Surfest celebration

Environmental education at Surfest

Lake Macquarie City Council hosted the Surfest Longboard Competition for the first time in 2015, and the Redhead Sustainable Neighbourhood Group were invited to take part in the associated 'Redhead Community Trail'.

We decided that we could use the opportunity of crowds in our neighbourhood to provide some engaging environmental education and showcase local environmental organisations.

Milkcrate Events set up pedal powered smoothies - passerbys got to mix their own smoothie using a bicycle instead of an electric blender

OCCI provided a specimen display presenting a variety of weird and wonderful marine creatures

The National Parks Discovery Ranger was surrounded the whole time by avid guests

We also generated lots of interest in the Redhead Sustainable Neighbourhood Group, Redhead Community Garden, local Landcare groups and the Lake Macquarie Sustainable Neighbourhood Alliance.

We interacted constantly during the event with 100’s of people of all ages and they seemed to be having fun and learning a little on the way.

We received some very favourable community feedback about the success of the event together with some suggestions about how to more successfully involve Redhead businesses as a vital part of our community if the event is to be repeated.

We received a grant from Council's Community Funding Program to assist with fees for some of the activities, promotion of the event, and associated Council services.

Find out more about the Redhead Sustainable Neighbourhood initiative.

Sustainable Neighbourhoods Lake Macquarie
Our vision - Neighbourhoods that are empowered to live sustainably.
Our mission - Our work is to foster sustainable neighbourhoods and a healthy environment in Lake Macquarie
Our values - We are guided by our values of participation, inclusion, collaboration, empowerment and shared responsibility.

The Lake Macquarie Sustainable Neighbourhood Alliance is registered as a not for profit incorporated association under NSW Fair Trading. Sustainable Neighbourhood activities are managed and governed by volunteers and financed through grants, collaboration and community fundraising.

We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land and waters on which we live, work and play, the Awabakal People, and acknowledge the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who now reside in this area. We pay our respect to Elders past and present, and future cultural knowledge holders.

Sustainable Neighbourhoods is an initiative of Lake Macquarie City Council.
www.lakemac.com.au

We are proud to be a Very Neighbourly Organisation and supporter of Neighbour Day.
www.neighbourday.org