A Million Reasons to Recycle at Queensland Country Bank Stadium
At last weekend’s NRL double-header, fans at Townsville’s Queensland Country Bank Stadium - home of the North Queensland Cowboys - hit a huge milestone: over one million drink containers recycled through Containers for Change!
That’s more than a million plastic and aluminium drink containers kept out of landfill - and proof that every can and bottle you return on game day really does make a difference.
The fan who returned the milestone container was mum of five, Kayla – who scored a prize pack including a 2025 team-signed football for her recycling efforts.
How recycling at Cowboys games supports the Cowboys Community Foundation
When you drop your empties in the green Containers for Change bins at Cowboys games, you’re doing more than helping the environment.
This season, all refunds collected at Cowboys home games go straight to the Cowboys Community Foundation, which delivers life-changing programs for people across North Queensland.
The Cowboys Community Foundation focuses on tackling the geographic, health, wellbeing, cultural, and economic barriers that stand in the way of a fulfilling life. Its programs include:
NRL Cowboys House - removing distance as a barrier to quality secondary education for Indigenous students from some of Australia's most remote and educationally disadvantaged communities.
Try for Five, an inter-school challenge designed address short and long term impacts of students missing foundation learning in their primary years through poor school attendance.
This season alone, fans have already recycled an average of 20,000 containers at every home game, raising over $15,000 for these local community initiatives.
Townsville leads the way in Containers for Change recycling
Townsville locals have always led the way in recycling. Last year alone, more than 88 million containers were returned through Containers for Change in Townsville, putting $8.8 million in 10-cent refunds back into the community.
It’s easy to join in
Whether you're at the stadium or at home, recycling your containers is simple:
At events and venues: Look for green Containers for Change bins to recycle on the go.
At home: Collect your 10¢ refunds yourself or choose to donate them to a charity you care about.
Together, let’s keep making a difference for our environment - and our community.
Ready to get started?
Get a member number and start tracking your returns today.