A new solar-powered sound system has made its debut in Nowa Nowa, with the community celebrating the launch through a night of live music at the Nowa Nowa Hall.
The system, believed to be one of only two of its kind in Australia, was unveiled at an inaugural event hosted by community group Nowa Nowa Live on Friday, February 20.
More than 50 people attended the evening, where performers Sunday Lemonade and Jack Raymond entertained the crowd while the new sound and lighting setup proved its capabilities.
A core group of Nowa Nowa Live volunteers have now been trained to operate the system after receiving instruction from Wildlive Production upon its delivery.
“We would like to thank Alex from Wildlive Production for working with us for years and helping us achieve our goal of getting our very own community-owned, solar-powered PA sound system,” a Nowa Nowa Live spokesperson said.
“We look forward to bringing the community some really special events and future collaborations.”
The project was supported by the Gippsland Community Foundation, which provided a grant of more than $27,000 to fund the battery component of the system.
In addition to supporting live events, the battery storage is expected to boost community resilience, with the equipment able to power communication devices and other equipment during emergencies.
Nowa Nowa Live operates under the Visitor Economy Working Innovation Group, part of the broader Nowa Nowa Futures program. The program was established through the Victorian Government’s Forestry Transition Program to identify new employment opportunities and diversify industries in communities affected by the end of native timber harvesting.
While Nowa Nowa Live operates independently, its establishment was supported by the Community Development Fund secured through the Nowa Nowa Futures program, and it will continue to receive support through the initiative.
Looking ahead, members of the Nowa Nowa Live team are preparing to present at East Gippsland Shire Council’s upcoming Creative Summit, to be held on Saturday, March 28, at the Forge Theatre in Bairnsdale.
The summit aims to connect creatives across the region and forms part of a month-long series of events at the venue under the Immersive program, which opens the theatre space for community-led activities and collaboration.
