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Last week three of us from Sustainable Fawkner – Brian Bainbridge, Colleen Jones and John Englart, were interviewed live on the radio program Environmentality on North West FM 98.9.

We discussed our monthly foodswap that has been running for 5 years now, as an opportunity to meet fellow Fawkner residents, swap backyard grown produce and tips and tricks for gardening, cooking and on general sustainability issues.

Also discussed was the community project run by Gracie Lolicato for a temporary Town Square in one of the alley ways off the Bonwick and Jukes Rd shopping Precinct. See our reports from the first Saturday and 2nd Saturday.

For the third and Final Saturday on 21st March (this weekend) Gracie has organised a street market from 11am to 4pm with many local Fawkner stallholders, children’s activities and more music.

Images from a Wednesday afternoon from Fawkner Piazza

During the interview, John also talked about his involvement in Climate Action Moreland and the work done around climate change, the urban heat island effect and heatwave impact, divestment from fossil fuels and other climate issues with Moreland Council.

The show went live to air, but you can read the program summary for 11 March 2015 and also listen to a 42 minute podcast on 11 March 2015 of the conversation.

The Environmentality radio program covers environmental and sustainability issues for the Northern Melbourne region and goes to air at midday on Wednesdays from Northwest FM broadcast studios in Hadfield. Visit the Environmentality blog to catch the program rundown and podcasts and support our community radio in Melbourne’s north: 98.9 Northwest FM.
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Bush-carpentry workshops

Come build good stuff with us.
No experience? No worries.

We’ll be making outdoor furniture and planter boxes
from recycled materials. All you need is a sense of fun,
willingness to learn, share and practice your building
skills. Everything we make will be used around Fawkner
to create new community garden spaces.

Where: Fawkner Community House, 79 Jukes Rd Fawkner
There are 3 workshops to chose from:
Sun 12 Oct 10-1pm, Sun 26 Oct 10-1pm and Fri 7 Nov 4-7pm
Book: Colleen 0403 744 045 or colfjones@yahoo.com.au.
Book now, numbers are limited.

A free event suitable for anyone over 16 years old.
Please wear sturdy covered footwear, outdoor clothing suitable for the weather, safety glasses and gloves if you have them. Please bring a water bottle, hand tools if you have them (eg wood saw, hammer), these are not essential, we will have a selection.

Presented by Urban Bush-Carpenters,
Sustainable Fawkner and Fawkner Community House.
Thanks to Moreland City Council for their support.

Building Fawkner Farmers Project

Urban Bush Carpenters and Sustainable Fawkner

Funded by Moreland City Council

Exciting news! Urban Bush Carpenters and Sustainable Fawkner are holding a series of workshops followed by a Community Celebration where we learn to build planter boxes and furniture from recycled timber which is then placed in the community for everyone to use. Initially we are looking for people to be on an Advisory Committee, which will involve attending a few meetings (probably 2 or 3) in September (and maybe October). The first meeting will be the week of the 22 September, probably Monday or Wednesday evening. If you are interested, let us know what suits. If you can’t make it to those meetings we would welcome ideas about how to promote the project and engage with the community. And if you want to register your interest in attending one of the workshops, that is welcome too!
More details are below. To register for the Advisory Committee or workshops, or any other enquiries email sustainablefawkner@yahoo.com.au

What are we planning to do?

Building Fawkner Farmers is a community building celebration designed to engage a broad cross section of the Fawkner community to meet, connect and learn in fun and engaging workshops, and culminate in a walking tour and celebration. The workshops support novices to build planter boxes and furniture from pre-used timber (pallets). This ‘community infrastructure’ is then placed in community and public places to be used by all. The walking tour and celebration acknowledges the effort, ideas and enthusiasm, and offers a way to participate and build ownership of the broader community by planting a seedling and meeting the builders and farmers.

The workshops will be held in September and October 2014 with the celebration event in late October or as late as mid-November depending on advisory committee advice about timing.

Whereas the workshops will require participants to have a certain level of motor skill and strength, the walk, celebration and ongoing engagement is open to all ages and levels of ability.

Building Fawkner Farmers walking tour and celebration are designed to engage as many local residents as possible. Supported with a pictorial booklet, people will see photos of the boxes in construction, and images of plants to grow and how to sustainably harvest so there’s always something for others. People will see the care and commitment to their community via the idea of building infrastructure for all and planting food for others to harvest.

Building Fawkner Farmers will be a platform to share ideas and build participation in existing food security measures. People will hear what Sustainable Fawkner and the Fawkner Community House do and how to get involved.

4th Saturday of the month

Learn a skill, share a skill or simply craft in company

No tutors, no fees, just us!
12 noon till 3pm,
every fourth Saturday of the month,
Fawkner Community House,
C.B. Smith Reserve, Jukes Road, Fawkner

Contact Colleen: Ph. 0403 744 045
Email sustainablefawkner@yahoo.com.au

Are you interested in exploring the history of our neighborhood and surrounds?

Meet other interested people on
Saturday April 5th at 2pm

Fawkner Community House
CB Smith Reserve, Jukes Rd. Fawkner
Ph. 9357 4631