Kids
Join us on Saturday 6th September at Fed Square, Melbourne for our annual Zero Waste Festival.
The Grubby Bucket Show – with dirtgirl & sunflower girl
10:00AM Regeneration you can dance to!
dirtgirl will be joined by sunflowergirl, who'll be making her Melbourne debut
Part gig, part game show, all action!!
— The Grubby Bucket Show turns the stage into a changemaker’s playground. Guided by the grubby bucket, dirtgirl and sunflower girl lead the crowd through songs, games, and surprises that prove caring for the naturehood can be joyful, playful, and wildly creative.
From compost quizzes to swap sprints, from dance-floor planting rituals to zero-waste challenges, every moment is science-smart, heart-led, and 100% joy-fuelled. Leave with songs in your head and simple actions you can take home and thrive with.
It’s noisy, it’s nature-hearted, and it’s packed with simple things you can do the minute you leave to keep the REgeneration rolling.
Come for the fun.
Leave as a changemaker.
For all ages. Zero waste. Maximum fun.
Zero Waste Hands on Fun
10am-4pm all day drop in crafting table
Kids or adults alike can get crafty and innovative with this upcycled art activity hosted by artist Claire Chatfield
Make your own cards from reclaimed materials scraps – just in time for Father’s Day or any other celebration!
10am-4pm: All day activity
Bee a Super Eco Warrior
10am-4pm all day drop in activity
Learn how to “Bee a Super Eco Warrior” with BeeHealthy Stories. Their engaging and fun activities are perfect for teaching kids to understand and care for our wonderful planet. Plus there’s plenty to colour!
10am-4pm: All day activity
For bigger kids...
Produce Bag DIY
10am-4pm all day drop in activity
Join the movement to reduce unnecessary plastic waste in this fun and interactive activity! Learn to craft your own reusable produce bags from reclaimed materials—no sewing experience needed!
Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned stitcher, you’ll walk away with new skills and a personalized bag, ready to ditch single-use plastic for good. Plus, you’ll be equipped to make even more at home. Create something meaningful while making a real difference.
Rag Rope Workshop
11am – 1pm
Join us for a hands-on demonstration of how discarded textiles can be reimagined into stunning textured creations. Led by our resident Texture Artist Simone Kottmann, from A Fitting Connection who showcases the magic of rag roping, weaving, and felting in action.
Watch how old fabric strips are twisted, coiled, and felted into bowls, mats, and artistic forms. Learn the simple yet powerful technique of rag roping with guidance from one of our community volunteers—perfect for beginners ready to give textile reuse a go.
Whether you’re curious about sustainable making, love tactile crafts, or simply want to be inspired, this event is a celebration of creativity, community, and circular design.
Native Bee Hotel Making Workshop
11:10pm-12:10pm
Clancy Lester will lead an engaging, hands-on workshop where participants learn how to create and care for native bee hotels, providing vital nesting spaces for Australia’s incredible pollinators. With over 1,700 native bee species across the country, many play a crucial role in pollination but face increasing pressures from habitat loss, climate change, and urbanisation. Bee hotels are a simple, creative, and sustainable way to support biodiversity in backyards, balconies, schools, and community spaces. The session will begin with a fun introduction to native bees. Clancy will share practical tips for building effective bee hotels from recycled and sustainable materials. Participants will then get hands-on, assembling their own bee hotel to take home, while learning how placement, maintenance, and plant choices can maximise their impact.
Furoshiki -Japanese Gift Wrapping
2pm-4pm
(20 places available for hands on workshop: onlookers very welcome)
Pollinator walk and talk
3:15pm-4:15pm
Join Bee nerd Clancy Lester for a guided walk through the Test Gardens at Fed Square and discover the secret life of Melbourne’s pollinators. From native bees to butterflies, flies, and beetles, you’ll learn how these tiny creatures keep ecosystems thriving and how to spot them in action.
Along the way, Clancy will share simple tips for supporting pollinators at home, whether that’s planting the right flowers, reducing pesticides, or creating habitat in our backyards.
Fun, accessible, and eye-opening, this walk will change the way you see the city’s green spaces and leave you buzzing with ideas to help biodiversity and climate.
