Page 19 - Tropic Magazine Issue 29

TROPIC • ENVIRONMENT

The evolution

Natural home of Ecofiesta

ECOFIESTA Late 1990s
The Far North’s premier CAFNEC launches Enviro Fiesta –
a celebration of local environment
sustainability festival has a and community held at Cominos
new venue, with Ecofiesta this House on Greenslopes St, attended
year heading to Cairns’ Munro by around 1000 people
Martin Parklands (MMP).
Mid 2000s
Cairns TAFE takes over the running
With more space to spread out and plenty of the event and re-names it
of greenery, Ecofiesta’s new home in the Sustainable Living Expo, 3000
tropical garden atmosphere of the MMP people attend
certainly delivers a new level of ‘eco’ to
the event. Ecofiesta helps people to 2008
The festival brings the green edge of the Cairns Regional Council joins the
region’s business community into one turn those ideas organising committee and the
place, allowing people to connect with into action event is held at Fogarty Park
their own sustainable living solutions.
The event is presented by Cairns Regional Bob Manning, 2015
Council and supported by the Queensland Cairns Mayor The event gets a new name, venue
Government through Tourism and Events and festival format. Around 8,000
Queensland. Cairns Mayor Bob Manning people attend the inaugural
said the free festival combines a huge Ecofiesta takes a ‘triple bottom Ecofiesta at the Cairns Cruise
market area full of clean-tech and low- line’ approach to event organising, Liner Terminal
impact products, entertainment, fun, considering the planet, people and
food and – importantly – education. prosperity by choosing stallholders 2016 – 2019
“While the past 12 months of restrictions with a sustainable product or service, Ecofiesta grows with crowd sizes
and lockdowns have presented us with food vendors who favour seasonal local of around 10,000 people by 2019
many environmental challenges, such as produce, and workshop convenors who
an increase in single-use plastics, they can inspire behavioural change. 2021
have also opened up opportunities, such Environmental organisations such as New venue announced for Cairns
as starting a garden or taking on a home the Cairns and Far North Environment Ecofiesta at Munro Martin Park on
renovation,” Cr Manning said. Centre (CAFNEC) provide an opportunity Sunday 13 June
“During this time many people stopped to to connect with a cause, from climate
think about what was really important to action through to local wildlife caring.
them. Nature, protecting our environment This event is supported by the Wet
and living more sustainably was a priority Tropics Management Authority FACEBOOK: @ECOeventsCairns
for many people. and CAFNEC.

19 • tropicnow.com.au