Local Food Resilience Hub

• The Savannah Sun Foods story is grounded in Australia’s agri-business sector. Savannah convert research outcomes into viable commercial opportunities for Australian growers and uses its experience in agronomy, research, breeding, marketing and agribusiness development to connect the paddock to the plate.
• Based in Cairns, the Total Food Network supplies an extensive range of fresh produce, meat, small goods and dry goods to the retail and resource sectors, both domestically and overseas.

Charities & centres for emergency food relief

• The Pantry & the Wardrobe is dedicated to addressing the growing issue of food distress within our community. We witness firsthand the increasing need for low-cost food, clothing, and homewares, and we are committed to providing support to those in desperate circumstances.
• Involves a team of over 40 volunteers collecting and delivering over 3,000 kg of food each week. In partnership with Brothers Leagues Club, frozen meals are provided to people who are doing it tough.
• Hambledon House Food Pantry for all residents of Cairns South including Bentley Park, Edmonton, Gordonvale, Mt Sheridan, White Rock and Woree.
• Marlin Coast Neighbourhood Centre supplies emergency relief food parcels and has a community garden for Northern Beaches residents.
• Rosies – Friends on the Street aims to offer friendship and unconditional acceptance to those who are homeless, at risk of homelessness, or are experiencing social isolation or loneliness. When available, there may be pantry items, fresh fruit and vegetables, or other staples.
• The Salvation Army provides emergency food hampers.

Growing resources & ‘how to’ guides

• ABC Gardening Australia: Vege Guide for the Tropical Zone and garden resources
• Bush Tucker of the Wet Tropics
• Biodynamics FNQ provides resources for learning about biodynamics with an extensive list of links to further resource and events in FNQ.
• Cairns & District Beekeepers Association
• Feast of the Senses provides a ‘Tropical Fruit Guide’
• Permaculture Cairns
• Tropical Permaculture offers general information about permaculture and lists recommended fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices to grow in warm climates and tropical regions.

Online platforms in food systems change management

• Cairns Regional Council is a member of the Local Governments for Sustainability (ICLEI) global CITYFOOD Network, aiming to support the transition from global aspirations to tangible local food actions.
• Sharecity is a resource on food sharing, which is increasingly being identified as one transformative mechanism for sustainable cities: reducing consumption; conserving resources, preventing waste and providing new forms of socio-economic relations.
• Open Food Network (Australia)
• Cairns is also a role model city with the UNDRR’s Making Cities Resilient Programme 2030, which works towards growing strong resilience at all levels.

Food waste, rescue, recycling and  sustainability resources

• Compost Connect: Exercise your consumer power. Use the map to show your support for Compost Club members by dropping by for a coffee or a bite – these local businesses are championing the zero waste movement.
• Planet Ark's Recycling Near You: provides information about the environmental, social and economic impacts of sending food waste to landfill, as well as the benefits and ‘how-to’ of composting, worm farms and donating excess food.
• Council’s Waste Reduction and Recycling strategy builds on our past achievements and sets out how the waste and resource recovery needs of the Cairns region will be met from 2018-2027, providing a strategic direction for moving Cairns toward a future where landfills are the last option.

Business and social enterprise resources

• Social Enterprise Network for the Tropics (SENT) is a membership network of social enterprise stakeholders from across the Tropics. SENT believes that there are a range of issues and challenges that exist across the Tropics, and that social enterprises and social entrepreneurship can promote positive change in these areas. They further believe that social and ecological value can be created, enhanced and sustained by using a market orientation while maintaining a clear focus on the primary social and ecological goals of social enterprises.
• Taste Paradise Tropical North Queensland: Volunteer organisation run by the people who produce the food. Supported by government, the TNQ Regional Food Network includes the brand, Taste Paradise, established in 2012 to support and encourage trade in local produce and to grow the region's food and wine attractions.

• Australian Organic Schools program aims to increase student and educator awareness on Organic Principles and Practices and how they interact and impact on Environmental Systems. All resources are free.
• Junior Landcare provides schools with grant opportunities for Landcare activities including food production and gardening.
• Health and Wellbeing Queensland’s ‘Pick of the Crop’ initiative works with Queensland primary schools to boost school children’s consumption of vegetables and fruit through locally agreed school actions.
• Education is crucial to OzHarvest to help enable positive change. Our education goal is to strengthen community connections, improve life skills, and increase healthy eating and food waste awareness with a range of programs to inspire primary school kids, ‘at risk’ youth and families in need
• Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Program aims to bring good food into the school curriculum and culture of every school and early childhood service; to feed the minds, bodies and futures of all Australian children and young people.