Regeneration Fest Wrap: An inspiring (and zero-waste) day of reconnection
On March 10, 2023March 10, 2023

Regeneration Fest Wrap: An inspiring (and zero-waste) day of reconnection

The inaugural Regeneration: A Day to Celebrate brought the community together at the Mullum Community Garden last Saturday – with amazing keynote speakers and some big strides forward for event sustainability.

Around 1,200 people attended the event throughout the day to see headline presenters Damon Gameau, Delta Kay, Rhoda Roberts and Mandy Nolan.

Big Scrub Rainforest Conservancy’s own Mark Dunphy and Georgina Jones also took centre stage – Mark conducting a seed propagation workshop and Georgie taking part in the panel on regeneration incentives for farmers, land-holders, workers, and beyond. 

As part of the lead up to the Regeneration Festival, nine workshops were held at various schools and disability support services for over 1200 participants.  These seed propagation workshops showed participants how to collect seeds, process and sow them as well as provide instruction on how to nurture them into strong young plants. A highlight of the Regeneration Festival was some of the young trees that had been propagated from these workshops were planted out by our young folk on the day. 

According to feedback so far, the event was an amazing success – bursting with connection and reconnection, learning, listening, singing and dancing.

And amazingly, with over 1,000 attendees, only about one-third of a Red Bin was filled (mostly with compostable material), basically meeting the event’s aspiration of Zero Waste to Landfill. Wash-up stations and numerous water taps were provided to help encourage people to BYO reusables. 

In addition to that achievement, the Southern Cross University solar Sunflower powered the main tent, generating more power than it used for the whole event. It hosted five panel sessions and performances from the REDinc choir and Palm Wine Ambassadors.  

Regeneration is likely to return next year, according to its convenor Ray Moynihan, contingent on the right funding and model being available. It was an event funded by NSW Government’s Reconnecting Regional NSW Community Events Fund, and one that we were proud to support.