Young people from across Victoria have descended on the Surf Coast for a unique live music and sustainability-focused event organised by a group of Lorne students.
Lorne P-12 College student Sophie Larcombe is a member of the VCAL class which coordinated 'Lorne on the Lawn' on Friday 28 October, welcoming about 600 peers from 15 schools across the state.
"We wanted to hold a celebration after the two years we'd had with COVID," Sophie said. "It's been a difficult two years, being in and out of school. We thought it would be good to have an opportunity to socialise with other schools again, and have that human interaction we've missed.
"We started organising the event in March and we brainstormed who we should invite. We were ambitious, and decided to put on a massive event - the bigger, the better. We also thought the event should focus on the UN Global Goals for sustainable development, and what people attending can do to help achieve them."
The environmental and music festival - supported by Surf Coast Shire Council's Youth Development Team - welcomed sustainability-themed stall holders, school bands, and a headline performance by alternative pop-rock singer Hope D. It was held at Mantra Lorne - a late move to an indoor venue due to poor weather.
"It was an amazing event. One of the best things about hosting it in Lorne, is that people can see the beautiful scenery of the bush and the beach," Sophie said.
"The environment is a strong theme of the event. The UN Global Goals are what we want to reach by 2030, so each stall ties into the goals whether it be no poverty, zero hunger, climate action or gender equality."
The 18-year-old Moriac resident said the VCAL class had learnt valuable team-building and organisational skills the past seven months planning for the event. Personally, it has added to Sophie's event coordination skills she is gaining through a Certificate III in Business traineeship at Mantra Lorne.
"I'm hoping to finish the traineeship in the next year, then I'll have a year working as a grain test stand operator in the agricultural field before I start veterinary nursing in 2024, that's my goal."
Lorne on the Lawn is an applied learning project that allows for students' interests, passions and skills. Students were exposed to opportunities to use their leadership, organisational and problem solving skills in a real-life situation.
Lorne on the Lawn was supported by Victorian Government initiative FReeZA.
