“Everything that you see and hear was destined for the dump,” one of the organiser’s, Chay Khamsone, said.

“Everything, that is, except for the speakers.”

Collected from businesses and homes and markets, the group of artisans called ‘Frugal Arts’ from Pappinbarra (near Wauchope) consulted with waste service providers to discover what were the most problematic types of waste.

“It was basically anything that contained plastic.”

Frugal Arts Inc used collection carts and pickups from local business to haul in over 10,700 items of junk. Designs were developed to make use of common materials and to represent the main niches in a thriving and diverse forest. The soundscape was carefully layered from the individually recorded sounds of everyday things; a plastic comb, an umbrella, a wheelie bin, a length of hose. Even the twilight lighting was created from reused materials.

Chay lists old photos, mesh bags such as those in the fruit and vegetable section in supermarkets, swimming caps, umbrella frames and real estate signs amongst the plethora of items amidst the exhibition, where ‘nothing is wasted and every scrap is an opportunity’.

Created over three years by not-for profit group Frugal Arts Inc with the help of artists, musicians, students and community across the Mid North Coast of NSW, the project involved over 6,000 of handwork and had more than 1170 participants. With free workshops everywhere the Forest tours, that number - and the Forest - continues to grow. 

Bryony Anderson, co-director of the project, said that the idea of the forest was to find a way to talk about a circular economy in a way that’s positive and fun.

‘We see it as a challenge’, she said.

‘In a world of dwindling resources and a growing waste problem, waste is a big opportunity. An ecosystem like a forest provides the perfect analogy for this idea. In a forest, nothing is wasted and there is no such thing as a dump. Every scrap is digested and reinvented to become an opportunity for new life, in a circular and endlessly sustainable system.’ 

With careful research and intricate attention to detail it looks and sounds like a real forest: only closer inspection reveals its secret.  

As well as documentaries and how-to videos made with school groups, educator Chay has also developed a free online education kit for the project. It goes into depth about the materials treated as disposable, takes kids through a hands-on making activity, and provides a glimpse of the complex workings of an ecosystem - the importance of leaf litter, for instance. ‘It’s been a great way to enrich the Frugal Forest experience for students, and some schools have really run with the idea’, said Chay. 

The Frugal Forest will is on at the Gloucester Gallery until February 29. You can learn more at frugal forest.oneoffmakery.net.au or find them on Facebook at Frugal Forest. It has just exhibited at Port Macquarie's Glasshouse and will head to Coffs Harbour and Maitland next.