What’s Happening?
Rockhampton and Gracemere residents can submit their reuse projects in the 2026 Reviva Reuse Competition.
The annual event accepts repairs, restorations, makeovers and creative transformations made with reused materials. Entries can include furniture, artwork, garden projects, home improvements, clothing makeovers or something completely unique.
Resource Recovery Australia, a not-for-profit social enterprise, runs the competition.
Why It Matters
The competition shows how practical repairs and makeovers can keep useful materials out of landfill. Entries do not need to be large, complicated or perfect to qualify.
Resource Recovery Australia’s Deputy General Manager Ally Glendenning said local creativity was already visible throughout the region.
“Rockhampton people are practical and creative, and we see that every day through the items given a second life at our local Reviva Ibis Reuse Shops at Rockhampton and Gracemere, and through the upcycling workshops held at The Tinkerage,” Ms Glendenning said. “If you have repaired something, given an old item a makeover or found a new use for materials that might otherwise have been thrown away, you already have an entry. Take a photo, briefly tell us what you made and what you reused, and submit it online. Every entry can inspire someone else to rethink what they throw away.”
Local Impact
Resource Recovery Australia operates Reviva Ibis Reuse Shops in Rockhampton and Gracemere, alongside The Tinkerage in Rockhampton.
The shops help return unwanted items to use, while The Tinkerage holds upcycling workshops for residents. Regional projects will be considered for the Rockhampton prize as well as the national award.
By The Numbers
- The overall national winner will receive $300 for their reuse project.
- A separate $200 prize will recognise the leading entry from the Rockhampton region.
- The annual Reviva Reuse Competition has now reached its seventh year.
Zoom In
Rockhampton’s 2025 winner Bruce Channells turned an unused gas bottle into “Darth”, a Darth Vader-inspired firepit. The finished piece can also be used for camp-oven cooking.
“I found that an unused gas bottle could be used as a warming or cooking implement,” Mr Channells said. “When not used as a firepit, Darth is used to cook a hearty slow-cooked meal in a camp oven. It makes for a happy family.”
Zoom Out
The competition accepts entries from across Australia, with projects ranging from practical repairs to artwork and large home projects.
Mike Tikkeros won the 2025 national prize with a true-to-size violin sculpture made from salvaged metal and discarded household items. Its parts came from gurneys, bicycles, microwaves, food processors, a drum kit, golf club and horse bridle.
Previous competitions have featured repurposed clothing, furniture makeovers, mosaic art, garden projects and entire kitchens made with salvaged materials.
What To Look For Next?
Entries remain open until Sunday, 15 November 2026, which marks the end of National Recycling Week.
Entry is free and requires a project photo with a brief description of what was made and reused. Rockhampton and Gracemere residents can submit their projects through the Resource Recovery Australia competition page.
