Over 500 nature lovers of all ages came along to the Servo, Port Kembla for an unforgettable celebration of the unique plants and animals of the Illawarra as part of Biodiversity Month 2025.
Friday night kicked off with a thought-provoking Wildlife Detectives panel followed by a magical smoking ceremony through The Grassening – an immersive art installation in the NASA Art Gallery. Later on, the audience was mesmerised by stunning footage of lyrebirds in the outdoor film screening of The Message of the Lyrebird.
Saturday brought market-style vibes with a diverse spread of hands-on nature activities, interactive workshops, Nature Talks and outdoor stalls buzzing with families, kids, and curious minds.
The Grassening stole the show — a living, breathing tribute to our endangered Illawarra Lowland Grassy Woodlands. Visitors were enchanted, inspired, and moved to action.
Plants from this installation have been rehomed across the Illawarra and Shoalhaven at Noogaleek Preschool (Berkley), the Homeless Hub Garden (Unanderra), Bundanon Homestead and Art Precinct (Nowra), the Servo and Illawarra Aboriginal Corporation (Port Kembla), a project to restore and enhance a street verge (East Corrimal) and a pilot to enhance Wollongong Cemetery with a native grass meadow.
Feedback included
- “Entranced by The Grassening… moved to tears.
- “Best event we’ve been to!”
- “Loved the talks – snakes, frogs, all of it!”
- “Kids adored every stall!”
- “Can we do this every year?!”
🌱 Grasses flew off the shelves at Greenplan the next day — everyone wants a piece of the woodland magic!
💚 Huge thanks to all the artists, presenters, stallholders, volunteers, and the community — for making this event so special. Let’s keep the momentum going and bring our grassy woodlands back to life!
The Illawarra Nature Festival was coordinated by the Illawarra Ecosystems and Threatened Species Team, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water.
