Entries open for Council’s Sustainability in Action Competition
Published on 05 June 2026
From thriving veggie patches to well‑used compost bins, sustainability is part of everyday life across the region, and Rockhampton Regional Council wants to celebrate it.
To mark World Environment Day, Council has launched its annual Sustainability in Action Competition and is inviting locals to submit photos that show the simple actions they take to live more sustainably.
Environmental Sustainability Councillor Elliot Hilse said the competition highlights the small but powerful ways residents are making an impact.
“Big change doesn’t only come from big projects, often it’s the simple, consistent actions that make the biggest difference,” Cr Hilse said.
“Locals are doing all sorts of things in our region every day - from packing plastic‑free lunches, to caring for backyard chickens, cooking with homegrown produce, or walking to school.
“A number of locals are also finding clever ways to reduce waste, save energy and support our natural environment with actions like planting native plant species, washing the car on the grass, mending clothes, or setting up bee or frog hotels in their backyard.
“All of these actions tell a story about how our community is doing their part for the environment and these are exactly what we would love to showcase in the Sustainability in Action Competition.”
Cr Hilse said the competition is open to households and schools across the Rockhampton Region, with a range of categories and great prizes to be won.
“The competition opens today, on World Environment Day,” he said.
“This day is all about collective action, and this competition is a fantastic way to get involved and share your story.
“We’re not looking for professional photography – just make sure your sustainability action and people are front and centre in the frame, and show us how you’re helping to build a more sustainable future for our region.”
Entries close 5pm Friday, 7 August 2026.
For more information on Sustainability in Action, head to: https://www.rockhamptonregion.qld.gov.au/CommunityEvents/Environmental-Sustainability/Get-involved/Sustainability-in-Action-Photo-Competition
Photos can be entered in any of the following sustainability categories:
- Reducing single use plastic
Photos of people doing activities such as taking reusable bags shopping, packing plastic free lunches, using your keep cup or reusable water bottle.
- Caring for our catchment
Photos of people doing activities such as washing car on the grass, picking up litter, participating in local clean-ups.
- Finding energy efficiencies
Photos of people doing activities such as switching off power points, using appliances with good energy ratings, checking seals on fridges and freezers.
- Growing your own fruit and vegetables
Photos of people doing activities such as tending to a vegetable patch, choosing local produce at the market, cooking with your home grown produce.
- Fighting food waste
Photos of people doing activities such as using a shopping list, taking leftovers for lunch, extending life of food through good storage, composting organics at home.
- Active and sustainable transport
Photos of people doing activities such as carpooling to an event, walking/riding to school or work, pumping up vehicle tyres for fuel efficiency.
- Planting and caring for native plants
Photos of people doing activities such as planting native plants in your garden, appreciating native plants on a bushwalk, naturally controlling weeds.
- Reusing and upcycling
Photos of people doing activities such as mending clothes, reusing containers and jars, upcycling furniture.
- Encouraging wildlife and habitat
Photos of people doing activities such as having a wildlife shelter and water source in your garden, installing native bee/frog/butterfly hotels.
- Being water wise
Photos of people doing activities such as hand watering or using a tap timer on sprinklers, mulching your garden.
- Recycling right with yellow lid bins
Photos of people doing activities such as sorting recycling into the yellow lid bin, showing your internal bin system to sort recyclable items, collecting for containers for change.
- Green gift giving and festivities
Photos of people doing activities such as making own wrapping paper, reusing gift bags, giving homemade treats as gifts.