Regional Recycled Art Competition

Townsville, the Burdekin and Hinchinbrook Councils have opened the Regional Recycled Art Competition to schools, individuals, community groups, organisations and art collectives across the region.

Winners have been selected from each council area, to form a regional exhibition which will be unveiled at a special Open Day later this year at the Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) in Townsville.

This initiative encourages people of all ages to explore recycling and environmental stewardship through creative artmaking.

2026 Competition Details

Theme

The theme for the competition is: Sky, Earth and Sea.

Entrants are encouraged to consider the natural environment and how recycling protects our land, waterways and atmosphere. Artworks must be made using recycled or repurposed materials.

Examples include:

• Animals that fly, live on land or swim in the sea
• Plants, trees, habitats or natural landscapes
• Reef environments, marine life or underwater ecosystems

Competition Winners

We are thrilled to announce the winners of the Regional Recycled Art Competition.

Entrants from across the NQROC region created remarkable artworks using recycled and repurposed materials, each reflecting the theme Sky, Earth & Sea. We received a fantastic number of entries, and while we were unable to exhibit every artwork submitted, we would like to thank everyone who took part in the competition.

The winners are:

• Alice James – A Mouthful of Pollution
• Amy Venn – Nightfall in Motion
• Barb Shand – A Wagtail in my Garden
• Brad Wilson – Scrap Men
• Dianne Nardoo – The Blooming
• Jane Hunter – The Brolgas
• Lexi – Searching for Dinner on the Reef at Low Tide
• Nikki Clark – Rubbish to Reef
• Rebecca Kennedy – Not Our Garden
• Flexi Queensland Ayr – Finding Mother
• Junior Kindy, Kidzplay Learning Centre Currajong – MR BOTTLE TOP
• Junior Kindy, Kidzplay Learning Centre Currajong – RUBBISH BELONGS IN BINS, NOT IN OUR OCEANS
• Abbie, St Margaret Mary's College – Seahorse
• Krystal and Isabelle, Annandale State School – Emu In The Sky
• Monique, St Margaret Mary's College – Feathers of Waste
• Sophie, St Margaret Mary's College – Upcycled Echidna
• Tahlia, St Margaret Mary's College – Monitor Lizard
• Primary 6, Trebonne State School – The Story in our Shell

The winning artworks will be showcased in the newly refurbished education space at the Townsville Materials Recovery Facility later this year, connecting local creativity with real-world recycling principles.

Congratulations to our winners and to all participants for their creativity and effort, and for supporting a regional conversation about recycling, resource recovery, and sustainability.

Briefing Packs

These packs provide all the information you need including key dates, how to create your artwork, construction guidelines, judging criteria and entry instructions.