Over 300kg of food saved from landfill through the Illawarra Food Donations WhatsApp group
More than 300kg of surplus edible food has now been rescued and redistributed through the Illawarra Food Donations WhatsApp group, connecting local food businesses with food relief organisations across the Illawarra when surplus food becomes available. Every day, perfectly edible food is thrown away because it’s no longer needed by a business, has reached its […]
From 1 July, Supermarkets Must Track Food Donations
From 1 July 2026, New South Wales will take a significant step forward in tackling food waste. New legislation will require large supermarkets to track and report how much food they donate across categories like fresh produce, meat, dairy and baked goods as part of a broader commitment to halve organic waste sent to landfill […]
Illawarra Edible Garden Trail 2026
Now in its fourth year, the 2026 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 backyard veggie patches, balcony & verge gardens, community spaces, school gardens, hobby farms and native habitat gardens, and everything […]
The Illawarra Regional Food Hub: Help Us Deliver a Food Future for Everyone
More than 100 community members came together online Friday, 29 May to mark the official launch of a bold new initiative to transform the region’s food system: the Illawarra Regional Food Hub. Watch the recording here. Food Insecurity is Rising in the Illawarra Food insecurity in the Illawarra has reached critical levels with 38% of households across […]
Food Rescue at Crooked River’s Winter Wine Festival
Food rescue at events can be challenging, particularly when multiple vendors are involved and food safety requirements need to be considered. While food trucks often have limited surplus as they make to order, Crooked River Estate‘s catering team were determined to reduce waste and ensure good food didn’t end up in the bin. Crooked River […]
New Infrastructure Provided to our Partners to Help Rescue More Food
As we’ve learnt through collecting data and feedback throughout our Illawarra Food Rescue & Relief project so far, food rescue and relief organisations are often working with limited resources while managing increasing demand from community members experiencing food insecurity. Safe food storage, transport and handling infrastructure are essential to ensuring rescued food can be collected, […]
The Impact of Rising Petrol Costs on Food Rescue and Relief
As petrol prices have climbed amid global conflict and our national cost-of-living crisis deepens, many Ausies are beginning to feel the pinch in everyday life. While the full impact on food relief services in the Illawarra may not have hit just yet, organisations across our region’s food rescue and relief sector are watching the situation […]
Illawarra Food Hub Update – March 2026
What’s Been Happening Behind the Scenes with the Food Hub Project It’s been a busy few months for the Food Hub team, and we’re excited to share some of the great work happening in the background. We’ve been building the foundations in developing two major documents that will set the direction for the project moving forward: the Feasibility Case, exploring why the […]
Food donation for busy cafes: Brown Sugar’s Simple Approach
Running a café is no small task. Between staffing, ordering, rising costs and the daily rush, most food business owners don’t have time for complicated new initiatives. For Tennille at Brown Sugar in Mangerton, donating surplus food is simply part of running the café efficiently. By keeping systems simple and partnering with a local organisation […]
Smart Surplus: Food Donation for Businesses in the Illawarra
On 23 February 2026, we welcomed local hospitality and food retail operators to Smart Surplus: Food Donation for Businesses, a practical forum designed to help businesses reduce food waste, navigate legislation, and build safe, sustainable food donation pathways. Delivered as part of the EPA-funded Illawarra Food Rescue & Relief project, the session brought together business […]