We celebrate National Water Week each year by running a poster competition for young students within our service area.
Early learning children through to Year 8 students were encouraged to design, draw or paint a poster that inspires people to become water heroes and save precious water.
This year's mission is to create a poster that inspires our community to reduce their use and help save Gippsland’s precious water. Remember, we can all make sure every little drop counts!
Some simple tips to help you become a water saving hero:
Take 4-minute showers
Keep the water level low when having a bath
Turn off taps while brushing your teeth
Carefully turn off taps all the way, making sure there are no drips.
Let an adult know if you spot a leaking tap
Save the full flush for number twos. Use the half-flush when you pee.
Winners will be announced during National Water Week, 19 - 25 October 2026.
Age group categories
Early Learning/Kindergarten (both individual entries and collaborative entries will be accepted)
Foundation (individual entries)
Years 1 – 2 (individual entries)
Years 3 – 4 (individual entries)
Years 5 – 6 (individual entries)
Years 7-8 (individual entries)
Prizes
Early learning / Kindergarten
1st prize (individual) = $50 local voucher* + prize pack**
1st prize (collaborative) = $50 local voucher*
Primary & secondary school
Individual prize awarded for each age category :
1st prize = $100 local voucher* + prize pack**
Early learning / Kindergarten / School prize
$500 to put towards a sustainability project or STEM resources. All centres/schools with at least one entry will be placed into a random draw.
*Local vouchers - Winners will be given a choice of a voucher from a sports shop or book shop within our service area.
**Prize packs - Will include a Gippsland Water bag, Gippsland Water drink bottle, colouring pencils, trigger nozzle and native seed pack.
Entry conditions
Poster size must be A4 or A3
Any medium, from paper to digital, can be used
Any art material and digital technology can be used, including paint, textas, crayons, coloured pencils, collage materials, original photographs and digital graphics
Uploaded files are limited to 20MB
Image files should be in .JPG, .PDF or .PNG formats
For primary and secondary school aged children, group artwork will NOT be accepted (only one child per artwork)
For early learning/kindergarten both individual entries and collaborative entries will be accepted
Each child/student/collaborative group can only enter once
Originality requirements
All entries must be the original work of the child/student(s)
Artwork created wholly or partially using generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools will not be accepted
Minor editing (e.g. scanning or cropping) is permitted
By submitting an entry, participants confirm the work is their own.
Winners of the preschool and primary school categories will be chosen by:
How well the poster communicates the National Water Week theme, “Water Heroes: Make Every Drop Count,” and/or relevant water issues
Visual impact – how attractive the poster is from a distance
Effective use of art materials
Creativity and originality of imagery, design or concepts
Winners of the secondary school category will be chosen by:
Theme communication – clear and meaningful connection to the theme “Water Heroes: Make Every Drop Count.”
Visual impact – eye-catching, bold, and easy to understand from a distance
Technical skill – effective and purposeful use of art materials
Innovation – demonstrates fresh ideas, modern design approaches, or imaginative concepts
Creativity and originality – shows a distinctive personal voice and moves beyond predictable or copied ideas
Accuracy of information – any facts, statistics, or messages presented are correct, appropriate, and relevant to water issues
State competition
First prize winners in each category from all participating Victorian water corporations are automatically entered into the state level of competition.
Tips for uploading a poster
Please ensure you enter the correct competition category using your centre or school's postcode
Please ensure only high resolution, high quality images are submitted
Image files should be in .JPG, .PDF or .PNG formats
Uploaded files are limited to 20MB
Original posters can either be scanned or photographed
Up to 30 entries can be uploaded at a time (saving you time)
Remember if taking a photo, please ensure a clear, non-blurred image is taken. Keep these tips in mind:
ensure good lighting to avoid shadows
make sure the poster fills the entire screen - an overhead shot, taken directly above the poster, is often the best option
ensure the photo matches the orientation of the poster – if the poster is in landscape format, take the photo horizontally. If it’s in portrait format, take the photo vertically
avoid using flash, as it can cause glare
if the photo is taken from a distance, crop the image so only the poster is visible (no background or surrounding surfaces).
Resources
Set your class up for success. These fun activities will get them thinking about saving every drop.
This series of activities guides students through the design process. It provides tips on how to create a successful poster and helps to unpack the theme.
