The Northern Rivers Hemp Field Trip a Sold-Out Success with more than 65 hemp enthusiasts from across eastern Australia who gathered over the weekend of 7-8 March for the sold-out event, highlighting the region’s growing role as a hub for Australia’s emerging hemp industry.
Visitors travelled from far and wide to take part in the guided two-day self-drive tour across Byron and Lismore Shires, exploring innovative hemp businesses, homes and manufacturing initiatives.
The field trip began with visits to Hemp Culture in Mullumbimby and Hemp Collective, where participants learned about the growing market for Australian hemp wellness products, including natural personal care and pet care.
The group then travelled to Eureka to tour two remarkable hemp homes, showcasing the benefits of hemp-based construction and sustainable building materials built by Permastructure.
In Byron Bay, Permastructure and Australian Hemp Masonry Co hosted a hands-on hempcrete building workshop, allowing participants to see the sustainable material mixed and applied in real time and be inspired to build with hemp.
Day two continued in Nimbin with a visit to Northern Rivers Hemp, followed by a Hempstone workshop exploring innovative hemp-based materials. Participants also visited Hemp Flora in Wadesville before finishing the tour at Hempscape, a new hemp building supply store supporting the region’s growing hemp construction sector.
The event brought together conscious consumers, farmers, processors, builders, manufacturers and innovators, highlighting the extraordinary versatility of industrial hemp from carbon-negative building materials and textiles to food, wellness and sustainable consumer products. It also created valuable opportunities for networking, collaboration and strengthening connections across the growing hemp industry. Participants stated it was one of the best Field Days they have attended.
“Industrial hemp is one of the most exciting sustainable industries emerging in Australia,” said Maxine Shea of Hemp Collective. “Bringing people together to see real hemp homes, businesses and products in action helps demonstrate the incredible potential of this crop for building, wellness, food and environmental solutions.”
Organisers credited the towns of Mullumbimby, Byron Bay and Nimbin for their warm hospitality, which helped make the weekend a resounding success and left attendees inspired by the region’s leadership in sustainable hemp innovation. Hemp NSW is a not-for-profit industry organisation working to grow Australia’s industrial hemp sector. Membership is open to anyone interested in supporting and advancing the hemp industry. Learn more or become a member at ihempnsw.org.au.
Photos and videos courtesy of Maxine Shea and Lisa Flower.
Feedback from participants
“Well done- the passion and care you put into making this happen really showed. Was a great networking opportunity.“
Northern Rivers Hemp Field Trip Gallery
Networking & Visit to Hemp Culture
“Loved the networking at the beginning to discover who is doing what.”
“It was a well run weekend. Bit of a problem hearing the presenters at the hotel, but that would be the only criticism. thanks for the exposure.“
Hemp House Tour in Eureka, Northern Rivers
“We need to be the squeaky wheel, keep pushing government to declassify hemp and cbd, open the market, reduce red tape, open up export.“
Hemp Stone Workshop with Martin
“Overall, it was a wonderful experience – it ran smoothly with lots of variety and time to connect and collaborate.“
Hempcrete Building Workshop with Nic & Klara
“Thank you. A great opportunity to see the northern rivers hemp environment.”
Find more photos and a few videos here
By Maxine: Photos and Videos
