Experience Bribie’s beauty at inaugural Nature Festival

A new festival that celebrates Indigenous culture, local artists and the beauty of Bribie Island will be held for the first time this October.

After more than a year of planning, the inaugural Bribie Island Nature Festival will be held over three big days from October 20-22.

Libby Anstis, who is the executive producer of the festival, has partnered with Michelle Watson from the Pumicestone Indigenous Education and Employment Council (PIEEC) and the Bribie Island Environmental Protection Association (BIEPA) to bring the festival to life.

“The idea for the festival came after attending a forum hosted by the Bribie Island Environmental Protection Association who were talking about ways in which we can encourage visitors and residents of the island to stay and explore the natural beauty around us,” Libby says.

“That started a conversation between a colleague and I and we thought we should introduce a festival that did just that.

“The first community person we reached out to was Michelle from PIEEC because I like to know whose country we are on and be culturally aware for events like this.

“The idea was then presented to the Joondaburri elders, who are part of the Gubbi Gubbi/ Kabi Kabi people.”

Featuring a jam-packed weekend of events, Libby says there will be lots of unique experiences and activities for people of all ages to enjoy.

“Over the course of the weekend we will have lots of different activities happening around the island,” Libby says.

“Michelle’s mob will organise a cultural bus tour called the Yarun Cultural Tour and it will have lots of First Nation’s culture including a Welcome to Country, someone talking about bush food, and kids performing cultural dances.

“With Bribie Island being home to lots of visual artists, they will open their studios so people can drive around and see them working in their own spaces.

“The Bribie Island Seaside Museum will also be hosting a visual arts exhibition featuring some young and emerging Aboriginal artists, as well as hosting a talk on two of the most well-known artists on the island – Dale Marsh and Ian Fairweather.”

Several interactive creative experiences such as early morning walks, guided forest meditations, workshops and speaking events will also be held throughout the festival.

For more information and updates, follow the Bribie Island Nature Festival on Facebook.