Sunshine Coast Wootha Prize
Set in the Queensland Sunshine Coast Hinterland, the Wootha Prize is a national woodworking competition celebrating outstanding artistic excellence in timber. Extending beyond an artisan award, it fosters deeper connections with Australia’s unique environment and Indigenous culture.
Wootha Prize 2026
The Sunshine Coast Wootha Prize for 2026 is a reimagined version of the Wootha Prize which has been the feature exhibition at the Maleny Wood Expo since 2004. It will continue to be hosted by Barung Landcare in a stunning new venue.
With ongoing commitment from sponsors, the Sunshine Coast Wootha Prize is a truly prestigious national woodworking competition, attracting contemporary designers and innovative craftspeople in the promotion of the sustainable use of our beautiful native timbers.
Winning and finalist pieces will be exhibited in the stunning Glass House at Montvale, in the Hinterland town of Montville, over the weekend of May 1st – May 4th 2026.
Read more below about the 2026 prize and exhibition.
2024 Overall Winner – ‘Monochrome Cabinet’ by Rick Hayward, image by Daniel Mulheran
Prize Categories
This year’s 2026 Sunshine Coast Wootha Prize is open themed with finalists aligning with the prize’s ethos “Sustainable by Nature, Beautiful by Design”. Works have been entered are under the categories of Furniture, Sculpture and Tiny Treasures.
William Bayliss
Commemorative Prize
$10,000
Furniture
$2,500
The Furniture category rejoices in all aspects of furniture making, traditional and contemporary, design, artistry and innovation.
Proudly sponsored by
MCU Communities
Sculpture
$2,500
The Sculpture category will highlight carving to its fullest extent from the delicate to the robust, abstract to representational.
Proudly sponsored by
Hinterland Business Centre
Tiny Treasures
$2,500
The ‘Tiny Treasures’ category celebrates works of smaller dimensions. It acknowledges work small in scale but big on design and craftspersonship -beautifully designed and exquisitely crafted.
Proudly sponsored by
Queensland Water and Land Carers
People's Choice
$500
The entry most voted for by visitors across the entire exhibition.
Proudly sponsored by
Arbortech
Wootha Prize Exhibition
1 - 4 May 2026
Set high in the hinterland, the Glasshouse is a beautifully crafted timber-and-glass space built using reclaimed historic hardwoods — a venue that honours material, craftsmanship, and sustainability at its core. Surrounded by forest and flooded with natural light, it’s the perfect setting to celebrate some of Australia’s finest contemporary woodworking.
Across four days, the space will transform into a breathtaking exhibition showcasing the finalist works of this prestigious national prize. Visitors can experience the pieces up close, meet the makers, and attend engaging artist talks inside this remarkable, sustainable structure.
Key Dates and Times
Official Open
Friday May 1 5pm – 7pm
Exhibition
Saturday May 2 10am-5pm
Sunday May 3 10am-5pm
Monday May 4 10am – 2pm
Where: Montvale at Montville, 92 Main Street Montville
Open Event: $20. Bookings essential
Exhibition Tickets: $8 Adult, $5 Concession, Kids under 16 free
Tickets can be used for a single entry across the weekend – so purchase your ticket and come along any day, any time!
At the Exhibition
- World-class contemporary wood art
- Cast your vote for the People’s Choice Award
- “On the deck” – casual speakers program from 11am Saturday and Sunday. A series of informal talks about rainforest, habitat and working sustainably with timber
- Children’s Bird Call Face-Off challenge – Sunday from 11am
- Native Plant Stall – Barung Landcare
- Woodfired Pizza and bar open
Montvalle at Montville
Images courtesy of the venue
The Sunshine Coast Wootha Prize is proud to be part of the Montville Timber Trail, a celebration of wood, landscape, and creative practice across Montville, QLD.
Join us for an unforgettable weekend where sustainability and creativity come together.
Our Sponsors
Prize Sponsors
Major Donors
THE BAYLISS FAMILY
GREEN HILLS FUND
Donors
Liz Harper – Pru McPherson – Mat and Anitra Buitendam – Kerrie MacDonald – Margaret Yarrow – Kylie Yarrow – Diana Brown
Sally Coyle – Peter Thompson – Fred Blake Richard Vaughan – Ben Adams – Barbara Kelly – Nicole and Joel Dooley – Vaidehi Rajagopalan
Karen Oneill – Corrie Wright
Read the latest Wootha Prize News
2024 Sunshine Coast Wootha Prize Winner - Rick Hayward
Hear about Rick’s creative background and prize-winning piece ‘Monochrome Cabinet’
2024 Sculpture Winner Kieth Savage shares some inspiration...
Read more about Keith’s journey into woodworking and a little behind his award-winning piece ‘Flow’ below.
2023 Furniture Winner Garan Hale says 'Give it a go'...
From the Northern Rivers in NSW, Garan tells us a little more about his journey into woodworking.
Interested in volunteering across the exhibition weekend of 1st – 4th May, 2026?
Across the weekend volunteers will be needed to assist with the exhibition, people movement, traffic, tickets and more
Please complete the Volunteer Expression of Interest Form and we will be in touch with more information soon
