By Tanya Faulkner
Knox locals saw the kick-start of a community of their own.
On a day where the shone peeked through the clouds and the rain stayed at bay, hundreds of local residents and visitors from around the state trekked through the hills for the Kallista Revitalisation festival.
The day saw the return of the well-loved Kallista Market, which boasted 57 stalls to reignite the flame for shopping locally, including five youth stalls and eight community organisations taking part in the efforts.
Not only did the market showcase its own revitalisation, many local business owners said the event was a way for them to reboot their own businesses back into the community, bringing new opportunities to several locals over the weekend.
The vibe of the event was very positive, with a noticeable buzz in the air amongst the offerings of market stalls and activities throughout the day.
Alongside the return of the market, locals had the opportunity to get up close and personal inside the Kallista – The Patch CFA during their open day.
The local CFA recently released their first cookbook as part of ongoing fundraising efforts, with a range of ‘Recipes that won’t burn your house down’, which were on display and available for the community to grab their own copy in support of the fiery’s.
Kallista Primary School opened up their green bringing more interactive activities for the families in attendance, with opportunities to hold lizards and snakes, donkey rides and lots of games to keep the kids entertained.
The hit of the festival was the range of live entertainment on offer throughout the day, from local aboriginal sounds and dances, the Dandenong Ranges Music Council’s Young Strings, and other eye-catching entertainers.
Several local food, coffee and beverage vendors were on site across Kallista, making sure everyone at the festival was well taken care of.
Overall the community enjoyed a positive revitalisation of the village, coming together in celebration of their home and what it has to offer in the Hills.
