Sustainability Wellington
Wellington Shire Council's Sustainability team hosts a number of the events throughout the year, focusing on living more sustainably.
Seed Saving Workshop
Saturday 18 July 2026
Join Neil Barraclough for a deep dive into everything you need to know about saving seeds to grow food in your own garden. Neil will take us through all the steps to build your own collection that will keep your crops going for years to come and is ideal for sharing and swapping. Learn how and when to collect seeds from your plants then how to clean and store them for great results. Plants covered include Brassicas, pumpkins, tomatoes, greens, herbs and more.
There will be an opportunity to clean and swap any seeds that you've already collected as well as propagate some vegetable varieties to take home.
Nakunbalook is an accessible venue. Fully accessible, unisex, and spacious bathrooms are available on-site. Please let the organiser know if you have any specific requirements to participate fully, including accessible parking.
If you have booked but are unable to attend, please cancel your ticket so other community members can attend.
Nakunbalook
Introduction to Permaculture
Thursday 11 June 2026
Introduction to Permaculture
Dip your trowel into the world of permaculture. In this introductory session we’ll learn about permaculture theory, ethics and design principles as they apply to your patch; big or small. Find your inner designer and plan a space that is productive, beautiful and resilient.
Come along if you:
- Have a new garden space or an existing area that you’d like to be more productive
- Are curious about permaculture, garden design and sustainability
- Are considering completing a Permaculture Design Certificate (PDC) and want to know more
What you’ll learn:
- What is permaculture?
- How to apply Permaculture Ethics and Principles to your life and your land
- Permaculture design processes to help channel your ideas into productive systems working in tune with nature
Nakunbalook
Burnley Gardens with Michele Adler
Thursday 21 May 2026
Celebrate BGANZ Botanic Gardens Week at Nakunbalook.
Join with the Friends of Sale Botanic Gardens as they journey into the story of Burnley Gardens with acclaimed horticultural lecturer, researcher and garden historian Michèle Adler. Drawing on more than 30 years at the University of Melbourne’s Burnley Campus and her award-winning 2024 book, Burnley Gardens: Their Design and the People who loved them, Michèle will share the ideas, people and plantings that shaped one of Australia’s most influential teaching gardens. This engaging, talk will explore a fascinating period of horticulture in Victoria and the alignment between the development of the gardens at Burnley Campus and that of Gippsland premier public gardens - Sale Botanic Gardens, and also uncovers a Gippsland connection: Burnley’s director Alex Jessep—later Director of the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria—was a Maffra local.
Lunch will be offered after the presentation. Please include any dietary requirements in your booking.
Nakunbalook
Bat Chat - presentation and guided walk
Between Tuesday 20 January 2026 and Wednesday 25 February 2026
Come along to Nakunbalook to hear all about the ecological history and significance of the Grey-headed flying foxes visiting our area. Ecologist Laura from Wildlife Unlimited will share fascinating information about these amazing and important animals.
Free event.
Suitable for all ages.
Please wear comfortable footwear for the short guided walk to observe the bats flying out to feed. Insect repellant is recommended.
The session will conclude by 9pm.
Nakunbalook
National Recycling Week Tip Trip
Thursday 13 November 2025
Join us to mark National Recycling Week with an eye-opening behind the scenes visit to the Kilmany Resource Recovery Centre.
A free bus will depart Startford Uniting Church at 9.30am and Port of Sale Grand Canal Drive at 10am, returning to Stratford approx 12.15
Meet the Wellington Shire Waste Team and get those tricky waste questions answered.
Explore all the ways materials are collected and sorted to be a part of the circular economy.
Become an expert at Getting it Sorted! to make sure you are recycling right.
Further details will be emailed once you are registered.
Meet at the Port of Sale for free bus.
Painting birds in watercolours with Dawn Stubbs
Saturday 25 October 2025
Join renowned painter and passionate environmentalist, Dawn Stubbs, for a fun and relaxed day exploring the techniques for drawing and painting our beautiful local birds. Dawn has produced paintings of Australia's unique wildlife for over 20 years and she specialises in the many bird species found in Gippsland.
This workshop will include a field study of water bird drawing and a laid back afternoon of painting with consideration of feather groups and other technical advice.
Participants will receive an email with materials list and further details when their booking is received.
Nakunbalook
We Love Frogs!
Wednesday 1 October 2025
Come and meet your local frogs with Wildlife Unlimited. Listen for and identify calls of local species using the Frog ID App. Learn where they like to hide and how to create frog-friendly spaces in your garden. Will include a guided walk. Please wear suitable clothing and footwear for the weather and bring a torch. Suitable for all ages.
Nakunbalook
Up-level Your Compost
Wednesday 27 August 2025
Are you ready to take the next step towards compost awesomeness? Want to get closely acquainted with the marvellous microbes that make your compost work? This is the workshop for you!
Up-leveling your compost means creating a mix that supports all the beneficial life in your pile. Josef Sestokas, local fungi expert, will lead you through a deep dive into the life that makes your compost magic. Bring along a cup of your own home compost to view under the microscope and get advice on how to keep improving conditions for optimal decomposition.
Nakunbalook
Grow your own Fungi
Between Saturday 21 June 2025 and Thursday 26 June 2025
Learn to grow your own oyster mushrooms at home in this fun guide to fungi!
Part of Nakunbalook’s Seminar Series that focuses on living more sustainably, the team from Sale’s own Flooding Creek Fungi will teach you how to grow and maintain your own oyster mushroom kit in this 2 hour workshop.
Through sharing technical details and practical demonstrations, you’ll be taken through the method Flooding Creek Fungi uses in its own process - cold pasteurisation of straw as a growing substrate.
You will leave with a kit ready to incubate and fruit, plus notes and ongoing support for your take home kit. There will also be a tasting of some mushrooms to get you even more inspired to grow and cook your own!
The cost is $50 per person, which includes the take home kit. Bring the kids, because children under 16 are admitted free with an adult. Rug up, as some of the workshop is conducted outdoors, but undercover.
A special discounted ticket is available to Seed Community Garden Members.
Nakunbalook
Eucalypt Watercolour Artist Workshop
Sunday 23 March 2025
To mark National Eucalypt Day, renowned local artist, Dawn Stubbs, will share her skills and passion in this full day workshop exploring the unique features of eucalypts.
Spend the morning drawing some of the amazing local examples of eucalypts then apply the distinctive colours of these familiar and much-loved trees.
If you are already painting in watercolours, please bring your usual painting kit including paints, brushes, sketch pad and pallete. You will be provided with a list of recommended materials and paint colours on registration. Some extra materials will be available so don’t worry if you are missing anything.
BYO lunch and snacks.
Nakunbalook
Bat Chat - presentation and guided walk
Between Thursday 16 January 2025 and Wednesday 19 February 2025
Come along to Nakunbalook to hear all about the ecological history and significance of the Grey-headed flying foxes visiting our area. Lynne Amore from Moonshadow Flying Fox Rescue and Rehabilitation will share her knowledge and passion of these amazing and important animals.
Suitable for all ages. Please wear comfortable footwear for the short guided walk to observe the bats flying out to feed.
The session will conclude by 9pm.
Nakunbalook
National Recycling Week Tip Trip
Wednesday 13 November 2024
Free bus from Port of Sale. Meet at 9.30am, returning at 11.30am
Meet the Wellington Shire Waste Team and get those tricky waste questions answered.
Explore all the ways materials are collected and sorted to be a part of the circular economy.
Become an expert at Getting it Sorted! to make sure you are recycling right.
Further details will be emailed once you are registered.
Meet at the Port of Sale for free bus.
Community Conversation with Electra Greene
Monday 14 October 2024
Join local Gunaikurnai woman, Electra Greene, for a morning of shared light discussion on local Aboriginal culture and her own story of growing up in Gippsland. Electra aims to offer a night of truths, trials and positive outcomes. Topics include history, Kurnai identity, impacts of racism, generational wealth and environmental activism.
Nakunbalook
Fruit tree grafting workshop
Saturday 20 July 2024
Led by experienced grafting guru, Neil Barraclough, attendees will get a comprehensive overview of successfully producing delicious fruit varieties at home. Includes hand-on experience of a basic fruit tree graft and multi-graft existing fruit trees to create instant multi-graft espaliers. Take home your own grafted fruit tree and earn how to plan an orchard for production over the maximum part of the season.
Bring along some cash if you would like to purchase extra scions, trees, rootstock, knives or grafting tape.
Bookings essential.
Tickets $20.00
Seed Community Garden members $10.00
Nakunbalook
Environmental Adventures -Sustainability Showcase
Friday 24 May 2024
Educators, families and interested community members are invited to join Longford Kindergarten and a range of environmental education providers as we share and explore opportunities to develop ecological identity through sustainability actions.
Hear from educators who are guiding children on a journey of sustainability and learn how you can support children and families ...
Featuring presentations and interactive displays from
Longford and other local kindergartens
Gippsland Art Gallery’s Art in the Wild
Sustainable Living Education Program
Bug Blitz
Smoothie bike
Landcare
Nakunbalook
Owls and Microbats of Gippsland
Tuesday 9 April 2024
Join us to explore the lives of our masters of the night: owls and microbats.
Find out about the adaptations and ecology of our amazing nocturnal species then join us on a night walk to see if we can spot them in action in the Sale Botanical Gardens
Nakunbalook
Recyled Paper Holiday Activity
Tuesday 9 April 2024
Join Wellington Shire this school holidays to learn how to make your own recycled paper. This event is suitable for primary school aged children and families, making it a perfect school holiday activity. Children under 11 years need to be accompanied by an adult.
Nakunbalook
Nature Play at Nakunbalook
Wednesday 27 March 2024
Meet at Nakunbalook for a guided nature play session with Wellington Shire’s Sustainability Education Officer. Making use of the natural environment, children will be invited to explore materials and artefacts and work together in gently guided activities. Bring along a waste-free morning tea and enjoy time in our beautiful natural spaces.
Suitable for pre-school aged children and their families.
“Nature play is when children are provided with the
opportunity to engage in unstructured play activities in
outdoor settings where natural elements feature, such
as logs, rocks and water, as opposed to conventional
manufactured play equipment.”
- Associate Professor Janet Dyment,
School of Education, University of Tasmania
Nakunbalook