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October 20, 2026

Ballina Salvage Shed’s recycled art competition now open

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Recycled dog house. Cloudcatcher Media.

Are you ready to let your imagination run wild? Ballina’s Salvage Shed is once again running their Recycled Art Competition, offering a fun way to keep trash out of landfill while supporting local not-for-profit organisation Momentum Collective.

Working in conjunction with Ballina Council, the Salvage Shed is a well organised reuse shop which last financial year diverted over 306 tonnes of quality items from landfill.

This year’s competition has two categories; ‘letterbox’ and ‘backyard animal habitat’, which can be any structure built to accommodate animals, ranging from dog kennels and bird baths to bee or insect hotels.

‘We are so excited to have two design categories this year, enabling the community to use their imagination to create useful items from recycled and repurposed materials,’ said Leading Hand Jen Evans.

‘We have an amazing range of recycled products and helpful advice here, seven days a week at the Salvage Shed.’

Recycled bee house
Bee house. Cloudcatcher Media.

Normalising upcycling

‘This recycled art competition is an innovative way to imagine how “waste” can be repurposed into something creative and functional,’ said Justine Rowe, Ballina Council’s Resource Recovery Education Officer.

‘We want to normalise repurposing and upcycling, rather than putting things in the bin.’

Entries are open to all artists, hobbyists, young people, community groups and schools. The competition has four prize categories:

  • Group (3+ people) $150.
  • Open Award $150.
  • 12 – 18 Years Award $100.
  • Under 12 Years Award $50.

Entries close Saturday 26 October 2024. All entries will be exhibited on Saturday 16 November at the Salvage Shed, then the winning entries and a people’s choice award will be announced.

For further details and entry forms, visit mymomentum.org.au/recycled-art-comp or visit the Salvage Shed at 167 Southern Cross Drive, Ballina (next to the Resource Recovery Centre).

The Salvage Shed is open daily from 9.30am–3.30pm and can be contacted directly on 0429 934 557.



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