National Water Week

Each year, a National Water Week theme is selected to engage and inspire the community, bringing water to the forefront of our minds as we focus on all involved with this precious resource.

National Water Week 2026 | 19-25 October

In 2026, we’re inviting schools across Australia to explore how Water Connects Everything – not just in rivers and rain, but in the everyday things students do and use. From food and sport to gardens, energy, clothing, and the places we live, learn and play, water is part of it all. This theme encourages students to discover their local water story, including connections to Country and culture, and to turn that learning into practical ideas and actions at school and at home.

National Water Week Primary School Poster Competition

The National Water Week Primary School Poster Competition is an annual art competition open to Primary Schools across the country.

Primary School students are asked to create a poster reflecting water-related issues which are important and relevant to them and their local area.

Entries will be judged locally by Council, with winners submitted to the Australian Water Association for national judging.

Winners will be chosen using the following criteria:

• How well the poster conveys water-related issues relevant to your area
• How well it can be reproduced to promote National Water Week
• Appearance: attractively displayed in colour
• How good it looks from a distance
• Effective use of art materials
• Originality of design or innovative concept

The winners will be announced during National Water Week.

How to Enter

This year’s poster competition theme is - ‘Water Connects Everything’

Key dates

• Entries close: 5pm, Friday 18 September 2026
• Winners will be announced during National Water Week, 19 - 25 October 2026

Entry conditions

• Poster size must be A4 or A3
• Any medium, from paper to digital, can be used
• Any art material and digital technology can be used, including paint, textas, crayons, coloured pencils, collage materials, original photographs and digital graphics
• Image files should be in .JPG, .PDF or .PNG formats
• Uploaded files are limited to 20MB
• For primary school aged children, group artwork will NOT be accepted (only one child per artwork)
• For early learning/kindergarten both individual entries and collaborative entries will be accepted
• Each child/student/collaborative group can only enter once

Originality requirement

• All entries must be the original work of the child/student(s)
• Artwork created wholly or partially using generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools will not be accepted
• Minor editing (e.g. scanning or cropping) is permitted
• By submitting an entry, participants confirm the work is their own

Judging

Winners will be chosen by:

• How well the poster communicates the National Water Week theme, and/or relevant water issues
• Visual impact – how attractive the poster is from a distance
• Effective use of art materials creativity and originality of imagery, design or concepts

Eligibility

• Entries must be the original work of the child/student(s)
• AI-generated artwork will not be accepted

Prizes

First place: $100 e-gift card

Second place: $75 e-gift card

In addition, all participating schools will be entered into a single draw, with one school to win a $200 prize pack!

Winning local entries will then be submitted to the Australian Water Association (AWA) for national judging with national winners being announced during National Water Week.

Further information:

AWA Further Information and Judging Criteria

Your Water Questions

Got a question about water? We want to hear it!

Submit your question for Council's water experts, and the most popular questions will be answered on our Facebook page during National Water Week.

Need inspiration? Ask us anything about drinking water, dams, water conservation, pipes, treatment processes, water security, or Townsville's water future.

You could ask about:

• Where does my tap water come from?
• What happens when I flush the toilet?
• How can I save water at home?
• What's the biggest water pipe in Townsville?

Water Education

In celebration of National Water Week, Townsville City Council encourages schools, TAFE and university groups, businesses and community organisations to book a free guided tour of the Douglas Discovery Hub. This tour offers a hands-on opportunity to explore the water cycle in action. Participants can discover the essential infrastructure that supports Townsville’s water systems, while learning how it integrates with and protects our natural environment.

In addition to tours, Council also provides classroom visits and curriculum-linked educational resources to support water literacy and environmental awareness across all age groups.

Find out more on our Douglas Water Discovery Hub Tour page.

Colouring In Worksheets

We’ve created a series of fun, educational water worksheets that are perfect for completing at home or school.

Resources