Bellingen bakers will swap flour for feathers and fur next month, cooking up cakes shaped like the region’s most vulnerable animals and plants for a quirky community bake-off.
Bellingen Shire Council is hosting the Threatened Species Bake-off at the Memorial Hall studio on Monday, 7 September, calling on locals to get creative in the kitchen.
The event ties into national Threatened Species Day, with the bake-off competition having started in 2017 and now drawing entrants from across the country.
Bakers are asked to whip up a cake or sweet treat inspired by their favourite threatened plant or animal, with three categories up for grabs: under 15s, businesses, schools, agencies and groups, and an open community section.
Bellingen Shire Council Mayor Steve Allan said the event was a chance to shine a light on the work already happening across the shire to protect vulnerable species.
“Bringing this national event to the local level allows us to showcase some of the incredible work being done throughout the Shire by local landcare groups, not for profits, Aboriginal organisations and other environmental agencies to conserve threatened species,” Mayor Allan said.
“This is a great opportunity for people to put some colour and creativity into their threatened species cakes, whether they are an expert baker, a novice, or just wanting to give it a go to help us all get to know the plants and animals that need us most.”
Bellingen Shire is home to more than 130 threatened species, according to Council’s River and Biodiversity Officer Celeste Lymn.
“Council, alongside other agencies and groups, has an important role to play in protecting over 130 threatened species that call the Shire home,” Celeste Lymn said.
“The bake-off is a fun and educational way to get people engaged and thinking about our endangered plants and animals.
“Threatened species conservation will take all Australians to help, and a lot of the time, we don’t know what we are losing until it’s gone.”
An expert panel will also discuss the threats facing local species, with cake judging, morning tea and prizes on offer.
Bookings for bakers and attendees are open now at bellingen.nsw.gov.au.
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