Practically Green Festival supporter says now is not the time to can event

The future of a popular Melbourne environmental festival remains in doubt with Nillumbik Council looking to outsource the Practically Green Festival. Despite dropping attendance a festival supporter says the council should be doing the opposite.

Nillumbik Practically Green Festival goers at Edendale Farm.

A decision by Nillumbik Council to leave the future of an eco-festival in the hands of an “external provider” is a bad move given the state’s recycling emergency, an advocate for the event says.

The council is seeking expressions of interest from providers wanting to take over running the Practically Green Festival “at a reduced cost to council”.

Last year the council spent almost $67,000 on the festival which features a range of environmentally friendly building and lifestyle exhibitors offering education to the public about living sustainably.

The cost to run the festival was about 30 per cent of the council’s annual environmental programs budget and its future had come into question following yearly attendance dropping to 3000 in 2018, and the event receiving only one $500 sponsorship donation.

Nillumbik Council spokesman Carl Cowie said the council was “considering numerous environmental education opportunities” for which money previously spent on running the event could be redistributed to.

MORE NEWS:

MONSTER SOUTH MORANG MANSION SMASHES RECORD

AWARD-WINNING CHEESE MAKER TURNS HIS EYE TO CANNOLI AND GELATO

LIVE YOUR BEST LIFE WITH A LEADER COMMUNITY NEWS SUBSCRIPTION

But Nillumbik resident Sharon Bonga said the council’s decision made no sense given present challenges to the environment.

“In the current situation where we are sending our shires entire recycling waste to landfill I find it surprising council wouldn’t theme this year’s festival solely around waste reduction strategies,” she said.

Ms Bonga said the festival at Edendale Farm was an “important free service to the community”.

“The family friendly festival educates an engaged and passionate community who want to be more proactive about sustainability, waste management and climate change,” she said.

Mr Cowie said a report detailing expressions of interest to take over operation of the festival would be heard by the council before the end of the year.