More than 700 children and their families gathered at the Albury Botanic Gardens on Saturday 28 March for this year’s Border Easter Egg Hunt, creating a vibrant and joy-filled community celebration.
Held under sunny skies, the event delivered a morning packed with games, entertainment and strong community spirit. The gardens were transformed with colourful bunting, festive decorations and creative Easter hat displays, setting the scene for a memorable day as children eagerly took part in the much-anticipated egg hunt.
Organised by FoodShare, the event marked another milestone for the organisation, raising more than $33,000 to support local people experiencing food insecurity.
Despite being a small team, FoodShare credited the success of the event to the overwhelming support of volunteers, sponsors and community partners.
Members of the 37 Army Cadet Unit – Albury-Wodonga played a key role throughout the day, assisting with setup, supporting the Easter Bunny, running games and ensuring every child enjoyed the experience.
A range of local organisations and businesses helped bring the event to life. The Rotary Club of Albury NSW kept crowds fed with a barbecue and free fruit, while the Murray Conservatorium provided live music. Parent Pathways CVGT Employment hosted a busy children’s activity tent, and Jumping Beans Fun For Hire added to the excitement with inflatable attractions.
A talented team of creatives kept children smiling all morning, with five face painters — including a cadet and a FoodShare board member — transforming little faces into colourful bunny creations.
Volunteers were, as always, the backbone of the event, assisting with everything from early setup and registrations to merchandise sales, competitions and pack down.
Matt Griffith from 2AY kept the crowd engaged as MC, while FoodShare’s Community Pantry Coordinator, Nicole, once again delighted as the Mad Hatter. She led more than 80 children through the crowd in the Easter Hat Parade, dancing along to Can’t Stop the Feeling by Justin Timberlake. Judges from Rotary faced the difficult task of selecting just five winners from a sea of creative entries.
The Easter Egg Hunt itself was a highlight of the day, with the dinosaur garden decorated and ready for action. Cadets and volunteers distributed more than 20,000 Easter eggs as excited children filled their baskets.
FoodShare CEO Katrina Pawley said the organisation was thrilled with the turnout and grateful for the support of community partners and corporate sponsors who made the day possible.
“In a time when many families are feeling the pinch, it was important to create an accessible and affordable event for the community — especially during what can otherwise be a challenging time of year,” Ms Pawley said.
In just three years, the Border Easter Egg Hunt has welcomed more than 2,000 children and their families and raised over $69,000 for FoodShare’s community programs.
FoodShare would like to thank everyone who contributed to making the event such a success and looks forward to welcoming the community again next year.
