Boomerang Bags is an initiative that originated in Queensland and is now international.  It reduces plastic bag use by engaging communities to make reusable ‘Boomerang Bags’ as a fun, sustainable alternative.

Local community volunteers make the bags using donated second-hand materials, keeping the initiative local and sustainable. You can make bags at home, with friends or family, in the classroom, as a school or workplace activity, or at a public venue with the wider community.

Regular sewing sessions engage people from everywhere in the community in activity that’s good for the environment.  Groups can raise awareness about current sustainability issues, and bring communities together.  Sessions also provide hands-on learning, allowing volunteers, community groups and students to gain valuable practical skills. Once made, Boomerang Bags can start conversations, raise awareness and provide an alternative to plastic bags.

Boomerang Bags started in 2013.  Since then, people have made more than 200,000 bags, and over 60,000 kilos of waste has been diverted from landfill.

Transition Darebin supports three Boomerang Bags groups. These are Boomerang Bags Thornbury/Northcote, Boomerang Bags Darebin (running workshops and sewing bees across Darebin), and Boomerang Bags Fairfield. Fairfield and Darebin groups have received some funding from the City of Darebin.  Further north, Boomerang Bags Preston & Thornbury is also an active group, though they’re not associated with Transition Darebin.

All of the groups are on Facebook if you’d like to get involved – see above.  You can also email transitiondarebin@gmail.com for more information.