Asbestos removal and demolition in Warwick and the Southern Downs

Why do Warwick jobs need extra care?

Warwick is one of Queensland's older inland towns. Canning Downs station was taken up in 1840, the town was gazetted in 1847, and the railway arrived from Toowoomba in the early 1870s. The centre still has its sandstone landmarks, including St Mark's (1868), the Masonic Hall (1886), the Town Hall (1888), and the post office and clock tower (1898). Around them sits a large post-war ring: the population grew by a quarter after the war and reached about 10,000 by the early 1960s, much of it housed in fibro-era homes.

In 2021 the town had 12,294 residents, a median age of 45, and a higher share of semi-detached dwellings (12.2%) than most Downs towns. Those older units and cottages are a frequent source of bonded asbestos.

Floods on the Condamine

The Condamine River at Warwick peaked at a record 9.10 m in February 1976, at 8.35 m in January 2011, and at 7.56 m in May 2022, when parts of town were inundated. Rebuilding after a flood often means stripping wet linings and ceilings. In older buildings those need testing for asbestos first.

What will council need before you demolish in Warwick?

Heritage first.

Southern Downs keeps a Local Heritage Register with heritage overlay maps. Demolishing or removing a building on that register needs a preliminary approval, and council's 2026-27 fee is $5,135. Places on the Queensland Heritage Register need a development permit or exemption certificate for any development. Council's draft new planning scheme, endorsed in December 2025 and awaiting State approval, would extend the heritage overlay to land adjoining heritage places. Version 5 of the current scheme still applies until the new one commences.

Demolition permit.

The 2026-27 demolition permit fee is $389. Council certifies Class 1 and 10 buildings in-house, while Class 2–9 buildings are certified externally at cost plus an administration fee.

Relocating a house.

Council's removal bond for a dwelling is $15,000 when moving it into a rural area and $30,000 into an urban or rural residential area.

What are the asbestos disposal rules in the Southern Downs?

Only two council sites accept asbestos: Warwick Central Waste Management Facility on Old Stanthorpe Road, and Stanthorpe on Rifle Range Road. Neither takes asbestos from outside the Southern Downs region. For commercial jobs:

• Commercial asbestos loads are limited to 1 tonne per load (since 1 July 2024), must be booked one business day ahead, and can only be tipped Monday to Friday, 8 am to 3 pm.
• Every load needs an Asbestos Disposal Form. Commercial loads, and domestic loads over 250 kg, also need a Waste Transport Certificate, and transporting more than 175 kg needs an environmental authority.
• Asbestos costs $300 per tonne in 2026-27. Mixed construction and demolition waste costs $280 per tonne, and clean concrete for stockpiling $100 per tonne.
• Contaminated soil is accepted only with compliant test results and 7 days' notice.

The 1-tonne cap means a larger Warwick asbestos job needs a planned run of booked loads. Build that into the program from the start.

Burke jobs in Warwick and nearby towns

How far is Warwick from our yard?

About 81 km, or a little over an hour, from Harristown via the New England Highway. That puts the whole Warwick district within a day's reach for site inspections, including Morgan Park, Rosenthal Heights, Freestone, Yangan, Hendon and Allora, and further out Killarney, Maryvale and Stanthorpe. Plant and crews travel from Toowoomba. Disposal is planned around Southern Downs' booking system, or the waste is brought back to Toowoomba where that's allowed.