Members on the WEPA stall thoroughly enjoyed the Multicultural Picnic held at O.H. Reid Reserve on Saturday 30 September.  We used the opportunity to talk to local Chatswood West residents about environmental issues, join up new members, dispense free wildlife postcards and sell our wildlife greeting cards.

Willoughby City Council organised the picnic in association with the Chatswood West Ward Progress Association (CWWPA).  We were fortunate to have a brilliant spring day and a beautiful bushland reserve for the picnic.  While the crowd was small for this inaugural event, it was highly appreciative.

Those attending were able to speak with the Mayor, Tanya Taylor and local West Ward Councillors, Craig Campbell, Jam Xiu and Brendon Zhu at their ‘Pop Up stall’.  Apart from WEPA’s involvement, there were also stalls representing the CWWPA; NSW Fire and Rescue Service; the WCC Bushland team; and the Friends of Lane Cove National Park.

Chinese, Japanese and Taiwanese groups, amongst others, enchanted the attendees with their elegant traditional dances while in the middle of the field children (and the young at heart) flew paper aeroplanes and played a variety of games laid out for some active pleasure.  Once the onion went on, the queue for the local Rotarians free sausage sizzle got longer and longer.

WEPA looks forward to being involved in more events like this.  The picnic brought West Ward residents together, encouraged a lively interest in community participation and celebrated the beauty of our open spaces and bushland.

You can find a gallery of pictures taken on the day at this link.