Ballina Takes the Lead on Sustainability with SUC-Free Campaign
Reusable Cup Initiative Set to Tackle Waste, Cut Costs, and Inspire Statewide Action
Ballina is stepping up to lead a powerful grassroots movement—becoming one of the few towns in Australia to go completely single-use coffee cup free.
Launching this Plastic Free July, the SUC-Free Ballina campaign introduces a return-and-reuse cup system across local cafés and venues, enabling customers to borrow a reusable coffee cup for a refundable $3 deposit. Backed by Ballina RSL and delivered in partnership with local, social enterprise Good Reusables, the campaign offers a practical, community-first response to the growing environmental and financial cost of disposable coffee cups.
Businesses will begin rolling out the system from 1 July, with organisers calling for all Ballina cafés to commit by 31 July. The bold goal: to make Ballina entirely single-use coffee cup free by 1 September 2025.
“This campaign is about much more than coffee cups—it’s about showing how a community can come together to lead positive change,” said Darren Murnane, Chairman of the Board, Ballina RSL. “We’re proud to support this initiative through our ClubGRANTS program and broader community engagement, and we hope Ballina will become a model for towns across the country.”
The campaign has also been made possible thanks to the strong support of Justine Rowe and Ballina Shire Council, whose leadership and advocacy for local sustainability have been instrumental in building momentum and bringing stakeholders together.
Special thanks also go to Jonas Benedikt, founder of Good Reusables, for providing an Australian-made solution that’s smart, accessible and built for real-life café settings. His commitment to creating durable, recyclable, and community-friendly systems is at the heart of this initiative.
With support including start-up subsidies for cafés, pay-it-forward jars to ensure inclusion, and a town-wide marketing campaign, the initiative is designed to make participation easy, inclusive, and long-lasting. The financial case is compelling too. Businesses could save thousands each year on single-use cup purchases—critical relief at a time when many are facing rising operational costs.
Ballina joins a growing list of towns like Bermagui and Mullumbimby already proving that circular, reusable systems work. The difference? Ballina is going further—bringing businesses, council, community and club together for collective impact.
