News

Turn trash into treasure to win big in annual competition

By Seymour Telegraph

Sep 21, 2026

The 2026 Reviva Reuse Competition has officially opened, with prizes of $200 and $300 up for grabs for local residents. Pictured are Resource Recovery Australia general manager Matthew Curtis and deputy general manager Ally Glendenning, and Mitchell Shire councillors Ned Jeffery, John Dougall, Andrea Pace and Claudia James opening the Seymour Reviva Reuse Shop on March 27. Photo by Billie Davern

A $200 prize is up for grabs for Mitchell Shire residents, as the search for the community’s first local reuse champion begins.

Hold tight - we’re checking permissions before loading more content

The nationwide 2026 Reviva Reuse Competition has officially opened, giving Australians the opportunities to turn trash into treasure for a prize.

Brought to Mitchell Shire for the first time this year, the annual competition is run by Resource Recovery Australia, a not-for-profit that opened Reviva Reuse Shops in Seymour and Wallan in March.

Much like the Reuse Shops, which resell second-hand items that would otherwise end up in landfill, the competition celebrates practical ways of keeping valuable materials in use and out of waste.

The competition is open to anyone who has repaired, restored, repurposed or transformed an item using reused materials, whether it’s a piece of furniture, artwork, garden project, home improvement, clothing makeover or something completely unique.

“Every entry can inspire someone else to rethink what they throw away,” Resource Recovery Australia deputy general manager Ally Glendenning said.

Past entries have been diverse, showing how creativity and resourcefulness can transform salvaged materials into everything from practical everyday items to remarkable works of art.

Aside from the Mitchell Shire prize of $200, local residents also have a chance at the $300 national prize.

To enter, participants need to submit a photo of their project and a short description of what they created and the materials they reuse at resourcerecovery.org.au/competition

Entries are free and close on Sunday, November 15, at the end of National Recycling Week.

Residents are encouraged to visit the Reviva Reuse Shops, located at the Seymour and Wallan resource recovery centres, to obtain supplies for their creations.