IT’S got nothing to do with the rain or the landscaping efforts of the park protectors but Bicentennial Park will go really, really green for two days from tomorrow.
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Tamworth’s highest profile green space will be home to this year’s Sustainable Namoi Living Expo – and according to organisers there’s more things at it this year than you can poke a stick at.
The things they grow from – trees and plants – of course are top of the pile when it comes to some of the attractions, but as senior land services officer Col Easton says there’s everything for anyone interested in living more sustainably or finding out what it all means.
It’s also for the stickybeaks and the event fans who just want to see what’s new on the outdoors calendar and enjoy some homegrown entertainment while taking a walk in the park.
Whatever your reason, the expo is looking to push through last year’s barrier of 4000 visitors and there’s a near-record number of exhibitors to show off what they’ve got.
Tomorrow’s program is pretty much also school day but don’t let that put any adults off. There’s a fair bit of big people stuff happening too, although about 300 students will be in the park lapping up the do-it-yourself activities and also showing their own green credentials.
According to Mr Easton, the exhibitors bring with them an eclectic variety of sustainable and environmentally friendly bits and pieces, from building, renovating, design, handmade jewellery, homewares, energy solutions, gardening, farming, eco-friendly cars and local food producers.
He hopes to attract some 5000 people over the two days. Tomorrow’s program kicks off at 11am and goes to 4pm but Saturday’s open event is on from 9am.
The goal, he says, is to provide practical ideas and products for the rest of us to bring to our daily lives, not just at home and around the backyard, but also to our communities and our businesses.
For the green sceptics, there’s also the carrot of finding out not just how you can make your environment more sustainable – but how doing some of these things and adopting some of those practices, can actually save you taking a hit in the wallet.
Among the guests and high profile presenters are organic gardening guru and author Tim Marshall and cartooning workshops with Toasted TV’s Cartoon Dave.
The kids from Calrossy’sWilliam Cowper campus will also have a star turn with their engineering science stuff – expo visitors can take part in making a smoothie – by riding a bike.
The program also involves some local green “champions” who will provide tips on backyard fish farms, electric bikes and sustainable house heating, smart house and building design, backyard bees and honey and a host of gardening tips.
