Speakers
Join us on Saturday 6th September at Fed Square, Melbourne for our annual Zero Waste Festival.
Speakers
Our stage features a lineup of special guests, leading sustainability innovators and community champions for a day of thought-provoking discussions, innovative ideas, and practical solutions to tackle waste head-on.
10:00 am Children’s Show: The Grubby Bucket Show – with dirtgirl & sunflower girl
11:00 am Unpacking Plastics: Australia’s Recycling Crisis
12:30 pm Voices of the Future: Youth Taking Action
1:45 pm Less Waste, Big Impact: Everyday Actions That Matter
3:15 pm Textiles Reimagined: Stitching a Future Beyond Waste
4:30 pm Plates with Purpose: Cooking, Conversation & Change
10:00
AM
The Grubby Bucket Show – with dirtgirl & sunflower girl
10:00AM Regeneration you can dance to!
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.
11:00
AM
Unpacking Plastics: Australia's Recycling Crisis
Hear from:
April Seymore leads the Port Phillip EcoCentre, an award-winning environmental not-for-profit
Darren Thorpe is Managing Director of APR and a respected leader in Australia’s recycling sector.
Cip Hamilton is the Plastics Campaign Manager at the Australian MarineConservation Society
Olamide Shittu is co-chair of the Plastics and Packaging stream of the Circular Economy Research Network for the Asia Pacific.
Kirsty Bishop-Fox is a sustainability educator and trainer
From supermarket shelves to our oceans, plastics have become one of the most pressing environmental threats of our time. Want to learn more about what you can do to help?
Soft plastics, microplastics, and packaging waste are overwhelming recycling systems, polluting waterways and entering the food we eat. From supermarkets to households, this crisis exposes deep flaws in how Australia designs, uses, and regulates plastics.
This panel brings together leading voices in research, industry, advocacy, and community action: citizen scientists tracking microplastic pollution, watchdogs holding supermarkets to account, and innovators rethinking how we design, use, and recycle plastics. Together, they’ll uncover the truth behind Australia’s plastic footprint and share bold, practical solutions to break our dependence on single-use plastics.
We’ll also look at Soft Plastics Stewardship Australia (SPSA) – a new scheme proposed by major supermarkets and brands after the collapse of REDcycle. Currently under ACCC review, the proposal would place a levy on packaging to fund recycling, but critics warn it risks shifting costs onto households through their purchases, while failing to reduce plastic at the source.
Join us for a confronting yet hopeful conversation about the systematic changes needed to help shape a future beyond single-use plastics.
This is the discussion you can’t afford to miss
12:30
PM
Voices of the Future: Youth Taking Action
Hear from:
Konrad is an economics teacher by trade with over a decade of experience and a talent for demystifying complex ideas... and the creator of Punters Politics
Elly Hanrahan is the CEO of Global Voices, a seasonal bushfire fighter and co-founder of AusRegen, a not-for-profit rehydrating degraded landscapes
Connor is a proud Larrakia man and a director for Plant for the Planet Australia, whose campaign lodged a human rights complaint with the UN Special Rapporteur on Climate Change
Saina Mirpuri, a student and dedicated volunteer across diverse NGOs, is passionate about making a difference - no matter how small - and is a strong advocate of youth volunteerism.
Clancy Lester is an environmental educator and founder of BeesAndBlossoms.Aus, where he combines science, storytelling, and hands-on workshops to inspire communities to support native pollinators and take hopeful action on climate.
They’re bold. They’re unstoppable. And they’re not waiting for permission to rewrite the future.
In this high-energy panel, meet the next generation of changemakers who are taking action on the issues that matter most — tackling waste, protecting our planet, and building a fairer, cleaner world for all. These young leaders aren’t just talking about change, they’re living it, challenging the status quo, and showing how fresh ideas and fearless action can turn the tide on our waste crisis.
Get ready for raw honesty, big ideas, and a serious dose of hope as we celebrate the voices shaping tomorrow and discover how we can all play a role in building a zero-waste future together.
1:45
PM
Less Waste, Big Impact: Everyday Actions That Matter
Hear from:
Liz is a junior doctor working in Victorian public system, and part of Doctors for the Environment Australia (DEA).
As Repurpose It's Education and Communications Specialist, Thomas connects community, industry, and government to advance recycling, sustainability, and positive social outcomes.
A Merri-bek resident and volunteer on council’s Sustainable Communities Working Group, Zavi champions zero waste, solar energy, and practical everyday sustainability.
Susanne Etti is Global Environmental Impact Manager at Intrepid Travel and a BBC 100 Women of Influence honoree, driving climate action and mentoring future leaders.
Moderator
Simon Toohey is a chef, food advocate, and passionate voice for sustainability.
Big change doesn’t always start with governments or corporations — it starts with us.
From the food we eat to how we travel, shop, and connect with our communities, our everyday choices hold the power to build a cleaner, fairer, and more sustainable world.
Join a lively panel of community leaders who are shaking up the status quo by proving that small, consistent actions add up to big impact. From ditching plastics to smarter shopping, from growing food locally to inspiring sustainable travel and building resilient neighbourhoods — they’re walking the talk in powerful, practical ways.
Together, they’ll share inspiring stories, surprising insights, and handy tips to help you make waste a thing of the past — one step at a time.
Come ready to be inspired, empowered, and reminded that every choice counts.
3:15
PM
Textiles Reimagined: Stitching a Future Beyond Waste
Hear from:
Katrina Naish is the founder of A Fitting Connection, a social enterprise committed to reducing textile waste
Shamila Gopalan is the Chief Commercial Officer at SisterWorks, a not-for-profit social enterprise that empowers women
At Richmond Football Club, Gabrielle McKeown leads diversity, inclusion, and sustainability initiatives, driving partnerships and embedding positive impact across sport and community.
Felix Toohey is the founder of No Bull Cause, a creative fashion project that uses design to challenge how we think about waste
Every year, mountains of clothing and textiles end up in landfill — from fast fashion rejects to uniforms from last season. But what if waste could be transformed into something new, useful, and inspiring?
In this conversation, discover how designers and innovators are giving discarded textiles a second life, from upcycled sportswear to community-driven creations. Learn how creativity and circular thinking can slash textile waste, reduce environmental impact, and spark a new era of conscious fashion.
Join us to explore how the clothes we cast aside can become catalysts for change — and how we can all wear our values better.
4:30
to
6:30
PM
Plates with Purpose: Cooking, Conversation & Change
Moderator
Mandy Hall is a MasterChef Australia alumni, SA Woman of the Year for Hospitality, and a passionate real food advocate.
Simon Toohey is a chef, food advocate, and passionate voice for sustainability.
Anna Matilda, often referred to as ‘Nanna’ Anna, is founder of The Urban Nanna
Josh Ball is the co-founder of Farmers Pick, a farm-to-table grocery subscription service reshaping Australia’s food system
Max Moolman is the co-founder of Wonki, a bold new venture turning “imperfect” fruit into premium seasonal vodka sodas — saving food waste, supporting local farmers, and proving that funny-looking produce can have delicious impact.
Come hungry for change (and a bite to eat).
Food shouldn’t cost the earth — but right now, too much of it ends up in landfill instead of on our plates. While consumers are often encouraged to reduce waste at home, the real story starts much earlier in the supply chain. Supermarket contracts routinely reject perfectly edible produce based on size or appearance, leaving farmers with mountains of waste and no market. Behind the glossy shelves lies a broken system — but producers, advocates, and platforms like Farmers Pick are finding new ways to turn the tide.
In this flavour-packed session, watch Simon Toohey cook zero-waste dishes live while a panel of food champions explores how we can fight food waste, back local growers, and create a food system that’s sustainable, fair, and delicious. From paddock to plate and beyond, this is your chance to go behind the headlines and hear the reality — with live cooking, powerful conversation, and tastings to keep your appetite for change well-fed
When the food is cooked and it’s time to eat, the conversation continues with an open networking session for changemakers, creatives, and curious minds working across the zero waste and environmental space. Whether you’re a grower, recycler, designer, policy wonk, or just passionate about creating a more sustainable world, this is your chance to connect, collaborate, and spark new ideas. Food may bring us to the table, but the future we’re building goes far beyond the plate — and it starts with conversations like these.