Agriculture
30 September, 2025
From a single backhoe to a leader in recycling organics
What began with a single backhoe and a bold idea in the mid-1970s has grown into one of Australia’s leading organics processing and growing media businesses. In 1975, Hans and Marjan Van Schaik launched JA & MJ Van Schaik Earthmoving...
What began with a single backhoe and a bold idea in the mid-1970s has grown into one of Australia’s leading organics processing and growing media businesses.
In 1975, Hans and Marjan Van Schaik launched JA & MJ Van Schaik Earthmoving Contractors. At the time, bark and sawdust from timber mills were traditionally discarded or burned and considered worthless waste. But Hans had other ideas. He saw potential in those by-products and began experimenting with ways to transform them into something useful: compost, mulches, and growing media.
Just three years later, in 1978, Hans and Marjan purchased a 12-acre disused quarry near Mount Gambier, South Australia. There, they established Van Schaik’s Organic Soils and Bark Supplies, laying the foundation for what would eventually become Van Schaik’s Bio Gro.
By the early 1980s, the company had secured long-term bark supply contracts with local mills - some of which still stand today. A decade later, in 1990, they reached a major turning point: winning the contract to manage wastepaper pulp and tissue by-products for Kimberly-Clark. This propelled the company into industrial-scale organics processing and required the development of a dedicated composting site.
In 1995, the business officially became Bio Gro, marking the beginning of a wholesale distribution network across South Australia and Victoria. In 1998, the Australian Potting Mix Company in Bayswater, Victoria, was acquired and this marked Bio Gro’s entry into the Victorian market and growing media industry.
“...today, Bio Gro plays a vital role in helping councils, businesses, and households close the loop...”
Recognition soon followed. In 2000, Hans Van Schaik received the prestigious World Forestry Day Award for his innovation and contribution to the forestry industry. Meanwhile, Bio Gro continued to drive growth through investments in advanced packaging technology, the acquisition of new businesses, and the consolidation of operations across Victoria. By 2011, the company had secured its first major kerbside green waste contract with the City of Casey, processing 35,000 tonnes annually.
Even as the business scaled-up, it remained proudly family-owned. In 2013, Han’s son, Stephen and wife Heather Van Schaik became majority shareholders, and by 2015 the family had regained full ownership. This ensured that Bio Gro’s original vision of ‘innovation built on strong family values and a commitment to community’ remained at the heart of the business.
The next decade was one of rapid growth with Bio Gro becoming a leader in kerbside green waste processing. By being awarded the Eastern Tender in 2019, Bio Gro began its expansion further into Victoria, and embraced the rise of FOGO (food organics and garden organics). In 2021, Bio Gro pioneered Australia’s first inline FOGO decontamination and shredding line, followed by a second stage in 2024 that doubled capacity, separation and processing capabilities.
For Bendigo and regional central Victoria, the story became even more local in 2022, when Bio Gro acquired a composting site in Newbridge, within the Loddon Shire. Through approved EPA licenses and significant infrastructure investment in facilities and processes, Bio Gro’s composting capacity has expanded from 50,000 to 160,000 t/a. Bio Gro has also invested heavily in regional infrastructure, including a 3,000-square-metre large-scale automated packaging line and warehouse - all creating local jobs and strengthening Victoria’s organics processing capacity.
Today, Bio Gro plays a vital role in supporting councils, businesses, and households “close the loop” – refining waste once destined for landfill into high-quality composts, mulches, and growing media and reapplying it back into parks Bio Gro Newbridge Site on Yorkshire Road From a Single Backhoe to a Leader in Recycling Organics How One Man’s Vision Transformed Waste into a Sustainable Industry. and gardens, agriculture and landscapes. With a footprint stretching across South Australia and Victoria, Bio Gro processes hundreds of thousands of tonnes of organics each year, reducing emissions and creating products that grow food, green spaces, and champion community pride.
From humble beginnings with a single backhoe, Bio Gro has built a legacy of sustainability, family values, and innovation. And in many ways, this journey was just beginning. With the rise of FOGO services, growing demand for sustainable products, and continued investment in Victorian regional communities like Newbridge, Bio Gro is proud to remain at the forefront of organics processing - supporting the Loddon Shire and surrounding municipalities in their quest for a greener and more sustainable future.
From sponsoring the Newbridge Football Netball Club and the Marong Golf Club, to collaborating with regional government bodies, Bio Gro is dedicated to supporting local communities.
The Newbridge facility offers future local employment opportunities, which are supported through partnerships such as those with Bendigo TAFE. This initiative not only supports the next generation of agriculture students but also provides them real-world experience in large-scale processing.
Bio Gro is proud to support local community events that reflect its strong family values and commitment to environmental stewardship, including the Bendigo Sustainability Festival, the Loddon Valley Arts Festival and the Newbridge Arnold Llanelly Community Plan (NALCP) Garden and Yard Expo. As an Australian-owned business, these events help Bio Gro connect with the local community and provide continuous improvement in organic resource recovery.
Bio Gro’s commitment to the Loddon Shire and surrounding municipalities goes beyond business, it is about enhancing sustainability and liveability across regional Victoria.
Find your Career at Bio Gro
Bio Gro is only as good as its employees. Join the Bio Gro family.
Bio Gro is built on strong values: family, innovation, and sustainability. The company is proud to create high-quality composts, mulches, and growing media, all from organic materials that might otherwise go to waste.
Every year, Bio Gro recovers hundreds of thousands of tonnes of organic material and turns it into quality premium potting mix, compost, and mulch - closing the loop towards a circular economy and reducing landfill.
From machine operators to environmental scientists, from truck drivers to technicians, Bio Gro is made up of everyday people doing exceptional things. And the company is growing at a rapid rate. Bio Gro operates across three key regions:
Mount Gambier, South Australia - Home to the company head office and our Wandilo Facility. Mount Gambier is the heart of the Limestone Coast. A relaxed regional city with strong community, affordable living, and stunning natural surrounds.
Dandenong South, Victoria - The receival facility in Melbourne’s southeast. With opportunity, convenience, and the energy of city life, this is the place to be. Just 40 minutes away from one of the greatest cities in the world.
Newbridge, Victoria - located near one of Victoria’s fastest-growing regional cities Bendigo. A lifestyle destination, known for its vibrant arts, culture, and easy access to nature.
Bio Gro isn’t just a place to work, it’s a place to belong. As a family-owned business, it understands that people come first. The company supports flexible work arrangements, ongoing training, and career development.
Whether you’re passionate about sustainability, want a hands-on role in manufacturing, or you’re looking to build a career in an industry that matters, Bio Gro has a role for you.
Join a company where your work has purpose. Van Schaik’s Bio Gro.