Food for Thought Townsville
Community Portal

About

Food for Thought Townsville is a grassroots community group whose objective is to promote the availability and consumption of locally-produced (organic where possible) food in the Townsville / North Queensland region.

We aim to do this by providing a community forum - a space and place to voice our thoughts and ideas towards action; developing networks of local growers, restaurants and markets and facilitating education via workshops, school programs, and being an information hub.

What are we interested in? Food concerns, food security, food access, food knowledge, food waste, healthy food, naturopathy, herbs, Permaculture practices and principles, organic gardening, education and communication, verge gardening, seasonable restaurant menus, growing/buying organic produce, small growers, growing food, backyard gardens, community gardens, tropical fruit and vegetables....

Food for Thought Townsville - All welcome. Tell your friends, family, school, colleagues! 

Eat Well, Live Well, Be Well,.....together in Townsville!

Events

RECENT EVENTS

Recent FFT events have included our regular FFT Community meetings, Movie Nights, Foodies nights and a book launch.

Our regular community meetings are held from 6:30pm to 8:15pm approximately every 4-6 weeks and involve introductions of attendees, feedback and discussion on current projects and initiatives, sharing of newly gathered facts, figures and knowledges and of course sharing of FOOD and general networking. A family atmosphere is promoted (meetings are held in the family friendly Rainbow Room at the PCYC Castle Hill (Hugh St, Belgian Gardens)) and everyone is invited to bring a small plate of something grown, organic or homemade to share.

Meeting notes attached: June 2010 (inaugural meeting), July 2010, August 2010, October 2010, November 2010, December 2010.

UPCOMING EVENTS

To find out about upcoming Food for Thought (FFT) organised events please visit the Food For Thought Townsville Facebook site.  http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=137403666277612&ref=search

Become a facebook friend and receive advance notifications of upcoming FFT events or vist post event to see comments and discussion from attendees.

Current Projects - Get involved!

MOVIE NIGHTS / DOCUMENTARY SCREENINGS

FFT Townsville in collaboration with North Queensland Conservation Council (www.nqcc.org.au) are organising regular documentary screenings to promote awareness of issues surrounding our food supply. For notice of upcoming screenings visit the FFT Townsville facebook page. Thanks to Rising Sun Rotary Club for the loan of their PA equipment for use on our movie nights. To suggest a doco or assist with the organisation of a FFT movie night please contact Leon van Wyk (leonvanwyk.rasta@gmail.com)

FFT - MAGNETIC ISLAND

Do you live on Magnetic Island and like FFT. Leon is interested in holding FFT Community Meetings and Events on Magnetic Island. If you would be interested in having this become a reality get in touch with Leon van Wyk (leonvanwyk.rasta@gmail.com).

RECIPE BOOK

Contribute to the inaugural Food for Thought Townsville Recipe Book - If you have recipes that you’d like to contribute especially those that focus on using readily available locally grown vegetables and fruits please email them to Kathy Jarrett (jarretts97@netspace.net.au) 

BELGIAN GARDENS COMMUNITY GARDEN

A demonstration Permaculture and Aquaponics Community Garden is proposed to be created in Belgian Gardens as a joint initiative of Food For Thought, Permaculture Townsville Inc and North Queensland Conservation Council. NQ Dry Tropics will also assist with the recruitment of volunteers. A volunteer partnership may also be developed with 'The House with No Steps' via Rising Sun Rotary Club.

Dave Goode, Manager of the Castle Hill PCYC (located at Hugh Street, Belgian Gardens) has applied for a grant to assist with the establishment of the garden. The outcome of the grant will be known in early in 2011.

If you would like to be involved or would like to offer materials, skills or products that could be utilised in the development of the project please contact: Diana Condylas (e: herbgal77@yahoo.com.au; m: 0414 228 050) or Dave Goode (e: dave.goode@pcyc.org.au; ph 4772 3883).

JCU EDIBLE GARDEN

In response to interest from students and offers of support from Permaculture Townsville Inc, James Cook University's Townsville Campus has commited to funding the creation of an on-campus edible garden in 2011. To get involved contact Leon van Wyk (leonvanwyk.rasta@gmail.com) who will be coordinating the project.

DIVERSITY GARDEN - PERMACULTURE TOWNSVILLE PLOT

Permaculture Townsville Inc has been granted a plot at the Diversity Garden (Yates Street, Railway Estate) and they have extended an open invitation to the FFT community to help out with rostered garden maintenance of the plot and/or attend associated events. To find out more about the Diversity Garden Plot visit the Permaculture Townsville website (permaculturetownsville.org) for updates and upcoming events or contact Leon van Wyk (leonvanwyk.rasta@gmail.com).

SEASONAL FOODS LIST 

Eating food that is in season, means you’re not always going to get what you want when you want it, but knowing in advance what is in season when can help you to plan your meals to maximise the use of in-season foods.  If you would like to help FFT to compile a list of "what’s in season when" please contact Jan Green (e: jangreen@ozemail.com.au; ph 4772-3863).

LOCAL GROWERS DIRECTORY

FFT member Jan Green is seeking to publish a local listing of who is producing food locally, what they're growing and typical seasonal availabilities with a view to encouraging restaurants and cafes as well as the public to source and use locally grown seasonal produce. If you would like to assist in the compilation of this directory, please contact Jan Green (e: jangreen@ozemail.com.au; ph 4772-3863).

RESTAURANTS WITH SEASONAL MENUS

Do you know of local restaurants featuring seasonal restaurant menus? Let us know. Again, please contact Jan Green (e: jangreen@ozemail.com.au; ph 4772-3863).

PROPOSED NQ FARMERS MARKET

A true Farmers Market (explain) will be commencing in early 2011. A feasibility report for a funded large scale farmers market has been completed. Supporters include Burdekin City Council (Tony Vaccaro), Townsville City Council, The Greens, The Hon Craig Wallace – Member for Mundingburra (State Government), Food for Thought Townsville and 6000 members of the Townsville community! 

A comprehensive feasibilty study (Balfour Consulting) for a Proposed Farmers Market in North Queensland was completed in March 2010. The 105 page report can be downloaded from http://www.burdekin.qld.gov.au/council/publications/other/documents/NQFarmersMarketFeasibilityStudy.pdf (or you may just wish to read the 5 page executive summary!)

Food for Thought Townsville are interested in being kept informed on progress and potentially included in consultations as a consumer group.

If you would like to offer to assist FFT in relation to becoming involved in consultations to progress a Farmers Market in Townsville please contact Jan Green (e: jangreen@ozemail.com.au; ph 4772-3863) or Sarah Swain (e: sarahswain12@hotmail.com).

SUPERMARKET LABELLING OF LOCALLY GROWN FOOD

An initiative of the Food for Thought Group. Are you interested in contacting local supermarkets on this matter. Contact Tonielle (e: tonielle_c@hotmail.com; m: 0422 068 995) to be linked with others who are interested also.

Note: FFT are pleased to see that Woolworths are currently identifying locally grown fresh produce with "North Queensland Grown" signage. This however does not also mean that these product lines are also low in food miles as staff have confirmed that the NQ grown produce does still travel to Brisbane and back before being delivered to Townsville supermarkets.

FOOD AWARENESS IN OUR COMMUNITY

Are you interested in contributing articles, facts on local / organic / tropical foods, writing letters to the editor? If so we'd love to hear from you. We have been offered opportunities to provide educational and general interest articles to the Townsville Bulletin (via Jan Green, e: jangreen@ozemail.com.au; ph 4772-3863) and Sportslife Magazine (via Sarah Funkhauser, e: sarahfunkhouser@internode.on.net). Please contact them if able to help out in this area.

FOOD CONNECT NORTH QUEENSLAND

Food Connect North Queensland – Would you be interested in initiating/ forwarding a Food Connect initiative in the Townsville / North Queensland region. For an overview visit http://www.foodconnect.com.au or be inspired by Russ Grayson and his website www.pacific-edge.info – If you’re interested or already doing something to this end – please contact Tonielle (e: tonielle_c@hotmail.com; m: 0422 068 995) .
  

REGIONAL FOOD PRODUCERS WORKSHOPS

Several workshops have recently been coordinated by Sue Fairley, Food and Agrotourism Project Officer Advance Cairns. To find out more contact Sue on 0417 735 838.

ORGANIC FARMING CONCEPT ON SOUTHERN TABLELANDS

A feasibility Study has recently been completed. To find out more follow this link http://www.australiantropicalfoods.com/index.php/category/atf-hot-news/

LOCAL FOOD SUPPLY SURVEY

Southern Cross University with the support of Advance Cairns are currently undertaking a survey on peoples opinions of local foods with the goal of developing a Regional Food System that will support the production, distribution and sale of local food for local consumption.  The outcomes of the survey will help support our local farmers, provide healthy, fresh, seasonal, regional food to local communities and create authentic local tourism experiences that will have visitors raving about the amazing food offering experienced in Tropical North Queensland. To participate in the survey follow this link http://www.advancecairns.com/tropical-north-queensland-food-supply-surveys/ and be in the running to win $250 worth of seafood!

SCRUMPING

Scrumping is the idea of accessing fruit growing on in public spaces eg wild fruit trees or trees / vines overhanging public land. In Sydney the scrumping community has created a google map to share the locations of suitable trees so that more people can benefit and take advantage of this wasted resource. We could do the same up here in Townsville. If anyone is would like to start a Townsville region map together with the Food for Thought Townsville community please contact Tonielle. For inspiration and to learn more visit: http://imagoforest.com.au/rs_ev.html and to go to the Sydney region Google Map - http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=108526843328230627584.000464e02933fc8e73756&z=8

 

Where can I buy locally grown and/or organic produce in Townsville?

Organic Food Suppliers

Bluewater Organics - Organic grocer providing a range of genuine certified organic fruit, vegetables, nuts, dairy, meat, dried fruit, juices, dry goods, etc as well as providing a large variety of gluten free products. Shop: 36 Thuringowa Drive, Kirwan. Ph 4723 3300; Email: bluewaterorganics@bigpond.com

Sprout - Organic grocer specialising in certified organic, gluten free, preservative free and local/regional food. Shop at their premises or order on line for pickup or delivery. Previously known as Organic Buyers Network.Web: www.sproutonline.net.au; Shop: 85 Ingham Road, West End (behind Dad and Dave’s Tuckerbox); Ph (07) 4771 311.

Local Food Growers / Suppliers

  • Some local produce is available from stalls at the Sunday morning markets at Willows Markets, Cotters Markets and Showground Market. For details of market times / locations visit Townsville City Council’s Events Calendar (http://www.townsville.qld.gov.au/apps/events)
  • The monthly Friday night Strand Night Markets also have some locally grown produce.
  • The Vietnam Vets stall at Willows Sunday Morning Markets sells excess locally grown produce.
  • Some of the produce sold from Bluewater Organics (Thuringowa Drive) is locally grown by the owners (Jenny and Neal Dudgell).
  • Sprout Greener Grocers – sells some local (organic) farm produce
  • Froot (Fruit & Veg store) - the Precinct Fairfield Waters -  stocks and displays where produce grown and offers over 400 local lines during the winter months. 
  • Lamberts Produce (Aitkenvale) stocks local lines and displays where produce is grown.
  • Some banana farmers in Innisfail are supplying Bilo and Coles with the stock only travelling between Innisfail and Townsville (ie not via Brisbane/other).
  • Majors Creek Farm – (Mike Vance) – a local grower sells direct from the Sunday morning Cotters Markets.
  • Organi-Gallery - An art gallery and bulk-buying local food service a Renew Townsville space in Flinders Street (Townsville City). See a profile of the shop at: http://www.facebook.com/pages/OrganiGallery/ or email Sarah Funkhouser at sarahfunkhouser@internode.on.net for further info.
  • Reef to Soil Markets – Saturday Morning Market held along Reef HQ Foyer and Boardwalk organised by Kingroup (Consultants for Social entrepreneurship). Includes stalls of excess homegrown produce. Contact Kanat Wano, m: 0488 230 264, e: kingroup@live.com.au for info.
  • The PCYC Castle Hill markets (Hugh St, Belgian Gardens) are looking for backyard growers to sell excess produce. Contact the PCYC on ph 4772 3883.

  • A good contact for accessing small growers in the Townsville region is Murray Whiley (mak106@bigpond.net.au).

Locally produced Eggs

  • Pace eggs – locally grown organic, free range eggs – available from IGA and Bilo.
  • Yamagishi “Happy Eggs” –  these egg laying chickens are raised in a comfortable environment with fresh air and bright sunlight – available from a variety of local retailers.
  • Locally produced eggs available from Bluewater Organics.
  • Organic / biodynamic eggs available from Sprout Greener Grocers.

Where to Eat Out

Food for Thought likes these venues:

  • Coffee Dominion, Stokes Street in the City - Fairtrade, ethically sourced coffee
  • The Balcony Restaurant, Townsville Mall - Townsville's only accredited Green Table Restaurant
  • Squeeze Me juice bar in North Ward - focuses on using local produce where possible
  • Alligator Creek B&B (www.alligatorcreekbedandbreakfast.com.au) – Serves a gourmet breakfast featuring local produced loose tea and fresh-ground coffee from the Atherton Tablelands near Cairns, free range bacon and eggs, unhomogenised milk from a small, family dairy in the Tablelands, fruit and vegies either from their own property or from a local greengrocer who sources locally-farmed produce as much as possible.

Where can I learn more about tropical foods?

Australian Tropical Foods (http://www.australiantropicalfoods.com) - the food and wine industry portal for Tropical North Queensland (Cairns and Tropical North Queensland Region). A comprehensive site where you can discover exotic fruits, tropical seafood, gourmet foods, local wines and beverages, markets, regional food produce directory, restaurants serving local foods, industry links, seasonal calendar, regional recipes and Taste of the Tropics’ Food Trails.

Tropical Cuisine 'Cooking in Clare's Kitchen' by Cairns based author, Clare Richards - 250+ recipes; 30+ ingredients profiled in an “Essentials” chapter; information on identifying, selecting, storing, preparing and cooking 50+ tropical fruits, vegetables, herbs & spices; 360 pages, frequent photography; RRP $59.95. Available from Mary Who Bookshop, Sprout and Angus and Robertson Bookstores.

 

Where can I learn more about preparing healthy, seasonal and /or tropical foods?

Townsville Slow Food Convivium – local/organic/slow food/ Non-GE foods – Contact: Kathy and Jason Jarrett (Railway Estate) Email: jarretts97@netspace.net.au; Mobile: 0411 037 269

Wholefood / Seasonal Food cooking classes – Contact: Charles and Mercedes Mitchard (Gulliver) (charlesmitchard@bigpond.com)

Slow food / local produce / sourdough and other workshops – Contact: Jane and Quentin Dalziell (Kirwan) (quentinjane@gmail.com)
 
Peaceful chook slaughtering and dressing workshops – Contact David Bowtell, permaculturalist, verge-gardener and general self-community-sufficiency guru (spanner1969@gmail.com )

Healthy Eating Cooking Classes @ de Studi - Contact Hannele Monds, Naturopath (hannele@elitenaturopathic.com.au), Mobile: 0417 425 505

Jan's Adventures in Easy Entertaining - Cooking classes (Hermit Park location) to learn about preparing easy meals from fresh produce that grows in our climate. Contact Jan Green (e: jangreen@ozemail.com.au; ph 4772-3863)

Cyndi O'Meara Seminars / Website / Books etc – Not your typical nutritionist, Brisbane-based Cyndi visits Townsville regularly to present seminars and disagrees with low-fat, low-calorie diets, believes chocolate can be good for you and thinks cheating and eating yummy food is an important part of a well-balanced diet. See: www.changinghabits.com.au

Do you know of a commercial / community kitchen that FFT may be able to access for cooking workshops? If so, let us know.

 

What issues around food waste are being tackled locally?

The Balcony Restaurant, the popular Flinders Street Mall eatery, Townsville’s first Green Table Accredited Restaurant and winner of the Townsville City Council 2009 Sustainable Business Award is saving over $25,000 a year through practices that have dramatically reduced their food wastage. Contact The Balcony to learn about how they did it. For details of the Green Table Australia program visit  www.greentable.com.au, the Restaurant & Catering Australia website www.restaurantcater.asn.au or call 1300 722 878 for more information.

Local business, VRM (Vital Resource Management) have initiated a program to collect vegetable wastes and re‐use it for manufacture of biofertiliser. At this stage, they are using waste from the Bestlan bananas factory at the Bohle and have recently begun putting together a group of restaurants in the city centre to collect food wastes. The vegetative and waste food materials collected are mashed up and water added and used to incubate and grow good bacteria. The biofertiliser resulting is then collected and sold to food producers for application to the soil as a soil improver assisting the grower to have healthier soils and grow better food. To find out more about this initiative or the local farmers, restaurants, community gardens and residents participating in this innovative win-win-win recycling initiative, contact VRM - www.vrm.com.au

For a heap of practical tips for minimising food waste at home follow this link: http://www.cleartheair.com.au/index.php?s=food+waste

Where can I learn more about growing my own food?

Permaculture Townsville – meetings, workshops, website
Visit the excellent Permaculture Townsville Inc website - Learn about the ethics of Permaculture, brush up on Permaculture practices suitable for North Queensland, find out about local upcoming and past permaculture related events & workshops, see photos of local Permaculture gardens, get active on the Permaculture Townsville blog, find links to aligned organisations, come along to the monthly Permaculture Group meetings. http://permaculturetownsville.org

Townsville’s Community Gardens
Visit or help out at one of Townsville's community gardens:

  • Upper Ross Community Garden - Meets regularly for get togethers and working bees. Upper Ross Community Centre, 1143 Riverway Drive, Rasmussen, ph 4774 0144.
  • Rowes Bay Sustainability Education Centre, Permaculture Demonstration Garden – Townsville City Council Depot, Cape Pallarenda Road, Rowes Bay. Contact the Townsville City Council for access times and associated information, ph 4727 9000.
  • Ross Island Food Forest – Established in 1994 and presently self sustaining. Located on one acre of council land, corner block of 1st Avenue and Fifth Street, Railway Estate. To find out more about the history and food plants you can find at the site visit - http://permaculturetownsville.org/?page_id=54 and then pop by and check it out yourself.
  • Townsville Diversity Community Garden – Yates Street, Railway Estate. Providing a showcase of traditional gardening practices from people’s country of origin and a place of harmony for all diverse peoples. The garden has become inclusive to people with disabilities, seniors and other groups who are marginalised within our society. Drop by and have a look or for information on how to get involved contact Townsville City Council, ph 4727 9000.
  • JCU Food Garden - At concept stage. To get involved contact Kristen.
  • Belgian Gardens Community Garden  - At concept stage. To get involved contact Diana Condylas (e: herbgal77@yahoo.com.au; m: 0414 228 050 or Dave Goode, Manager PCYC Castle Hill (e: dave.goode@pcyc.org.au; ph 4772 3883)

Join the Permablitz Team

Want to learn more and get help in setting up and / or maintaining a vegie patch at your place? Permaculture Townsville’s permablitz team may be able to assist. The initiative involves Permaculture Townsville members going to the designated home and helping them to design and build an edible/sustainable garden. Materials are supplied by the homeowner and the group group imparts knowlege and physical labour. Participate in three permablitz's and qualify for a permablitz at your place! Interested? Contact Blake Hudson (e: info@permaculturetownsville.org)

Permaculture Workshops
To find out about upcoming local permaculture workshops (including notes from past workshops) – visit http://permaculturetownsville.org

Aquaponic Gardens - Backyard Aquaponics have aquaponics systems available for people to have a look at on most weekends. Please email first - jaymie@backyardaquaponics.com

What basic info might I want to know before starting to grow my own food in Townsville?

Do you know....

  • Townsville is in the dry tropics and has irregular rainfall ie only an average 65 days of rain per year, compared to average 200 days of rain in most Australian cities! 
  • What grows well in Townsville’s dry tropical climate? and when should I plant it? More info coming soon
  • Tropical vegetables and fruits can be grown year round in Townsville, but many people who live in Townsville are not aware of what can be successfully grown or how to confidently cook/eat many of these tropical vegetables and fruits.  More info coming soon.
  • What can I do to prepare my plot? Soil improvement for Townsville soils / No dig gardens / Balcony Gardens – More info coming soon
  • Tips for getting started – More info coming soon

Tips...

Documentaries

The following documentaries have been suggested by Food for Thought members as being worth seeking out and viewing:

  • Food Inc
  • The end of the line
  • The Future of Food
  • The world according to Monsanto
  • Home
  • Foodmatters

Other complementary initiatives in Townsville

Permaculture in Schools initiative – under development – if you are interested in school health, school gardens, nutrition education in schools and would like to do something about it please contact Lyn to collaborate.

Australian Institute of Landscape Architects (www.aila.org.au) hosted a presentation in Townsville in April 2010 on the topic: PRODUCTIVE LANDSCAPES:  A Theoretical and Practical Discussion on the Integration of Food Production in the Retrofitting of our Built Environment to achieve greater sustainability. A local contact for AILA is Renee Jezard, Senior Landscape Architect - RSP Group (Email renee renee.jezard@rpsgroup.com.au )

The MINDD Foundation have information and DVDs and host seminars about nutrition and healing foods. Visit  www.mindd.org. Contact Rhonda Muller for information and activities available from the MINDD Foundation in Townsville (rhonda.muller@bigpond.com).

Townsville Eco-Business Directory - a comprehensive list of small eco-friendly businesses that can be found right here in Townsville. Some are online businesses, some have a shop-front and others have consultants who come to you. To view the directory visit http://www.ecosavvy.com.au/services/EcoBusinessDirectory

Sustainable Townsville – Learn about a wide variety of local sustainability initiatives facilitated by the Townsville City Council in collaboration with local business and community groups – www.soe-townsville.org/sustainable

Carbon Townsville Community Cluster – A network of like minded entities and individuals committed to progressing the vision of a sustainable Townsville. The cluster comprises and invites entities or individuals who believe that by collaborating, Townsville: can make a real difference in the abatement of offsetting of carbon emissions; has the potential to act as a hub for carbon trading for all of Australia; can reduce the carbon footprint for the North Queensland region to neutral; can become known as "Carbon City" due to Townsville being internationally recognised as a leader in the move to a low carbon economy. To find out more or to become involved visit http:/www.carbontownsville.org

The North Queensland Conservation Council have produced a poster called 'Its the Little Things' promoting everyday practices that will help North Queensland housholds to reduce their ecological and carbon footprints. Tips cover Food, Staying Cool, Energy Efficeincy, and Living Lighter. All of the practices in the poster have been selected because they will help your family to save money and also don't cost anything to implement. Visit www.nqcc.org.au for further info.

Sustainable House Day – A once a year opportunity (September annually) to visit some of Townsville’s more sustainable homes and talk to the owners about what they’ve done. In 2010, several of the houses featured home grown produce. For descriptions of the homes that opened their doors to the public in Townsville in 2010 visit:  www.ecosavvy.com.au

Where can I learn more about National & Global Food Issues

www.truefood.org.au - an Australian site which often has on-line petitions that you can sign for food related issues being presented to parliament etc

www.sustainableseafood.org.au - The Australian Marine Conservation Society's excellent Sustainable Seafood Guide. 

Food for Thought Business Directory

Companies and organisations presently represented in the Food for Thought community include: VRM (www.vrm.org.au), Thermomix (www.thermomix.com.au), Green Ur Life (www.greenurlife.com.au), Squeeze Me Juice Bar, Coffee Dominion, The Balcony Restaurant, Sprout Greener Grocers (www.sproutonline.net.au) , Blue Water Organics (bluewaterorganics@bigpond.com), Neways Group (www.neways.com.au), ecoSAVVY (www.ecoSAVVY.com.au), Urban Farmer Up North (www.urbanfarmerupnorth.com), Backyard Aquaponics (www.backyardaquaponics.com), MINDD Foundation. Please let us know if we've missed your business.

Thanks to

  • Everyone who is coming along to Food for Thought Meetings and contributing their thoughts, ideas and enthusiasm.
  • Everyone who is being active forwarding Food for Thought Group aligned initiatives – collectively it’s amazing how much we are achieving.
  • Diana Condylas (e: herbgal77@yahoo.com.au; m: 0414 228 050), Tonielle Christensen (e: tonielle_c@hotmail.com; m: 0422 068 995) and Leon Van Wyk (leonvanwyk.rasta@gmail.com) for taking on the role of organising the Food for Thought monthly meetings.
  • Sgt Dave Goode Manager of the PCYC Castle Hill for allowing us to use the Rainbow Room for our meetings and partnering with us on projects.

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