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Every year, the Clean Up Australia campaign encourages communities to give back to the places we call home. With such a strong community focus, there is a natural alignment between independent breweries and Clean Up Australia — and the Independent Brewers Association (IBA) is thrilled to help mobilise independent breweries to support the 2026 campaign.

Independent breweries across the country play a vital role in bringing their local communities together. They are where milestone birthdays are celebrated, trivia teams meet each week, and friends catch up while kids play nearby. They are hubs of connection — and ideal places to spark local action.

The IBA has partnered with Clean Up Australia to encourage independent breweries to register as businesses and act as local Clean Up collection points in communities nationwide. To help make sure every brewery that wants to participate can, the IBA will co-contribute 50% of the $250 registration fee for up to 20 brewery members.

“We know there are small breweries that will want to participate but that even $250 can feel like an impossible hurdle. We want to make sure that as many breweries as possible that want to participate, can participate,” says Jono Outred, IBA Member Engagement Officer.

In 2025, IBA members Brewmanity and Heaps Normal took part in Clean Up Australia, demonstrating just how impactful brewery-led events can be.

How Breweries Can Get Involved

Choose a date that works for your team.
Your Clean Up can be held on any day — not just Clean Up Australia Day.

Key dates to consider

• Business Clean Up Day: Tuesday, 24 February 2026
• Clean Up Australia Day: Sunday, 1 March 2026

Pick a location near your brewery or in your local neighbourhood. Parks, streets, waterways, and other public spaces are all great options, provided they are safe and in need of attention.
Need inspiration? Check out Clean Up Australia’s Litter Hotspots: https://www.cleanup.org.au/litter-hotspots/

Make it your own.
In 2025, Brewmanity hosted a barbeque and encouraged participation by offering a free sausage and beer to anyone who helped with the Clean Up for an hour. Your event can be as simple or as creative to fit with your brewery and community.

Registering Your Clean Up

Once your plans are in place, register your Clean Up location. After registering, you’ll receive:

• A confirmation email with your event number
• A Clean Up Kit for up to 10 people, including:
  • Recycled rubbish bags (general waste and recycling)
  • Reusable gloves (small and medium)
  • Site Supervisor hi-vis vest
  • Sharps container
  • QR code volunteer sign-in sheet

Please allow up to two weeks for your Clean Up Kit to arrive.

If you’re expecting more than 10 volunteers, you can order additional supplies via the Clean Up Australia merch store or bring your own.
Brewery grain bags also make excellent rubbish bags — a great way to keep things circular.

You can also opt out of receiving a physical Clean Up Kit if you prefer to use your own supplies.

If you anticipate collecting more waste than your brewery skip bins can handle, contact your local council ahead of time to organise a collection point:
https://www.cleanup.org.au/supporting-councils/

IBA Co-Contribution

If you are an IBA brewery member and would like to access the IBA’s 50% co-contribution toward the registration fee, please get in touch with us via email.

Following all of our brewery member registrations, the IBA will create a dedicated webpage and share consumer-facing communications to help promote brewery Clean Up events and encourage public participation.

“These kinds of events are everything our members are about — bringing people together for a good cause and looking after their local area,” says Sabrina Kunz, Chief Executive Officer, Independent Brewers Association.

“And let’s face it — what better way to finish a Clean Up than with a fresh beer made locally by an Australian-owned business. We’re thrilled to be involved and look forward to getting to a Clean Up ourselves.”