Waste Education Events

Cairns Regional Council's Waste Education Program offers many free events that residents can take part in to learn how to reduce, reuse and recycle waste better. Council also offers ongoing free Kindy, School & Community Group tours & presentation events which interested participants can register their interest for.

For a full list of upcoming Council events please visit Council's Upcoming Events Page.

Further Information about Waste Education Specific Events:

The 2024 Trash to Treasure was held on Saturday 10 August.

The Trash to Treasure is an annual event organised by the Council to promote waste reduction and sustainability. This year's event offered workshops, entertainment, and stalls where attendees could learn how to repurpose and reuse unwanted items.

By encouraging the community to rethink their waste, Trash to Treasure aims to create a more sustainable future.

Numerous market stalls including: Puparazzi Haus, Delilah Mae Handstamping, Peggy Walker Art
Food and drink trucks including: Coffee Your Way, Mr Dairy Whipp and Hungry Nomad
Interactive workshops including: “Confidence with Tools”, Clifton Art Shack, Junk Weavers
Awarding of the “Reuse, rethink, repurpose” school and Early Learning Centre Competition
Raffle draw for people that vote at the event for the school and ELC competition

Exciting Workshops at the Trash to Treasure

Thank you to the community and local business owners for getting involved in the event and the cause that it represents. Some of the workshops that were available at the 2024 event were:

Confidence with Tools Workshop

Empowered kids by teaching them how to safely use power tools. This workshop helped build confidence and practical skills through fun, hands-on activities.

Junk Weavers Workshop

Transformed everyday junk into usable items like bags, baskets, and keyrings. People were invited to learn weaving techniques that transform trash into treasures.

Clifton Art Shack Workshop

This year, the Clifton Art Shack focused on repurposing all types of plastic containers, expanding from last year's bottle lid projects.

Other workshops that were at Trash to Treasure are:

Breathe and Weave: Participants learned the art of turning palm fronds into beautiful baskets and more, embracing sustainable crafting and taking home their handmade creations.
Zine Workshop: Provided a hands-on experience in creating keepsake mini books from old paper, perfect for those who loved storytelling and recycling
Relived Sculptures: Participants of all ages transformed everyday waste into unique mini sculptures, exploring the art of upcycling and discovering the beauty in discarded items.
Ride on Cycles: Attendees discovered essential maintenance skills through comprehensive bike repair and servicing, ensuring their bikes stayed in top condition.
Fabric Rescue: Innovative techniques for repurposing textiles, allowing participants to transform old fabrics into new, creative projects.
Precious Plastics FNQ: Provided demonstrations on plastic reuse, helping to keep plastic waste out of landfill, rainforests, and waterways

A total value of over $5000 was won in prizes.

Prize	Draw
1 x $10 voucher and 2 x $20 voucher to spend at the Buy Back Shop	Lucky draw
Family pass to Sugarworld	Lucky draw
One adult and one child entry into Cairns Aquarium	Lucky draw
$100 voucher for Harvey Norman	Lucky draw
One Adult pass to Fitzroy Island & One Adult pass to Green Island	Lucky draw
Double pass to a performance at CPAC or Tanks Arts Centre	Lucky draw
1 x $10 voucher and 1 x $20 voucher to spend at Cazalys	Lucky draw
2 Flow Rider vouchers at Tobruk Pool	Lucky draw
4 x All ages entry to Inflatable Kingdom	Workshop passport competition
4 x Play packs at iPlay	Lucky draw and Workshop passport competition
20 x Event Cinema tickets	School competition
20 x Taipans tickets	School competition
30 x Northern Pride tickets	School competition
3 lots of $1000 cash	School competition

Announcing the Grand Finalists of the Reuse, Rethink, Repurpose Competition!

We are thrilled to announce the grand finalists for the Reuse, Rethink, Repurpose competition! These innovative and creative projects were selected for their outstanding contributions to sustainability and environmental awareness. The winner was revealed at the Trash to Treasure event on 10 August, where attendees could vote for their favourite project.

Early Learning Centre Grand Finalists

Natural Beginnings Childcare - Meet Recyclosaurus!

First place

This impressive dinosaur is made entirely from donated recycled items like boxes, plastic bottles, egg cartons, tins, and milk cartons. Painted by the children, Recyclosaurus will serve as a mascot promoting recycling, reusing, and repurposing within the centre.

Just Kids Early Learning - Propagation Station

Runner-Up

Using donated glass jars and plant cuttings, this project extends children's learning about the natural environment. It involves the safe handling of materials, fostering teamwork, critical thinking, and environmental awareness. As the plants grow, they'll be potted around the centre or gifted to families

Primary School Grand Finalists

Gordonvale State School - Recycled Lunch Waste Pyramid

First place

This pyramid, made from lunch waste, showcases various aspects of Gordonvale. One side features sugarcane paddocks and a cane train, another side depicts the Mulgrave River with a waterfall and rainforest, the third side highlights the river with cane toads, and the fourth side represents the town centre with its original pub, school, and new overpasses.

St Andrews Catholic College - Sensory Garden

Runner-Up

The Primary School children are constructing a Sensory Garden using recycled tyres, featuring scented and colourful plants. Stage 2 of the garden, currently underway, will focus on touch.

High School Grand Finalists

Cape York Girls Academy - Bottle Cap Mural

First place

Senior girls from the Cape York Girls Academy dedicated six months to create this stunning mural using recycled caps collected from local beaches and recycling centres. Depicting a sea bird, the mural symbolises a healthy marine ecosystem and fish population.

St Monica's College Cairns - Ocean Pollution Awareness Costume

Runner-Up

This costume symbolises the impact of ocean pollution on marine life. The corset, made from cardboard and bubble wrap, depicts ocean waves and features a headpiece with a bin pouring rubbish into the ocean, accompanied by a turtle plushie trapped in debris. The skirt, repurposed from a Cinderella dress, showcases various types of garbage and shades of blue to represent ocean diversity.

Thank you to everyone that came to the event to vote for their favourite project and support our community's efforts in sustainability and creativity!

School Competition Prize Suppliers

Veolia Taipans Northern Pride Event Cinemas

Raffle Prize Suppliers

Harvey Norman Cairns Aquarium iPlay Inflatable Kingdom CPAC

Big Cat Green Island Reef Cruises Fitzroy Island Adventures

We'd like to thank Reef Unlimited for supporting our event. We encourage you to sign up to their newsletter here to keep up to date with local offers, discounts for visiting family & friends, new products & services.