The winners of Bayside Council's 2024 Upcycling Challenge have been recognised for their creativity, sustainability, and innovation.
The challenge invited local residents to transform old items into functional and artistic upcycled pieces, promoting waste avoidance and environmental awareness.
Submissions were evaluated by a panel of industry experts in design, sustainability, and craftsmanship, who assessed entries based on creativity, functionality, and innovation.
The challenge was open in four categories, Most Creative (13 and over), Most Practical (13 and over), 12 and Under (individual), and 12 and Under (Schools).
The 2024 winners are:
Most Creative: Ilaria Marsella
Ilaria's Rising Heat project was an innovative multi-media creation exploring the connection between humans and the environment. The project features rings made from reused plastics that degrade when exposed to body heat, symbolising human impact on natural ecosystems.
Most Practical: Anne-Marie Hofman
Anne-Marie's Born Again Aldi Bag transformed a broken blue grocery bag into a stylish and functional bag with a matching purse, cleverly repurposing denim scrap material.
12 and Under: Zaynab Dirani
Zaynab's Feelings project was a functional and creative emotions chart crafted from upcycled materials, including plastic bottle caps and cardboard. The chart allows users to visually communicate feelings by placing the bottle caps, each displaying a different emotion, on a cardboard portrait.
12 and Under (Schools): Mascot Childcare Centre
Mascot Childcare Centre repurposed old waste-service tires into raised garden beds, creating a sustainable outdoor space that blends functionality with creativity. The centre explained, "This project aims to engage children in understanding the importance of sustainable farming and real-life environmental practices."
The prize for the 12 and Under (Schools) category will choose an item worth up to $400 from the Compost Revolution catalogue, with Council providing onsite setup assistance and winners in the other categories will receive a $200 ClassBento gift voucher.
ClassBento is an online platform that connects people with creative, hands-on workshops run by local artisans and experts. These workshops offer sustainable experiences in arts, crafts, cooking, and wellness, supporting local communities and promoting eco-friendly practices.
