A partnership between the Golden Dog Hotel in Glenreagh and the Orara Valley Lions Club has seen 75000 containers returned to create a new income stream for community projects in the rural village.

Owner of the Golden Dog Hotel Stephanie Luck said she felt motivated to establish the Golden Dog Return and Earn over-the-counter return point after problems with the local water supply in 2023 resulted in residents turning to bottled water.

“From October 10, 2023, to the week before Christmas, we couldn’t drink our tap water,” she explained.

“We were all using bottled water, and people started asking about (having a) Return and Earn as they wanted somewhere local to recycle their empty bottles.

“I looked into whether the pub could become a return point.”

A partnership with the Orara Valley Lions Club to establish an over-the-counter return point, which operates between 3-6pm on Wednesday and 10am-3pm on Sunday each week in the pub grounds so locals can easily deposit their containers, was quickly formed.

“The community response has been really good,” Ms Luck said. 

“People here tend to have lots of bottles and cans.

“It’s a small rural community, so they don’t go out as much.

“Now they don’t have to go to Coffs Harbour or Grafton to return their containers, they can just drop them off at the pub and get their 10c refunds.”

The funds raised through the operation are used to support a range of community projects.

Club Secretary of the Orara Valley Lions Club Mike Pollard said the club had already renovated the local tennis club, giving it a new coat of paint and putting in a new kitchen.

He revealed plans are currently underway for a bus shelter and community notice board.

“It helps the community, as people don’t have to drive so far to get rid of their cans and bottles, and there’s never a queue when they get to us,” he said.

“It also raises the profile of the Orara Valley Lions Club in the community and that has led to a few new people interested in becoming members.”

“To have that money go straight back into the community is just fantastic,” said Ms Luck.

“We got the bins picked up last week, and there were 20000 containers in just the last three weeks.

“We’re already up to more than 75000 in total, and for a little community that’s huge.”

• The Golden Dog Hotel looks after the over-the-counter return point outside of operating hours.

Story: Wendy Bruere