Victorian Congress 2025
Women Changing the Climate
A festival of women leading climate action
Dja Dja Wurrung Country, Castelmaine, Victoria
28-30 March 2025
PROGRAM
(DRAFT - watch this space for updates)
Friday March 28, 2025
Coming together (optoinal activities)
Note: These activities all at your own cost
Wear purple green and white ribbons to identify yourself as participants start arriving, and as a celebration of our brave suffragist great grandmothers.
A casual day potentially with guided walks in some of the bushlands around the town to observe, to reflect, to absorb. Kaweka nature park in Kaweka street, Castlemaine, guided walk at 2.30 on Friday 28th
Lunch at a Saff’s café 64 Mostyn Street, Castlemaine where arrivals can gather and meet up. Watch for the purple, green and white ribbons.
Visit to Buda, an historical house and gallery where six sisters lived and created art and metal work. The venue has a shop but no café, lovely garden, very women-centred.
Entry fee: $12 Adult; $10 Concession. Open 12 to 4pm
6.30pm – Dinner at the Railway Hotel, 65 Gingell Street, Castlemaine
Saturday March 29, 2025
Castlemaine Town Hall, 25 Lyttleton Street, Castlemaine
Day 1 - Challenging the status quo
In foyer - stalls, art and book displays/sales etc.
8.30 am Arrive, register and settle in and view the art display of pieces brought by participants.
9.30am Introductions; Acknowledgement or Welcome to Country; getting to know each other brief activities.
10.00 am - Keynote address - why are we here (TBC)
10.30 am - 1 pm
WCC workshop about the WCC Charter for Change and its relevance/application to the issues of the climate.
1:00pm Lunch Break (TBA)
2:00 - 5.00 pm Afternoon – Activities
Keynote speakers/ presentations/Panel addressing issues of women challenging the status quo.
Local, national and international perspectives
Some creative aspects, small groups meeting with a variety of interests. Sharing circles, b
5.00pm Move to the botanical gardens, 9 Parker street, Castlemaine.
Enjoy the 6 kilometre flat path around the gardens, look for the guides wearing purple green and white ribbons to assist you to then head up to the less formal area and spend some time there in deep reflection and quiet contemplation.
Bring a cushion, blanket, rug etc.
6.00pm A meal together, catered in the town hall.
Participants, bring your musical instrument and voice and perform if you wish, there will be also be some group singing.
Serious (Trivial) Pursuits (you need to know your Charter to play this game.) Finish with sacred circle dancing until 9.30pm.
Sunday March 30, 2025
Castlemaine Town Hall, 25 Lyttleton Street, Castlemaine
Day 2 - Working towards outcomes - changing the status quo
8.30 am arrive, settle in, viewing art displays etc. Talking with new made friends and contacts
9.30am Working towards the outcomes – discussion groups on activism principles re learning about speaking your messages of climate concerns to your communities, to your MP’s etc. How to take the experience of this weekend to your own community and maintain the efforts.
Making TiKToK social media videos and/or designing/sending letters postcards to Ministers MPs.
11.00 am Break
11.30 am – Continue as above
1.00 pm Lunch
2.00 pm Farewell discussions where to from here for the WCC, then
3.00 pm Finish with group meditative dance based on Enya’s music, Watermark.
Farewell.