Harvest Festival at Community Orchard

Gardening

Phillip Island Community Orchard (PICO) in Wimbledon Heights will again be holding its annual Harvest Festival this year on Sunday March 29 from 10am to 2.30pm.

It promises to be a lively and fun packed day for families and garden lovers as well as those just interested to have a look around.

Featured on the day will be guest speakers on growing and preserving fresh produce, family activities, Aussie wildlife displays, live music, hot food, coffee van, homemade cordials, preserves, fresh produce and plant sales along with our “interesting” fruit and vegie competition.

Guest speakers on the day include Craig Castree who will give a presentation in the morning on Growing for Success – RegenEdible Gardening.

Craig is an author, horticulturist and educator in self-sufficiency who is only too willing to share his extensive knowledge with both old-hands and new-comers to gardening alike.

A beginner-friendly workshop on Seasonal Preserving with Harriet Pellizzer will be held in the afternoon.

Harriet will explore simple preserving methods and key food safety principles so you can confidently preserve your seasonal produce at home.

This is part of the Bass Coast Shire Council’s Living Lightly program, which we are proud to be a part of as hosts in 2026.

All are welcome to attend on the day but bookings are preferred for this talk through the Council website: thecap.com.au/living-lightly-seasonal-preserving

Activities

Last year’s successful Let’s Make a Scarecrow activity will again be held this year, and we encourage people of all ages to get a team together and come along to make a scarecrow.

Frames and materials are supplied but participants are welcome bring their own recycled clothing to add an individual touch.

We just need you to get in the creative groove and be ready to have some fun. Bookings for this free activity are preferred, please go to our website for details and to register your interest in participating.

Our Weird and Wonderful Fruit and Vegetable Competition will be sure to attract lots of attention.

We challenge all the gardeners out there to bring in any unusual or especially spectacular specimens to show us all what it’s possible to grow in the amazing realm of edible gardening.

A vote will take place to decide on the most popular exhibit.

Wildlife Wranglers will be there between 11am and 2pm with a display of native animals and will hold a demonstration on venomous snake safety.

There will also be hot food and drinks available and a produce stall with fresh organic fruit and vegies, preserves, pickles, jams and potted plants for sale.

Our partners, Westernport Water, will be on site with their Hydration Station set-up and live music will be performed by Travis and Noah Thompson from 12 noon.

Autumn Harvest Festivals have been held all over the world to celebrate the reaping of crops since ancient times. It’s an opportunity to get together to relax and enjoy a feast and some fun after the growing and harvesting is done.

We invite you to join in the festivities with us on March 29.

About PICO

PICO is a non-profit organisation established in 2013.

Our members volunteer their time to cultivate and maintain the half hectare orchard grown on Westernport Water land.

The organic fruit and vegetables produced are shared amongst members, with excess turned into preserves for fundraising or donated to charity.

The orchard is generally only open to the public on working bee days, held on the fourth Saturday of the month, or for quarterly guest speakers and special events, such as the Harvest Festival.

We are located at 18-40 Hallway Drive Wimbledon Heights (behind the Reserve). Parking will be in the street. See you there.

For more information on the Harvest Festival or the Orchard generally, please visit our website: islandorchard.wordpress.com/ or www.facebook.com/islandorchard

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