.jpg)
We’re Going on an Egg Hunt!
A morning spent on the Panboola Wetlands on the far-south coast of NSW Australia is always a joy. On Easter Saturday, the site hosted the Ephemeral Festival: a truly family-friendly affair celebrating the landscape of Panboola and the creativity it inspires.
I woke up with my fingers crossed.
All night long the rain had thundered on my roof. I live a short distance from Pambula, and I could only hope that the Ephemeral Festival there that day, on the Panboola Wetlands, would go ahead. It wouldn’t be the first time the whole site had been flooded out!
But, the Autumn day dawned crisp and clear – albeit with gale-force winds blowing off the coast. When I arrived at the venue, it was already busy with volunteers and stall-holders setting up.
Ephemeral is a festival that draws artistic inspiration from the rich and layered natural surroundings. Local artists – visual artists, musicians, crafts-people, story-tellers, and dance performers – come out and showcase their skills and/or conduct workshops using the wetlands as their muse. The last time I attended, I enjoyed it thoroughly (see: A Celebration of Impermanence).
Panboola itself is a wonderful 82 hectare reserve on a floodplain adjoining the northern section of Beowa National Park (formerly Ben Boyd National Park). It is bordered by the Pambula River, and encompasses an old racecourse – which is now a delightful walking/cycling circuit; thickets of mangroves and saltmarsh; farmlands which are sustainably managed and help provide income for reserve maintenance costs; and billabongs where waterbirds like black swans and moorhens wander and nest and raise their young.
The property around the old racecourse was/is Crown Land. Much of the rest was bought by local environmentalist Alexandra Sedden (more about her later) as a waterbird sanctuary and gifted to the community in a Conservation Trust. Over the years, parcels of land have been added by other local benefactors. The whole property is now managed by the Pambula Wetlands and Heritage Project Inc. and maintained by an army volunteers who meet weekly to plant, or weed, or mow – or whatever else needs doing.
It is always a lovely place to be – but is extra special during celebrations. Do come along!
.jpg)
Entry to Tips Billabong
The gazebos are up and the chairs are out: the festival grounds are ready to welcome participants.
.jpg)
Garment Glow-Up Bar
Botanical artist Ge Warburton and visual artist Hilary Peterson joined forces to facilitate a fabric-stamping booth. For a small fee, participants could colour their own fabrics, or buy a piece of clothing or a blank tea-towel to stamp with ready-cut patterns. Both women have run immensely popular workshops at Panboola in the past, so I was keen to see how this one would fare. (Spoiler alert: It was busy all day!)
Puppet Theatre
Small knitted finger puppets in the shape of Australian native animals were on hand for some free creative play.
Dancing Fabrics
‘Ephemeral’ is – by its very definition – fleeting. These installations by dancer Patrick (Paddy) Meessmann and artist Eva Beullens capture that completely.
Dried Flowers
It is a testament to our local creatives – and to the festival organisers – that both sessions of the Floral Wreath Workshop sold out! Two local flower-growers, Trish Castillo of Wyndham Flower Farm and Karyn Mumberson from BourndaGrow, supplied the materials and the advice for participants.
Selecting Flowers
The participants selected their dried flowers with care …
Making Wreaths
… before attaching them to the supplied wreath forms.
Floral Wreath
The second workshop, in the afternoon, was just as popular.
Warming up the Story Tree
Meanwhile, the Story Tree is ready.
Cake and Coffee
The local Rotary Club and Country Women’s Association are on hand with food.
Drink Stand
My priority is always coffee!
Little Hands
The Garment Glow-Up Bar is busy; …
Ge Warburton
… Ge hangs up the newly patterned works to dry in the wind …
Hilary Peterson
… and Hilary cleans the stamps between customers.
Showing off the T-Shirt
Later in the day, I found a young person (and their parent ) who was happy to show off their finished product.
Egg Hunt
Colourfully-costumed children’s performers, Latvian Independence Day, lead families on an ‘egg hunt’. Panboola volunteers hid pre-painted stones around the grounds at intervals – these could be exchanged for chocolate eggs.
Applying Henna
For a gold donation to the Wetlands, you could get a henna tattoo; …
Henna Design
… like the theme of the festival, the designs are beautiful – and impermanent.
Wyndham Weavers
Everywhere you look, there is art and craft going on.
Beautiful Baskets
These crafts-people possess a wealth of skill and knowledge about local materials and ancient techniques …
Basket Weaving
… and happily share that with anyone interested.
Hands at Work
Here, a young couple is being shown how to build a firm base for a basket.
Potoroo Palace Information Table
Potoroo Palace is a local not-for-profit public animal sanctuary, dedicated to art, education, and helping injured and/or orphaned native wildlife.
Alexandra Seddon
Alexandra, the founder and patron of Potoroo is also one of the principal benefactors of the Panboola Wetlands. Her story, as told on the ABC’s Conversations radio program, is a truly remarkable one.
Chair in the Air
The Moorhen and Fling Theatre
The youth and children of Fling Physical Theatre put on two expressive dance performances – centred around a giant, wafty moorhen.
Frida the Moorhen
Moorhens (Gallinula chloropus) are the signature logo of the Panboola Wetlands; this one has been named Frida after the Mexican painter.
Children of Fling
In floating capes resembling butterfly wings …
Fling Theatre
… the children swooped and wove around the performance space.
Kate Liston-Mills
A local mum, journalist, and author settles in under the Story Tree …
Room on the Broom
… for a dramatic reading of a children’s favourite picture book.
Catching Dreams
New Moon Spoons
Local woodcarver Paul Boyer is on hand to teach skills, sell products, or just chat.
Paul Boyer
The Bird Comes to Life
Art therapist Bella Insch of Pambula’s Brush with Clay Studio ran a workshop on hand-building clay. I popped in regularly to watch the objects take shape.
Quiet Moments – Stacking Blocks
Panboola Stand
These are the linchpins: Wetlands Project Coordinator Michelle Richmond chats with volunteers selling products and dispensing information at the Panboola Stand.
Fallen Orb
Nothing lasts forever! In the afternoon, the winds picked up, causing damage to several of the marquis and knocking this beautiful flowered orb off its pedestal.
Mural on the Old Bar
As the day drew to a close, I went in search of a resident barn owl who had been spotted in the trees here. The only owl I found was on the mural attached to the Old Bar: this was painted by local children under the guidance of artist Terri Tuckwell at the last major celebration: Panboola’s Anniversary (see: Happy Anniversary, Panboola Wetlands).
It was a very full day – which is why I had trouble limiting the photos I wanted to share!
But, as long as it was, it was a day full of creativity, goodwill, and smiles.
I’m already looking forward to the next festival.
Until then, I’ll go back to pulling invasive weeds …
Pictures: 08April2023
