Grazing Down the Lachlan returned to Gum Swamp Wildlife Refuge and Wetlands last Saturday, for what was a warm but very successful day for the committee and its volunteers.
Grazers were bused out to site before making their way along the shady track to six food and beverage stations.
Curated by local chef Brendan Sheldrick, this year’s menu was inspired by the history of Greek cafes in regional NSW. So too were the various entertainment acts that were scattered along the track including a Greek musical trio, a participatory Greek motif painting activity run by members of Artsweb, and a Zorba dance performance by Aimee Woods and dancers from Kristen’s Dance Studio, who encouraged the crowd to join in the fun!
Grazers were also treated to a showcase of Wiradjuri culture through a powerful and informative performance by dancers from River Spirit Cultural Arts
As in previous years, the zero-waste event aimed to respect and celebrate the natural environment. Grazers were encouraged to donate their reusable service items back to Grazing to be used again at future events.
“We are so proud to showcase our region - the stunning landscapes, the delicious produce, and our amazing local talent. All in an effort to raise significant funds for the Forbes Arts Society,” Olivia Turner, GDTL secretary said.
“We had guests from all over NSW, ACT, Victoria, Queensland, the NT, and 4 guests from Northern Ireland and the UK!”
“Thank you to our generous sponsors and supporters, and our dedicated volunteers, without whom this event would not be possible. The Red Bend Catholic College boarders helped out again by washing up all the reusable service items on Sunday – ready for us to use again.”
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GRAZING 2023 IN NUMBERS
550 ‘Grazers’ wandered down the 1.6km track between 6 food and beverage stations.
Over 40 volunteers helped deliver the event.
Only 3/4 bin of compost, 3/4 a bin of general waste, and 2 bins of recycling was produced by the event.
All forks, spoons, wine glasses, plates, enamel mugs and most water bottles were donated back to Grazing at the end of the event.
The event injected over $400,000 into the local economy over the weekend.
The event raised $45,000 for the Forbes Arts Society.
Gum Swamp Wildlife Refuge is a nationally significant site for ornithology and is now home to six installations as part of Sculpture Down the Lachlan (SDL).
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