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 2026 Trash to Treasure was held on Saturday 8 of August.
Trash to Treasure is Cairns Regional Council's annual celebration of waste reduction and resource recovery. Bringing together the local community, businesses and schools, the event showcases creative and practical ways to give unwanted items a second life and reduce the quantity of waste heading into landfill.
Visitors can enjoy a vibrant day of live entertainment, hands-on workshops, market stalls, food vendors, community activities and unique Buy Back Shop bargains. From upcycling demonstrations and repair tips to inspiring displays from local schools and early learning centres as part of the Reuse, Rethink, Repurpose Competition, Trash to Treasure highlights how small actions can make a big difference in creating a more circular and sustainable future.
Wheter you're looking for inspiration, practical waste reduction ideas, family-friendly activities, or a hidden treasure to take home, there's something for everyone at Trash to Treasure!
Highlights from Trash to Treasure 2026
The 2026 event program was packed with creative, hands-on workshops, raffle draws and competitions, kids' activities and so much more!
Here's what we featured at the event:
Workshops:
- Cairns Bike Repairs – Learn simple bike repairs and maintenance tips
- Precious Plastic FNQ – Bottle top lid & small item reuse and recycling demonstrations
- Breathe and Weave – Basket weaving using green waste
- Fabric Rescue Revolution – Sewing and textile reuse demonstrations
- Green Space Our Place – Discover composting and sustainable gardening tips
- Carton Creations with Mikky - Turn egg cartons into amazing works of art
- Magic Wand Making - Create your own magical wand
- Pallet to Purpose - Four DIY stations showcasing how reclaimed wooden pallets are transformed into useful creations
Market stalls:
- Peggy Walker Art
- Little Sunbird
- Colleen Curcuruto Art
- Shanna Trees Creations
- WW Handmade Room
- The Jewel Thief
- Courtney Zara Natural Designs
- Woven Visions
- Thrifted Tales
Food & beverage vendors:
- So Hangry
- Coffee Your Way
- Juicicle & Fruiticle
- Sausage sizzle - ran by IFYS Foster Care
- Cold drink stand - ran by Bayview Scout Group
Raffle draws:
- Lucky door prizes donated by iPlay Cairns, Inflatable Kingdom, Baskin Robbins (vouchers combined into Family Activity Packs), and Cairns Performing Arts Centre (tickets to the winners choice of show at CPAC, MMP or Tanks)
- Major event prize donated by Quicksilver Group (Green Island family day pass)
Competitions:
- Reuse, Rethink, Repurpose school and early learning centre art competition - $1000 prize for winning schools in each category
- 'Can You Guess It?' claw machine guessing game - prize donated by Harvey Norman ($100 voucher)
- Crazy Bron's facepainting
- Bugzy Bumblebee's bubble show and workshop
- Live music thanks to Leilo Bea
- Cairns Libraries kids' zone and book giveaway
- Kids' bowling & beanbag toss games
- Charity auction for a selection of specialty items, hosting by Curated Auctions. All proceeds donated to IFYS Foster Care and Bayview Scout Group
- Thousands of amazing items given a new lease on life - saved from the Portsmith Transfer Station and waiting at the Buyback Shop to be taken to their new home!
Thank you once again to our generous prize donors:
Cairns Regional Council offers a unique opportunity for schools, early learning centres, community groups, and residents to book free waste & recycling presentation (incursion) sessions.
Interested Schools, Early Learning Centres, community groups, and individuals can now book their own presentation session requests directly through Council's automated booking system. Please note, terms and conditions apply for each presentation session.
Cairns Regional Council offers a unique opportunity for schools, early learning centres, community groups, and residents to book free guided tours of our waste & resource recovery facilities in Portsmith, just 5 minutes from the Cairns CBD.
Interested Schools, Early Learning Centres, community groups, and individuals can now book their own tour (excursions) requests directly through our Council's automated booking system. Please note that terms and conditions apply for each tour.
Last Updated: 9 July 2026
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