Grassroots Festival

Grassroots Festival is an immersive, boots on the ground, hands in the soil, two day event. The main event will be hosted on the 12th and 13th of February in Montumana, at Gunningham Family Farms, with an additional learning day after the Festival on the 14th (ticketed separately). Grassroots Festival 2025 will be covering a range of topics including soil health, alternative and diverse pasture species, livestock health, farm forestry, farmers stories, carbon and renewable energy. There will be various demonstration sites on the day, hosted by experts to provide interpretation.

Programme (Subject to Change):

12th February: Bus Tour of Soils and Pasture Species.

The bus tour will include two stops to local farms demonstrating progressive methods in sustainable farming. These farms have been selected based on their ability to showcase how they harness ecologically beneficial practices to make their business more robust and resilient. 

Stop 1: David Roberts Thompson’s Farm, Table Cape, Wynyard.  (https://www.nuffield.com.au/davidrobertsthompson2024) 

Stop 2: Elliot Research Farm, Elliot.  (https://www.utas.edu.au/tia/research/smart-farms)

The bus tour finishes with an evening screening of Roots so Deep (https://rootssodeep.org/), followed by a q&a with Director Peter Byck, for the bus tour participants, speakers and any others attending the Grassroots Festival. 

13th February: Main Event (programme subject to change). 

Demonstration Sites: 

Soil Pit: Hosted By Cradle Coast NRM

Rainfall Simulator: Hosted by Vic No Till

Dung Beetles and Earthworms: Hosted by Cradle Coast NRM

Trees on Farms: Hosted By Private Forests Tas

Mixed Species Pastures: Hosted by Ardent Seeds & Robin Tait 

Deferred Grazing: Hosted by Gunningham Farms

Renewable Power: Hosted by Gener8

Safe to Fail Grazing Site: Hosted by RANT