Coal Loader announces Summer events line up

featured image

26 November 2025

As summer heats up, The Coal Loader has a diverse lineup of events, including the Christmas Markets, an Organic Gardening Series, Indigenous Cultural Tours, the Fix-it Hub and cooking classes. Let’s take a look at their sustainable summer line up: 

Christmas Artisans Market – Sunday, 7 December, 10am to 6pm

Discover the perfect unique gifts at our Christmas Artisans Market, featuring over 130 stalls Browse a wide array of handmade items, including art, ceramics, jewellery, fashion, textiles, eco-friendly products, and gourmet small-batch food and drinks

The market offers a fantastic day out for the whole family with live entertainment and free festive activities. The markets are a single-use plastic-free event. Guest are encouraged to bring keep cups, reusable water bottles, and cloth bags.

Free Drop-in Activities:

  • Slogue Circle (10am to 1pm): Youth-led hand-sewing collective for visible mending techniques, upcycling advice, and creative stitching guidance. Participants bring their own small-repair items or start a new project with materials provided
  • Retro Typewriter Station (10am to 1pm): Craft personalised Christmas cards and gift tags using vintage typewriters
  • Don Cape Crew Knot-Tying Workshop (10am to 6pm): Learn practical knot-making skills from experienced volunteers.
  • Fantasy Art Face Painting (10am to 6pm): Free festive face painting for children

Imperfectly Sustainable: Organic Gardening Series

Saturday 13 December – Worm Farming for Healthy Soil 

Saturday 17 January – Fruit Trees for Sydney Gardens 

Saturday 21 February – Bee Friendly Gardening 

A six-part organic gardening workshop series has three sessions over summer. The hands-on series addresses topics including composting, worm farming, fruit tree care, creating bee-friendly gardens, and organic pest management.

Indigenous Cultural Tour – Saturday 13 December, 10.30am

This summer, immerse yourself in the rich Aboriginal cultural history of the Coal Loader area with Koori Kinnections tours. The experience covers the Indigenous heritage of The Coal Loader Centre for Sustainability land, features a practical session with traditional tools, weapons, and resources, explores the significance of the on-site rock engraving, and includes a visit to the bush tucker garden, among other elements.

 

Fix-it Hub – Saturday 13 December, 10 January and 14 February, 10.30am to 1pm

Got something broken? Don’t toss it – fix it! The Fix-It Hub’s skilled volunteers offer free repairs on a variety of items (one per person, booking required) at the Coal Loader’s Mess Hall.

Seasonal Feasts: Summer Fancy – Saturday 14 February, 1pm to 3pm

A cooking class will focus on seasonal summer produce, offering participants hands-on experience with berries and stone fruits. The session will cover smart shopping, proper storage, and techniques for minimizing food waste. Attendees will also prepare a no-bake summer tart featuring a coconut, date, and nut base, citrus labneh, and seasonal fruit. The class is open to all skill levels. Tickets will be available starting January 31.