Plans are well underway for two very special events, one that looks to the future of environmental awareness and the other that will celebrate past environmental achievements.
Siblings Michael and Katherine Taylor of ‘The Hill’, Kentucky, are hosting the sixth annual Frog Dreaming Conference organised by Southern New England Landcare and the Border-Rivers Gwydir CMA and 20th anniversary celebrations of Treefest on September 21, 2012.
Twenty years ago at ‘The Hill’, Kentucky, the fledgling land care movement was beginning to gain some momentum in the New England, with the first ever Treefest hosted on the property. Over 6000 people came to see over 90 exhibitors and a host of guest speakers from across Australia. The event was the brain child of local farmers in the Harnham Landcare group who were looking for knowledge and information to re-vegetate their properties.
Now 20 years on, it seems fitting for the Taylors and ‘The Hill’ to celebrate local land care achievements and commemorate a special day from some twenty years ago.
“Treefest was an event held at ‘The Hill’ in 1992 and came from an idea of my parents, Jon and Vicki Taylor,” said Michael Taylor.
“At the time, there was a lack of places people could go to find out about tree planting, tree establishment and tree propagation, especially for large-scale farm plantings.
“The Harnham Landcare group got behind my parents’ idea and spent a couple of years planning the event.
“It was a hugely successful event; the themes of the event were then carried on by other Landcare groups around Australia.”
Everyone is welcome at ‘The Hill’ in Kentucky for the Treefest celebration. However, people are asked to register via the Treefest website www.treefest.org.au or they can register via Southern New England Landcare, who are supporting the event, along with Kentucky Tree Nursery, Armidale Tree Group, Cedars Wholesale Nursery and Fields Native Nursery.
“As part of the celebrations, along with the Frog Dreaming activities, we have come up with an idea of planting a huge frog shape in a paddock, that can be seen from the air,” Michael said.
“Engineered woodlands have been a hot topic and this is kind of along the lines of being able to engineer a large forest.
“It is a tree planting experience that will be seen from the Qantas Armidale to Sydney flight path and is symbolic of the Frog Dreaming event.”
The Treefest celebrations will not be as large as the last event, however there will be exhibitors there on the day, including the Department of Agriculture, Tree Nurseries, tours through the original Treefest site, tree planting races, with prizes; and the Armidale Tree Group will be resurrecting the Amazing Maze which was created by Greening Australia and a large number of local artists at the original Treefest event.
The other event to be held in conjunction with the Treefest celebrations is the Frog Dreaming Conference for kids to be held at ‘The Hill’ on September 20 and 21, with participation organised through local schools.
“Frog Dreaming is about getting kids from around our region to come together and connect with our country and connect with each other,” said Sara Schmude from Southern New England Landcare.
“We do that through storytelling and workshops.
“This is our sixth year and, to help support us, we have on board Uralla Shire Council and Northern Inland Regional Waste.
“During the conference, kids will be looking at worm farming, water watch activities, Aboriginal heritage with Harry White from Border Rivers Gwydir CMA, sustainable farming with dung beetles, pest animal management and biodiversity walks.
“The biodiversity walks will involve kids orienteering their way around the beautiful environment of ‘The Hill’ and understanding how nature and farming work together,” said Sara Schmude.
“I pitch this event to Year 5 and 6 and, at this time in their lives, they are so engaged with the environment and outdoor learning; I find the responses that we are getting is fantastic, the kids are so interested.
“We divide then up into tribal groups away from their school groups.
“In that environment, they are challenged and learn to appreciate people’s differences and exploring our natural environment.”
