Bellingen-Nambucca Sustainable Schools Network Term 3 Meeting - Creative Upcycling

Rubbish to Resource: Reimagine, Repurpose, Recycle!

When: Wednesday 13 August 2025, 4:00–6:30 PM
Where: Tallowood Steiner School, Bowraville (220 Bellingen Rd, Bowraville NSW 2449)

All educators from the Bellingen-Nambucca region welcome to this FREE event - bring a friend and make new connections.

In Term 3, we’re diving into the world of creative upcycling—where sustainability meets imagination! This hands-on workshop is designed to equip educators with practical, engaging ways to reduce waste, spark student creativity and bring environmental learning to life through repurposed materials.

Creative Upcycling Workshop (Siobhan Donges, The Full Circle Collective)

This session begins with a short talk exploring the growing issue of textile waste in Australia and its environmental impact. You’ll be introduced to a range of inspiring upcycling activities tailored for various age groups and skill levels, highlighting how discarded materials can be transformed into useful and artistic classroom resources.

The second half of the workshop is hands-on: learn how to turn old t-shirts into yarn and explore creative projects that can be made from this versatile material, such as rugs, baskets, and collaborative art pieces. This practical activity is fun, easy to replicate with students and a great way to model resourcefulness and sustainability in action.

What You’ll Learn:

The environmental impact of textile waste
Creative upcycling ideas for various age groups
How to make t-shirt yarn
Project ideas using upcycled materials

What to Bring:

An old t-shirt (or two) to upcycle
Scissors suitable for cutting fabric (optional – some will be provided)

Local initiatives, events and story sharing
The workshop and discussion will be followed by a meeting to connect with other local educators and hear about sustainability initiatives in the region. This will be an inspiring opportunity to exchange upcycling ideas and materials that can be used in your classroom or centre.

Warm drinks and a delicious afternoon tea will be provided.

Sustainable Schools Network meetings are an excellent opportunity to connect with other educators passionate about sustainability. We meet once a term to share inspiring initiatives and how local educators are implementing them.

To stay informed about upcoming events, register for the Bellingen-Nambucca Sustainable Schools Network mailing list by contacting nathalie.poludniewski@sustainableschoolsnsw.org.au or via this link.

The Bellingen- Nambucca Sustainable Schools Network is a collaborative initiative of Environmental Education NSW (EENSW) delivered by Sustainable Schools NSW, funded by MidWaste and supported by the Bellingen Shire Council and Nambucca Valley Council.