Police were called to the shops at 11pm on Saturday, July 1 and found the exploded bin, with the bomb squad deeming the area safe shortly after.

The bin belonged to the Lone Fathers Association of Australia, a charity focussed on suicide prevention and supporting children in custodial disputes.

Lone Fathers Association president Barry Williams said he was heading out to clean up the aftermath on Monday afternoon.

"I'm absolutely furious, I mean someone could have been killed," Mr Williams said.

"We're shattered about it, we're just so happy no one got hurt.

"Some people might think it's funny and a joke. It's no joke, it's disgusting. Especially as we're a charity and we struggle."

Mr Williams said he'd heard the explosive used was a type of firecracker.

"It'd have to be a powerful cracker to do what it did out there," Mr Williams said.

Chisholm local Steve Gill saw the bin the morning after but asked staff at the nearby Coles what happened.

"They told me that there had been an explosion the previous night, around 11pm as the store was being closed. They said it shook the windows of Coles," Mr GIll said.

"It's normally a reasonably [quiet] area, especially at the time of night the incident occurred."

ACT Policing station sergeant Chris Meagher said he was disappointed by the incident.

"It is disheartening to see the destruction of an item belonging to a charity organisation, but it is also an incredibly dangerous act," Mr Meagher said.

Police called for anyone who may have witnessed the incident, or saw anyone acting suspiciously near the Chisholm shops, to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or via the ACT Crime Stoppers website.