Dreamworld Scarecrow Project
Dreamworld Scarecrow Project is a school community-focused scarecrow building competition that requires entrants to build a scarecrow to a designated theme. The theme for 2025 is “STEM Explorers – Inventing a Better Tomorrow”.
Registrations now closed, vote on your winner
From Queensland to Victoria and South Australia, 16 primary schools are designing and building scarecrows that best represent the 2025 theme, STEM Explorers: Inventing a Better Tomorrow.
How to Get Involved:
- See the local entries up close at Dreamworld Country Fair from Saturday 20 September to Monday 6 October 2025.
- Vote online for your favourite, you have until Sunday 12 October 2025 to cast your vote.
Beeac Primary School - Friendly Flora
When creating our scarecrow, we wanted it to reflect nature and sustainability. Instead of buying new materials, we made the decision to use recycled resources or items we could easily find at home or around the school. This approach not only reduced waste but also encouraged us to be creative with the materials we already had available. Another important part of our design was making sure the scarecrow felt friendly rather than frightening. Traditional scarecrows can sometimes look a little scary, especially for younger children, so we decided to include an animal feature to make ours more welcoming and fun. By adding this element, we hoped to create a design that children would enjoy seeing in the garden instead of feeling afraid of. We also thought about how to make our scarecrow practical as well as playful. Since it would spend a lot of time outdoors, we wanted it to be “sun smart.” That meant designing it with protection from the harsh sun, showing the importance of looking after ourselves as well as our environment. Overall, our scarecrow combines sustainability, creativity, and friendliness. We are proud that it protects the garden while also sharing positive message.
Beeac Primary School - Garden Groot
Our team wanted to design a scarecrow that was both unique and meaningful, so after researching different ideas, we decided to make ours look like Groot from Guardians of the Galaxy. Groot is known as a protector, and we thought this made him the perfect symbol to guard and protect our vegetable garden. As part of our research, we explored what makes a strong base for a scarecrow and which materials are durable enough to withstand different weather conditions, especially heavy rain and wind. We discovered that recycled materials are not only practical but also sustainable, so we decided to reuse as many resources as possible. For the head, we wanted to capture Groot’s natural, tree-like appearance. To achieve this, we collected bark from the paperbark tree at our school, which gave his face a realistic texture and helped him look like he was truly made of wood. By combining creativity with research, we managed to design a scarecrow that is both eye-catching and effective. Our Groot scarecrow not only keeps the birds away but also promotes sustainability, teamwork, and imagination. We are proud of how we turned recycled materials into a fun and functional guardian for our garden.
Beeac Primary School - Nature Ned
Starting our design and researching started off chaotic, we had a lot of thoughts and ideas, maybe too many. It was fun trying to figure out what would work and how we could get the stuff for it. We knew we wanted to add plants and solar lights, so we based our design like it was a part of nature. As we thought of more and better ideas, we decided we should include plants but make it different from the other scarecrows, so it stands out. There has been a lot of scrapped ideas, but it worked out in the end. We got recycled pipe for the frame and an old wooden box for some plants to grow in; we got some reused clothes and a hat to put on the head made from a bucket. There are pots in its hands for snow peas to grow in, as well as solar lights to make it glow at night. A lot of it was fun ideas we had and decided we could do them if we could recycle the stuff, it was definitely a fun thing to put together and see what it would look like in the end.
Beeac Primary School - Plague Pete
Our team designed and built a scarecrow to protect our kitchen garden from birds that could damage our vegetables. During our research, we discovered that birds are frightened by constant noise, cats, and reflective surfaces. Using these ideas, we created a scarecrow that is not only effective but also sustainable and creative. To begin, we hung cutlery around the scarecrow so that it makes a constant clattering sound whenever the wind blows. This helps to discourage birds from landing nearby. Next, we repurposed a plastic coke bottle to create a cat figure. This cat not only adds to the scare factor but also serves as a rain gauge, collecting water so we can measure rainfall in our area. For the main design, we gave our scarecrow the appearance of a plague doctor, making it look striking and a little intimidating to both birds and anyone tempted to take our vegetables. To ensure it is effective at night as well as during the day, we added solar-powered lights that keep it visible and spooky after dark. All the materials used were second-hand clothing and recycled resources, chosen to promote sustainability. Our scarecrow is built to withstand heavy rain.
Blyth Primary School - Bob the Minion
Our scarecrow is a minion that’s name is bob. We had some falses along the way but we rearranged it and now it looks better. It is made out of pea straw and tarp and paper. It took three weeks to make what is decent. And we also had a lot of Designs and the last one was the best. We brought in cloths to make it look like a minion. We started with a bad minion but we got there in the end it was very close. We had to bring stuff from home the first week we started building it. We had bananas but it looked horrible. How we picked to do a minion? we looked at different pictures to get a idea. and Mr. wood liked the minion one so we did it.
Blyth Primary School - Boberina
Our inspiration for Boberina, the minion scarecrow was that everyone knows what minions are and a lot of people love them. Why? Because they are so cute and all of them are really funny. Boberina is a Hawaiian minion who loves to swim, she also has a little robot servant called Bob the second. Boberina’s main body is made out of a hay bale, her arms made out of a hurdle, clothing made out of a pillowcase, a long scarf and lets not forget that her eyes are made out foam balls and her hat is a painted bucket. Her servant Bob the second is made out of another painted bucket with a flower necklace on his head. Bob the second is around 24cm tall and 15cm long, Boberina is around 125cm tall and around 49cm long. We have incorporated STEM by making sure the balance is right, so it doesn’t fall over. We have also used trial and error. Originally, we thought that we could spray paint the eyes on but after some brainstorming, we decided to make the foam ball eyes. We got pictures and then used ideas from them.
Blyth Primary School - Happy Gilmore
Happy Gilmore is about 156cm tall. We brought old clothes, boots and golf sticks from our houses. Mr Wood brought in metal frames from his house and we put the clothes, boots and golf sticks on It and then we stuffed the clothes with hay. The frames were made to approximately 170cm tall so that adult clothes would fit. We chose Happy Gilmore because the new Happy Gilmore movie came out and he has a golf club. Then we got the frames and started building our scarecrow. After we built the scarecrow we took some pictures of them they look fabulous. We like our scarecrow because we like the way we put the clothes on and we like the shape of him and the way we put the golf club on him we also liked the way we put his hair on his head. We put a lot of work and time into him. thank you for your time.
Blyth Primary School - Race Car Driver
We used a spray whole body overalls. We then put stickers on the overalls and we used a bucket as the helmet. We measured a metal frame to suit adult clothes that is approximately 170cm tall Mr. Wood welded a frame. We then added clothes and material to the frame. We used pea straw to give the scarecrow shape.. We use a bucket to make a helmet and then we added goggles and made him look like a car racer. We liked the idea of making a race car driver because using the overalls made it a bit easier to stuff with pea straw.
Blyth Primary School - Steve the Ghostbuster
Our scarecrow is named Steve. We measured how big we would like our scarecrow to be. We then had Mr. Wood weld up a metal frame. We then brought some stuff from home that was second-hand hand and put it on the frame. We also brought in an old vacuum cleaner so that we could use that as the ghost sucker thing. We made Steve because everyone likes the ghostbusters. Originally he was a ordinary person. but then we changed our mind we decided we’d make Steve.
Blyth Primary School - Steven
We were inspired by normal scarecrows. The scarecrow's name is Steven. He is really tall not taller than me though. The material's we used were Straw, pants, pillow case, shirt, and a Blyth primary hat. He has a big head and a hat that doesn’t fit him. Steven is filled with Straw. He is really smiley all the time. His face has freckles and lashes and a big smiley face. We have been using a frame to build him on that was welded by our teacher Mr. Wood. We had to bring stuff in every Thursday.
Blyth Primary School - Sun Smart Sam
Our scarecrow Sun Smart Sam is made from recycled clothing - thanks to Iylah and Lexa’s families donating the clothing and hat. His head is made from a pillowcase and his body and head are stuffed with pea straw. We measured the frame so the scarecrow was tall and Mr. Wood, our teacher, welded the frame so our scarecrow wouldn’t fall over. We thought that a sun smart scarecrow was a good idea because it shares the important message of covering up in the warm weather to protect our skin from the sun.
Blyth Primary School - Vera
First off we measured a frame for our clothes. Then Mr. Wood welded the frame all together. After that we got the clothes we wanted from home we got pants, T-shirt and a jacket we also brought in a pillow case for the head and stuffed all of it with pea straw. Next, we put the pants on the bottom of the scarecrow frame, we put the t-shirt on top of the scarecrow crow then put the jacket around the t-shirt to finish it off. Next we put the head on top. For the hands we put pool noodles in the glove to make them look more like hands and so they would stand up then we slotted them on the frame. After that we put pool noodles in than put the legs in the shoe. we also drew a face and put some sunnies on the scarecrow with a wig and a headband. And we tied some string to some peace signs to make the earings. Also we made the scarecrow holding a DVD that is shiny. We made the scarecrow have bright clothes and shiny earrings and holding a DVD that’s how we will scare the birds.
Bundamba State School - Susie the STEM Teacher
Meet Susie the STEM Teacher, our Eco-Inventor Scarecrow. She was inspired by our Year 1 students’ love of asking questions, experimenting, and finding new ways to solve problems. Just like the real teachers who guide them, Susie shows curiosity, creativity, and care for the future. Dressed in her lab coat, goggles, and sunhat, she is ready to invent a better tomorrow. Every part of Susie was created by the students using recycled and upcycled materials collected from families and staff. Her face was cleverly made from an old PVC pipe, giving her a strong and weather-proof design. She has been stuffed with shredded paper, repurposing classroom scraps into her structure instead of waste. Her gloves, boots, and dress were all reused, while her lab coat was repurposed to highlight the importance of science in daily life. In her pocket, Susie carries a bright blueprint — a symbol of the inventions the students have been learning about, such as bee hotels to protect pollinators and water filters to provide clean drinking water. This year’s theme, STEM Explorers: Inventing a Better Tomorrow, is brought to life through Susie. She shows how even young learners can use science, technology, engineering, and maths to care for the environment, solve problems, and imagine a brighter, sustainable future for everyone.
Caboolture State School - School Garden Scarecrow
Explorers Inventing a better tomorrow Inspiration: Our school has a garden. At the moment, our mulberry tree is full of fruit. When the mandarins were ripe, the birds ate a lot of them and we could not harvest them for the students who didn’t have fruit for fruit break. We used material that would have been thrown in the bin. Shirt: The school shirt design has been updated. Board: reused from old port racks Stuffing: shredded paper from the school – when it breaks down it is free and easy to replace.
Coomera State Special School - The Spirit of STEM
Our Coomera State Special School scarecrow celebrates the spirit of STEM—where science, technology, engineering, and mathematics come together to build a better future. Each part represents a real student, their dream, and the STEM path they're following: S is for Science, inspired by Glory, a passionate basketball player who dreams of becoming the world’s best coach. This scarecrow shows how science helps athletes train smarter, stay healthy, and improve performance through data and research. T is for Technology, inspired by Chaise, who wants to make learning exciting through educational apps. This scarecrow symbolises a future where technology inspires curiosity and empowers students everywhere. E is for Engineering, inspired by Lucas, who is fascinated by how computers work. This scarecrow represents the power of software engineering and those brave enough to explore how things work and how to make them better. M is for Mathematics, inspired by Angellica, who uses math to math to explore financial literacy. Her scarecrow shows how understanding numbers, saving money, and modelling future earnings can help her plan for success in life and in future jobs. Our scarecrow celebrates young STEM explorers who are turning their passions into possibilities—and building a brighter future for us all.
Gainsborough State School - Farmer Joe's Farm
Our junior Robotics Club (Year 3) students were inspired to design a scaled-down robotic scarecrow for an imaginary farmer, "Farmer Joe." The goal was to create a device powered by solar energy and batteries, using our LEGO kits. The students also decided that the robots should activate only when they detect crows that are damaging Farmer Joe’s crops, in order to conserve energy and reduce maintenance. To achieve this, they incorporated colour sensors, which trigger the scarecrow’s movement only when the sensor detects the colour black. As a team, the students also decided to build a full-scale replica of a farm, as they couldn’t place the robots outside to showcase their design in action. The students are proud of their work, believing their design could benefit future and current farmers by using solar power, a free and renewable energy source, the scarecrow offers a sustainable solution to protecting crops. Additionally, it allows Farmer Joe to humanely and ethically deter crows, reducing the need for harmful or invasive methods.
Highland Reserve State School - Fern the Reading Explorer
Our Prep students are proud to introduce our sitting scarecrow, a friendly reading buddy who invites children to sit beside her and share in the joy of books. She wears a crown of living fern hair – more than just decoration, it is a symbol of sustainability, growth, and the way nature and innovation can work together to create a brighter tomorrow. Below her sits a neighbourhood library, lovingly built from recycled schoolbooks. These once loved stories now have a second life, reminding us that creativity and sustainability can go hand-in-hand. Every Prep child also contributed to this project by adding a special button to her outfit, each one representing their unique place in our learning community. Through careful engineering, our scarecrow has been designed to be freestanding and weather-safe, ensuring that children can interact with her safely. By combining recycled materials, natural elements, and creative problem-solving, our Prep students have shown how STEM can spark imagination, connection, and new ways of thinking. “Miss Fern” is more than a scarecrow – she is a celebration of innovation, teamwork, and the joy of stories, showing how even the youngest learners can invent a better tomorrow, one story at a time.
Ingleside State School - Crazy Daisy
Crazy Daisy was made to show how we can take old rubbish and turn it into something new while looking after the planet tomorrow. Her arms and legs are made from recycled buckets and containers, her skirt is decorated with bottle lids that would usually get thrown away, and she is standing in a flower pot full of real plants. She’s bright, fun and reminds us that looking after the Earth can be creative. To connect with the theme “STEM Explorers: Inventing a Better Tomorrow”, we thought about how we use plastic. Instead of just throwing it away, we wanted to show how we can make it useful again. That’s why we got a 3D printed red heart for Daisy. The heart is a symbol, it reminds us to be thoughtful about how we use plastic and to make choices that care for our planet. Crazy Daisy shows that inventing a better tomorrow doesn’t always mean big machines or complicated technology. Sometimes it’s as simple as recycling, planting, and thinking carefully about what we make. She’s here to remind everyone that small actions, when done with heart, can make a big difference, while also protecting our veggie gardens from the birds (like the ones on her shoulder).
Ipswich Special School - Solar Famer
Meet Solar Farmer, our STEM scarecrow innovator! Inspired by the idea of solving food sustainability in a changing climate, our students imagined a scarecrow that could do more than just scare birds—it could help farmers make smarter, eco-friendly decisions. Our scarecrow uses recycled tech parts to represent solar-powered sensors, data dashboards, and smart farming tools. The solar panels (made from reused garden lights) show how farms of the future can run on clean energy. We used real STEM learning to plan, design, and build it—measuring angles for the re-used PVC pipes, learning about circuitry, and discussing how AI can help monitor crops. Solar Farmer represents the hope and inventiveness of the next generation of engineers and scientists who will grow food in a sustainable, smarter way. It’s built to last with a strong recycled frame, weatherproof covering, and a big imagination.
Ormeau State School - Doctor Who
Our scarecrow was inspired by the character of Doctor Who, specifically Tom Baker’s iconic portrayal of the Doctor. I chose Doctor Who because he represents imagination, curiosity, and a passion for discovery. With his long scarf and quirky personality, Tom Baker’s Doctor is instantly recognisable, but beyond his appearance, he is a symbol of intelligence, creativity, and courage in the face of the unknown. Doctor Who is the ultimate STEM explorer. He travels through time and space using the TARDIS, constantly encountering new worlds, creatures, and challenges. Much like real scientists and inventors, he relies on knowledge, problem-solving, and innovative thinking rather than force. The Doctor’s adventures show how curiosity and creativity can help us tackle difficult problems and imagine better solutions. This connects perfectly to this year’s STEM theme: Inventing a Better Tomorrow. Just as the Doctor explores the universe to protect and improve the future, STEM inspires us to explore new ideas and inventions that can change the world. By choosing Doctor Who, I wanted my scarecrow to reflect the importance of curiosity, discovery, and using knowledge to make tomorrow brighter, safer, and more exciting for everyone.
Pacific Pines Primary School - Astronaut Scarecrow
Could Humans Colonise Another Planet? Our astronaut scarecrow represents humanity’s bold step toward the stars, inspired by the question: Could humans one day live on another planet? Students imagined a futuristic Mars colony, blending creativity with scientific exploration. The scarecrow’s design showcases innovation in space technology—protective suits, sustainable habitats, and the dream of thriving beyond Earth. In creating their design, students used their understanding of real scientific discoveries. They explored how astronauts recycle water using NASA’s Water Recovery System, even turning urine into safe drinking water. They learned how MOXIE, a machine tested on Mars, can make oxygen from carbon dioxide. Their scarecrow also represents hydroponic gardens to grow food without soil, and inflatable or underground homes that could shield colonists from radiation and dust storms. The project aligns strongly with this year’s theme, “STEM Explorers: Inventing a Better Tomorrow”. It highlights how Science, Technology and Engineering work together to solve challenges of survival in extreme environments. Sustainability was central to the design. The scarecrow was built from recycled pine, a base made from reused packaging, and decorated with repurposed toys and garden lights. This reflects the same recycling and reuse principles needed for life in space. To integrate English, students produced a podcast, discussing how scientists today are researching space travel, planetary habitability, and sustainable living systems. This multimodal approach strengthened their communication, critical thinking, and collaboration skills, reflecting STEM learning in action. Just as scarecrows protect crops, our astronaut scarecrow symbolises guardianship of humanity’s future—protecting not only life on Earth but also the possibility of life beyond.
Wallaville State School - Sir Worm-in’-tin
Our eco-conscious scarecrow ‘Sir Worm-in’-tin’. A noble guardian with worm farm legs and a compost crown, a bit of cheeky fun. He’s messy, he’s proud and he’s all about soil life. Our unconventional ‘Sir Worm-in’-tin’ is a patch work of sustainability and whimsy. His legs are two stacked worm farms (carefully measured and technological sound), wriggling with life beneath the surface. Each tier, a metropolis of red wrigglers turning scraps into soil gold. His legs are vented so the scraps and soil within are moist and pulses to the rhythm of nature. His torso, a recycled toilet cistern, bolted upright, serves as both chest and storage unit for gardening-gloves, trowels, seeds and small watering cans. The door creaks but opens with ease. Atop, sit its head, a round compost bin crowned with a lid like a helmet. Flowers protruding from the helmet, face the sun and along with his cheeky grin give him a friendly expression. When the wind blows the lid rattles like laughter. His arms, an old pool noodle sway in the wind, tossing to and fro. Birds give him a wide berth, but the local possums seem to treat him like a wise elder.
William Duncan State School - Eco Inventor Willy Dunc
Meet Eco Inventor Willy Dunc. He is a curious and creative STEM explorer on a mission to invent a better tomorrow! With his recycled parts, solar powered backpack, and a notebook full of big dreams, Willy is here to remind us that the future is in the hands of the young problem solvers of today. He is made from repurposed materials, and represents innovation, sustainability, and the power of imagination. Some of his inventions you can see are his Climate Cleaner, a machine that filters air and helps plants grow stronger! He also wears a wind turbine powered protective hat, carries his portable 3D printer scraps compost bag and has a delicious portable grow garden box which is a regenerative source of delicious foods. His scales measure the impact his creations are having on the health of our beautiful planet. Our art group collaborated to design every part of Willy, using principles from science (eco-friendly inventions), technology (upcycled materials), engineering (structure building), and maths (measuring, planning, problem-solving). We believe that the best way to shape the future is to dream big and build smart.
The Willows State School - North Queensland Cowboy
Our scarecrow was inspired by the North Queensland Cowboys. We wanted it to show something that is special to us here in Townsville. We also dangled metal parts that bang together, and this is meant to be inspired from clapping sticks and the noise helps to scare the birds away from our garden. We painted the scarecrow the Cowboys colours. We have just started building our school food garden. We built our scarecrow from all the left over materials that was not needed and from the packaging. Nothing went to waste and we didn’t buy anything new. The metal pieces were left over from building the raised garden bed and the wood came in the packaging. The plastic came from the covers of our raised garden beds that protected it in transport. The hessian bag is stuffed with bits of plastic that would have gone in the bin. The pots and seedling trays were broken and left over from planting. We wanted to show that even rubbish can be useful if we think carefully and work together. This connects to the STEM theme because we explored, invented, and reused /repurposed materials to make something new. Our scarecrow is not just for fun, but it helps protect our plants.
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Dreamworld Country Fair
20 September – 06 October 2025
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Shake up your winter holidays as your favourite theme park turns into a magical winter wonderland and food lover's haven for Winterfest, returning in 2026!
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Ready your taste buds for a smorgasbord of flavour! Street Food Festival returns in 2026, serving up fresh tastes, thrilling rides, and plenty of fun from across the globe.
COMPETITION TERMS & CONDITIONS – VOTER PARTICIPATION
1. Information on how to enter and prizes form part of these conditions.
2. By completing the online vote for People’s Choice, you (the entrant) agree to be bound by these terms and conditions.
3. The Promoter Coast Entertainment Operations Limited (ABN 22 104 529 106) trading as Dreamworld and is located at Dreamworld, Dreamworld Parkway, Coomera, QLD, 4209
4. The promotional period ends at 11.59pm AEST on Sunday the 12th of October 2025.
5. Entry is open to Australian residents.
6. An eligible entrant who is under 18yrs of age must obtain permission from a parent or guardian and provide evidence of the permission. Dreamworld reserves the right to verify the validity of any entry or entrant (including an entrant’s identity, age and place of residence) and to disqualify any entrant or entry which is not in accordance with these terms and conditions.
7. The directors, management and employees of Dreamworld, WhiteWater World, SkyPoint and their immediate relatives (including children, niece, nephew, grandchildren or siblings) are ineligible to enter the competition.
8. To enter, entrants must complete and submit an online vote for People’s Choice and fill in all required fields.
9. There are two (2) prizes to be won of one (1) EFTPOS Gift Card at a total value of $500 (total prize pool is $1,000).
10. This competition is a Category 4 trade promotion and the selection of the winners will be selected randomly. The winners will be selected at Dreamworld Parkway, Coomera QLD 4209. The winner will be notified by email or mobile by the 31st of October 2024 and the prize will be sent digitally. The selection of the winner is final, and no correspondence will be entered into.
11. Any component of the prize, which is forfeited cannot be exchanged for another prize, transferred or redeemed for cash.
12. All Prizes cannot be exchanged or redeemed for cash. In the event the winner does not take the prize by the time stipulated, then a redraw will occur and the next random drawn winner will be contacted.
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14. Entries must be received by the Promoter during the promotional period.
15. The promoter reserves the right to verify the validity of entries and reserves the right to disqualify any entrant for tampering with the entry process or for submitting an entry which is not in accordance with these conditions of entry, or if the entrant is engaged in any unlawful or other improper misconduct calculated to jeopardise the fair and proper conduct of the promotion. The Promoter’s legal rights to recover damages or other compensation from such an offender are reserved.
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