St Bernard's Batemans Bay student Sophie Barling has been recognised as one of Australia’s top young inventors from more than 3,000 entries in Origin Engery’s littleBIGidea competition.

The nine year old was awarded with $1,000 for her invention of a digital lunch box attachment called ‘Lunch Mate’ that monitors nutritional value and encourages healthy eating.

Sophie has since travelled to Melbourne to participate in a design workshop with 11 young inventors to create a prototype that will help her pitch the idea to the littleBIGidea juding panel later this month.

If crowned one of Origin’s littleBIGidea national winners, Sophie will be awarded with a trip to NASA’s Kennedy Space Centre in the USA.

Origin CEO Frank Calabria said, “Congratulations to Sophie, and to everyone who submitted an idea this year.”

“We have been overwhelmed by the range of great ideas and record number of submissions we received this year and are thrilled with the 12 finalists whose ideas demonstrate extraordinary creativity and innovation.”

Origin littleBIGidea judge and Engineers Without Borders Australia volunteer lead Anna Cain said, “It’s been inspiring to see all the positive ideas and inventions submitted, and it’s exciting to think about how these little ideas could actually come to life and make an impact in the world.

“There have many outstanding submissions this year with students inspired by their thoughtful observations and empathy to help others and improve the world around us.”