Covid-19 (Coronavirus) update
The Buy Back Shop is closed until further notice due to the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) restrictions.
A place where there is treasure to be found all year round.
Location and opening hours
At the Ray Jones Drive and Lyons Street intersection, proceed onto the southern section of Lyons Street. Turn right at the roundabout and turn left into the entrance of the Buy Back Shop car park.
Direct visitors to the Buy Back Shop no longer have to access it via the Portsmith Transfer Station gate.
Store opening times
* 9am – 4pm, Wednesday - Sunday
Easter trading hours:
The store is closed on Good Friday. Normal operating hours and opening times resume for the balance of the Easter period.
Contact us
Please phone 1300 69 22 47 during business hours for any enquiries regarding the Buy Back Shop or stop by during our opening hours to speak with one of our friendly staff.
Eftpos accepted
Things you might find
Items for sale
The opportunities are endless when you think about what could be found at the BBS, and the best part about it is, every time you come along, you’ll find something unique that wasn’t there the time before.
- Building materials
- Household appliances and cookware
- Vintage goods, collectables and one off restoration pieces
- Clothing and accessories
- Indoor and outdoor furniture
- Musical instruments, books and games for all ages
- Baby items
- Supplies for parties, weddings and birthday celebrations
- Bicycles and scooters
- Art and decorative pieces
- Tools and items for the shed and garden
And so many more things we can’t possibly list them all.
Donate your goods to be rescued
How to give back
If you’re doing a spring clean, or just have some unwanted items that no longer fulfil their purpose (or perhaps they’re just not what they once were), instead of throwing them in the bin, drop them off at our Transfer Stations for FREE (conditions apply*).
Give someone else a chance to make use out of something that no longer serves its purpose for you and do the environment a favour while you’re at it. If it comes to us and we think it deserves another chance, it doesn’t go to landfill.
Local support
We receive stock from all over the community where different circumstances allow for unwanted goods to land in our hands as a result of:
- Hotel/venues refurbishments
- De-cluttering the home / business
- “Too hard to fix” basket
- Unloved items
- Events (parties, weddings, birthday celebrations)
What we are about
What we stand for
The BBS does two things well: we support the environment by repurposing unwanted goods instead of sending them to landfill, all while offering a variety of rescued items back to the local community. In 2015/16 alone, we saved approximately 520.3 tonnes of waste from being sent to landfill.
What we do
At the Buy Back Shop (BBS), we find and collect treasures of all shapes and sizes and offer them back to the community to ensure old things get a second chance.
Our staff work endlessly to recover goods that you may not want, but perhaps your neighbour does. We simply place them in our store and wait for the right person to find them a good home.
At the BBS, we figure, ‘why break something that aint broken’ so think twice about disposing of your items and give them a chance to be repurposed.
What are you waiting for? Come down to the Buy Back Shop. You never know what you might find.
*Conditions apply:
- Items for BBS are accepted during the opening hours at Portsmith, Smithfield, Gordonvale and Babinda Transfer Stations and are not accepted directly at the BBS.
- Items accepted for the BBS are FREE to drop off. Customers will be charged for items that are not accepted.
- All items for the BBS are to be assessed by Council staff. It is up to the discretion of staff on site as to what items are accepted at the BBS.
- In all instances, customers dropping off items for the BBS are to report to the pay station. Customers will be directed to the drop off point for the BBS.
- Drop off points differ at each of Council’s Transfer Stations. Please ask the attendant at the pay station for directions.
- All items are sold in an ‘as is’ condition – choose items carefully as they cannot be returned or exchanged.
- Items must be paid for in full prior to removal from site.
- Electrical items have not been tested and cannot be tested on site before purchase.
- Buy Back Shop Gift Vouchers are donated by Cairns Regional Council for promotional purposes and are not available for purchase. Read more on the Buy Back Shop Gift Voucher Terms and Conditions.
