A Noosa student has created a social enterprise with a mission to lift awareness and inspire action towards a plastic-free coast and ocean for her eighth grade project.
Grace Good, a Noosa Pengari Steiner School student who created OceanGrace, said she started out wanting to do coastal photography due to her love for the ocean.
“My mum suggested I make a 2022 calendar with my photos to sell at the markets where all the proceeds could go to non-profits supporting ocean and coastal health, starting with Plastic Free Noosa,“ Grace said.
“Then I started thinking I could make other beach and nature-inspired objects to help raise fund, and I created OceanGrace as the brand name.”
Noosa and Sunshine Coast locals have been quick to support the 14-year-old’s initiative.
The Travelling Kimono founder Janelle Rawlins donated 10 oversized tote bags made from 100 per cent recycled linen, while Jenny Nunn from Breakaway Embroidery embroidered the bags with the OceanGrace logo at no charge, and Nikki Hann from BriSky Creations created stickers and metal straws to help Grace champion Plastic Free July.
Anita Butler, the program manager for Plastic Free Noosa, showed early support for the project by welcoming Grace’s request to fundraise on their behalf and offering to promote the sale of calendars and other OceanGrace products.
In late July, Grace proudly presented Plastic Free Noosa with her first $100 donation, proceeds from the sale of the first OceanGrace products, and became the newest ambassador for Plastic Free Noosa.
Tourism Noosa’s head of Tourism Sustainability and Program Design Juanita Terry-Bloomfield said, “I am inspired by Grace’s enthusiasm and passion to help. She is a great role model to others and already other students from Steiner have come on board and are participating since Grace began the project.
“It is so wonderful to see kids getting involved with the Plastic Free movement.”
Grace is working to create a line of OceanGrace products to be completed by the end of year, including driftwood sculptures, shell necklaces, candles, calendars, metal straws, talking sticks, tote bags, caps and bamboo cups and is asking for donations of products that can be branded with the OceanGrace logo.
Products will be sold through the Noosa Pengari Steiner School markets and direct via the OceanGrace website or Instagram, with 100 per cent of all proceeds going to Plastic Free Noosa and other non-profit initiatives such as Clean Up Australia and the Great Barrier Reef Foundation.
Grace intends to continue growing and building OceanGrace as a collaborative community enterprise offering products and services to fundraise on behalf of mission-driven non-profit organisations such as Plastic Free Noosa.
Upon completing high school, Grace hopes to study Marine Biology at James Cook University in Townsville.
To get involved, support or contact Grace, visit the Instagram page @OceanGraceAustralia, the website oceangrace.org or email OceanGraceAustralia@gmail.com or by phone to Grace’s mother, Ashley Good, at 0432 317 518.
