The Alpine Shire is home to a significant number of diverse events all year round.
Every event is different, and each presents different opportunities for improved sustainability. At Council, we are committed to supporting events to be more sustainable and have minimal impact on the surrounding environment.
Council has developed a Sustainable Event Guidelines document to help event organisers incorporate sustainable principles and practices into their events. This guide outlines the requirements for events being held on Council-owned or managed land and facilities as well as those receiving Council sponsorship.
Each event is required to incorporate a detailed sustainable event plan as part of their event permit application if wanting to hold an event in the Alpine Shire. The Sustainable Event Guidelines are made up of several key components. Please refer to this when drawing up your sustainable event plan.
How can Council help?
Council has a number of resources available for use by events to help achieve a Sustainable Event. Contact Council's Events team at events@alpineshire.vic.gov.au for more information and to check availability.
Dish Pig - Mobile Dishwashing Station
This innovative project has made its way into the Alpine Shire to help reduce single-use waste at events as we move towards a more circular economy.
The Dish Pig is a converted horse float equipped with a commercial dishwasher and a range of mugs, plates, bowls, and cutlery. It requires a 15amp power source and water access to operate.
The mobile service and wash station will enable locals and event organisers to enjoy their coffee or food while reducing single-use plastic waste.
Portable drinking fountain and water bottle refill stations
Events must cater for the health and comfort of patrons. All venues (indoor and out) have a responsibility to make drinking water accessible and freely available to patrons. Drinking water is essential for sporting events, dance and music events and any events held in summer to prevent heat exhaustion and dehydration. Events serving alcohol are required to provide free drinking water as a condition of their liquor license.
To reduce waste, event organisers are to discourage all water bottle sales and encourage patrons to utliise the drinking fountains by bringing their own reusable water bottles or cups. Ensure this is communicated in your advertising and pre event communication.
Council has a combination of drinking fountain and bottle refill stations available for use by local events.
The self-standing units simply attach to a tap and come complete with all hoses and connections required to operate.
North East Water and the Myrtleford and District Landcare and Sustainability Group also have portable water stations available for hire locally.
Waste and recycling bins and signage
It is the responsibility of the event organiser to ensure waste is managed appropriately at their event.
Council has a fleet of event bins available for hire. Both 140L and 240L wheelie bins are available. Bins are supplied in pairs (1 pair = 1 waste + 1 recycling bin). Relevant signage is included on the bins to ensure event-goers dispose of their waste in the correct bin. Contact Council's Events Team for more information and associated costs.
To calculate how many bins you require, a rule of thumb is one litre per person per meal.
For example, you estimate that you will have 1000 attendees, which will run over two mealtimes:
- 1,000 people x 2 mealtimes = 2,000 litres
- Divide 2,000 by 240L (a standard wheelie bin size) = 8
- You will need 8 bin stations
Stallholders are required to remove all back-of-house waste and dispose of it correctly off site. This includes all cardboard and back of house food scraps.
Local Groups
Upper Ovens Sustainability Group: The group have developed a toolkit to help organisers plan and consider waste reduction and waste avoidance. Linked to the toolkit is a resource library of reusable items (i.e. mugs, cutlery, plates, cups) available for loan by other event organisers to help avoid the use of single use items. Visit sustainableupperovens.org.au or contact info@sustainableupperovens.org.au.
Myrtleford and District Landcare and Sustainability Group: The group has a water refill station available for hire. For more information contact Steve (at the Myrtleford Cycle Centre) on (03) 5721 1511, Clare on 0439 488 378 or Glenda on 0477 650 403.
If you are a local Alpine Shire community group and provide resources to assist event organisers to plan and deliver events that avoid and reduce waste please contact our events team.