How to Get Here
53A Donovan Street, Blockhouse Bay. 3.0 km from central New Lynn – a straightforward drive through Portage Road.
From New Lynn
- Take Clark Street south from the New Lynn transport hub
- Right onto Portage Road – follow it south for 1 km
- Through the roundabout onto Bolton Street, then continue onto Taylor Street
- Right onto Blockhouse Bay Road, then the roundabout onto Donovan Street
- Look for the stone wall on your right at number 53A
5 minutes off-peak. No motorway, no toll roads, no complicated intersections.
How the Drop-Off Works
Pull Up Any Time
We never close. 11pm on a Tuesday, 6am on a Saturday – the stone wall is always there. No booking, no form, no phone call.
Drop Beside the Stone Wall
Place everything on the kerb beside the stone wall. Glass, plastics, cardboard, e-waste, batteries, soft plastics, polystyrene, whiteware – bring it all. No sorting.
Drive Away
You're done. Volunteers sort and deliver everything to recycling facilities. The whole stop takes 30 seconds.
New Lynn Has Recycling Options – Here's the Real Comparison
New Lynn is home to two well-known recycling services: EcoMatters Environment Centre and Croxley Recycling. Both do good work. Here's how they compare to Manny's for everyday household recyclables.
| Manny's Recycling | EcoMatters | Croxley Recycling | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Location | 53A Donovan St, Blockhouse Bay | 1 Olympic Place, New Lynn | Clark Street, New Lynn |
| Cost | Free – always | Free for most household items | Pays you by weight (for large quantities of clean paper/cardboard) |
| Hours | 24/7, every day | Mon–Fri 9am–4pm, Sat 9am–2pm | Business hours (Mon–Fri) |
| What they take | All household recyclables | Batteries, lightbulbs, electronics, paint (PaintWise), select plastics | Clean paper and cardboard only |
| Sorting required? | No | Yes – separate by type | Yes – clean, dry, separated |
| Booking needed? | No | No (drop-in during hours) | Recommended for large loads |
EcoMatters is great for paint recycling (PaintWise) and specialist items during shop hours. Croxley is the place to go if you're a business with pallets of clean cardboard. But for a mixed bag of household recyclables – the glass jars, yogurt pots, cereal boxes, and dead batteries that pile up every week – neither is a complete solution. Manny's takes everything, any time.
Everything We Take (No Exceptions List)
If you're not sure, bring it. We'll figure out where it goes. Full accepted-items list.
When EcoMatters or Croxley Are the Better Choice
- Paint – EcoMatters runs the PaintWise programme. Take old paint and paint cans to 1 Olympic Place during shop hours. We do not accept paint.
- Large commercial cardboard volumes – If you run a business generating bales of clean cardboard, Croxley will pay you for it. Their per-kg rate makes sense at scale.
- Community workshops – EcoMatters runs composting workshops, bike repair sessions, and sustainability events. It's a community hub, not just a drop-off.
For everything else – the weekly household recycling run – Manny's is free, 5 minutes away, and always open.
Questions from New Lynn Neighbours
Is it really completely free? No per-item charges?
Completely free. No gate fee, no per-bag charge, no per-kg rate, no 'free for the first 5kg then we charge.' You could drop one glass bottle or a boot full of mixed recycling – same price: $0. We're a community service, not a business.
Can I come after work, around 6pm?
Yes. Unlike EcoMatters (closes 4pm weekdays, 2pm Saturday) and Croxley (business hours), we're open 24/7. After-work drop-offs are one of our busiest periods.
Do I need to separate my cardboard from my glass?
No. Drop everything together beside the stone wall. Our volunteers sort it. This is the biggest difference from Croxley (clean paper only) and EcoMatters (separate by type).
What's the quickest route from New Lynn?
Clark Street → Portage Road → Bolton Street → Taylor Street → Blockhouse Bay Road → Donovan Street. About 3 km, roughly 5 minutes. No motorway, no toll roads.
What about recycling bins? Do you have bins on site?
No bins – just the kerb beside the stone wall. Pull up, place your items on the kerb next to the stone wall, and go. Bins would fill up overnight and overflow. The open kerb system means there's always room.
Ready to Drop?
53A Donovan Street, Blockhouse Bay. Look for the stone wall on the right. Open now, open always.
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