CIRQUE DU SOIL

From City to Regional Victoria: Why We’re Scaling Circular Food Systems Beyond City Limits

November 2, 2025

Alexandra Community Composting Program 2.0: Cirque du Soil goes regional in Place-Based Community-Led Regeneration

Photo Credit: Murrindindi Shire Council

Circular economies shouldn’t be a metropolitan luxury.

For years, we’ve been perfecting food waste diversion systems in inner-city Melbourne—proving that local businesses can close the loop on their organic waste while creating value for their communities. Now, we’re taking that expertise where it’s needed most: regional Australia.

We’re proud to announce our partnership with Murrindindi Shire Council to support a 2026 iteration of Alexandra Community Composting Program 2.0. This isn’t just another consulting gig—it’s a blueprint for how regional communities can achieve food waste independence without relying on volunteer goodwill or constant grant funding.

What makes this different: 

The Alexandra program has been operating through the passionate efforts of Upper Goulburn Landcare Network and volunteers with an EcoGuardian dehydrator at Grant Street Grocer processing food waste from local businesses. Our job? Transform this grassroots initiative into a financially sustainable, scalable model that works for Alexandra’s hospitality sector—in a place based, regional blueprint and can be replicated across regional Australia.

Over the next six months, we’ll be developing comprehensive business models, optimizing the existing infrastructure, and designing community engagement strategies that turn food waste from a cost center into a circular resource. We’re exploring everything from energy modeling for the dehydrator operations to creating viable end markets for processed outputs.

Why regional? Why now?

Because food waste doesn’t discriminate by postcode. Regional communities face unique challenges: longer transport distances to landfill, smaller business networks, tighter margins, and limited access to specialized waste services. But they also have unique advantages: strong community connections, shorter supply chains, and direct relationships with agricultural end-users.

If you’re in regional Australia and thinking about circular food systems for your community, let’s talk. The blueprint we’re building in Alexandra is designed to travel.

 

Want to bring circular food systems to your region? Get in touch at hello@cirquedusoil.com.au

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