Benalla Sustainable Future Group invites members and supporters to attend our Annual General Meeting at 7:30pm on Thursday 26th June 2025 in the Benalla Uniting Church Meeting Room opposite Coles car park. 

Our Guest Speaker for the AGM is Mr Peter Keane, the new CEO for Benalla Rural City Council.  Peter is an Engineer with post-graduate management qualifications, and has worked across industry and in the municipal field in New South Wales, Queensland and now in Victoria.  His recent experience in waste management in Western Australia and Queensland will be of particular interest to a number of our members.  He will be talking on his journey to Benalla Rural City Council.

BSFG Membership

At AGM time we also remind our members to consider renewing their membership, and for supporters to think about becoming a member of BSFG. 
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Our website  https://www.bsfg.org.au/  has information about membership. You can apply to become a member by following the JOIN tab / ONLINE MEMBERSHIP FORM  or by following this direct link  https://www.bsfg.org.au/online-membership-form.html 

If you are aware of anyone who may be interested in our Group's activities but is not yet a member please feel free to invite them to our AGM and of course to our ordinary meetings held quarterly throughout the year.  As you know, we have a wide range of interests and in the current national and global situation our personal and collective actions as community members for ourselves and our descendants are of paramount importance.

As part of the process of becoming a Charity, at this meeting members will be asked to ratify BSFG's "Safeguarding" Policy; part of our obligations to the Australian Charities and Not-For-Profits Commission.

A light supper will be served at the end of the evening.

Please RSVP your attendance at  [email protected]    We hope you can join us for this occasion.

Judy Schwarzman
Secretary, Benalla Sustainable Future Group

This year's Swanpool Environmental Film Festival was a sold-out success, featuring two dynamic guest speakers, and four thought provoking films.  

The Master of Ceremonies this year was the multi-talented Ramey Hengen, who many will have met doing his day job at the Benalla Library.  Ramey is studying Environmental Science, so was excited to accept our invitation to be the MC and filled the role with warmth and humour.
Festival host Rhona Introduced and Welcomed Ramey as our MC who proceeded with an acknowledgement of  Taungurung country.

The first film, 'Climate Extremes' explored factors that contribute towards tipping points for climate catastrophe or climate recovery.  The website has information about Planetary Boundaries and Tipping Points, you can watch the film again, and share, and take the Quiz!
More on Planetary Boundaires, https://www.stockholmresilience.org/research/planetary-boundaries.html

Themes from Climate Extremes were explored by our first speaker, Dr Philip Lawn, an ecological  economist from Torrens University Australia, who discussed a move away from the emphasis on economic growth to sustainable improvement.  Modern Money Lab at Torrens is training Ecological Economists.

After previewing the film Climate Extremes prior to the festival, Phil changed the title of his talk to "Climate change, degrowth, and saving the world to save us!"  He used a Power Point presentation to guide his talk which was very much to the letter.  You can view his presentation as a PDF below, or download here.

Thanks to Robert McLean for attending the festival and providing his audio recording of Phil's presentation.  You can listen to this recording on Roberts Climate Conversations Podcast on Spotify, or Apple Podcast.  No need to sign in.

Phil is the author of the book Resolving the Climate Change Crisis, The Ecological Economics of Climate Change, from Springer Nature Link.

The second film, 'Roots So Deep', looked at attitudes to sustainable and regenerative farming in the US, interviewing farmers on neighbouring properties about their very different approaches to farming, and what helps or hinders change in practice.  

Roots So Deep (you can see the devil down there) is a 4-part documentary series all about inventive farmers and maverick scientists building a path to solving climate change with hooves, heart and soil.  Episode 1 was screened at the festival.  However Roots So Deep offered festival attendees an opportunity to stream the four episodes with a 50% discount for $5 US.

Roots So Deep was followed by a lively talk and Q&A with local farmer Mark Foletta and MC Ramey, talking about his ventures in diversification, and involving his local community.  

Mark and his family operate a mixed farming enterprise at Yin Barun (Good Water) a short drive from Benalla on the midland highway.  Mark has opened his farm to Woofers for many years, https://wwoof.com.au/members/vn200/. MC Ramey has also worked at the farm for some time. 

In 2023 Mark won the Award for Excellence in Diversification and Sustainability sponsored by Corteva Agriscience.

Marks talk  was presented with a slide show backdrop of Yin Barum Farm photos.  We don't have a recording of his talk however Mark has been interviewed by Anthony Hucksted in his Deep In The Weeds Food Podcast, listen here.

Our third film before our dinner break was 'Takayna - The Heart of Lutruwita'.   
Join and support the Bob Brown Foundation in defending this ancient, threatened sanctuary before it’s too late! This film is an inspiring and hopeful film about the battle to defend Takayna from mining and logging and saving one of the last wild places on earth.

After dinner the final film of the festival, from Silverback Films was Ocean with David Attenborough, https://silverbackfilms.tv/shows/oceanwithdavidattenborough/.

The film’s global release was timed ahead of World Ocean Day on the 8th of June, https://worldoceanday.org/

In concluding the film David Attenborough says
"If we save the sea we save the world. The ocean, our final frontier". 
A sentiment very much reflected by the title of our opening speaker, Phil Lawns presentation, "Climate change, degrowth, and saving the world to save us!"

Ramey our MC thanked Pavlos Catering, from Benalla, assisted by the Swanpool Catering Team for the delicious food served at the festival. 
Patrons thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to discuss the topics included in the program during the afternoon tea and dinner breaks.

Swanpool Environmental Film Festival is jointly organised by Swanpool Landcare and the Benalla Sustainable Future Group.  They very much appreciate support provided by the Goulburn Broken CMA, the Gecko CLaN, Benalla  Rural City Council, and Winton Wetlands.  Many thanks too to the organising committee for bringing us another jam-packed event and to all our volunteers and patrons who contributed to the success on the day.

Recently two BSFG Members have made submissions to the Inquiry into the supply of homes in regional Victoria, https://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/regionalhousing.  Howard Bartlett's BSFG Submission, and Kate Holmes submission for Benalla Homelessness Response Group Inc.

Community consultation is now open for the Homes Victoria Benalla West Development https://www.homes.vic.gov.au/projects/benalla-west.  The Community Consultation is at https://engage.vic.gov.au/benalla-west-housing.  Feedback closes this Wednesday 04 June 2025.

Howard Barlett has been looking at the Benalla West Development and you can view his Smart Block Design Concepts for this development on the BSFG website, https://www.bsfg.org.au/ecological-sustainable-design-and-development/howard-bartletts-smart-block-design-concepts-at-benalla-west. 

Howard is intending to make a formal submission on the Benalla West Development.  He can be contacted for comments and suggestions on 0409 504 420, email [email protected]. 

Ecologically Sustainable Design Action Group