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VOTE NOW FOR THE PEOPLE'S CHOICE AWARD!

FINALISTS DISPLAYED IN THE LITTERARTY ART EXHIBITION

WHEN: March 19 - 23
WHERE: Yalagang Room, Bondi Pavilion

As part of the annual Litterarty Competition, school students and holiday organisations around Australia have been repurposing rubbish into prize-winning artworks. Finalists will be on display in an art exhibition at the Ocean Lovers Festival.

Students from Kindergarten to Year 12 have been invited to participate in the 2025 Litterarty Waste-Art Competition for the chance to win cash and other prizes including the opportunity to have their work on display at the annual Ocean Lovers Festival.

Works are constructed from rubbish that has been repurposed into an art medium by the students, including sculpture, 2D, assemblage, mixed media, and collage.

Two Valerie Taylor prizes of $750 will be awarded to the Primary and Secondary School winners elected by the judges thanks to the generous support of Blue World. The Primary and Secondary runner-up will each receive a cash prize of $250. A People’s Choice Award of $500 will be awarded to the artwork with the most votes. Additional prizes will also be up for grabs, such as tickets to the Australian National Maritime Museum, Sydney Sealife Aquarium and more!

If you missed out on applying last year, stay tuned as entries will open in term 2 of 2025.

2025 FINALISTS

VOTE NOW FOR THE PEOPLE'S CHOICE AWARD!

To cast your vote, hover over the image and click on the 'heart' in the bottom left corner. Or, click on the artwork image and click the 'heart' button in the top left corner. The winner will be announced at the Ocean Lovers Festival!

THE KILLING CYCLE

Gwen H
Picton High School – Year 10

We all know and love hammerheads, but did you know that they are at an extremely high risk of extinction? The great hammerhead shark and semi-pelagic scalloped hammerhead shark, is estimated to have experienced a steep decline of 77–97%. Targeted for its meat and fins, it is also caught by non-target fisheries as well.

These sharks are also at risk of getting caught in shark nets off the coast of beaches. Many sharks caught in these nets are actually found on the shore-side. Some species of sharks need to keep moving in order to breathe, so when they become tangled in nets and are unable
to swim, they may slowly suffocate to death, or the net chokes them to death. Either way this is never a good outcome. When there is an opportunity that a shark is rescued it is often found injured and/or stressed. I have heard that some people are trying to remove shark nets entirely, which is better for the environment because not only does the net catch sharks but also other sea creatures such as manta rays, turtles, dolphins and even whales during migration season. The government has tried different methods and technologies to try and use. Some of them have better outcomes than others but the shark nets are not efficient, and through my research, I have found that they were actually put in place to kill sharks altogether.

That way, there wouldn’t be any around the nearby beach along with the public swimming along the beach. The push for getting the shark nets removed will be a constant battle until a better technology or method is provided.

Sincerely, Gwen Hill

TURTLEY DEVASTATING

Abby W & Charlotte B
Whitebridge High School – Year 9

Shows the human impact on marine animals and the ocean ecosystem, showing how careless humans can be and that even though we might not realise our actions have much bigger impacts.

THE PLASTIC OCTOPUS

Lincoln J & Reef S
Whitebridge High School – Year 9

There once was an octopus that would go out for their everyday routine, when one day he was attacked by a raging current of rubbish, slowly being transformed into a rubbish creature.

SHELL OF OUR WASTE

Costa D H, Lachlan H & Tom G
Whitebridge High School – Year 9

Through this simple turtle, we are reminded of the pain we cause to it and every living thing around it as it is made from the pollution we cause it, it symbolises every piece that would be thrown out no matter how big or small.

WHALES TALE

Audrey M, Bonnie S & Jasmine T
Whitebridge High School – Year 9

Everyday, bit by bit, plastic pollutes our oceans, killing 100 million marine mammals each year. Ecosystems are failing, animals are inhaling, oceans are bailing, If we don't stop soon we will all be swimming in a sea of rubbish. Our oceans are choking on plastic and suffocating from pollution, slowly getting replaced by rubbish. Every year millions of plastic pieces make their way into the sea, floating around waiting for innocent animals to consume. We are hoping to raise awareness on the current plastic pollution problem that's devastating our marine life, If we don't stop this motion there will be no ocean.

A PLASTIC HEART

Lacy B & Paige O
Whitebridge High School – Year 9

Stomach full of plastic
Far from fantastic
Laziness turns into tragedy
Floating hopelessly praying for my sanity
My stomach growls yet I feel full
Taking it in is such a handful
My end is near
Nobody can hear
Fulfilling the circle of life
At what price?

My soul aches
I’m afraid
The future is fading
My death I am awaiting
Will my passing make me heard?
Like all the other lives burnt
Adding to the tally
Wishing I could rally
Humans should know
It’s not my time to go

DEPENDENT ON PLASTIC

Sam C
Whitebridge High School – Year 9

Octopi, originally they creeped me out, have since fascinated me. Their googly eyes, the way they move with their stocky bodies. The way they can camouflage to their surroundings. The octopus in my artwork is a blue ring octopus which uses its blue rings to warn predators to stay away before using its lethal venom. I chose a blue ring octopus to warn us to stop what we are doing before it becomes too late.

Their intelligence engrosses me and makes me wonder why us humans destroy their habitat by leaving rubbish to pollute the ocean, often leaving sea animals and the curious octopus to become entangled or swallow the plastic leaving them to slow, painful deaths. Us humans take their food in mass numbers leaving them to feel hungry and mistake harmful plastic for food items.

Octopi have been proven to feel emotions similar to we do. They can feel pain, curiosity, affection and excitement which often fills their mind just like us.

I decided to make this artwork to bring the truth above the surface of the water. The truth of the large amounts of plastic that are dumped into our oceans every day. In the artwork a blue ring octopus is holding a boat, 1 fish and a cup. The cup symbolises a drink which some find addicting. Marine animals also find copious amounts of plastic hard to avoid which is like some drinks. The boat is one of the many ways plastic pollution ends up in the ocean and can be seen dumping plastic into the cup. The fish is made of approximately 75% of plastic which symbolises that 75% of fish in the ocean have microplastics inside them. The fish also showcases a metal head which is recycled from a metalwork room.

BOTTLED OCEAN

Boston P & Ned W
Whitebridge High School – Year 9

In a world of blue, pristine and wide, Where once the seal would joyously glide, A bottle floats, a dark disguise, Within its depths, a tragic prize.

A seal sips from this tainted stream, Microplastics shatter its
dream. The ocean now, a plastic jail, Its life forced to turn so frail.

What once was pure, Life in the ocean was Bright, Now is Echoes of a man-made blight. In Bottled Ocean’s silent plea, Lies a stark reminder for you and me.

BOTTLENOSE DOLPHIN

James R
Whitebridge High School – Year 9

Our ocean is plastic. We need to change our ways and stop plastic getting in our ecosystem. We are already feeling the effects on the ecosystem and it is only getting worse.

This bottlenose dolphin show the issue with plastic and how our marine life is eating it and it is becoming part of them. This shows the human impacts on the marine environment and the negative outcomes from it.

A HELPING HAND

Hamish W & Jett N
Whitebridge High School – Year 9

Hamish and I, both studying marine science, have been given the eye opener of plastic pollution in our world and how bad it actually is. After diving deeper into this topic and being given the opportunity to enter an art competition we wanted to show what effect plastics have on the ocean and how the simplicity of picking it up can change so much for our oceans.

In the piece we have created you can see our rubbish that is used in the artwork has been collected from rubbish that could/would end up in our oceans. We also liked to use certain pieces of rubbish; Soy sauce fish to represent the fish, Red/Bright coloured rubbish to represent the plastic pollution more boldly, this then also can represent death or destruction and the entire piece is made on a recycled plank of ply timber.

A TORTURED TURTLE

Hannah H
Whitebridge High School – Year 9

Children playing in our crystal clear waters, marine life swimming and leaping through our oceans. We say It's just one piece of plastic, it won't do any harm. But as it slowly drifts through the drains in our street. Our animals in the ocean swim in fear. One piece turns into two and two into three. Aquatic animals dying, clear waters turning brown. Many marine animals like turtles mistake plastic for food. To be walking along the sand of our once clean beach to glance at the wave indents in the sand. Only to find them filled with washed up microplastics and takeaway containers is truly disheartening.

Where did we go wrong? How do we stop this?

BOTTLECAP BEACH

Gabrielle P & Samarah W
Whitebridge High School – Year 9

The beach is covered in a blanket of plastic,
A blanket that suffocates all that’s underneath,
This beach is not alone it is one of many,
The beach is covered in a blanket of plastic,
A blanket that suffocates all that’s underneath,
This beach is not alone it is one of many,
Bottlecap Beach is experiencing a problem the locals say,
A problem that isn’t going away,
A problem that has existed since what feels like the dawn of time,

A lone turtle making his way
The waves crash and thrash at the shore,
Throwing plastic wrappers and milk bottles

The turtle weary, struggling to swim,
It’s body floating under the ocean’s thick coating
Unable to dive down into the deep blue,

The vet says I am afraid with a sigh,
Before declaring plastic pollution is to blame,
The locals gather in a circle of dismay,
“What are we to do”, one of them yells, while the others turn their
heads,

Silence follows the question,
A question our very country is still trying to solve,
So it is up to our generation to find answers,
We must confront the challenge, together we stand,
To protect our shores with a united hand.

THE APEX PREDATOR - RUBBISH

Harry I
Whitebridge High School – Year 9

The rubbish is supposed to symbolise a deadly predator (or a deadly trap) that is infected in the water trapping and evenly killing anything that gets caught in it making you feel a sense of guilt for all the times you have littered. And the turtle tears are to symbolise fear and pain that it's in from the rubbish as the turtle tries to break free from the jaws of the rubbish trap as it withers away from wasting energy till it becomes a sitting duck for predators to finish it off.

The water is all dark and dirty showing the disgustingness and filth of the pollution and how big of an effect it brings to the water will all of the rubbish floating on the top of the water. There will also be dead dirty fish in the water to bring more of a dark feeling to the design and i have some fish half eaten with plastic inside showing that a lot of these fish actually eat the plastic in the water witch in return kills them and I am hoping this being a hint of disgust on what they have done making them feel guilty for littering. So in return I am hoping this helps stop people from littering so watch time there about to litter they think if this and feel guilty making them want to throw it in the bin. And with all of this together I think this pretty well symbolise the danger of waste.

THAT'S A RUBBISH WAVE

Ava S
Whitebridge High School – Year 9

My design “That's a rubbish wave” symbolises how most people when they go to the beach for a surf or just to look at the waves they mostly say “that's a rubbish wave”. That popular catchphrase sparked the idea of taking that phrase literally and creating a wave made of rubbish and recycled materials found around my house and also my school grounds. These waves incorporate the plastic pollution that our world is facing today but i also wanted to tell a story about another ensure our ocean and marine life is facing today and that is oil spills. Many marine protected areas are protected by people but pollution and oil spills have no boundaries and go where they please, killing and destroying marine creature coral and destroying whole species. So I have used plastic to also show another type of environmental issue.

STRANGLED AND STARVED

Chase I
Whitebridge High School – Year 9

In July of 2024, I swam with 2 whale sharks. It was an incredible experience that I will never forget. Swimming alongside one of the most gentle marine animals in existence, sharing its space in the wild, was truly amazing. I want other people,
especially future generations, to have the opportunity to swim with these magnificent creatures and remember it forever, just like I will. However, at the rate the world is going when it comes to pollution, there may not be any whale sharks
left to swim with.

Whale sharks are the biggest fish in the sea and yet they are the most calm and docile. There is no real risk while swimming with them beside an accidental hit with their tail. In fact they are more scared of us and have every right to be. Whale sharks at full size are rarely killed by anything - beside humans. Their meat, fins and liver oils are wanted in some countries. They are hunted illegally around the world. But hunting isn’t the only threat for them, plastic pollution and ghost nets are also killers.

Whale sharks are filter feeders, which means they swim through water with their mouth wide, consuming plankton and other small organisms. They can process more than 6000 litres of water through their gills in one hour. This means that any plastic or other rubbish types in their way could easily get swallowed accidentally. Studies have concluded that whale sharks consume an enormous amount of plastic, up to 137 pieces an hour. That calculates to over 3200 pieces consumed in one day and over 120 million pieces consumed in a lifetime, which could be over 100 years. The whale shark's lifespan can be greatly reduced by this. The stomach could become injured or clogged leading to death from the injuries or starvation. They sometimes have to vomit up their meals to get rid of plastic but that can reduce their gut capacity and cause digestion problems. Plastic is a major threat to whale sharks.

Another threat is entanglement and bycatch. Bycatch is when a certain species is caught in commercial fishing nets and is not the intended or targeted species. Whale sharks often get caught in tuna nets and are either killed and discarded or
released but left injured. Similarly, whales, rays, sharks, turtles, dolphins and many more animals get caught in abandoned fishing nets, or ghost nets, and suffer injuries that can be fatal. Whale sharks that get caught can get cut badly and suffer injuries on their fins and tail.

The amount of whale sharks in the world is not known but estimated to be between 130,000 - 200,000, and it is decreasing from human impacts. Simple actions such as not buying single use plastics and getting involved with beach clean ups can contribute to saving not just the whale sharks but many, many other marine and non marine animals.

ECHOES OF DESTRUCTION

Joy D
Ashford Central School – Year 7

The ocean has always held a special place in my heart, as I have a
deep love for being at the beach and immersing myself in the experience of swimming in the crashing waves. It is a sanctuary for me, where I can find relaxation and happiness amidst the vast expanse of water.

Beneath the surface of the water, a fragile ecosystem teeming with life, from vibrant fish and intriguing marine creatures to delicate corals and vital oceanic plants, is facing great threats. Overfishing, pollution, rising ocean temperatures, and the shrinking of our oceans are putting these majestic creatures at risk of losing their habitats, leading to a gradual yet irreversible decline in their population within our oceans.

Fortunately, due to the efforts of organisations such as Greenpeace and Clean Our Oceans, positive changes are starting to happen. However, it will require a collective effort and extensive work to fully undo the damaging effects of our past mistakes. As a symbolic representation of this urgent need for change, I envision a saltwater clam, renowned for its beautiful and shiny shell, but with its usually crystal-like pearl obscured by rubbish, highlighting the imminent threat to its existence.

These consequences are a direct result of our actions and oversights, but we also have the
power to make a difference. By coming together and taking action, we can work towards a future where our oceans are thriving, and the once-threatened creatures and environments can be preserved for generations to come.

PLASTIC TIDES

Emily Y
Ashford Central School – Year 7

Australian jellyfish are increasingly threatened by pollution in our oceans, which significantly impacts their health and survival. Plastic waste poses a major risk, as jellyfish can mistakenly ingest plastic particles, leading to blockages and malnutrition. Microplastics accumulate in their bodies, threatening the entire food chain.

Chemical pollutants, including heavy metals and agricultural runoff, disrupt their ecosystems, contributing to harmful algal blooms that can deplete oxygen levels. These altered environments may allow jellyfish populations to thrive at the expense of other marine species, causing imbalances in the ecosystem.

Climate change, driven by pollution, further exacerbates challenges for jellyfish. Rising sea temperatures can alter their reproductive cycles and expand their range, resulting in increased jellyfish blooms that threaten marine biodiversity. The decline of coral reefs, critical habitats for many marine species, also contributes to ecosystem instability. To protect Australian jellyfish, it is crucial to reduce plastic use, improve waste management, and advocate for policies that safeguard marine environments. By raising awareness and taking collective action, we can work towards a healthier ocean and ensure the survival of these remarkable creatures for future generations.

ENGULFED

Brendon S
Ashford Central School – Year 7

Pollutants have a harmful impact on marine life, especially fish. Chemicals like heavy metals, pesticides, and plastics can poison fish or interfere with their ability to reproduce. Microplastics, which fish often swallow, move up the food chain, causing long-term harm to both marine life and humans. Oil spills can smother fish and damage their habitats, while pollution from sewage and farming introduces harmful nutrients, leading to algal blooms that reduce oxygen levels in the water. These pollutants disrupt the balance of marine ecosystems, threatening the survival of fish and other ocean species.

My artwork represents an overwhelming collection of items that pose a threat to fish in our oceans, covering the entire shape of the fish. These materials were gathered from both home and school, symbolising the widespread nature of pollution and its impact on marine life.

RESILIENT FLIGHT

Joe B
Ashford central School – Year 7

Australian seabirds play a crucial role in maintaining the health of our ecosystem, contributing to biodiversity and the balance of marine life. These birds help regulate fish populations, control pests, and facilitate the transfer of nutrients between land and sea. To protect these vital species, it is essential to address threats such as pollution, particularly plastic waste, which can harm seabirds through ingestion and entanglement. Efforts to reduce plastic pollution and ease other environmental threats are key to preserving these birds and ensuring the continued health of our ecosystems.

I have created an enlarged metal sculpture, incorporating wire netting and chains, to emphasise the vast scale of the problem caused by human pollutants and their devastating impact on
seabirds. This artwork visually amplifies the extent of the pollution crisis, symbolising the overwhelming and destructive effects on these vulnerable creatures and their environments.

TOXIC TIDES

Silvio M & Vincenzo T
Mountains Christian College – Year 6

Dear Ocean,

Us as human beings are sincerely sorry for polluting you.

As a note of apology, we have made an artwork to show people that you are in danger and so
are the animals that thrive within you. This artwork shows and tells people to not pollute you and
to treat you better, by not using you falsely as a bin.

Yours Sincerely,
Vinnie and Silvio

SWASHIE AND THE RISE OF RUBBISH

Camryn B, Charlotte C, Eva W, Lola M L & Sophie C
Mountains Christian College – Years 5 & 6

Dear Ocean,

We have created an artwork for you from: an old book, some recycled bottles, some paper shreds and some cardboard. We used some bottle caps for the eyes and the nose. And we created the wave with some cardboard book pages, and some blue paint.

The otter that you see is called Swashie and she enjoys her aquatic home. A problem for Swashie is that she is surrounded by fishing nets and other rubbish. This threatens her life.

In our artwork, Swashie loves to play and she would like to live a long and happy life. With the constant threat of rubbish in the ocean, she can't make any promises.

We are trying to raise awareness and reduce pollution. We hope that this helps you and the animals like Swashie that depend on you for life.

Peace out,
Sophie, Cam, Charlotte, Lola and Eva.

PLASTIC THROAT

Asher R & Jayden H
Mountains Christian College – Year 5

Dear Ocean,

We are sorry for all the rubbish we have put into your environment and will try to reduce the amount of rubbish. Many of the creatures living in you have suffered from our horrible decisions. We are trying to stop that by using paper materials instead. We are also putting more bins around our schools, cities, and many more places. Our school is trying not to use plastic items and metal/tin items. The world is trying to use better fishing items so that fishing nets don't get eaten or swallowed. As we said at the start of our letter we are so very sorry and we hope the art work we have made will be taken as a sorry gift.

From: Jayden Hodge and Asher Robilliard

KILLING THE KILLER

Anna M
Mountains Christian College – Year 5

Pollution affects killer whales, also known as orcas, particularly through chemical pollution. PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) are a ‘forever chemical’ (or POP) which affects orca behaviour, damaging their immune system and preventing reproduction. Researchers suspect that many orca families may not survive the next decade. Despite their name, killer whale, they are actually more related to dolphins than whales.

The ocean will lose a fascinating creature if we don’t stop pollution.

YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT

Benjamin M
Mountains Christian College – Year 5

Dear Ocean,

It wasn’t so long ago that I found out about what happened to your majestic sperm whales. What we’ve done to all kinds of whales may be irreversible. Enough of them get killed by giant squids, caught in nets, wash up on shore and eat rubbish. These are great threats to ocean life and it could make such a big impact on the planet that people could be in as much trouble as whales are if we don’t take action now.

The amount of whales stolen from the ocean may never go back to what it was before humans started destroying the environment. Debris in the deep scattering layer where sperm whales feed could be mistaken for prey and incidentally ingested, leading to possible injury or death.

Ocean, I hope you are doing well with these tough changes to your environment. Especially since us humans have now littered all though your beautiful ocean. So on behalf of the people of Earth I apologise and hope to make things right with you someday.

Yours sincerely,
Benjamin Murphy