North West
Environment Centre
Ecofest
North West Ecofest is a one-day sustainability festival that inspires individuals to work together to build a more resilient and connected future. Featuring workshops, stallholders, food and music, North West Ecofest is a vibrant festival attracting attendees from across the state at all stages of their journey to a more planet friendly lifestyle. https://www.ecofesttas.com.au
In 2022 Ecofest made the decision to move to a bigger site. Camp Clayton was chosen as the site provides a space that is entirely indoors with plenty of room for people and stalls. There is also plenty of car parking and if the weather permits a fabulous outside area for music and activities.
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The Festival is a community event and an initiative of the North West Environment Centre (NWEC) which aims to inspire a new perspective on our relationship with the environment and each other.
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Here in the North West this event brings our community together to make positive/ sustainable/ enduring changes to all of us who care about our planet and our future on it.
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The Festival committee envisages that our Ecofest patrons learn how councils, industry and business strategies, coupled with community actions and groups, can help make our environment a cleaner and safer one in which to live.
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Individually our impact might appear small but as communities ‘We Can Make a Difference!’
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By-gone years @ Ecofest
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2023
The 2023 festival saw over 2000 people on site. Hannah Moloney was the key note speaker and unfortunately was unable to attend due to Covid illness. Thankfully local permaculture personality Nick Towle stepped in to fill her shoes and deliver some inspiring workshop and presentation.
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2022
In 2022 saw the festival move to Camp Clayton. This was a welcome move with larger crowds and a new sense of excitement. The roadside artwork provided a month long advertisement for the impending event and notification of change of site.
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2021
2021 was take two of our 2020 festival. The committee revisited all the organisation from the previous year and pulled it altogether in the space of a few weeks once we were given the all clear that festivals were open again after the Covid pandemic. Unfortunately the weather did not work in our favour and brought things to an abrupt halt around midday. This was the catalyst for looking for a larger all weather venue, so the search began.....
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2020
Sadly the 2020 festival was cancelled two weeks out as the Covid Pandemic had us all in lock down. The committee were devastated as 12 months of preparation had to be quickly unraveled.
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2019
In 2019 Ecofest saw a shift in patron demographics as many of the younger population attended for the first time. The children's tent was popular, the music filled the air and crowds meandered in and out of the pavilions, taking in all that was on offer. This year we expanded the site to include the Ulverstone Municipal band rooms for our presentations and workshops.
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2018
The Ulverstone Wharf precinct was once again packed to capacity as festival goer came to learn more about a waste free future. workshops and presentations echoed the message and Rethink Waste delivered a practical display of waste and recycling.
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2017
In 2017 we were expanding from the smaller more interment festival previously held onsite at NWEC in Penguin as "The Sustainable Living Festival". The wharf precinct was chosen and NWEC with the support of Central Coast Council made the move to Ulverstone.
Penguin Community Garden
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The Penguin Organic Community Garden Volunteers come together each Wednesday between 10am-12pm and Saturdays 4.30 til Dusk (Summertime ONLY) to tend to the many garden projects they have running. The garden is located in a sheltered valley in the hills behind Penguin. The site has Hot houses, Wicking beds, Garden plots and Orchards, all producing an abundance of nutrient rich organic produce. We are always welcoming new members, who can also enjoy a share of the wonderful produce.
Natural Burial
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A ‘natural’ or ‘green’ burial is an approach which aims to help ‘return the body to the earth’ in the most natural way, while maintaining respect for mourning through safe rituals that have meaning for the living, the dead, and the environment.