The Sustainability Expo is back for the Orbost Show on March 9 and is a great opportunity for locals to celebrate living in a small community, while visitors can jump in their car and support a great local event.

Not only will there be all the displays, stalls, rides and food from the Orbost Show, the Sustainability Expo will also be celebrating local produce and local skills. Fortunately there is a lot of talent in East Gippsland.

Food on the day will include oysters, cooked corn, local farm bred sausages and pizza. Gippsland Jersey will be there selling milkshakes and Sailors Grave Brewery will provide a bevy of local brewed beers.

While eating and drinking you can listen to a number of local bands including Deeper Waters, Electric Yeti, Todd Robinson and Olivia Lay. Half the Zucchini Clan will be there to entertain the kids along with a number of other kids’ activities including screen printing and making native bee hotels.

For the adults, watch a hand shearing demonstration followed by the mobile butcher demonstrating how to dress a sheep.

The expo also promotes local skills get advice on spinning or making kombucha, learn how to look after a scoby (and what it is), all about bee hives, or how to knit and crochet.

Not forgetting the sustainability component of the Expo, Gippsland Solar and the Renewable Trailer will be there to give advice. Information will also be given on how to shop sustainably, how to reduce waste, and a whole lot more.

On top of all this will be the Gourmet Farmer, Matthew Evans, who will give a talk at 11am on growing local and share his story of sustainability.

If you are wondering what to do on the March long weekend, visit Far East Gippsland and the Orbost Show on March 9. Show gates at the Newmerella Recreation Reserve open at 9am and close around 3.30pm.

Thanks to the support from the East Gippsland Shire, entry to this year’s Orbost Show is free.

IMAGE: Chris and Gab Moore, of Sailors Grave Brewing, will be among the local producers to showcase their products at the Sustainability Expo at the Orbost Show on March 9. (PS)