The humble wheelie bin has always had a soft spot in our hearts, but Australian artist Cj Hendry has taken it to the next level. Introducing, the Aussie wheelie bin hunt.
If you live on Australia’s east coast, you might find yourself noticing red and white wheelie bins scattered in the most random places; so far they’ve been sighted in the middle of a playground, on skate ramps, in front of a dental clinic and by the beach.
Fans are driving for hours to find these limited edition recycled wheelie bins, but what makes them so special?
It all began last year when Cj Hendry launched a controversial art exhibition alongside auction house Phillips to launch ‘Dropshop’, an artist-focused digital platform championing connection, innovation and collaboration.
Hendry’s sculpture series, Crown, incorporated a large drawing of a cherry-red crown and 100 inflatable-looking bronze crowns.
Watch Cj Henley’s Crown exhibition
Now, almost a year later, Hendry has revealed her solution to that problem. She has recycled every single plastic crown and transformed them into wheelie bins.
She’s leaving them in random places for the public to find and keep, and the hunt has already begun with her followers uploading videos of themselves finding the bins.
Watch the public find the bins around Brisbane
With CJ Hendry’s artwork going for tens of thousands of dollars, many Australians have gone to the lengths of paying others to find them using online marketplaces such as Airtasker for help.
The highest offering price (so far) is $400 to find a bin in Sydney and deliver it to Hall, ACT. Another from ACT offered $300, while someone from Manly, NSW offered $200 to find a bin.
It’s a craze nobody saw coming, but it proves what we already knew: you don’t want to mess with an Aussie and their wheelie bins.
What would anyone want to do with a limited edition wheelie bin if they’ve already got council bins?
Save it
It’s been made by an artist and is worth $$$, so keep it on display somewhere in your home, or like those on Airtasker, sell it to someone who will appreciate it.
Upcycle it
Make it a statement piece and convert it into a garden water feature. There are endless designs to suit your garden and the only thing you’ll need to buy is a solar powered pump.
Use it
You can turn it into a compost bin. Homemade compost is one of the best options when it comes to ensuring the soil in your garden is nutritious and fertilising. If you have a spare wheelie bin, it can be a great way to start your own compost. Another option is using it for lawn trimmings or pet waste. It might get smelly, but if you have an unused corner in your backyard, you can put all your pet droppings in the bin and use it to fertilise the garden.
Can’t get your hands on one of these wheelie bins? Try Charlie’s hack for hiding rubbish bins.
