Thank you to everyone who stopped by our stall and shared their thoughts, experiences and ideas. We were excited to see so much interest in the campaign, with more than 50 people signing up to support it and stay involved. It was a great start for our campaign, getting attention and positive responses from decionmakers too.

What stayed with us most were the conversations.

We heard from many people who simply love trees. People shared stories about favourite trees in their neighbourhoods and expressed sadness when mature trees are removed. It was a reminder that trees aren't just infrastructure – they are part of the character of our communities and the places people feel connected to.

On the other hand, families spoke about how difficult it can be to find shaded places for children to play. Others shared concerns about hotter streets, and how new developments often don't seem to be planned with enough greenery.

One conversation that really stood out was with a young man who showed us the scars on his leg from skin grafts. After suffering a heart attack, he received CPR on hot concrete. The CPR saved his life, but the concrete was so hot that it caused severe burns.

Others living with disabilities told us how much they struggle with the heat every day.

These conversations remind us that we often think about heat in terms of our own comfort and tolerance. But a resilient and inclusive community is one that considers the needs of everyone.

Greening our communities isn't just about making places look nicer. It's about creating cooler, safer places where people and nature can thrive.

The strong support we received at Eco Fiesta shows that our community understands the value of planning for a greener, shadier future.

If you'd like to learn more & support the campaign, you can find the details here.

And we'd love to hear from you: What concerns do you see around greening in North Queensland that better policies or planning could help fix?

A big thank you as well to our wonderful volunteers who spent the day talking to hundreds of people about the campaign. We couldn't have done it without you.