The Ballina Salvage Shed is once again running its Recycled Art Competition, offering a fun and inclusive way for community members to redesign and repurpose materials that may otherwise be sent to landfill or left hidden in a shed.
The competition features four design categories this year: Letterbox, Backyard Animal Habitat, Outdoor Furniture or Décor, and a new problem waste category: Pallets.
The new category puts the spotlight on pallets – a common problem waste item received in large quantities at the Ballina Resource Recovery Centre. Entrants are invited to get creative and transform leftover pallets into something useful, using pallets as the primary material.
Let your imagination run wild, give recycled materials a new purpose and help support a culture of reuse in our community.
Creativity and sustainability
‘Recycled art is a brilliant fusion of creativity and sustainability,’ said Leading Hand at the Salvage Shed Jen Evans. ‘We were so excited by the quantity and quality of our entries last year; we have decided to add a fourth category for 2026 to show people what some of the most common waste items have the potential to transform into.
‘Our community creators are always up for the challenge transforming waste into wonder!’
Justine Rowe, Ballina Council’s Resource Recovery Education Officer, said ‘Our recycled art competition is an innovative way to imagine how “waste” can be repurposed into something creative and functional.
‘We aim to normalise repurposing and upcycling, rather than the default of putting items in the bin or taking them to the Resource Recovery Centre.’
Entries are now 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.
- Problem Waste Award $100
- Under 12 Years Award $50.
Dates
Registration closes Monday 26 October. All entries must be physically on site on 6 November, and entries will be on display from 9 to 14 November in celebration of National Recycling Week.
Join the team for the awards ceremony, with a BBQ and other festivities, on Saturday 14 November at the Salvage Shed.
For further details and entry forms visit ballina.nsw.gov.au/SalvageShed or visit the Salvage Shed at 169 Southern Cross Drive, Ballina (next to the Resource Recovery Centre).
Operated by Ballina Shire Council, last financial year the Salvage Shed actively diverted about 300 tonnes of quality items from ending up in landfill.
The Salvage Shed is open Tuesday to Sunday and can be contacted directly on 02 6686 1215.
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