Late in 2000, three friends (Brenda Conochie, Rob Gulley and Rachael Roberts) decided a shopfront community environment centre was needed in Perth, a campaign centre and eco-products store to support the community’s efforts to live in a way that respects our environment and future generations. We gathered others to form a community association for this purpose. With help from the ACF (Australian Conservation Foundation) we leased a former fish & chip shop plus house and backyard. Generous well-wishers helped with the private commercial rent, and the first furnishings and office equipment. We had a big launch party in March 2001.
From 2002-mid 2004, funding from WA's SEDO (Sustainable Energy Development Office) & the AGO (Australian Greenhouse Office's) Cool Communities program helped us retrofit the shop and house - and for a series of workshops on energy efficiency, which was to become our main focus.
From seed we collected, we grew thousands of she-oaks, paperbarks and rushes, and planted them out on the eroded Maylands foreshore. We composted tonnes of scraps from the Fruit&Veg just down the lane. We taught composting, wormfarming and bokashi to hundreds of folks, we hosted teaching students; and gave talks to dozens of community groups on sustainable living.
In May 2009, priced out of Eighth Ave, we moved camp to 125 KING WILLIAM STREET, BAYSWATER, thanks to an offer of generous rent for a nice little house with a great native front garden beside the Eric Singleton Bird Sanctuary and river in Bayswater. Since then we’ve established a thriving organic backyard food garden. We’ve built up (and up!) our home and workplace energy and water auditing program. We play our part in Perth’s colourful climate rallies, like the annual Walk Against Warming/Peoples Climate March and other smaller events. You’ve probably seen our great plastic windmills on TV quite a few times; they spin like mad for TV cameras in the St George’s Tce wind-tunnel and other settings.
Combine a visit here with a refreshing 20 minute walk around our next door Lake or just sit in the bird hide and spy on waterbirds.
Our aim is to both 'walk the talk' and 'talk the walk' on climate protection, river & wetland care and other sustainability issues. Step in for information, action or involvement and then step out and walk more lightly on the planet!
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