Reviva Dunmore has high hopes for ultimate trash-to-treasure competition

Are you a creative genius on a restricted budget?

The 2024 Reviva Reuse Competition could be the solution.

The annual competition, now in its fifth year, showcases creative upcycling projects with cash prizes on offer for the most inventive entries.

Deputy general manager for Resource Recovery Australia Ally Glendenning said past competitions had seen just about everything – including the kitchen sink.

“Out of our Dunmore facility we saw someone create a whole beautiful kitchen with benchtops, cupboards, sinks, tiles, decorations, tables, chairs, everything was from Reviva,” she said.

“People have used old clothing to make bedcovers, or bits of discarded metal to make cute little cars and tractors.

“We’ve seen amazing sculptures and mosaics created out of discarded surfboards and tiles.”

Reviva Dunmore manager Jarrod Roskel said the competition was the highlight of his year because it highlighted the incredible ideas and talents in the community.

“This year, we’re offering a national prize of a $300 Visa gift card, along with a local prize of a $200 Visa gift card,” said Jarrod.

“Every Reviva site across Australia is cheering for their local entrants, but we’re confident that the top prize will go to someone from Dunmore — the talent and ideas here are unmatched.”

The Reviva team is ready to support customers with inspiration and assistance in entering the competition.

If you haven’t been to Reviva at Dunmore yet, and are picturing an old-school tip shop, think again.

“We’re like a Bunnings, Kmart, Target all rolled into one,” Ally said.

“The variety is outstanding; you can grab gardening gear, teacups, a new dress, down to fabulous antiques.

“It’s inviting, things are clean, tidy, organised and displayed so you feel like you’re walking into a shop.

“We try to create colourways for people to see how things could go together and put like-for-like items together, so all the lawnmowers are together, all plates and crockery.

“It’s very user-friendly and easy to put your finger on what you’re after.”

Prices are also very affordable. If a fear of wasting your hard-earned cash on a creative failure holds you back, it’s worth checking out what materials you can find at Reviva.

You’re not only saving yourself money, but saving the planet, too.

“It becomes a real treasure hunt and once people get started they don’t stop because they realise they can make these projects and it won’t cost them a fortune,” Ally said.

“A sheet of corraguted iron is $5 from us, where it might retail for $20 or $30. It allows people to be creative at a low cost.

“It stops the drain on resources when we reuse secondhand items. We know we’re stopping the production of new gear while we’re giving things a second life.”

Entry to the Reviva Reuse Competition is open to all members of the community.

To enter, visit here. The competition runs until the end of National Recycling Week, with entries closing on Friday 15 November.