How you can be involved at this year’s Ecofest

The event aims to educate residents on the importance of living a sustainable life and safeguarding natural resources.

Many families can get involved in this year’s Ecofest. Picture: Izaak and Luke Slavin at Ecofest 2019 held at Tondoon Botanic Gardens.

The Creative Recycling Centre has unveiled its program ahead of Central Queensland’s biggest environmental festival.

Ecofest is returning to the Tondoon Botanic Gardens with a new look, after going virtual last year.

The event aims to educate residents on the importance of living a sustainable life and safeguarding natural resources.

This year’s theme is about ecosystem restoration, and aligns with World Environment Day on June 5.

Creative Recycling Centre president Tracey Smith said CRC had plenty of activities for residents to get involved.

“We have 6 different projects to enable locals to connect with the environment and think about how they interact with it” said Ms Smith.

Below are how residents can get involved:

• Dear Earth Globes Sculptures and Letter Writing Activity

As part of the Dear Earth and Ecosystem Restoration workshops for primary schools, students were asked to write letters to Earth to express their thoughts, feelings and pledges of action. These letters have become the final artwork on recycled paper mache globes that will be on display at Ecofest. The paper mache globes have been made by local artist, Sue Daw with recycled phone book paper. CRC is inviting visitors to Ecofest to write their own letter to Earth. These letters will be added to a globe on the day to create a community art sculpture.

Activity Time: 10am -2:30pm

Location: CRC stall

• Ecosystem Game

In line with this year’s theme of Ecosystem Restoration, the team at CRC created a fun, interactive game to learn about our ecosystems, threats and brainstorm ways to restore them. This game was part of the Dear Earth workshop that was delivered to six primary school students across the Gladstone Region and will be at Ecofest for all ages to play.

Activity Time: 11:30am and 1:30pm.

Location: FBA inflatable marquee. Please nominate at CRC stall prior to game session as numbers are limited.

• Community Nature Mandala

Add your creative touch to help build a community nature mandala using seeds, pine cones and other materials from nature.

Activity Time: All day

Location: Near CRC stall

• Fix It, Don’t Ditch It! Videos

Creative Recycling Centre, with the assistance of Blue Eagle Productions, has created a series of short videos encouraging residents to repair common household items rather than send them to landfill. The Fix It, Don’t Ditch It videos also promote local businesses who provide repair services. The videos will be launched at Ecofest and played on the screen on the main stage throughout the day.

• Recycled Musical Instruments

Make music on our unique recycled musical instruments. These were created by local artists from recycled materials. Fun for all ages.

Activity Time: All day

• Ugly Mugs

Ugly Mugs will take a stand against single use coffee cups once again at this year’s Ecofest. Ecofest visitors are encouraged to grab an ugly mug before filling up on their morning tea or coffee. Mugs can be purchased for a gold coin donation from the CRC stall and will be accepted by participating coffee vendors on the day.

Ecofest will be held this Sunday June 6 from 10am – 3pm at Tondoon Botanic Gardens.

Originally published as How you can be involved at this year’s Ecofest