Climate Cafe

Join your local climate conversation

If you, like most Australians and most people in the world, are concerned about the impact of fossil fuel burning causing climate heating and increasingly deadly weather impacts, and you would like to learn more and connect with others in your community, come along to our Climate Café!

WHEN: Last Thursday of the month, 7:30pm
WHERE: Platform 3095 Café, 965 Main Road, Eltham (next to Eltham Train Station).
WHAT: Local (and further afield) subject experts and knowledgeable residents share their insights on a range of topics relating to our changing climate. Talks are followed by questions and discussion. All welcome!

2026 Climate Cafe – upcoming topics

February 26: Is a River Alive?
Emma Barnett, Yarra Riverkeeper Association

Join Emma for a journey along the Birrarung’s past, present, and future. Hear about what it means to see the Birrarung not just as a waterway, but as a living presence in our community, and how our relationship with it has shifted over time. You’ll also hear about what the Yarra Riverkeepers are doing to speak up for the river: caring for its ecosystems, teaching people about its significance, and helping others understand the simple actions they can take to protect this remarkable part of our landscape. If you’re curious about the river you’ve walked beside, picnicked by, or simply appreciated from afar, this session offers a warm invitation to deepen that connection—and learn how we can all help the Birrarung thrive.

About Emma:
Emma’s career path has been a colourful journey, full of totally different and bizarre experiences – and that’s exactly how she likes it. She began in film and television, pulling midnight shoots to track urban possums through Carlton Gardens and documenting the release of Tasmanian devils into their safe haven on Maria Island. Along the way, she designed school holiday programs for refugees and asylum seekers and helped build a social telephone service for people experiencing isolation at the Red Cross. Curiosity eventually pulled Emma back to university, where she studied conservation biology and genetics at Monash University. This led her into an adaptive evolution lab, researching how Australia’s native Mountain Pepper Berry has evolved over time (yes, plants can be dramatic too). Today, Emma brings all these threads together through lively conversations, community learning, and storytelling—helping people connect with the Birrarung (Yarra River) and working towards a future where the river is healthy, protected, and deeply loved.

March 26: Talking to Kids about Climate Change
Dr Aimee Maxwell, Pyschologist
April 30: Nurturing Local Biodiversity/Caring for Country
Jill Kellow, Friends of Moor-rul Grasslands, and Vicky Shukuroglou – Friends of Biodiversity: Hohnes Hill.
May 28: Innovative Housing
Teresa Dominik, Brougham St Co-housing Development
June 25: Environmental Sociology: Planetary Justice
Assoc. Prof. Rachel Busbridge (ACU)

If there is a topic you’d like to hear about, or a speaker with expertise you know who might like to present at this forum, please get in touch to discuss.

Climate Cafe is informal, friendly and everyone is welcome. Have a meal, or grab a drink or snack, or just join us for a stimulating talk and discussion. We look forward to seeing you there!

Climate Café events are held on the last Thursday of each month – same place, same time! Speakers on a range of topics start the discussion at each event.

Keep in touch and get reminders and details of Climate Cafe events and speakers, and other events – sign up to receive the NCAT Newsletter.

See all upcoming events at What’s On

Previous Climate Cafe topics

2025

#28 – November: The Aviation Industry and Climate Change – Geoff Collis (summary and slides)
#27 – October: Novel Crops – Dr Chris Williams (notes and slides)
#26 – September: North West Shelf Gas Project – Mitzi Tuke
#25 – August: The science behind climate change – Tim Davis
#24 – July: Gardens for a Warming Climate – Peter May
#23 – June: The State of the Forests: Where are we now? – Kinglake Friends of the Forest – Rosemary Storey
#22 – May: It’s all about us: Understanding people to protect the planet – Lily Van Eeden (RMIT)
#21 – April: Active Transport, Urban Planning and Sustainability – David Collis
#20 – March: Rebuilding Democracy to Solve the Climate Crisis – Sonia Rhandawa (Sortition Foundation)
#19 – February: Housing and Development in Nillumbik: A climate change perspective – Anne Nielsen, Eltham Community Action Group

2024

#18 – November: Fire Preparedness – Alice Gower
#17 – October: Climate Adaptation – Simon Kerr (La Trobe University)
#16 – September: Rewiring Australia – Natalie Bucknell (Clean Energy Nillumbik)
#15 – August: Environmental Principles in Building Design – Lynnsay Prunotto
#14 – July: Transport Decarbonisation – Liz Chase
#13 – June: Slow Fashion – Jodie Stevens
#12 – May: Electric Home Appliances – Natalie Bucknell
#11 – April: The Arts in the Environment Movement – Mitzi Tuke/Angela Davies
March: Nillumbik Climate Month
#10 – February: What’s with the food? – Vasundhara Kandpal

2023

#9 – November: Soil Health – Bev Middleton
#8 – October: Degrowth – Michaela Carter
#7 – September: Renewable Energy in the Home – Guy Palmer
#6 – August: Why I’m a Climate Optimist – Prof. Neville Nicholls
#5 – July: Deep Adaptation – Dr Aimee Maxwell
#4 – June: Why biodiversity is important for climate – Vicky Shukuroglou
#3 – May: Native Forests and climate change mitigation – Sue McKinnon
#2 – April: Energy Efficiency at home – Lucinda Flynn
#1 – March: Climate conversations as a way to build social change – Lisa Whiston

You can find summaries of these talks in our Newsletters.