Winners of the 2024 Fishermans Bend Digital Innovation Challenge, Zoe Wang (Upsoil Collective) and Michael Mobbs (The Off Grid Guy), are redefining public composting with Worms at Work – a unique, community-driven solution to divert food waste from landfill.
This winning idea involves designing and developing public street furniture that integrates composting and worm farming to divert food waste, while bringing people together and creating a sense of pride and ownership.
The compost and nutrient-rich ‘worm juice’ produced will be shared with the local community for their use on plants and gardens. Technology, like sensors, will also be integrated to provide real-time data on soil health and food waste levels, offering valuable insights into the impact of community composting.
According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), if food waste were a country, it would be the third-largest emitter of greenhouse gases, behind only China and the United States (FAO, n.d.)
This pilot aligns with the “A Regenerative City” challenge by testing how technology and design can create more circular, resilient, and productive urban spaces. If successful, it could pave the way for new approaches to food waste management in Fishermans Bend and beyond.
The success of this project depends on engagement from local residents and businesses so we would love for you to get involved!
This will include things like providing input into design considerations for the Worms at Work seat, getting involved as a community champion to help maintain the composting system and worm farms within the seats, or simply by depositing food waste in the seats.
You can get involved by:
Follow this page to stay updated on more ways you can get involved.
Regenerating Productive Nutrientscape, Zoe Wang, RMIT
"It’s remarkable to think that regenerating just 2cm of topsoil can take 500-1000 years. That fact fuels my passion for rethinking how we handle food waste, turning it into healthy soil that gives back to the land.
I’m a landscape architect, urban designer and regenerative design enthusiast. It’s exciting to see my research evolve and take shape through co-design with passionate communities, council and experts.
Caring is the answer, making Fishermans Bend a starting point for change."
“I have to do something for the Earth every day. I’m a gardener, designer and worked with the law for 19 years.
Now, collaborating with City of Melbourne, and Yarra Edge businesses and residents, we can put an end to food waste in Fishermans Bend, restoring the soil to grow healthy plants, creating shade and places for birds and little critters to rest, play and live.”
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Timeline item 1 - complete
Shaping the vision
October 2024 to February 2025
Timeline item 2 - active
Community engagement
February to March 2025
Timeline item 3 - incomplete
Seat design
April to May 2025
Timeline item 4 - incomplete
Seat manufacturing
June to July 2025
Timeline item 5 - incomplete
Technology integration and testing
July 2025
Timeline item 6 - incomplete
Seat installation at selected sites
August 2025
Timeline item 7 - incomplete
Activation and operation of the seat
August to November 2025
Timeline item 8 - incomplete
Reflection, analysis and findings
December 2025
The goal of this pilot is to help us understand if a new and innovative design of public seating integrated with worm farming, composting, garden beds and sensors in the public realm are a viable option to enable local residents and businesses to divert food waste in Fishermans Bend.
The pilot will test if the integrated seats can:
The pilot’s vision is to make composting simple and accessible while bringing the community together through shared action and empowerment.
The idea involves designing a public seat (known as the Worms at Work seat) with a hidden composting system, farmed by worms. As food waste breaks down, it produces nutrient-rich compost and worm juice, which local residents and businesses can use in their gardens. The bench itself will feature a built-in garden bed filled with plants, creating a green and inviting space.
Sensor technology will track key data, such as soil health, moisture levels, and the amount of food waste collected. This information will be shared via an online dashboard, to give the community insights into the impact of their contributions and to support the maintenance of the composting and worm farm systems.
City of Melbourne has a history of piloting new ideas and transparently educating and empowering the community. Pilots are useful to explore opportunities and impacts of new ideas with the community to help solve city challenges. A successful pilot encourages community to participate and share thoughts and ideas to help shape the solution and explore if innovations are feasible, viable, and desirable.
This pilot will be split into the following phases:
Phase 1: Defining the Vision (Approx. 2 months)
In this phase, we establish the project's scope, success measures, and evaluation framework. We define what will be delivered, set a preliminary budget, and create a roadmap for the pilot.
Phase 2: Co-Design & Planning (Approx. 4 months)
We engage with the community and key stakeholders to shape the project, finalise the design of the Worms at Work seat, and identify the supporting technology. This phase ensures that both functional and community needs are considered before moving into implementation.
Phase 3: Construct & Implementation (Approx. 5 months)
The seat is manufactured, integrating composting, worm farming, and sensor technology. Once installed at key locations in Fishermans Bend and Yarra’s Edge, the project moves into active operation, with local community members and businesses participating in its maintenance and use. Live data and insights will be shared with the public.
Phase 4: Learning & Next Steps (Approx. 1 month)
We evaluate the pilot’s impact by gathering data, community feedback, and lessons learned. A final report will summarise findings and recommendations, helping determine future opportunities for scaling or adaptation.
The exact sites for the deployment of the Worms at Work seats are still to be determined.
Details will be shared once sites are confirmed. Follow this page to stay updated.
If you own or know a business in Fishermans Bend that would love to be involved, we’d love to hear from you. Raise your hand and reach out, the site could be yours!
The first community session is set to take place 6.30pm Wednesday 19 March 2025 at Eighteen Pence Lane café, 82 River Esplanade, Docklands. This interactive evening will focus on composting and worm farming, the Worms at Work pilot vision and a workshop to collect community ideas, suggestions and questions.
Click ‘Follow’ to get notified about project updates. You can also reach out to us with any comments or questions at smart.cities@melbourne.vic.gov.au
We are currently working through the technical and data requirements for the pilot and will share details when available, including the technology chosen, the data being collected, and how it will be managed.
Follow this page to stay updated about the technology and the sensors chosen for this pilot.
Acknowledgement of Traditional Owners
The City of Melbourne respectfully acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the land we govern, the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung and Bunurong / Boon Wurrung peoples of the Kulin and pays respect to their Elders past and present. We acknowledge and honour the unbroken spiritual, cultural and political connection they have maintained to this unique place for more than 2000 generations.
We accept the invitation in the Uluru Statement from the Heart and are committed to walking together to build a better future.
