Lights, camera, sustainability in ACTION!
Published on 05 June 2025
Rockhampton Regional Council’s Sustainability in Action photo competition is back and ready to shine a light on sustainability actions throughout the Rockhampton Region.
To celebrate World Environment Day today, Council is inviting residents and schools across the region to share photos that capture how they’re living more sustainably – and be in the running for some great prizes.
Environmental Sustainability Councillor Elliot Hilse said the competition is all about celebrating the everyday efforts that add up to meaningful change.
“Whether it’s packing a plastic-free lunch, riding or walking to school and work, encouraging wildlife in your garden, making your own gifts, mending clothes, or upcycling furniture - every action counts,” Cr Hilse said.
“Living sustainably isn’t just good for the planet – it’s great for your wallet too. Simple actions like reducing food waste, conserving energy and reusing items can help you save on your household bills”.
“World Environment Day is all about collective action, and this competition is a fantastic way to get involved and share your story,” Cr Hilse said.
“So get snapping, make sure your 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,” Cr Hilse said.
Open to all residents and schools in the Rockhampton Region, the Sustainability in Action photo competition offers a range of categories and great prizes to be won.
Sandra Martin and granddaughter Leah Schuh of Gracemere submitted a number of entries in 2024 and are committed to making positive change.
Winner of Household Champion for 2024, their entries included simple changes and contributed to a circular economy.
These involved regularly collecting cans for Containers for Change, recycling containers to grow vegetables at home and reusing containers for food scraps to give to household chickens, to reduce food scraps ending up in landfill.
“Sustainability is looking after the environment for future generations,” said Sandra.
“This is important for helping our environment and reducing environmental impact.”
Entries are now open and close 5pm, Friday 8 August 2025.
Photos will be accepted in the following competition 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
For more information and how to enter visit https://www.rockhamptonregion.qld.gov.au/CommunityEvents/Environmental-Sustainability/Get-involved/Sustainability-in-Action-Photo-Competition