Hello Activators !

Welcome to Activate Westdale 2024 private page.

  We can’t wait to spend one final magical weekend together for the Activate 2024 planting season!

ARE YOU READY??? 

Well, grab your camping gear and start packing for our most special Activate of the year. We are pumped to share this event with you and plant another 20,000 trees.

Here’s some important information for you to look at prior to the event. Please stick with us here. There’s serious stuff and some very important information about the event.

Firstly! Let’s get the serious stuff out of the way 

We need some details from you! If you haven’t filled in accurately your details when buying your tickets, please follow the link to your tickets sent by Humanitix and update the details. We are all volunteers and we need this information to look after you as best as we can. Doing this prior to the event means we can save printing out the forms and doing it manually – which uses up our time and trees

COVID – If you are feeling unwell with COVID symptoms, or any other illness, please do not attend, and let us know. Not only do we need to have the amount of people to plant the trees, but we also have a long waitlist of people wanting to attend. So give us a call and please let us know so we can find someone to fill your spots. Camping in the Wheatbelt is not fun if you are feeling unwell so don’t try and talk yourself into it.

At the event we will have some RAT tests available and a first aid team. Should you start feeling unwell or suspect COVID, please present to the crew for assistance.

Site OHS – We are being welcomed onto a private property for this event. We ask all attendees to be respectful and follow the crew’s directions on-site and abide by signage and barriers put in place to reduce access to areas. There is some big machinery around the site to watch out for.

VEHICLE MOVEMENT – There will be lots of vehicles moving around the site, especially at the beginning of the event as everyone arrives. There is a ONE-WAY system in place and a crew to assist you. Drive VERY SLOWLY & with your lights on. You will not need your vehicle for the rest of the weekend.
Above all, please KEEP AN EYE ON CHILDREN, especially when reversing, and warn them about the vehicle movements. During the weekend and on the field particularly, we have strict protocols, in-house systems in place and above all, dedicated drivers. So please just relax and let us do the driving.

CAMPFIRES – No fires are permitted by campers. There will be central fires maintained by the organisers. Please do not touch the fire, put on firewood, or start your own fire. There will be a safe zone marked around the fire. Please inform your children not to go any closer to the fire than the safety zone and keep an eye on them around the fire. 

RURAL – We are in a rural area. Phone & internet are limited. Please make sure you have written down the directions prior to leaving Perth and when you are at the event do not venture off. For your safety, please let the crew know if you have to leave the main group. 

FIRST AID –  We are grateful to have a dedicated first aid team who will assist you if you require. They are wearing PINK high-visibility vests. You will meet them on Friday Night during our opening speeches. The crew wearing GREEN high-visibility also all have radios and can assist you too. If you have any medically important information that will help us assist you in an emergency please talk to a crew member. Your information will be kept as need to know only.

First aid kit locations:

• Info/Merch desk in the central area of the campsite
• Tree Planting Marquee
• First aiders have small kits on them. They will be spread out throughout the field
• At night, the main first aider’s camp will be signed up and decorated with fairy lights
• Emergency vehicles will be clearly marked (campsite and field)

GENERAL SAFETY – This event is entirely run by volunteers, we work very hard to bring you these unique Tree Planting Music Festivals, jam-packed with love, music, amazing food, and community. Our budgets are very low and our event management is as perfect as it can be. Please keep an eye out for children (and big children) for general safety. If you see something we have missed – please let us know so we can remove the risk. Everyone has a part to play at this event and we appreciate all extra eyes and ears to keep us with our mission of planting trees.

Now, on to the JUICY DETAILS!

What do I do when I arrive?
Our friendly team at the entrance will greet you from 2pm on Friday. They’ll check you in, ask you about your camping setup and direct you in. There are 2 camping areas: a tents area, and a vehicle/caravan. Follow the signs and directions from the crew wearing high-viz.

If you are camping in a tent, you’ll get to the campsite and a “luggage drop-off team” will  help you unload your gear and find a site. If you arrive at the peak time, you’ll need to move your car onto the parking zone quickly so there’s not a queue backing up.

If camping with a camp trailer or caravan you’ll be directed to a different area to camp. (note there is no personal access to water or power for your caravan)

Once you’ve setup your camp, head down to the central area where you’ll be welcomed by everyone else and a warm fire. Dinner will be served and there’ll be music.

An official welcome from the Crew will happen after dinner around 7:30pm.

What do I need to bring? 

*Please label all your belongings. We always end up with a huge lost property pile.

• Camping equipment – tent or small vehicle preferred, but the site is accessible to caravans and motorhomes too. 
• Good boots/shoes for walking & tree planting. If it has rained and can be very muddy. Gumboots or at least waterproof shoes are highly recommended. 
• Warm clothes – it might be t-shirt weather during the day but it gets VERY COLD at night. A thick coat, lots of thick socks, and a beanie are essential.
• Plate, bowl, cup/mug, knife, fork & spoon. You are responsible for your own washing up and looking after your own eating utensils. Bring these down to the hall for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
• Tupperware – it’s always handy to pack some of the yummy snacks our Kitchen Witches are brewing for you and to take them with you to the field. 
• Water Bottle – we have water to refill it.
• Sunscreen/moisturiser/lip balm – YES ALWAYS – windburn, sunburn, and lots of dancing mean you’ll want a chapstick at the ready in your pocket. 
• Torch – yes, please! The campsite is not well lit. You’ll need a torch to get to and from your tent and moving around at night. 
• Bathers – well yes, if you are game, there is a small dam ~5 minute walk from the camp site if you want a cold dip!
• Towels – yes, showers will be available
• Some cash $$ – shameless plug for some merch we will have. We are not sure if there’s enough internet to make our card payment machine work. But we are happy to receive cold hard cash donations in exchange for merch. 
• Musical instruments, games, face paint, eco-glitters, and all your paraphernalia for a magical weekend
• And that’s it
• Oh, Activate love animals, but please, DO NOT BRING YOUR DOG (or other animals) to the event.

Good ideas to help your fellow campers 😀

• Does your tent have lots of guidelines? Get some fairy lights to lessen the chance of a late-night stumble onto your tent.
• Get cold tootsies at night? Bring a hot water bottle and we’ll fill it for you before bed to help keep you toasty warm.
• Dry lips? Again… because this one has caught us all out more than once.

Questions about the event? 

Please do not hesitate to reach out, we will respond as fast as possible:
letsplant@activatetreeplanting.org.au

 Facebook messenger 

MEETING TIME AND PLACE 

Please arrive from 2pm onwards on Friday 12th July at 2156 Westdale Road, Dale.

Activate Signage will be out on the last few major turns.

PROGRAM OF EVENTS 

This is just a guide to what we have planned. Due to the weather, COVID, tree planting progress (yes, this depends on you) the program is subject to change. Tree planting is our priority so the flow will revolve around this. But we promise it will remain awesome, full of good food, music, lots of fun and losts of smiles. 

Just keep an eye on the programs plastered on the walls and your ears open to our MCs who will keep you posted as we go along.

FRIDAY 12 July 2024

• • 14.00-20.00: Arrival on site / tents set up
  • 19.00-20.00: Dinner
  • 20.00: Opening Ceremony / Welcome to Country and dance performance by crew from Maambart and Nop (Father and Sons) / Introductions / House keeping 
  • 21.00: Chill music 

** if you arrive after 20.30, the kitchen will be closed, so please ensure your own dinner **

SATURDAY 13 July 2024

• 7.00: Morning Stretches
• 7.30-8.30: Breakfast
• 08.30: Briefing 
• 9.00: Departure to planting site (5 minute walk)
• In the field: OHS / Tree planting induction / equipment distribution.
• 9.00 to 16.00: Tree planting on site
• Morning tea, lunch and arvo tea will be served on site
• 19.00-20.00: Dinner
• Celebrations, live music and party

SUNDAY 14 July 2024

• 8.30-9:30: Breakfast
• * potential planting of any leftover trees*
• Pack up
• 11:30: Closing ceremony 
• c. 12.30: Lunch

Phew – nearly there!! The last and most important bit

We would like to thank Trillion Trees for supporting Activate Tree Planting, and providing the 20,000 seedlings for this event. Did you know that Activate was “born” at Trillion Trees (formerly Men of the Trees)? Well, it is wonderful to mark yet another year of partnership with our mother organisation.

Our gratitude also goes to Darren, landowner, who is welcoming us with generosity and excitement!

Finally, we also pull our hats to Noongar Land Enterprise – the first Aboriginal grower group in Australia – who have lovingly grown the seedlings for this event. At their nursery in Northam they employ Noongar youth, providing them with training and job opportunities.

Now… get excited, get packing and we’ll see you at Westdale VERY SOON! 

The Activate Tree Planting Crew