Riddells Creek Cool Changes Enviro-Energy Expo

Free Event Showcasing practical, affordable solutions to help homes, the planet and our pockets.

Saturday March 15th 2025

Timing: 10am to 3pm

  • Welcome to Country from Wurundjeri woi-Wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Association will begin at 10am.

Venue: Riddells Creek Leisure Centre, Riddells Creek Recreation Reserve, Sutherlands Road, Riddells Creek (Lot 9 Sutherlands Rd, Riddells Creek Vic 3431).

Contact: Vince Mulkerin (vince.mulkerin@mrsg.org.au)

Get Free Tickets: Guaranteed seating for keynote speakers, panels & consultations

Our Enviro-Energy Expo is the opening event for a Macedon Ranges Shire Council Week-long festival called ChangeMakers Macedon Ranges.

Keynote Speakers

Prof Emeritus David Karoly

Climate change science, impacts and solutions for the community - 10:15am

Retired from CSIRO, David is an internationally recognised expert on climate change science and climate variability. He is a Councillor with the Climate Council and a Professor Emeritus at the Univ of Melbourne. His expertise includes climate science and impacts, climate solutions and health.

David’s presentation is supported by MRSC Recovery & Resilience, Community Strengthening.

  • David has been involved in the Assessment Reports of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change in 2001, 2007, 2014 and 2021 in several different roles. He was awarded the 2015 Royal Society of Victoria Medal for Scientific Excellence in Earth Sciences and elected a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science in 2019.

    David recently published a short article in The Conversation; As Los Angeles combusts. 2024 is declared Earth’s hottest on record

    He will make a pdf copy of his talk available after the expo and will be available for informal conversations throughout the day.

Annabel Sides

Green Community Sport - 1:10pm

Proudly Sponsored by VicHealth

Annabel is a Regenerative Sport Practitioner and the Founder of Green Planet Sport. She has had a career in sport and physical activity spanning over 25 years, working for organisations including Cricket Victoria, Sports Medicine Australia and VicHealth.

Annabel will be joined via video link by Australian Bronze Medallist Race Walker and climate activist Rhydian Cowley.

  • Through Green Planet Sport Annabel is working to secure a healthy climate future by supporting sports to become regenerative and build partnerships that have climate positive outcomes for the health of people and the planet.

    From Melbourne, Rhydian Cowley is much celebrated for his work as an athlete and activist, having recently won World Athlete of the Year at the BBC Green Sport Awards. These awards celebrate individuals and organisations from across the globe who are actively contributing to a more sustainable future through their sporting profile and practises. Rhydian’s advocacy includes ambassador roles for EcoAthletes, Champions For Earth, and the Sports Environment Alliance as well as collaborations with Bush Heritage Australia.

 

Three Panel Discussions

1. Speaking Up and Speaking Out: Advocacy in a time of transition. 11:15am

Moderator Ross Colliver, Riddells Creek Landcare

  • Leigh is the Climate Outreach Manager, Solutions for Climate Australia, a federal political advocacy project of CANA. A longtime grassroots activist, he supports communities across the country to have their voices heard and take action to secure greater climate ambition from the Federal government. Leigh has been campaigning for climate justice since the mid 2000s and coordinated Friends of the Earth's successful community campaigns for ambitious Victorian Renewable Energy Targets and strong climate targets from the state government. These outcomes, among other community wins, helped Victoria achieve deep emissions cuts over the last decade. Leigh lives on Wurundjeri country in Narrm/Melbourne.

  • As a member of the highly effective, award winning Bunyip Renewables Action Group (Winner Premier’s Sustainability Awards 2023), Helen is uniquely qualified to speak about achievable local action. BRAG’s approach is to take on the problem of climate change in a way that makes action seem small enough to be as appealing as it is achievable. Their initiatives are designed to make real and positive change in the lives of locals – locals who, by instinct or ideology, might otherwise be wary of climate action.

  • Helen has worked in sustainability, climate advocacy and community engagement for over two decades. As Exec Director of the ACT’s peak environment organisation, she led work on fossil gas and transport emissions, biodiversity and planning. She instigated community engagement programs to help Canberrans get off gas and to better utilise active travel. She led an advocacy campaign for the ACT to go gas free, which was committed to by government in 2022. Her knowledge of campaigning and public policy is grounded in her experience as a parliamentary advisor and leading Greenpeace’s advocacy.

    Helen is CEO of Renew, a national, not-for-profit organisation that inspires, enables and advocates for people to live sustainably in their homes and communities. Established in 1980, Renew provides expert, independent advice on sustainable solutions for the home to households, government and industry.

2. Taking Action: In and outside the home. 12:15pm

Moderators Justin Walsh, Macedon Ranges Shire Council and Millie Ross, author of The Thrifty Gardener and presenter in Gardening Australia

  • Dr Glen Currie, Lighter Footprints, is Fellow of Engineers Australia and the Australian Institute of Energy. His discussion will focus on “Renovating a 100 year old weatherboard house to 10 Star Energy Rating”.

  • Charlotte manages and delivers the community workshop program at Sustainable Gardening Australia (SGA) and will speak about Climate Action in the Garden. She is a qualified horticulturalist and avid home gardener with a particular interest in sustainable gardening practices. As well as holding a Masters of Urban Horticulture from the University of Melbourne (Burnley), Charlotte has worked in nurseries, a mail order business, and run her own garden maintenance business.

  • Museums Victoria Research Institute’s

    Kate is a museum communicator specializing in science and nature projects that explore our dynamic, interconnected planet. She has curated 20 major exhibitions in Australia and the UK.  She has also developed and delivered community-focussed programs on Climate Change and is currently facilitating Climate Cafés at Melbourne Museum for people 18-25 years old. The Cafés bring together science and mental health experts to create an informed, supportive and psychologically safe environment for young people to discuss climate concerns.

    Kate will reflect on how these went and what they learned about supporting young people and the value of climate conversations more generally.

3. What’s our way forward? Youth perspective on a changing climate. 2:00pm

Moderators: Emily Condon (Sustainability Victoria) and Kelsey Macdonald Youth Climate Network Loddon Mallee and Youth Affairs Council Victoria (YACVic)

Panellists:

Olivia Hedge, Marley McRae McLeod and Harper Collinge

 

One-on-one free consultations

Experts on home thermal efficiency options, community buy schemes for energy saving devices, electrifying your home, going off-grid & home batteries.

  • One-on-one sessions with an expert 11am-11:30am and 1:50pm-2:20pm

    • Maurice Beinat (EcoMaster) – Where do I start to make my home thermally efficient? Draught proofing, insulation, glazing

    • Stephen Pepper (Go Renewable Energy Group) -  Community Group Buy Scheme for the supply and installation of energy saving devices – solar power systems, batteries, heat pumps, reverse cycle air conditioners

 

Roving “Ask me about…” experts

  • Keynote speaker Annabel Sides, Green Planet Sport will also be available to chat throughout the day

    Ask Annabel about sport and climate positive outcomes

  • Professor Emeritus David Karoly will Also be available to chat throughout the day about Climate science

  • Millie Ross author of the thrifty gardener and presenter on ABC Gardening Australia TV Show will be available to chat from 12 to 2

  • Dr Jenny Grounds

    Ask Jenny about her off grid home, and her electric vehicle

  • stephen pepper - go renewable energy group (greg)

    Ask Stephen about: Off-Grid homes and using your EV as a battery, Solar infrastructure, Energy efficient appliances, Getting off gas

  • Bunyip Renewables Action Group (BRAG)

    1. John Langford: Ask me about Home Energy Efficiency audits

    2. Rachel Osborne: Ask me about Equitable Transition to Renewable energy

    3. Helen Ross: Ask me about collaborating with local sporting clubs

      •  Also:

        • Ask me about how to maintain volunteer enthusiasm

        • Ask me about community recycling efforts

  • Chantel gilbert and bluegum electrical solutions ev

Ask Chantel about reducing your electricity bill and how to avoid solar mistakes

 

Music

By Amethyst Jane Duo

Amethyst Jane & Oscar Lenain are one of the Macedon Ranges' favourite duos with their acoustic mix of classic hits, jazz standards and great grooves!  Featuring Bassist Oscar Lenain and Vocalist Amethyst Jane -- the two will be sure to have good vibrations going out to listeners both young and old.

 

Exhibits and displays

Electric Vehicles

o   Bluegum Electrical Solutions (Volvo),

o   Essential Solar (BYD Seal Performance),

  • BYD Shark, released to Australia in January as the first PHEV ute that can tow 2.5t

  • Howard and Chris from Melbourne Branch of Renew are bringing an MG EV and a Hyundai Kona

  • .

 

Food & Drink

  • freshly made coffee - global village learning coffee van

  • Delicious Indian food - Dhaba Food VAN

  • sausage sizzle and bake sale - Riddells Creek Scouts

  • Water Refill Station located Inside Stadium - Please remember to Bring a water bottle. The greater western water furphy trailer will be on-site

 

Lucky Door Prizes

  • Free existing solar system health check, valued at $499 (conditions: single storey, up to 30 deg pitch, up to 15kW system & 1 battery system, within 50km of Tullamarine or travel charges apply – Essential Solar

  • 5 rolls of Renshade – EcoMaster

  • 5 copies of Find and Fix My Draughts online course – EcoMaster

  • A year’s supply of Yarn’n toilet rolls

  • 2 cartons of Yarn’n tissues

  • 2 copies of My Efficient Electric Home Handbook by Tim Forcey

  • Many local Riddells Creek businesses have also donated door prizes

Special Draw

  • Visit the 99 Bikes exhibit, try out an e-bike and register for your chance to win a $1000 voucher towards the wholesale purchase price of a 99 Bikes Airport West E-Bike!

  • House Warming Help and Enfort are running a prize draw. Enquire at the House Warming Help and Enfort display area and then using our online form during the Expo you will be be in the running for a Home Energy and Draughtproofing Audit including Thermography (valued at $875). Offer open only to homes within Macedon Ranges and Hepburn Shires, the City of Ballarat, and Sunbury. All entries will be online and drawn after the Expo. Visit the display for full details.

  • Prize Draw for Sports Clubs
    Green Planet Sport is also offering, as a special draw prize: five hours of their time (value $500) to include a two-hour site visit to a Macedon Ranges sport club and three hours of phone support and drafting of a green club checklist or plan

 

Thank you to our sponsors!