This is my first time attending a volunteer camp. Having been involved as a volunteer with Bhumi Horta Foundation since 2020, I was given the opportunity to participate in the Peace Across the Sea Program in 2025. This program allowed me to participate in online training and a workcamp in Australia.
Tallong, now dominated by farms, was once an apple orchard. A devastating fire in 1965 left the once-abandoned apple orchards completely barren. Although the fire was eventually brought under control, it destroyed almost all of the apple orchards in the Tallong area.
Local communities have attempted to replant apple trees and restore their orchards to their former glory, but have encountered a persistent problem. The problem is that the soil fungus, which previously protected the established apple trees from viruses and diseases, is now attacking the smaller trees. Newly planted apple seedlings often become infected by the fungus and die within weeks or even days.
The tradition of holding a festival in Tallong, NSW, Australia, dates back a long time. This festival invites people from the surrounding area to celebrate the apple harvest. It also serves as a community gathering place to showcase local talent.
The Tallong area is no longer known for its apple orchards. It’s now filled with farms raising livestock like sheep, cattle, and goats. In recent years, a special committee has been formed to organize the Tallong festival. This year, in collaboration with IVP Australia, I had the opportunity to volunteer at the festival alongside volunteers from Cambodia, Vietnam, Australia, Mexico, Russia, and Germany.
Our workcamp lasted for two weeks, from September 22 to October 4, 2025. The first week, we spent preparing the equipment needed for the festival, from clearing tables to checking the venue. On the first weekend, we met many people at the Tallong Apple Day festival. Prior to the event, we prepared the apples for display. Currently, apples are produced in orchards within the buffer zone around Tallong.
In our free time, we participate in activities around the memorial park. There’s a small forest designated for environmental preservation. The resident wombats are often chased away, but they keep returning. Therefore, the local community has provided a place for them to live. There’s also a nearby site that offers a glimpse into the area’s history and the fire heroes who helped combat the devastating fires that once struck the area.
The volunteers and I also had the opportunity to visit a local farm and spend time with the local community. I will cherish the memories of this volunteer camp.
