Green festival grows

Edgars Mission farm sanctuary founder, Pam Ahern and resident sheep, Tim with young supporters, Miah and Safara Kennedy. Photo: Chris Fleming

Kylie Kitchen

Green living ideas are gaining more attention each year at the Macedon Ranges Sustainable Living Festival (MRSLF).

Attendance numbers were up again in the Woodend festival's fourth year - a 20 per cent increase seeing more than 1,000 people at the event last Saturday.

MRSLF coordinator, Alastair Fleming, said more stalls and improved stalls hooked more festival-goers.

A total of 62 stalls were set up at the event, offering green living ideas, displaying sustainable business practices, and demonstrating the simplicity of small changes with big differences.

Attendees were particularly impressed by an electric car display and the smoothie peddlers (who use the power of bicycles to blend drinks). 

Talks including, 'The Case for Climate Emergency' by Phillip Sutton, and 'The Transition Decade' by Giselle Wilkinson were also popular.

Children were well catered for with tailored activities and the opportunity to meet Edgar's Mission farm sanctuary residents, Timmy the sheep and his alpaca friends.

Alastair says more people are aware of the festival now, and its appeal is growing as people learn more about the need for a greener future.

"People come and they find things - they are looking for information and products - I think everybody wants a more sustainable future," he says.

"There's always an underlying desire to do more sustainable things on a personal level, just making sure you recycle your garbage or putting solar panels on your roof, or supporting businesses that provide fresh and organic produce.

"It's such a broad subject (sustainability). People are concerned about the environment. We're now moving into a dry spell, which moves it back into your consciousness. People are thinking we are now beginning to see the effects with floods and bushfires."

Alastair thanks all of the hard working volunteers who contributed to the festival this year, doing everything from baking cakes to taking tickets at the gate, operating the food stalls and managing the kids' activities.

"It's an incredible story of commitment to deliver a really great event," he says.

"That's the nice thing, it's a festival by the community for the community."