Trash or Treasure?

They say ‘one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.’ That certainly rings true for Shop Supervisor Stuart Merriman at the City of Armadale’s Drop ‘n’ Shop, located at the Armadale Landfill and Recycling Facility in Hilbert.

For over nine years Stuart has hand crafted a range of sculptures made out of recycled materials sourced from the Drop ‘n’ Shop.

Art is in the eye of the beholder. Some may call it junk but Stuart calls it art and says it’s in his blood. 

“I look at particular pieces that come through the Drop ‘n’ Shop and it sparks my imagination and I see something I can create using other pieces. Eight years ago I saw an old rubbish bin without its axles and wheels and thought it looked like the nostrils of a dinosaur,” he said.

With a little bit of creativity and the help of a few tools, his creation ‘the Bin-osaur’ was made!

Over the years Stuart has sculptured over 15 pieces including an aeroplane using a three seater kayak, a sand filter from an old pool, a hubcap, two surfboards and wheels from a golf buggy.

“I once saw an old cassette radio and thought it looked like a dragonfly’s eye so along with some blades from an old fan I made a dragonfly.”

It’s a craft that transcends past the gates of the Drop ‘n’ Shop to his backyard.

“You should see my shed at home - it’s full! I have a lifetime of projects to complete and I’ve had to make a rule with myself if I buy something I have to take items back to the shop,” he jokes.

In his spare time, Stuart also turns his hand to creating rustic furniture and his current recycling sculpture projects are a cricket and a 15 foot tall transformer.

“I enjoy making stuff out of recycled products and bringing them back to the Drop ‘n’ Shop to display; it’s good to give other people ideas of what they can do with their used items.”

The Drop ‘n’ Shop is run by City of Armadale staff and a team of volunteers and aims to return useable items to the community, rather than sending them to landfill.

A wide range of items are accepted, including furniture, kitchenware, garden items, bric-a-brac, building materials, equipment, tools, bikes, toys, books and clothing.

Tyres, mattresses, computers or carpet are not accepted.

“People shouldn’t throw things out. So many things can be up-cycled; there are many different uses for things including plant pots and old bins. Bring it down and we will have a look at it!”

The Drop ‘n’ Shop supports different groups ranging from wildlife shelters and local

Men’s Sheds to schools and community groups.

“We are a cross between Bunnings and Myer’s, except a little dustier.

“Every two to three months we run a recycling competition where people send us their before and after photos of what they have made from materials sourced from the Drop ‘n’ Shop for a chance to win a $25 voucher for the shop.”

The Drop ‘n’ Shop is open Thursday to Sunday.