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 […]
How to Donate Food as a Hospitality or Food Retail Business
Wollongong and Illawarra businesses, did you know that you have a powerful opportunity to turn your surplus stock or leftover food into real, local impact? Donating food instead of letting it end up in landfill is simple, practical, and genuinely good for your business, the planet, and the people in our community. If you’re a […]
Cook, Chill, Chat is expanding outside the Illawarra for the first time
Healthy Cities Australia (HCA) is excited to share that our much-loved Cook Chill Chat (CCC) program is expanding outside the Illawarra for the very first time, and across into regional NSW! Thanks to funding from COORDINARE Southeastern NSW Primary Health Network, twelve new programs will be delivered between now and June 2026 in Shoalhaven, Goulburn, Queanbeyan, as well as the Illawarra. Cook Chill Chat isn’t just about learning cooking […]