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Event date:31/10/2026 at 10:00 am
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Event end:01/11/2026 at 3:00 pm
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How to bookClick on the Book Now button.
Save the dates…
Now in its fourth year, the Illawarra Edible Garden Trail has grown into a coast-wide celebration, spanning Wollongong, Shellharbour and Kiama.
Join us across two weekends as we explore this year’s theme, “Food for All”—celebrating native habitat gardens alongside backyard veggie patches, balcony & verge gardens, community spaces, school gardens, hobby farms, and everything in between!
The Trail will take place over two weekends
- 31 Oct – 1 Nov 2026: Helensburgh to West Wollongong
- 7 – 8 Nov 2026: Cringilla to Gerringong
The Trail is an opportunity to ask all those weird and wacky questions; how to raise chooks, what does it take to build soil, how do you choose the right varieties for your garden, what about endemic native foods, how to build the right structure fit for purpose, what grows well in shady spots, how to plant dwarf fruit tree, or just simply asking, what is this weed!? And maybe, is it edible?
Don’t miss this golden opportunity to connect with like-minded folk, and learn how to build food security across the Illawarra!
WANT TO OPEN YOUR GARDEN?
Get in touch:
- with Emily at gardentrail@foodfairnessillawarra.org.au or
- register via this link.
Why Join the Illawarra Edible Garden Trail?
Seasonality
Lastly, the Edible Garden Trail will highlight the importance of seasonality and educate participants on seasonal produce in the Illawarra. Seasonal eating refers to eating fruit and vegetables that are ‘in season’ or at the peak of their freshness and flavour during a specific time of the year. In-season food is better for you, tastier and cheaper; it requires less travel and less controlled, artificial environments to grow in!
Food Security
Localised food production is becoming increasingly important. Forecasts by the CSIRO predict Sydney’s food production from within the basin could drop from 20% to 6% by 2031. If Sydney was cut-off we would have a two days supply of fresh food. The Trail offers the opportunity into an alternative, more resilient food system based on backyard growing.
Diversity
It’s a chance to deepen our understanding of our local environment, including native habitats & native foods that have been lost to urbanisation; the Illawarra has a flavourful spectrum of native foods such as the Illawarra Plum that would have contributed greatly to the D’harawal diet. The Trail is an opportunity to strengthen community connections and bring food production, of both native and non-native foods, back to the area.
