The Groundswell Collective

No Safe Seat
2025-03-30 15:00 - 16:30 (Australia/Sydney) | Landcare and Sustainable Living Centre, 80 Toronto Road, Booragul, NSW, Australia
Join us for a screening of No Safe Seat, a short film by Climate 200 about independent candidates and their potential to change Australia’s two-party system.
After the screening, we’ll take you through all the local candidates and their climate commitments, and discuss how you can best vote for climate action at the upcoming federal election.
Don’t miss this chance to be informed and make your vote count.
Light refreshments will be provided.
Doors open at 3pm and close at 3:15pm to avoid interruption to the film.

Tool Sharpening and Maintenance Workshop
2025-03-21 09:00 - 11:00 | Shelley St Community Garden, Toronto, Toronto, NSW, Australia
Ever wished you could sharpen, repair and maintain your own gardening tools?

Come and learn how with experienced repairer, Gavin Ord.

The Groundswell Collective is delighted to host this hands on workshop at Shelley St Community Garden, Toronto, where you’ll see demonstrations of how to care for your tools before trying the techniques yourself.

Places are very limited to maximise your learning experience.

Book your place, gather your tools and we’ll see you there!

Edible Gardens Workshop
2025-03-15 09:30 - 11:00 | Shelley St Community Garden, Toronto, Toronto, NSW, Australia
Edible Gardens Workshop – how to get growing quickly, cheaply and sustainably.

There’s nothing quite like wandering through your backyard and picking ingredients for your next meal. Growing your own food has so many benefits but how do you get started?

Join us for a two hour workshop where you’ll discover how to garden with maximum bang for your buck and minimal impact on the planet.

The Edible Gardens Workshop covers:

the best size, shape and placement for your new garden

the pros and cons of sustainable materials to construct and fill your new beds

what to grow and where to get seeds and seedlings for free

how to care for your new eco system and troubleshoot common garden problems

Whether you’re starting from scratch or want to expand your existing garden, the Edible Gardens Workshop will show you how to do it quickly, cheaply and sustainably.

The workshop is hosted by Shelley St Community Garden, beginning with an interactive garden tour followed by undercover outdoor learning. In the event of poor weather, the workshop may be moved to a different venue or rescheduled to an alternative date.

Edible Gardens Workshop
Saturday 15 March
9:30am to 11:30am
Shelley St Community Garden
$20 per adult

If there’s a child in your life with a particular interest in gardening, please contact us to discuss bringing them with you.

The venue address will be sent to you in the booking confirmation email.

Seed Processing Session
2025-03-12 09:30 - 11:00 | Cardiff Library, Main Road, Cardiff, NSW, 2285, Australia
We need some help to process and package the next batch of locally grown seeds to restock the Lake Mac Seed Library.

No experience necessary just come along and meet some likeminded people and help the Seed Library.

Registration is essential.

Lake Mac Eco Drinks
2025-02-13 18:00 - 19:30 | Great Northern Hotel, Teralba, 2 Anzac Parade, Teralba, NSW, Australia
Join the team from The Groundswell Collective and ReNewy Living for Lake Mac Eco Drinks.

If you’re interested in sustainable living, gardening, and/or the natural environment and keen to meet other like-minded locals, please join us on Thursday 13 February from 6pm to 7:30pm at the Great Northern Hotel in Teralba.

You’re welcome to just drop in – stay for a drink or join us for dinner.

Pollinator Pots Workshop
2024-12-01 09:30 - 11:00 | Edgeworth Memorial Neighbourhood Centre, 739 Main Road, Edgeworth, NSW, 2285, Australia
Keen to help native pollinators but only have a small space?
Or maybe you’re looking for a thoughtful Christmas gift that helps Mother Earth too?
Join us for this fun, hands-on workshop where you’ll be walked through the process of creating your own Pollinator Pot, packed full of pollinator-friendly plants and a handmade nesting site. Qualified bee educator, Kelly-Ann Lees, will kick off the session with an overview of how to identify and support local pollinators, then you’ll dive into making your very own Pollinator Pot to take home.
Spaces for this workshop are limited but you’re welcome to come as a small group (e.g. 1 adult and 2 children making 1 pot) – noting that children must be accompanied and supervised by a responsible adult at all times. Please purchase one paid ticket per group/pot in an adult’s name and add free tickets for any others in your group (children and additional adults) so we know how many people are coming.
Participants will be provided with workshop materials including potting mix, 3 x native plants, mulch and nesting site supplies. In the spirit of sustainability, please bring a pair of gardening gloves and a small-medium plant pot/bowl that you already have at home (or source one from your local Buy Nothing group, Facebook Marketplace etc). More details on pot specifications will be provided in your booking confirmation.
This project is supported by Lake Macquarie City Council through its Community Environment Grants Program.

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Seed Packaging Session
2024-03-20 09:30 - 11:00 | Cardiff Library, Main Road, Cardiff, NSW, 2285, Australia
A fun morning learning and helping to package the seeds that will be available as part of the Lake Mac Seed Library at Cardiff Library.

Seed Packaging Session @ The Repair Cafe
2024-03-02 10:00 - 12:30 | Landcare and Sustainable Living Centre, 80 Toronto Road, Booragul, NSW, Australia
We’re teaming up with @Repair it Lake Mac to offer a free seed packaging session at the upcoming Repair Cafe. Why not come and lend a hand while you wait for your items to be seen by one of the amazing volunteers repairers.

Planting for Pollinators in Your Veggie Patch
2024-02-17 09:00 - 10:30 | Cameron Park Community Centre, 107 Northlakes Dr, Cameron Park, NSW, 2285, Australia
Join qualified bee educator – Kelly-Ann Lees and Lake Mac Seed Library founder Anna Noon and learn about simple ways to increase your vegetable and fruit yield by including pollinator friendly native species in your veggie patch.
Information about a variety of native pollinators, their food and shelter preferences will be covered, as well as a brief opportunity to assist with packaging up pollinator friendly seeds for the local Lake Mac Seed Library Branches.
All workshop participants will receive 2 free native plants and pollinator friendly seed packets – to help you get started (or to continue) on your pollinator-friendly journey.

Seed Package Session
2023-12-06 09:30 - 12:00 | Morisset Multi-purpose Centre, 143 Dora Street, Morisset, NSW, 2264, Australia
Join us for a mini-workshop on how to remove chaff and debris from collected seeds using a technique called winnowing. Lend a hand to package up lots of donated seeds to replenish the Morisset seed library stand and other branches across Lake Mac.

Furoshiki Gift Wrapping
2023-12-03 12:00 - 13:00 | Ulinga Park Community Hall, 1a Lodwick Lane, Cardiff South, NSW, 2285, Australia
In this hands-on workshop participants will be reimaging gift wrapping by taking inspiration from nature and other cultures. Participants will learn the Japanese art of furoshiki – wrapping presents in cloth or material which can then be reused by the recipient.
All material and sustainable decorations for this workshop will be supplied.

Growing Natives from Seeds
2023-11-24 11:00 - 12:00 | Landcare and Sustainable Living Centre, 80 Toronto Road, Booragul, NSW, Australia
Join Alex Wilson, manager of the Lake Mac Landcare nursery and learn the tips and tricks of growing native plants from seeds. You will also discover more about the Lake Mac Seed Library which now has multiple branches across the city for Lake Mac residents to use.
