Bermagui preschool community celebrates winter solstice with fiery evening at Moodji Farm

The grand looking fire ring and pinnacle were put together through a community effort thanks to Indigenous artist Cheryl Davidson who helped put together the sand mandala, local TV personality Paul West, children from the preschool, and students from Narooma High School.

During Moodji farm's seniors week celebration, seniors were invited come and work with the pre-schoolers to make the pinch pot candles used in the lanterns, and a workshop with Cheryl Davidson showed them how to make the strings for the wicks using native grasses.

The beeswax used in the lanterns was also locally produced - sourced from Brogo's Adrian Iodice who runs his business Naturally Beekeeping. If Moodji Farm's own bees hadn't perished during the summer, the wax would have been produced on site.

Kylie Eastwood from Eastwood's created delicious warming vegetable soups on the evening using produce harvested around a week ago from Moodji Farm by its dedicated group of volunteers. Crusty bread to accomp0any the soup was also supplied on the night thanks to Bermagui business, Honorbread.

Dan Bakker from Eat Dirt Permaculture who helps manage Moodji Farm and has been running winter solstice events for over 10 years said next year he would like to see the event made into an even bigger community celebration on the Bermagui foreshore.

Mr Bakker said the event was also held to initiate the cultural fire circle project at Moodji Farm, which would create a fire circle design using mosaic technique through using paving and tiles over the next few months.

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The event was co-funded through grant funding from the NSW Seniors Festival Grants Program, the Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal drought resilience program, and the Regional Arts NSW's Country Arts Support Program.