of green waste – branches, clippings, soil (we don't accept this)
- Hazardous waste – chemicals, paint, gas bottles, asbestos (neither do we)
- Full trailer loads of mixed waste – the transfer station is purpose-built for volume
- Construction or demolition waste
For everyday household recyclables, you're overpaying for something that's free 5 minutes away.
Questions from Avondale Neighbours
Is it really free? No catches?
Yes. No gate fee, no per-kg charge, no membership, no donation box. We're a community service run by locals who believe recycling should be free. Pull up, drop, drive away.
Do I have to sort my recycling first?
No. Drop everything together beside the stone wall. Our volunteers sort it after pickup and deliver each material to the right facility. Sorting is our job, not yours.
What time can I come? Do I need to book?
Any time – literally 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It's an unstaffed kerbside drop-off. No booking, no phone call, no form to fill out. If it's 11pm on a Sunday and your recycling bin is overflowing, drive over.
How's the drive from Avondale?
Simple. Blockhouse Bay Road runs straight from Avondale to Blockhouse Bay. No winding back streets, no one-way sections. About 5 minutes door-to-door from the Avondale shops area.
Why is the transfer station so much more expensive?
The Patiki Road transfer station handles commercial volumes – construction waste, green waste, skip-bin loads. It's a business with weighbridges, staff, and specialised equipment. Great for what it does, but overkill for a bag of glass bottles and some cardboard.
Ready to Drop?
53A Donovan Street, Blockhouse Bay. Look for the stone wall on the right. Open now, open always.
Get directions