The annual Sustainability Festival will be held at the Dandenong Market on Sun 23 February, 10am-3pm.

This free family friendly festival is a wonderful celebration of all the ways we can get involved to protect our planet. Here’s what to expect.

Greater Dandenong Libraries

Check out all the books available on sustainability and the environment and even get your hands on some pre-loved books to take home.

Springvale Toy Library

Learn how borrowing toys can save you money, space and the environment. Get involved in the program and get to know how age-appropriate toys help kids develop.

Nood Mood Natural

Come along to a hands-on DIY natural face serum workshop, held every hour. Plus, browse the plastic free alternatives of natural home and beauty products.

Fantasy Body Art

Free face painting from 11am.

Greater Dandenong Sustainability

Come and explore our new Environmental Education e-Van ‘GOGRN’ and learn about everything sustainability in Greater Dandenong. Plus, hand in your Op Shop Trail competition forms before 12pm for the prize draw at 1pm.

Bike N’ Blend

Come use peddle power to blend a free fresh smoothie. There will be both kids and adult bikes available.

Oz Harvest

Join in on an interactive game for kids to play and learn about food waste.

Open Table

Learn about the benefits of induction cooking while taste testing delicious zero waste fritters. Stick around for a hands-on pickling activity in the afternoon that lets you take home a jar of pickles, and a preserving skill set you can use at home.

Simply Cups

Join in on an interactive game and learn how to recycle your takeaway coffee cups at the market to transform them in to building materials and roads.

Serene Kitchen Art

Join in on a painting workshop like no other. Make the freshest paints out of edible materials and food waste. Learn what paint is, the differences between natural and synthetic paints and how it effects our local marine wildlife.

Greater Dandenong Waste Education

Get involved in plenty of fun games to learn about putting the right things in the right bins.

Black Snake Productions

Immerse yourself in a Native Animal show in the morning and afternoon and visit the stall where you can meet and greet some of our Country’s most special creatures. Plus learn how you can support them.

Expert’s Talk Tent

Pop in and ask a horticulturalist or Conservation Ranger your burning questions. They will be able to help you turn your garden in to a wildlife haven, grow vegetables in pots, create a compost bin, save water and money and more.

Greater Dandenong Environment Group

Come see what water bugs are found in the creeks and wetlands in Greater Dandenong.

Greater Dandenong Parks and Horticulture

Enhance biodiversity in your own backyard by taking home and planting your own Indigenous seedlings. Plus learn about keeping our city cool and green. Join the FReeZA youth volunteers as they help you pot up herbs and flowers in quirky recycled pots.

Rethink Recycling

Come see recycling in action and learn how plastic lids can be turned into fun and functional items with the help of RUSTIE. Plenty of hands-on activities and knowledgeable staff to answer your recycling questions.

St Joseph’s Primary School

Learn about the sustainability initiatives being run in schools in Greater Dandenong and be inspired to take action. Plus, meet some super sustainable pets.

Free entertainment all day long

• Enjoy live music by a local musician Sage Marie
• Keep an eye out for the Giant Bubble Artist
• Join in on Te Avatea Cook Island dancing
• Get to know some of our Native Wildlife with a Black Snake Productions show.

The City of Greater Dandenong has a vision to be one of the most sustainable cities in Australia by 2030. We encourage attendees to bring items like reusable water bottles, reusable cutlery and containers, and reusable shopping bags to avoid single-use plastic. Read more about how we are reducing single-use plastics at events.

Event partner of the National Sustainable Living Festival 2025. If you require additional assistance to participate, please get in contact with us.

Other festival events and programs

Can’t wait for the festivals? Enjoy our events and activities leading up to the sustainability festival.

• Op Shop Trail from 10 January – 10 February, detailed further down on this webpage
• Roving Refills visits Greater Dandenong. Natural shampoos, soaps, detergents and cleaning products refilled from bottles saved from landfill. Saturday 8 February, Springvale Community Hub, 1-3pm
• Sustainable crafts like basket weaving, clothes swap, urban harvest exchange.  Saturday 8 February, Springvale Community Hub, 1-3pm
• Rethink Recycling, open day tour with activities to turn plastic lids into fun and functional items. Saturday 8 February, 38 Aspen Circuit, Springvale, 11am-2pm
• Make body scrubs and bath salts with Mademoiselle Organic. Thursday 20 February, Dandenong Library, 6.30pm-8pm

Op Shop Trail 2025

The City of Greater Dandenong’ s first Op Shop Trail has officially started.

From 10 January-10 February, get to know your local area and community while learning how to reduce your textile waste. This event is free to participate in. All you have to do is visit a minimum of three stores to enter the prize pool. You will not be required to purchase from these shops.

What do you need to do?

• Collect a competition form from any participating Op Shop
• Collect one stamp from each store
• Visit as many stores as you can during the competition time
• Submit your competition form.

How to submit your competition form:

In person: visit the Sustainability Festival and drop it off at the colourful ‘Go Green’ electric van on Sunday 23 February at the Dandenong Market

Via email: [email protected] by Saturday 15 February.

The more stores you visit, the bigger the prize pool voucher amount. For example, visit 3-5 stores to enter the $10 prize pool. Visit all 12 to win a prize and enter the $50 prize pool. Multiple vouchers up for grabs.

Participating Greater Dandenong Op Shops

1. Salvos Springvale: Shop 3/819-823 Princes Hwy, Springvale
2. Vinnies Springvale: 119-123 Springvale Road, Springvale
3. Brotherhood of St. Laurence: Unit 2/450 Princes Hwy, Noble Park
4. Salvos Noble Park: 400 Princes Hwy, Noble Park
5. St Aidan’s Opportunity Shop: 1 Buckley St, Noble Park
6. Salvation Army Thrift Shop Dandenong: 14-16 George St, Dandenong
7. Coco’s Op Shop: Shop 2-3/48 McCrae St, Dandenong
8. Save the Children Op Shop: Unit 1/119-123 Lonsdale St, Dandenong
9. Vinnies Dandenong: 119-123 Lonsdale St, Dandenong
10. Salvos Dandenong: 1/111-115 Lonsdale St, Dandenong
11. Salvos Store Keysborough: Unit 3A 43-47 Fiveways Boulevard, Keysborough
12. AAPS Op Shop Keysborough: 26 Aegean Ave, Keysborough

Take a look at photos from the event below and stay updated on future environmental events in Greater Dandenong by subscribing to Our Bright Green Future below.