Join local poets, including David Brooks, whose latest poetry collection has been shortlisted for the Prime Minister's Literary Awards, followed by an Open Mic, to share poetry that inspires us all to 'raise the bar' for nature on World Animal Day: an international day of action for animal rights and welfare that marks its 100th birthday in 2025.

We'll share delicious plant-based food and great company as we launch a few weeks of action, including the launch of the Community Dinner Club, and culminating in our inaugural Food Security Fair at the Planetary Health Centre on Saturday 18th October.

About David Brooks

David has published several novels, collections of short fiction and of poetry, and works on the rights of non-human animals. He is an honorary Associate Professor of Australian Literature at the University of Sydney, and was for twenty years co-editor of Southerly. He lives in the Upper Mountains with rescued sheep. His latest book The Other Side of Daylight: New and Selected Poems is one of the five shortlisted poetry collections for this year’s Prime Minister's Literary Awards, the winners of which will be announced in late September. The judges wrote: ‘Brooks is a poet of great ingenuity whose contribution to Australian poetry is proven, via this volume, to be indispensable.’

A Tribute to Christine Townend

At Raising the Bar we'll also pay tribute to Christine Townend, a Leura-based poet, artist, author and a pioneer of the contemporary animal rights movement. She co-founded Animal Liberation in 1976 and Animals Australia in 1980. She spent two decades helping animals in India where she and her husband Jeremy also founded two animal shelters. Upon her return to Australia, she obtained her doctorate in creative writing at the University of Sydney under David Brooks’ supervision. In 2019 she was awarded the Order of Australia for her contributions to animal protection. Christine died on 15 August 2025.

RELATED EVENTS

The Community Dinner Club: 12th October 12pm-2pm

Junction 142, 142 Katoomba St, Katoomba

Bookings essential

Tickets: https://events.humanitix.com/dinner-club-luncheon

The Plant Inspired project and Leura Uniting Church are starting monthly community lunches with the aim of bringing together members of local groups, organisations, and the wider (local) public for a relaxed and welcoming meal.

The food is plant-based and delicious, supporting our shared values around planetary sustainability.

The lunches will be held on the Second Sunday of each month, 12pm-2pm, at Junction 142, 142 Katoomba St., Katoomba.

Inquiries: 0434 691 496 (Teya), 0400 191 880 (Myung)

The Food Security Fair: 18th October

Image: Eat Weeds stall at our 2024 Planetary Health Day

The Food Security Fair will bring together speakers, workshops, foragers, seed savers and plant growers, to share how we can improve local food security as well as our health and the health of the planet, by seed sharing, food growing, foraging and learning more ways to prepare plant based foods.

If you'd like to be involved in the Food Security Fair contact planetaryhealth@bmcc.nsw.gov.au or ring Lis on 0407 437 553.