Event details
Our Sustainable Living Festival is back in 2025!
You’re invited to join us at this free, family-friendly event and discover small steps you can take to reduce your environmental footprint at home, work or school.
Chat to experts about:
- urban biodiversity
- sustainable transport
- waste reduction, recycling and the circular economy
- water and energy saving
- going all electric.
This event is held alongside the Boroondara Farmer's Market where you can see what’s been grown, baked, brewed and stewed by producers across Victoria. Be sure to bring your shopping baskets, reusable coffee cup and water bottle!
We’re excited to be delivering this festival as a key initiative in our Climate Action Plan.
To learn more about how we’re supporting the community’s environmental efforts and helping reduce Boroondara’s carbon footprint on our Climate Action Plan page.
What’s on show
Whether it’s changing up everyday habits, the way you shop or how you commute, we’ll have something for everyone.
Green carpet arrival
Ride your bike to the festival to receive the ‘green carpet’ treatment, including bike parking and a free bike safety check.
Children’s activities
- Get your photo taken with a real waste truck.
- Meet some of Australia's native animals through the 'Animals of Oz' education program.
- Get your face painted by talented artists.
- Make your own pedal-powered smoothie (please bring your own cup if you can to help our circular economy).
- Pick up a magnifying glass and discover the strange and wonderful world of water bugs.
- Create a dog toy out of recycled t-shirts.
- Plant a seed in a compostable pot to take home.
- Make a carabiner out of recycled milk bottle caps.
Energy smart
Get expert advice on saving energy, installing solar and batteries around your home or business, and going electric:
- Meet the team from Solar Savers
- Get professional advice about getting off gas
- Find out if induction cooking is for you
- Learn about home energy assessment and how it can help you save energy.
Electric vehicles
Find out everything you need to know about owning and driving an electric vehicle, and see if its right for you.
Electric bikes
Test ride an e-bike. We will provide helmets, but you are also encouraged to bring your own.
Recycle your old clothing
Do you have clothes at home that are ripped, worn or stained?
Help us reduce the amount of waste going to landfill by bringing them to our free recycling drop-off hub. Your items will be recycled for other purposes.
Please note that we do not accept underwear.
One bag or box per household only.
Giveaways
FOGO compost
Take home a free 3 kg bag of compost made from Food Organics and Garden Organics (FOGO), while supplies last.
Boroondara library books
Browse the huge selection of books that are free to take home and keep.
Discover the world of bees
- Learn how to keep productive honeybees in your backyard.
- See a live honeybee hive display.
- Taste some local honey.
Biodiversity
- Get advice on creating habitat for wildlife at home and find out how council can support you.
- Make your own native seed ball to take home. Drop them in a suitable location in your garden and watch the seeds grow.
- Take a native seedling home to plant in your garden.
Circular economy
- Meet our team and learn about the many ways you can reduce, reuse and recycle.
- Have all your tricky recycling questions answered.
Worm farming and compost
- Get expert advice and learn about the festival's special composter and worm farm discount and how composting and worm farming can complement your garden.
Meet local groups
Come along and chat to representatives from local groups:
- Electrify Boroondara
- Boroondara Bicycle User Group
- Boroondara Hard Rubbish Rehome
- Kew East Community Recycling
- Rotarians for Bees
- toy libraries
- friends groups.
Live music
Relax in our seating area and enjoy the sounds of a local Melbourne jazz band.
Roving entertainment
Our roving entertainers won’t be hard to miss:
- See the incredible stilt walkers
- Meet The Connies and collect beautifully crafted environmental swap cards.
- Make sure to ‘high five’ Eco the Gecko, the Boroondara sustainability mascot.