Celebrate community, spring and sustainability at the Inner North Community Fair

This Sunday 20 Sept 11am-3pm Come and celebrate community, spring and green lifestyle choices at the first Inner North Community Fair on Sunday 20 September from 11am – 3pm at the Banksia St wetlands site in O’Connor (next to the tennis courts). Please see the attached flyers.

The Fair will be powered by solar panels whilst organic waste collected on the day will be composted at the ANU. There will be over a broad range of over 40 exhibits, products and activities on the day.

A wide range of community based organisations will be on hand, including Conservation Volunteers Australia, Molonglo and Ginninderra Catchment Groups, ACT Conservation Council, Inner North SEEchange and the North Side Community Council.

One of the highlights will be a display on the proposed Banksia St wetland hosted by the Department of the Environment, Climate Change, Energy and Water. The wetland has been designed to improve catchment water quality and to increase urban habitat. It will be Canberra’s first retrofitted urban wetland to incorporate an ephemeral section, that dries out in summer. Staff will be on hand to discuss the proposal and the formation of a wetland carer group. The wetland presentation will be powered by Solartec’s solar panels.

There will be plenty on offer for garden lovers. Seeds and Plants Australia and Provincial Landscapes will have a range of locally grown native plants for sale, including wetland species. Canberra Organic Growers will provide advice on producing fresh vegies. For the back garden chook keeper, Uncle Joe’s mobile chook runs demonstrate how breeds like bantams can be incorporated into small gardens. Organic waste generated on the day will be collected and composted using the ANU’s Hot Rot system. Once processed, the compost will be used as a natural soil improver on the shrub beds surrounding the wetland.

Community group, ACTotherwise, will coordinate a clothes swap and encourage attendees to bring along their clean unwanted clothes.
Other stalls of interest include a reptiles and electric car display.

Vicki Parsley will demonstrate indigenous weaving methods using dried reeds whilst local musicians will entertain the crowd. Children will be invited to take part in a community art project, run by a local artist and designer. They will decorate terracotta tiles with images relating to the environment. These tile will be fired and installed into the footpath adjacent to the pond.

There will be a variety of foods for sale including bush food, vegetarian curries and a sausage sizzle.

Event Details
Date: Sunday 20 September 2009
Where: Banksia St, O’Connor
Time: 11am – 3 pm
Cost: Free Entry
Organisers: Inner north SEE Change & Ginninderra Catchment Group