Calendar
All events are listed in the calendar below. Click on a category to only see events of that type.
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- Art & Movies
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Events in May 2021
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Thinking Green: Introduction to Permaculture (Baskerville)
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Thinking Green: Introduction to Permaculture (Baskerville)
Swan Valley Community Centre129 Memorial AveBaskerville,Are you new to gardening or have you been gardening for decades? Do you grow your own veggies? Have you heard about permaculture?
Permaculture design was created in Australia (Tasmania, actually) over 40 years ago and is a design process drawing from nature to provide a practical, energy efficient and close to self-sufficient landscape. It is closed loop, holistic and much more than growing food.
This introductory workshop, presented by permaculturalist and educator Fiona Blackham brings us back to the basics of permaculture design (not gardening!). You will leave with a head full of ideas and skills on how to look through 'permaculture design goggles'.
Free workshop. Please book in as spaces are limited. For all inquiries contact Aimee Kontor on 9267 9282 or email aimee.kontor@swan.wa.gov.au.
Thinking Green: Worm Farming (Guildford)–
Thinking Green: Worm Farming (Guildford)
Guildford Town Hall97 James StGuildford,Kevin Smith from The Worm Shed presents on all aspects of worm farming and the role worms play in recycling and waste management. This is followed by a demonstration of setting up and maintaining a worm farm.
Residents and ratepayers of the City are entitled to a $115 subsidy on an advanced worm farm set-up or a $50 subsidy on 1kg of worms, both of which will be available for purchase on the day.
Free workshop. Please book in as spaces are limited. For all inquiries contact Guildford Public Library on (08) 9207 8880.
Wicking beds in small spaces–
Wicking beds in small spaces
Bill Hicks HallCnr Portwine Ave & Plaistowe BlvdByford,Any water holding container can be used to create a wicking bed that allows vegetables to draw water as they need it. This is a self irrigating method of growing, perfect for our long dry summers and perfect for small spaces.
You’ll see how to set up a simple wicking bed in a foam box used for storing vegetables at supermarkets. This is perfect to grow lettuce or herbs and keep close to your back door to pick as you need.
Free workshop
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Innovation in Sustainability
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Innovation in Sustainability
University of Western Australia35 Stirling HwyCrawley,We are excited to announce the 1st event in our Sustainable Development Awards Series: Innovation in Sustainability Panel & Networking!
The Innovation in Sustainability Panel will feature speakers from various environmental organisations around Perth including:
🐬 Perth NRM
🌳 Impact Seed
🌼 Clean State
♻ Synergies
🌏 Ocean RemedyHear about the work that these organisations are doing to address environmental issues and learn about their individual journeys within the sustainability space.
After the workshop, participants will be given the opportunity to ask questions and network with the panellists.
Join us at 4pm on Tuesday, May 11 in the Venture Space @ UWA! - -
Thinking Green: Frog Friendly Gardens (Midland)
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Thinking Green: Frog Friendly Gardens (Midland)
Midland Public Library45 Helena StMidland,Ecologists Mike and Mandy Bamford will introduce you to the native frogs which inhabit our city and give you the skills to create a frog haven in your garden. Each participant will receive a pond or bog plant to take home.
Free workshop. Please book in as spaces are limited. For all inquiries contact Midland Public Library on (08) 9267 9020.
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City of South Perth Sustainability Series - Greener Suburbs
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City of South Perth Sustainability Series - Greener Suburbs
South Perth Community CentreSouth TceSouth Perth,Hosted by Gardening Australia’s Josh Byrne & industry colleagues, this three event presentation series provides City of South Perth residents with the latest evidence based approaches to contemporary sustainable design, technology and resource efficient living.
Whether it be your home, garden, street verge or lifestyle, these events are for anyone looking to live better, consume less and promote biodiversity within their neighbourhood.
GREENER SUBURBS - Waterwise & biodiverse verge greening featuring ecologist Mandy Bamford (13th May).
EFFICIENT HOMES - High performance homes featuring sustainable design expert Griff Morris (23rd June).
HEALTHIER LIVES - Practical lessons for sustainable lifestyles featuring the team from Zero Store and Mother (30th June).Free workshops. 6:30pm - 8:30pm.
For more information 9474 0777 or www.southperth.wa.gov.au - -
2021 RSWA Symposium: Swan Coastal Plain – temporal and spatial patterns
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2021 RSWA Symposium: Swan Coastal Plain – temporal and spatial patterns
Indian Ocean Marine Research Centre (UWA)Building 453, Ground Floor Auditorium64 FairwayCrawley,Swan Coastal Plain is the low, dune-rich area between the Darling Scarp and the sea, stretching from Cape Naturaliste in the south, to north of the city of Perth. During the last Glacial sea-level low-stand the plain extended to the edge of the present continental shelf. The surface is dominated by a variety of mainly infertile, Pleistocene sands of mixed fluvial, marine and aeolian origin as well as wetland muds. Rivers drain from the topographically high Yilgarn Craton to the east across the plain, forming significant wetlands and estuaries. The Swan River forms the largest estuary, and its former channel can be traced across the shelf to a deep off-shore canyon, dissecting the shelf edge. The resulting microenvironmental mosaic on the present-day plain and its Pleistocene precursor is a central element in the development of the major botanical diversity hotspot in southwestern WA – now also home to most of Western Australia's human population.
As indicated in the program below, the symposium will cover a range of topics relevant to the Swan Coastal Plain, its formation and history up to what we find today.
Agenda
8:30 Doors open – coffee & tea will be available
8:50 Welcome – Hans Lambers, RSWA President
9:00 CHARMAINE THOMAS: Deep Geology – beneath the Swan Coastal Plain
9:35 JOHN BUNTING: Pleistocene Geology – the ins and outs of the Swan Coastal Plain
10:10 MALCOLM MCCULLOCH: Coral records of global sea level highstands from the Swan
Coastal Plain: past, present and future
10:45 Morning Tea & Coffee
11:15 KARI PITTS: Differentiation of the Pleistocene sands – lessons from Forensic Soil Analysis
11:50 STEPHEN HOPPER: The Holocene/Pleistocene evolution of the botanical hot-spot
12:25 Lunch
13:30 GRAHAM ZEMUNIK: Variation in plant communities across the dune systems on the Swan Coastal Plain
14:05 KAILAH THORN: Pleistocene terrestrial animal communities & extinctions
14:45 GARY KENDRICK: Changing shelf communities over the Pleistocene and under current climate change
15:15 Afternoon Tea & Coffee
15:45 JULIE TROTTER: Unveiling the deep-sea environments of the Perth Canyon
16:20 JOE DORTCH: From scarp to shore: pre-European Aboriginal occupation of the Swan Coastal Plain.
16:55 Closing remarksSymposium free for RSWA members, $60 non-members
Gardening in Perth's sandy soils–
Gardening in Perth's sandy soils
Stirling Community Centre7A Kitchener StNorth Beach,Join Lisa Passmore for a practical 1.5-hour session on how to have a thriving garden despite our sandy soil. Get back to basics and learn about:
-Why soil is different in WA
-How your soil impacts plant growth
-How to improve your soil and when
-Irrigation tips and tricks
-The importance of plant selection and examples of plants to choose
-Common challenges for plants and how to overcome them
-The impacts of nutrient leaching on our waterways.Worm Farming Workshop–
Worm Farming Workshop
Canning River Eco Education CentreCnr Kent St & Queens Park RdWilson,This workshop features a presentation covering all aspects of worms, worm farming and the roles worms play in recycling and waste management. This is followed by an informal question time and a practical demonstration in setting up, operating and maintaining a worm farm.
Brought to you by the City of Canning and The Worm Shed.
Free workshop.
Enquiries to sustainability@canning.wa.gov.au or contact Sustainability Officer, - -
International Permaculture Day at Sarah and Hannah’s
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International Permaculture Day at Sarah and Hannah’s
Middle Earth Permies80 Ralphs StSeville Grove,International Permaculture Day Celebration and Changestorming at Sarah and Hannah’s. I’d love to have a chat and do some brainstorming about ways to use the skills, resources and networks we already have to contribute to what seems to be a growing interest in sustainability, and a growing awareness of the need to change how we function as a species on our beautiful planet. I’ve called it Changestorming because it’s brainstorming for strategies to build the capacity in our own communities to step up to the challenge of climate change. It’s no small challenge. The knowledge, skills, resources and networks we’ve already developed are central to that challenge. We, as permaculture, regenerative, climate justice, nature obsessed people have a heads up on this challenge. So what are some ways we can use those resources to jump start the mindset and behavioural shifts that are needed across our communities?
Our place has a backyard urban farm (becoming more of a food forest as the layers grow) and a front yard lawn desert with added palm trees to further frustrate the ecosystem. You’re welcome to park in the drive and on the front lawn, just mind the three smallish acacia trees growing in the lawn - I will tie something bright to them so they are more visible.
As you are able: bring some food to share, seeds, seedlings or cuttings to swap/share. If you have any questions about accessibility or anything else, feel free to message or phone (0435472482).
Kids are welcome. My daughter is a teenager and my yard isn’t kid proofed anymore so little ones will need supervision (I’ve repurposed some of our play equipment as trellis structures so they aren’t suitable to be climbed anymore). If you’re bringing kids, let me know their ages and I will get out some cool stuff for play.
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Your Garden with Josh Byrne - Southern River and Surrounding Suburbs
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Your Garden with Josh Byrne - Southern River and Surrounding Suburbs
Amherst Village Public Library2 Holmes StSouthern River,Your Garden with Josh Byrne is a free event series providing City of Gosnells' residents with the ideas and inspiration to create a successful garden while doing your bit to help protect the Swan and Canning rivers.
Hosted by ABC TV Gardening Australia presenter and environmental scientist Dr Josh Byrne, this event showcases the latest ideas in environment-friendly gardening and provides participants with the practical information needed to get the best results from their garden.
For residents of Southern River and surrounding suburbs, this event will feature an extended Q & A session with Josh Byrne focussing on getting more out of your new or existing gardens.
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Thinking Green: Worm Farming (Gidgegannup)
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Thinking Green: Worm Farming (Gidgegannup)
Gidgegannup Hall2171 Toodyay RdGidgegannup,Kevin Smith from The Worm Shed presents on all aspects of worm farming and the role worms play in recycling and waste management. This is followed by a demonstration of setting up and maintaining a worm farm.
Residents and ratepayers of the City are entitled to a $115 subsidy on an advanced worm farm set-up or a $50 subsidy on 1kg of worms, both of which will be available for purchase on the day.
Free workshop. Please book in as spaces are limited. For all inquiries contact Aimee Kontor on 9267 9282 or email aimee.kontor@swan.wa.gov.au.
Birdscaping Your Backyard and Designing for Biodiversity with native plants–
Birdscaping Your Backyard and Designing for Biodiversity with native plants
Environment House125 King William StBayswater,Learn how to use native plants in garden design to create waterwise, habitat rich and bird friendly gardens.
Topics discussed include:
-landscaping and design elements,
-species selection and care,
-pruning of native plants,
-native plant propagation from seed and cuttings, and
-creation of microhabitats to encourage birds, native bees and other locally native species.Presenter Yann Toussaint has been the Nursery Manager at Men of the Trees (now Trillion Trees project) and lectures at UWA and TAFE on a range of topics to do with Permaculture, Horticulture and conservation
Tickets $5-$10
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SEN Presents: Why it's so bloody hard to bring a Renewable Energy Project to Fruition
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SEN Presents: Why it's so bloody hard to bring a Renewable Energy Project to Fruition
City West Lotteries House2 Delhi StWest Perth,Please join us for the first SEN Presents for the year.
Hear our panel discuss the challenges faced in navigating regulations, policies, market rules, commercial practice and legislative frameworks when trying to get a new Renewable Energy project up. More crucially - what are the impediments!
More details about the panellists to follow.
We would be delighted if you could join us. Please RSVP
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AUDRC - "Streets – How to Make 80% of the Public Realm Perform Better
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AUDRC - "Streets – How to Make 80% of the Public Realm Perform Better
AUDRC (Australian Urban Design Research Centre)Level 2 1002 Hay StPerth,Streets make up about 80% of the public realm. All this space is predominantly designed for cars. While the urban and suburban areas are getting denser, streets are not accommodating other uses to compensate for the densification on private land. At the same time, Covid19 and the lockdowns have made communities realise how important the streets as public space are for their well-being. However, making streetscapes less car-focused seems to be prohibited by technical requirements that reign over the design of streets.
This course will provide insights into the practicalities of street design and how to achieve better outcomes. It will explore why streets currently look like they do, both at a technical level and from a broader cultural perspective. It will discuss multifunctional alternatives and will equip participants to successfully negotiate for more inclusive and attractive streetscapes.
Suitable for:
Local Government Officers, Elected Members, Urban Designers, Architects, Civil Engineers, and everybody else who is engaged with street design and would like to gain insights into effectively improving streetscapes.Learning outcomes:
• Develop critical thinking around how streets are used and designed
• Understand what developments have led to the current streetscape status quo
• Recognise the technical assumptions behind standard street designs
• Comprehend the required conditions for creating active and attractive streets
• Develop insights to effectively negotiate improvements in street designs
• Understand the role of professional disciplines, decision makers and residentsThe course will be a combination of group discussions, work sessions and a design exercise, alternated with lecture-type presentations.
Presented by Australian Urban Design Research Centre UWA
Tickets $154Your Garden with Josh Byrne - Willetton and Surrounding Suburbs–
Your Garden with Josh Byrne - Willetton and Surrounding Suburbs
Willetton Reserve PavillionApsley RdWilletton,Your Garden with Josh Byrne is a free event series providing City of Canning residents with the ideas and inspiration to create a successful garden while doing your bit to help protect the Swan and Canning rivers.
Hosted by ABC TV Gardening Australia presenter and environmental scientist Dr Josh Byrne, this event showcases the latest ideas in environment-friendly gardening and provides participants with the practical information needed to get the best results from their garden.
For residents of Willetton and surrounding suburbs, this event will feature Amy Krupa from SERCUL showcasing their Water Quality Monitoring Program and the Nurdi Park Living stream.
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Tuckerbush for Your Verge or Backyard
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Tuckerbush for Your Verge or Backyard
City of Bayswater Civic Centre61 Broun AveMorley,Come along and listen to the founder of Tuckerbush, Mark Tucek. Mark will talk about seasonal bush tucker plants from his Tuckerbush range. He will have a range of the Tuckerbush plants on sale after the presentation, along with a range of his dried native herbs.
Tickets $10
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Ecoburbia Tour
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Ecoburbia Tour
Ecoburbia16 Livingstone StBeaconsfield,Come for a tour of Ecoburbia - alternative urban infill development, a farm in the city, sustainable house and community hub.
Ecoburbia’s intention is to create more sustainable, connected and resilient communities.
We provide exciting and motivating educational programs based on sound behaviour change theory.Ecoburbia, as an urban community and microfarm, is a living demonstration of our intention that we share with others.
But just what is it?
Ecoburbia is part urban infill development, where we have converted one house into four self-contained living units, tripling the population density without adding to the house’s footprint.
Ecoburbia is part urban farm with chickens, goats, compost and fruit trees, plus a large shared veggie patch.
Ecoburbia is part demonstration sustainable house, with cutting edge energy systems, water collection and dispersal systems and innovative passive solar design.
Ecoburbia is part educational opportunity and community hub, with regular tours, workshops, films and other community eventsYou have heard about Ecoburbia - now come and see it for yourself.
During this tour you will see:
- an alternative infill development
- a series of small and tiny houses,
- four water systems,
- an integrated power system including low tech power systems like solar ovens and cookers
- a house renovated for solar passive heating and cooling
- a simple composting toilet
- a large shared veggie garden, herb garden and preserves
- two goats and 15 chickensAnd hear about:
- life living with 9 adults in self contained units under a benevolent dictatorship
- the reasons why Tim and Shani have created EcoburbiaSee you there!
AM tour 9am - 12pm
PM tour 2pm - 5pm
PLEASE BRING SOME SNACKS TO SHARE WHEN WE HAVE A CUPPA
Tickets $20