Mike Tikkeros’s true-to-size violin sculpture, and (right) “Sandfly 121”, a sculptural letterbox created from discarded and scrap materials, by Edward Costelloe. Photos: Supplied.
From a life-sized violin made from discarded household parts to a sculptural letterbox fashioned from scrap, Shellharbour’s creative reusers proved last year that one person’s rubbish really can become another’s treasure.
Now residents are being challenged to do it again, with entries open for the 2026 Reviva Reuse Competition after Shellharbour makers took out the local and national prizes last year.
The annual competition rewards clever repairs, restorations, makeovers and creative reuse projects that give materials destined for landfill a second life, with $500 in local and national prize money up for grabs.
Run by not-for-profit social enterprise Resource Recovery Australia, it operates the Reviva Reuse Shop and The Tinkerage at the Dunmore Recycling and Waste Disposal Depot.
This year will see a $300 national prize and a $200 Shellharbour prize to be won, with free entries open until 15 November.
Resource Recovery Australia deputy general manager Ally Glendenning said people did not need a large or polished project to take part.
“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,” Ms Glendenning said.
“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.”
Last year, Shellharbour’s Edward Costelloe won the Shellharbour local prize with “Sandfly 121”, a sculptural letterbox made at The Tinkerage for his daughter’s new home on Sandfly Road.
Mr Costelloe used discarded and scrap materials including wire mesh, timber, marine plywood, stainless steel and a discarded tank.
“Searching and scrounging for bits and pieces from the Reviva Reuse Shop in Dunmore is most rewarding, knowing when you have found the right piece, you have actually repurposed, reused and recycled an item that was destined for landfill,” he said.
Fellow Shellharbour entrant Mike Tikkeros took out the 2025 national prize for a true-to-size violin sculpture made from salvaged metal and household items, including bicycle, microwave, food processor, drum kit, golf club and horse bridle parts.
The competition is open to anyone who has repaired, restored, repurposed or transformed an item using reused materials.
Entries can include anything from furniture, artwork and garden projects, to home improvements and clothing makeovers.
Now in its seventh year, the Reviva Reuse Competition also highlights the impact of reuse.
The Reviva Reuse Shop and The Tinkerage at Dunmore give donated items a second life, reduce the amount of material sent to landfill and support jobs and training opportunities for people facing barriers to employment.
They are on hand to support customers with inspiration and assistance in entering the competition.
The 2026 Reviva Reuse Competition is free to enter. Participants simply need to submit a photo of their project and a short description of what they created and the materials they reused to the website by 15 November, the end of National Recycling Week.
