2005 - 2006 Campaigns

Aurora's Campaigns from 2005 to 2006

2006 Melbourne Sustainable Living Festival

AURORA 101 AND ITS WHEELED FRIENDS STRUT THEIR SUSTAINABLE STUFF
Melbourne's Sustainable Living Festival

17-19 February, 2006

The remarkable and ever growing organisation the Sustainable Living Foundation staged their fourth and best yet Sustainable Living Festival at Melbourne's stunning Federation Square 17-19 February 2006.

The theme is to push against waste, to live with a lighter footprint, to show practical concern about saving disappearing resources and above all to show that all these pursuits can also be fun.

No doubt the attendance figure of 120,000 from 2005 was broken. You could sense this in the bigger crowds, in the more focused questions and the enthusiasm displayed by the many exhibitors.

The display of Aurora 101 and friends
The display of Aurora 101 and friends

The world famous Aurora 101 solar super car was back for its third year at the festival. This time it came back with friends. The stylish single seat electric car 'Eagle' from Chisholm Institute and the super competitive racing HPV 'Firetruck' from Berwick Secondary College. Our display complemented the new Honda Civic hybrid which itself proudly explained its roots in the series of Honda 'Dream' solar cars from 1990 to 1996.

For the real sustainees there were stalls for organic vegetarian dishes, pedal powered fruit smoothies and many forms in which used tyres could live again.

Pedalled fruit smoothies Organic vegetarian lunches
Pedalled fruit smoothies Organic vegetarian lunches
Beautifully recycled rubber
Beautifully recycled rubber

The champions of cycle power had a field day. Many derivatives were on display. Recumbents, 4-wheelers, dual seaters, semi-trailers and work benches. We liked the professionalism of Ben Goodall and his company Trisled with a great range of well built recumbents on display and for sale. Ben is keen to see a Melbourne attempt on the one hour speed record for pedal power which presently stands at 86 km/h.

Ben Goodall of Trisled
Ben Goodall of Trisled

The bikers have a great hearing in the city of Melbourne which itself is trying to stream the flow of cars within its precincts to avoid being choked. Aurora member Darren Trafford joined the bike riders turning up on one to do stand duty. Other weekends he spends as a flag marshal around Victoria's major car racing tracks. 

Four wheel drive plus mobile phone Bikes rule
Four wheel drive plus mobile phone Bikes rule
Darren on his bike
Darren on his bike

Tim Wardrop, another Aurora member is a true bike enthusiast as well as being in training for the next Frisbee world championships. Tim who has just moved from Sydney, had the pleasure of meeting Mick Malthouse, coach of the Collingwood Football Club.

Tim with Collingwood Football Club coach, Mick Malthouse
Tim with Collingwood Football Club coach, Mick Malthouse

Top question about the solar car this year was 'how do you get in?' The children kept looking underneath the smooth solar car for some sort of trap-door device. Sure its not easy to get in through the liftable hatch but some of the long legs were ridiculous.

Yep we are going solar Just too tall to fit
Yep we are going solar Just too tall to fit

The most interesting challenge came from the famous Irish and Dublin based human rights counsel Brendan Kilty. Perhaps attracted by the fact that one of Aurora's major sponsors is Australia's largest law firm, Minter Ellison, Brendan and his son Denis engaged the Aurora members in a serious discussion about 'the Irish solar car'. It doesn't exist as yet but we had the feeling that it might well happen when the Kiltys return to Ireland. The aim? Compete in the incredible solar car rally being planned for 2008 prior to the next Olympics; Olympia, Greece to Beijing, China. We suggested that the Irish entry should be named 'Mary Aurora O'Reilly'.

New Aurora member Denis Kilty from Dublin International Human Rights Counsel, Brendan Kilty
New Aurora member Denis Kilty from Dublin International Human Rights Counsel, Brendan Kilty

The Berwick HPV 'Firetruck' had its high school following. Aurora team member, Daniel Mills, is on the Firetruck team and was just as big an attraction as the HPV itself.

Pedallers view from inside 'Firetruck' Just what is the attraction; maybe Daniel
Pedallers view from inside 'Firetruck' Just what is the attraction; maybe Daniel

Don Elliott, well known for his expertise in composites construction as well as the design of the beautiful Chisholm 'Eagle' electric car, talked himself hoarse. Just everyone loved the shape and size of 'Eagle'.

Schoolies mob the 'Eagle' Don Elliott with his creation
Schoolies mob the 'Eagle' Don Elliott with his creation

We liked seeing Bill Bennett, Aurora team member on the ATA [Alternative Technologies Association] stand. Bill himself has made several volunteer trips to East Timor on volunteer technology ventures. We also liked the many solar power companies such as Going SolarSolarshopSolarcharge and Solaszone. Leading Australian manufacturer and exporter of solar hot water systems Solahart had a comprehensive stand.

ATA against the Melbourne skyline
ATA against the Melbourne skyline

Aurora thanks and complements the Sustainable Living Foundation for staging this timely and relevant festival. Now if we could move some of these energy misers into the Melbourne International Motor Show?! Maybe in 2007.

elbourne gets ready for the Commonwealth Games in March
Melbourne gets ready for the Commonwealth Games in March
Syndicate content