Future Makers STEM Inventors Challenge — Gladstone Region
Register by: Friday 19 June
Launch:
Term 2, Week 10
Week starting Monday
22 June, 2026
Judging:
Term 3, Week 9
Friday 11 September,
2026
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Gladstone Region |
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| Free |
2026 Registrations Now Open
The STEM Inventors Challenge is open to students in Primary Years 5–6 and Secondary Years 7–10, based in the Gladstone local government area (surrounding regions may be considered). Participation is free. Teachers are encouraged to enrol their classes, STEM clubs, or supervised teams of motivated students. Home Education students are welcome.
For the first time, Primary and Secondary students will compete in two separate categories.
Working in groups of 2–4, students will have 10 weeks to:
- Learn relevant Science and Design & Technology principles from provided classroom activities
- Devise a STEM-based solution in response to the 2026 challenge
- Create a prototype and informative tabletop display board that demonstrates key capabilities or design aspects of their proposed solution.
To create their prototype, students are encouraged to use recycled products or materials they already own such as Lego, cardboard, craft supplies or 3D printing.
The students’ prototype exhibitions will be judged by an expert panel during a celebratory STEM Inventors Showcase event at Central Queensland University on Friday, 11 September 2026.
Read about past Gladstone Region winners
Mentor Expressions of Interest
We are calling for suitably qualified and available professionals (or retired
professionals) in the areas of science, engineering and design to be STEM Mentors for
2026. STEM Mentors commit to participate in three, 30-minute video call sessions with
student teams, to assist them in refining their inventive ideas. Expertise in
biological sciences is particularly relevant to this year's challenge, however all
manner of expertise is deeply valued for this voluntary opportunity with Queensland
Museum. In Gladstone they will be weekly between Monday 20 July and Friday 21 August.
Email futuremakers@qm.qld.gov.au for more information.
Submit a mentor EOI
The 2026 Challenge
Spectacular Species Solutions
Spectacular Species Solutions explores the integrative thinking, delicacy and
innovation required for effective environmental management. It challenges students to
think about their environment as a complex and connected system. Students will explore
species control and conservation strategies, and design a SPECTACULAR solution to a
problem impacting or caused by a Queensland species.
What’s Included?
- A 45-minute launch webinar with Queensland Museum staff to introduce the challenge, give inspiring examples and outline steps to success
- Teaching manual with 10 weeks of hands-on, curriculum-aligned activities, as well as challenge judging criteria
- Student activity booklet for each participating student
- A tri-fold tabletop display board for each student team
- Optional mentoring opportunity with Queensland experts, including scientists, engineers and designers.
- Exclusive display space for each student team at the celebratory STEM Inventors Showcase event at CQU. Snacks provided. Award winners will be announced on the day.
Prizes
A Winner, Highly Commended, Commended and People’s Choice Award will be announced
for each category (Primary and Secondary).
| Award | School Prize |
Student Prize (each team member) |
| Winner | $1,000 cash
and prize pack of Queensland Museum publications |
Trophy,
certificate and large STEM prize pack |
| Highly Commended | $500 Queensland Museum voucher * | Certificate
and small STEM prize pack |
| Commended | $150 Queensland Museum voucher * | Certificate and STEM prize |
| People’s Choice Award | Prize pack
of Queensland Museum publications |
Certificate and STEM prize |
All participating students will receive a certificate.
* Vouchers can be used towards items from the Queensland Museum shop
(online or in-store), school programs (including online incursions) and exhibitions at
Queensland Museum Kurilpa, Cobb+Co and Rail Workshops.
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Discover more about Future Makers initiatives, education resources and
teacher workshops
Past Winners — Gladstone Region
The students’ clever design was created to reduce the reliance on air conditioning in the intense Queensland heat. Solar energy pumps recycled water into a hydroponic tower, used to sustainably grow leafy vegetables in the backyard. Their prototype, displayed at World Science Festival Queensland 2025, was activated by shining torchlight onto small solar panels. See a photo of the prototype.
Emily and Annabelle designed their solar-powered robot "Little Rooty" to move through areas infested with the dry rats tail grass — a weed with a fast-spreading seed that kills native plants, impacting local biodiversity. To stop the weed's disastrous spread, the robot design includes technology to identify and seek out the plant. Aided by a lifting mechanism, a rake-like arm and a sharp scissors attachment, the robot would first cut and contain the sticky seeds in an internal box-like chamber, and then scoop up and and contain the entire plant. All collected plant matter would be destroyed in the chamber using microwaves and compacted to save space.
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