Day 1 – Conference Day 

Dates: Saturday 1st of March 2025

Location: Wagga Wagga City Council, 243 Baylis Street, Wagga Wagga, 2650

Time: 12:30 PM – 8:30 PM

Cost: $100 (includes conference, catering and networking dinner)

Day 2 – FREE Festival Market Day

Dates: Sunday 2nd of March 2025
Location: Wagga Beach, Johnston St, Wagga Wagga NSW 2650

Time: 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM AEDT

Cost: FREE

Our Origin Story

The Riverina Harvest Festival is dedicated to fostering self-sufficiency, well-being, and a clean and green environment through community collaboration. Our mission is to connect people and promote food security by celebrating locally grown produce and supporting community gardens and local producers. We aim to enhance education and networking opportunities, implement regenerative and permaculture practices, and support new initiatives. By showcasing the benefits of sustainable gardening, we will build a resilient community and strengthen connections among local growers, gardeners, residents, and organizations.

Whether you’re a passionate gardener, a local food advocate, or simply curious about how communities can grow stronger through gardening, this festival day is for you. Let’s cultivate connections, share knowledge, and build a sustainable future—together!

Program

Day 1

Conference Program: 12:30 PM - 8:30 PM

Conference & Learning: Start the festival with an afternoon of insights from local and leading experts in, community engagement, gardening, horticulture and sustainability.

Learn more about How local food networks foster resilience within our communities in so many ways and get inspired by our amazing lineup of speakers!

Networking & Dinner: Finish the night connecting with speakers and fellow attendees during a relaxed networking session, with a delicious dinner made with fresh, local ingredients at Mates Gully.

Day 2

FREE Festival: 10 AM to 4 PM
  • Support Local Growers: Buy and connect with local farmers and discover fresh, local produce.
  • Delicious Food: Enjoy tasty meals made from locally sourced ingredients.
  • Live Music: Groove to live performances by local artists from 10am to 3pm.
  • Workshops: Learn new skills with hands-on workshops throughout the day, perfect for both adults and kids.
  • Stalls & Seating: Explore a variety of stalls and relax in the spacious seating areas.
  • Community Groups: Connect with local groups and get inspired by their amazing work in Wagga and the Riverina.

Day 1 – Conference Day

Guest Speakers

Aunty Cheryl Penrith

Wagga Wagga Wiradjuri Elder

Acknowledgement to Country

Bindi Vanzella

Happy Wombat Hazelnuts

Batlow/Tumbarumba Horticultural Growers Group

Sarah Kynaston

 Batlow Bees & Berries

Batlow/Tumbarumba Horticultural Growers Group

Deb Robertson

 Asgard Garden & Laurel Hill Preserves + The Inconvenience Store 

Batlow/Tumbarumba Horticultural Growers Group

Laura Fraumeni

Cafe Nest

Batlow/Tumbarumba Horticultural Growers Group

Douglas Rand

Batlow Organic Harvest

Batlow/Tumbarumba Horticultural Growers Group

Naomi Lacey

Community Gardens Australia

International perspectives on community gardening

Dr. John Rafferty

CSU Thurgoona

Growing a community garden

Clarence Slockee

ABC‘s Gardening Australia

Keynote Presentation

Collete Geier

CSU Researcher & Lecturer

Tackling Community Inequality Through Gardening

Marty & Sally Bushby

Whole Picture Permaculture

The Whole Picture

Joshua Collings

Acres and Acres Co-op

Connecting communities to local food systems

Eltan Mestan

Erin Earth Garden Manager

Chair of The Riverina Harvest Festival

Jackie Price

Conference Dinner

Enjoy a relaxed networking session, with a delicious dinner made with fresh, local ingredients at Mates Gully.

Mates Gully Facebook 

Day 2 – FREE Festival Day

FREE Local Music and Entertainment

Catseye Parish

Chloe Jade

Dookie Thorne

Curly Mills

Tarz

Zana

Roaming Entertainment

Website

Philip Fitzgerald & Damien Johnson

Vendors and Stalls

Taravale Flour and Lamb

Website

Junee Licorice & Chocolate Factory

Website

Wagga Free Range Pork

Website

Killer Pies

Website

Mates Gully Farm

Facebook 

Ali’s Spuds

Facebook 

Murrumbidgee Landcare Inc

Website

Bull Creek Brewing Co

Website

Borambola Wines Ply Ltp

Website

Crafty Cider

Website

Ladbroken Distillery Brewhouse

Website

Coolamon Cheese

Website

Rewild Water Kefir

Website

Little Bush Kitchen

Facebook 

Woolshed Farms

Facebook

Bidgee Strawberries and Cream

Website

CWA Uranquinty

Facebook

Wagga Wagga City Council

Website

TLC Bath Products

Website

Wagga Sensory Garden

Facebook 

The Big Boys Sauce Co

Facebook

Found Enviro Care

Website

Community Gardens Australia

Website

Defence Shed Wagga Wagga 

Website

Ten Thousand Harvests

Facebook

Kyeamba Valley Woodworks

Website

Beingreen Permaculture

Website

Erin Earth

Website

Demonstration Gardens Wagga

Facebook

Grow Resilience

Website

Kooringal Rotary

Facebook

Drew’s Brew

Elm Road Honey

FREE Adult Workshops

Cheese Making

Jackie Price (Little Bush Kitchen)

How to promote your community garden

Naomi Lacey (Community Gardens Australia)

Edible Natives

Clarence Slockee (ABC‘s Gardening Australia)

Edible Perennials 

Elizabeth Foxlewin (President of Permaculture Riverina)

Square foot gardening

Jim Reece (The Demonstration Gardens)

FREE Kids Workshops

Kids Gardening Skills (Ages 5-7 years)

Found Enviro Care

Book Your FREE Spot 

Kids Gardening Skills (Ages 8-10 years)

Found Enviro Care

Book Your FREE Spot 

Love food love soil 

Jenny Hill (Environmental Educator)

PAID – Adult Workshop

Grow Your Own Mushroom Log Cultivation

Ten Thousand Harvests

Get Your Tickets

Videos:

7News featured the Riverina Harvest Festival and some of the organisers in this news clip:

Article:

Coming soon…

Radio:

ABC Riverina Radio’s Sally Bryant interview discussing the upcoming Riverina Harvest Festival with Eltan Mestan from ErinEarth:

Spotlight On Local Community Gardens

Pro Patria Centre

Pro Patria Centre is always excited to welcome new members and volunteers.

Website 

19 Morshead St, Ashmont NSW 2650

Demonstration Gardens Wagga Wagga

Demonstration Gardens Wagga Wagga is always excited to welcome new members and volunteers.

Facebook

51 & 53 Shaw Street, Wagga Wagga 2650 

Erin Earth 

Erin Earth is always excited to welcome new members and volunteers.

Website

1 Kildare St, Turvey Park NSW 2650

Permaculture Riverina

 Permaculture Riverina is always excited to welcome new members and volunteers.

Facebook

Wagga Wagga, NSW 2650

Funders and Partners

This event would not be possible without our funders and partners: 

This project is supported by the Southern NSW Innovation Hub through funding from the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund

Erin Earth, Murrumbidgee Landcare Inc, Pro Patria Center, Demonstration Gardens Wagga Wagga, Wagga Nursery, Wagga Surveyors, The Chaston Street Nursery, Carbon Mate PTY LTD and The Streaming Guys.