Scrap Metal Prices in Hobart
Hobart's smaller market and ferry-dependent logistics keep payouts below mainland averages. Most non-ferrous metal ships north for processing, costing the local yards margin.
Current scrap metal prices in Hobart
Spot price equivalents adjusted for Hobart's regional rate (0.85×). Actual yard payouts apply the grade-specific payout rate on top — typically 12–78% of spot depending on grade.
| Metal | Sydney spot | Hobart equiv. | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Copper | $20.56 | $17.47 | Grades & payouts → |
| Aluminium | $4.62 | $3.92 | Grades & payouts → |
| Brass | $15.61 | $13.27 | Grades & payouts → |
| Steel | $0.42 | $0.36 | Grades & payouts → |
| Stainless Steel | $2.37 | $2.01 | Grades & payouts → |
| Lead | $2.65 | $2.25 | Grades & payouts → |
| Zinc | $5.57 | $4.74 | Grades & payouts → |
| Nickel | $23.31 | $19.82 | Grades & payouts → |
How Hobart compares
Scrap yards in Hobart pay roughly 15% below the Sydney national benchmark (0.85× regional adjustment). Among Australian capital cities, rates here are closest to Darwin (0.78×). Rates here reflect moderate transport costs to the nearest capital for export and processing.
Where the yards are in Hobart
Hobart's scrap trade sits on the Brooker Highway industrial strip through Derwent Park, Glenorchy and Moonah, the light-industrial belt that has held the city's manufacturers for a century and where Incat builds aluminium catamarans at Prince of Wales Bay. A second group of yards is on the northern outskirts at Bridgewater and Brighton, and a scrap exporter runs a yard at Rokeby on the eastern shore.
The buyers are locally owned recyclers offering weigh-and-pay, a few collection-only operators, and one exporter. There is no national recycler with a public weighbridge in the south of the state, so the local independents set the price.
Where Hobart's metal goes
Tasmanian scrap leaves the state by sea. Hobart's yards either ship through the Port of Hobart, which handles containerised freight alongside forestry products and the zinc smelter's exports, or truck loads about 250 kilometres north to the Bell Bay industrial estate, where a national recycler's Tasmanian yard sits beside a port that ships processed metals in containers. Either way a Bass Strait or blue-water sea leg comes out of the payout, which is why Hobart sits well below the mainland capitals.
What's different about selling in Hobart
Tasmania's Second-hand Dealers and Pawnbrokers Act 1994 has no cash ban, but dealers must notify police a month before opening, take documentary proof of your name and address, keep records and hold goods for seven days. Recycle Rewards, the container refund scheme that started on 1 May 2025, pays 10 cents per eligible drink container. Local supply is construction, shipbuilding offcuts, households and the surrounding farm districts. Launceston is 200 kilometres away, so the northern ports are not a casual drive.
Rules for selling scrap in Tasmania
- Governing law
- No scrap-specific Act. The Second-hand Dealers and Pawnbrokers Act 1994 applies and does not mention scrap metal specifically. Dealers do not hold a licence but must give the nearest police station at least one month's written notice before starting business.
- Photo ID
- Section 9 says a dealer must not receive goods unless the seller produces documentary proof of identity showing their correct name and address. The Act sets no points system, weight or value threshold, so expect to show ID for any sale to a dealer covered by the Act.
- Cash payments
- No cash ban. The Act contains no payment method rules.
- Container deposit scheme
- Recycle Rewards, 10 cents per eligible container, launched 1 May 2025. Most aluminium, glass, plastic, steel and carton containers between 150 mL and 3 litres are accepted.
- Also worth knowing
- Dealers must keep prescribed records of second-hand goods bought above a prescribed value (section 10) and must not alter or dispose of goods within 7 days of receiving them (section 11). ABLIS refers dealers to the Second-hand Dealers and Pawnbrokers Regulations 2026 for record-keeping detail.
Summarised from the legislation and government guidance linked on our state-by-state rules guide. Rules change; confirm with the yard before you go.
Other Tasmania scrap markets
Yards across Tasmania pay rates relative to their distance from major smelters and ports.
Popular items: what they're worth in Hobart
Estimated scrap value at Hobart yards. Assumes properly prepared material (oil drained, copper stripped from motors, refrigerant degassed where required).
Scrap yards in Hobart
4 scrap yards listed in the Hobart area with addresses, phone numbers, and ratings. Browse all 4 yards →
Frequently asked questions about scrap metal in Hobart
Where are the best scrap metal yards in Hobart? +
Our yard directory lists Hobart yards with addresses, phone numbers and Google ratings, but we don't rank them — the best yard for you depends on the metal, the load size and who is paying well that week. The practical approach is to call 2-3 yards before transporting a load: published rates are useful guides, but actual offers vary by day, load size, and material quality.
Why does Hobart pay less than Sydney for scrap metal? +
The 15% gap to Sydney reflects transport costs. Metal sold in Hobart eventually travels to a smelter or export port — typically via the state capital — and yards price the freight cost into their offer. Our regional adjustment is modelled from observed yard rates plus distance to processing facilities.
What's the highest-paying scrap metal in Hobart? +
Copper, by a wide margin. Clean bare-bright copper currently pays around $13.63 per kilogram in Hobart. Brass and aluminium follow, with steel paying the least per kilogram but compensating through volume — most ferrous loads are weighed on commercial weighbridges where small differences in rate matter less than tonnage.
Do Hobart scrap yards require photo ID? +
Yes for most non-ferrous metals and always for lead-acid batteries and catalytic converters. Tasmania legislation requires yards to record seller identification on regulated transactions, primarily to deter metal theft. A driver's licence is the most commonly accepted form. Cash payments above certain thresholds may require additional documentation under state-specific regulations.
What other TAS cities have scrap yards? +
Yes — Burnie, Devonport, Launceston all have active scrap yards covered on this site.
When is the best time of week to bring a load to a Hobart yard? +
Tuesday through Thursday mornings generally produce the best experience. Yards are less crowded than Mondays (when weekend volume arrives), prices are stable mid-week, and weighbridge wait times are shorter. Many Hobart yards close early on weekends or operate reduced hours, so confirm opening times before transport.