WHAT the destructive superstorm of April 2015 took away from green areas of Lake Macquarie, the council will give back.
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On Saturday, March 30, Lake Macquarie City Council will give away up to 1000 trailer-loads of organic material to improve backyard gardens and other green sites across the city.
Council's strategic projects coordinator Nadine Tilley said the giveaway was open to everyone in the community.
"Our crews collected a tremendous amount of green waste following the April 2015 superstorm," Mrs Tilley said.
"Trees and foliage brought down during that extreme weather event were shredded and have since been stockpiled at Teralba to allow those materials to break down."
Remembering the April 2015 superstorm:
Council shredded an estimated 38,000 cubic metres of trees, shrubs and other green material following the superstorm.
Mrs Tilley said about two-thirds had already been used for soil improvement and site remediation works.
"The entire stockpile on offer at the giveaway has been pasteurised, which involves heating it naturally to the point where all weeds and other pathogens are destroyed," Mrs Tilley said.
"Providing this material free to the community further demonstrates how we are committed to creating a greener, more sustainable city where materials are recycled wherever possible."
The giveaway will occur from 8am to 1pm, on Saturday, March 30, at the former Teralba Worm Farm, on Griffen Road, Teralba, off Racecourse Road.
"A plant machine will be on site to load all vehicles. No manual labour is required," Mrs Tilley said.
She also reminded people attending the giveaway that all trailers and other vehicles loaded with organic material must be covered when driving on public roads.
For those who can't make the event, council would also host free giveaways of compost from the city's green bin service later this year, she said.
Details will be advertised closer to the date.