Liveable Communities Through Engagement, Culture & Connection

It is every conservationist’s goal to bring nature back to urban areas. Life begins with nature, yet sometimes it needs a little help to keep thriving.

Our current economic crisis is not deterring organisations in continuing vital conservationist work, and many are teaming up together to push forward with finding the best ways to achieve environmental and cultural sustainability.

Webinar 3 of the Liveable Cities Conference: Webinar Series 2020 will take this focus on Tuesday 23rd of June, with three keynote speakers delivering an incredible line-up.

CLICK HERE for the program details and read below for a glimpse of what to expect.

Bringing Nature Back to Urban Areas

Ms Geraldene Dalby-Ball, Director of Kingfisher Urban Ecology and Wetlands

Director of Kingfisher Urban Ecology and Wetlands, Ms Geraldene Dalby-Ball has been doing remarkable work within this field and will be presenting her case studies in webinar 3 of the Liveable Cities Conference: Webinar Series 2020 on Tuesday.

Ms Dalby-Ball’s presentation will show solutions on how to get multiple outcomes from urban waterways and wetlands, through essential consideration. Kingfisher’s goal is to maintain and design urban waterways through the reflection of dreamtime stories and collaboration of the ancient land, its people, and their natural surroundings.

Geraldene is deeply passionate about butterfly conservation and says that even in built up areas, nature can be preserved and helped to be reinstated by using the past to rebuild from. “Projects as simple as Butterfly Birth Places, where through design and planting and engagement, we can bring specific butterflies back, even around high-risk apartment blocks.”

The organisation’s focus is on connecting dream stories with plants and animals, their seasons and cycles, which helps people gain a sense of greater fulfillment, leading them to make better environmental choices that promote a more sustainable way of life.

This presentation is set to be one of honour – of the ancient land, its people and its flora and fauna.

Ways to Make Your Place in Town or City ‘Family’

University of Western Australia’s ARC Chief Investigator of the School of Indigenous Studies, Professor Len Collard

Professor Len Collard, University of Western Australia’s ARC Chief Investigator of the School of Indigenous Studies, will be our second keynote speaker for the final of our Liveable Cities Conference: Webinar Series 2020.

We are very honoured that Professor Collard will share his imperative insight on the land, culture and its people, through his presentation, “Engaging Indigenous Communities in Change.”

Professor Collard says, “from a Noongar cultural perspective, everything relates to everything else – like a big family”. There is however, an issue with the English language translation of the old language, causing a discourse in understanding the true Noongar language.

The Professor says, “the problem here is that moort, katitjin, Boodjar do not translate to English well at all, because English language explains these and other things as being separate to each other. Noongar language explains moort, katitjin, Boodjar as deeply, intrinsically connected – which is integral to a Noongar worldview.”

The Professor’s extensive cultural research is vital to Australia’s history and culture and his presentation is one to not missed, as he transcends us back 50,000 years.

Transitioning Aotearoa’s Streets To Places For People

Urban Mobility Manager of New Zealand Transport Agency, Ms Kathryn King

Organisations such as New Zealand’s Transport Agency are working just as hard to preserve and maximise community culture and sustainability.

Ms Kathryn King, the Urban Mobility Manager of New Zealand Transport Agency will be the final keynote speaker in the Liveable Cities Conference: Webinar Series 2020 next Tuesday. She will present evidence of where transitional design is building safer and more accessible streets, and as a result, it’s creating more trusting and happier communities.

Read more on Kathryn’s work from our previous BLOG and be sure not to miss our third and final webinar in the Liveable Cities Conference: Webinar Series 2020.

REGISTER FOR WEBINAR 3 HERE

You can also register for the full Liveable Cities Conference: Webinar Series 2020 from our Resource Centre to gain access to the final live webinar next Tuesday 26 June, playback access to the first two webinars in the series, and bonus book of abstracts, with 20 pre-recorded presentations and slides from the originally planned 2020 Liveable Cities Conference.

Long Term Planning with Liveable Communities in Mind

Long-term community planning is vital for our liveable cities to prosper. Organisations involved in their community’s infrastructure must be able to look ahead and construct plans where anticipated. Change is not only considered but prepared for in advance.

We cannot always know what the future holds, as we have recently discovered through unanticipated change and subsequent adaptation. However, the last few months have not deterred Australians from continuing to practice and strive for the future of the sustainable movement.

New bike paths have already been put into future planning, due to increased demand. Transport Secretary Rodd Staples mentioned in an online webinar in May that future development could incorporate a 40 year plan, in as little as three years.

Urban Mobility Manager of the New Zealand Transport Agency; Ms Kathryn King

But Australia is not the only country adopting this new wave of smarter transport development. Urban Mobility Manager of the New Zealand Transport Agency; Ms Kathryn King, manages the Urban Mobility Programme at Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency. She is co-author of the Keeping Cities Moving plan and the lead for the Innovating Streets for People Program. Be sure to tune into her presentation in webinar 3 of the Liveable Cities Conference: Webinar Series 2020.

Smarter transportation is just one facet already in motion. Other organisations have their own key plans for a brighter, more sustainable future.

 

CSIRO’s Australian National Outlook 2019 and the Urban Shift

According to CSIRO’s 2019 Report, the future of Australia will include an outlook vision where communities will have equal access to employment all round, more amenities to improve quality of lifestyles, superior health services and education, plus more affordable and better connected cities if their three proposed levers are put into action.

The CSIRO’s plan is to tackle society’s features within urban design, energy, land use, culture and the industry itself, to reach the outlook vision from their report. By accommodating for Australia’s population increase over the next few decades and incorporating their plan for our liveable cities, the ‘Urban Shift’ will be achieved.

    

CSIRO’s Senior Research Scientist in Land and water; Mr Tim Baynes

CSIRO’s Senior Research Scientist in land and water; Mr Tim Baynes is one of our keynote speakers in webinar 2 of our Liveable Cities Conference: Webinar Series 2020 taking place online on Tuesday 16th June from 10:00am – 12:30pm. Tim’s talk will review the approach and outputs of ANO 2019 and, in particular, elements of the ‘Urban Shift’ scenario within that vision.

 

Coreo’s Circular Economy in the Built Environment: Creating Purposeful Places for People and Planet

In 2017, Coreo was founded and created Australia’s first circular economy pilot project. The company’s mission is to catalyst the global transition to a circular economy.

Since their launch, the company has begun several successful projects including:

  • Circular Economy Master Planned Community Strategy
  • The Southern Hemisphere’s Most Circular Airport
  • Economic Analysis & Sectoral Assessment for Queensland
  • Community Resilience Project
  • Circular Economy Innovation Precinct
  • Creating Circular Supply Chains
  • Regional Economic Development Transition to Action
  • The First Step for Retail
  • Co-Create & Incubate
  • The Circular Experiment Goes to Rotorua

You can download the Circular Economy Overview for the Yarrabilba Community, QLD – 2019 to gain further insight to the wonderful work Coreo is doing.

Chief Executive Officer; Ms Ashleigh Morris left, & Chief Operating Officer; Ms Jaine Morris right

Chief Executive Officer; Ms Ashleigh Morris and Chief Operating Officer; Ms Jaine Morris are two more keynote speakers involved in webinar 2 of the Liveable Cities Conference: Webinar Series 2020 and will be sharing their insight on what the circular economy is and how it is creating purposeful places for people and planet, through providing examples of their work in the built environment with Lendlease, Mirvac, the Queensland Investment Corporation, Brisbane City Council and others.

 

Ask Us What We Want

Democracy is also a vital key in unlocking economic, social, and environmental opportunities when it comes to a sustainable future in our liveable cities. People’s opinions within a community matter and just one voice can send a powerful message.

Founder of newDemocracy Foundation, Managing Director of Transfield Holdings, & Prisma Investment; Mr Luca Belgiorno-Nettis AM

Managing Director of Transfield Holdings, and Prisma Investment; Mr Luca Belgiorno-Nettis AM is the founder of newDemocracy Foundation. Established in 2004, this non-for-profit research organisation’s sole focus was on political reform. Its research and development notes contributed to the academic enhancement of democracy through their learnings, reflections and discoveries and fostered a culture of persistent innovation and research.

Luca will be the final speaker in webinar 2 on Tuesday and will take us through a presentation that will enlighten viewers with the importance of democracy existing within our communities and how a person’s voice can have an important impact. For a prelude to Luca’s presentation, CLICK HERE

Luca says, “I’m often pleasantly surprised by how differently an issue can be viewed, and how creatively and intelligently a problem can be resolved by giving people the time and resources to answer questions that affect them.” Read Luca’s article on democracy recently published in The Mandarin.

Webinar 2 of the Liveable Cities Conference: Webinar Series 2020 is set to hit the bar. Be sure to register for the event.

REGISTER HERE

Program Details

Architectural Design Making a Positive Impact on Sustainability in your Liveable City

If you are faced with the question; “Are you part of a liveable city”, would you know how to answer?

Many would consider any city that they live in as a liveable city, but what does that really mean?

The answer revolves around a few simple words that some of us are well versed with, while others are not. – sustainability, conservation, environmentally friendly, eco-friendly and carbon friendly (to name a few).

Creating a more liveable city comes down to several factors, beginning with residential and commercial designs that offer sustainable features.

Modern technology is now proving that there are new ways of building more sustainable homes, commercial offices and even shopping centres. We did some investigating around Australia and found a few architects that deserve to be praised for this kind of work.

BREATHE ARCHITECTURE – MELBOURNE

A Melbourne architectural company leads a great example by designing carbon neutral homes and commercial properties. Several architects met in December 2019 and collaborated on how to achieve carbon neutral home designs. They are now working together to achieve a more sustainable future in Australian cities.

The Design Director Jeremy McLeod, who founded the company in 2001 together with Tamara Veltre, has asked business owners to pledge that they will take their business into a carbon neutral future via an Architects Declare Architects Act movement. It’s a promise where united architects aim to take Australia into the future with new, modernised designs that will be 100% green powered, carbon audited by 30 June 2020 to ensure it’s working, and will be carbon neutral by 30 December 2020.

Visit their website and check out some of their incredible designs already achieving a carbon neutral future.

BENT ARCHITECTURE – MELBOURNE

Another Melbourne-based architectural company that needs to be praised for their outstanding sustainable work is Bent Architecture.

Established in 2003 by Directors Paul and Merran Porjazoski, they have built and designed sustainable buildings that have won a number of national and international awards, including two open design competitions (Growing Up Green Roof and Living Places Public Housing.

They have proven themselves to be leaders in both residential and commercial designs that are environmentally sustainable, and low costing.

LIVEABLE CITIES CONFERENCE: WEBINAR SERIES 2020

The list goes on with several organisations in Australia already making a positive and sustainable impact in our cities that need to be acknowledged and the Association for Sustainability in Business has been lucky enough to be secure some of the experts in the country for our new webinar series.

If you are interested on how others are successfully achieving positive sustainable results within communities, the first webinar of the Liveable Cities Conference: Webinar Series 2020 is all about sustainable design and architecture making a positive impact on the future of sustainable liveable cities.

The first webinar will be held live online on Tuesday 9th of June 2020 between 10:00am – 12:30pm. The schedule includes three successful case studies delivered by keynote speakers, showcasing how sustainability can be implemented into your liveable city through an intellectually sustainable design. Here’s two of the case studies that will be presented online in June as part of the webinar series.

GINNINDERRY PROJECT

Ms Jessica Stewart; the Sustainability Manager of the Ginninderry project will be speaking about how they have effectively advocated homes with smarter energy solutions that have allowed them to uphold their Ginnindery Green Start Communities rating by constructing sustainable dwelling which create the same or more energy than they consume.

EAST VILLAGE AT KNUTSFORD

Ms Naomi Lawrence, the Senior Development Manager at DevelopingWA, will be the second webinar speaker, delivering a presentation on the case study of the East Village at Knutsford, one of the most highly desired villages to live at in Freemantle in Perth.

The three-part webinar series is set to propel you into the future of sustainable design and several steps closer towards achieving the main goal; to improve sustainable lifestyles.

 

 

10 Tips on Water Conservation

Photo credit: econaur

Ever looked at a running tap and considered how much water an average household uses every day? Would it surprise you to find out that according to coolaustralia.org, one person in Australia alone, can use as much as 340,000 litres a year! That’s over 930 litres per person per day. When you consider that an above ground pool 4.5 x 4.5 metres and 1.2 metres deep holds 16,000 litres of water, one person’s average water use per year is equilevant to over 21 swimming pools.

Water conservation and home sustainability is a vital practice that every Australian should take part of. The aim is to become a country with a more sustainable future, and for that to occur, we all need to do our part.

None of us really know when our rivers are at risk of running dry, or our lakes disappearing in a drought. With the recent bush fire disaster, it is more imperative than ever to become water conscious and start living a more sustainable life.

So what can you do to help? Here’s 10 ways you can help.

10 Tips Towards Better Water Sustainability

Check your showers, toilets and sinks for leaks
Take shorter showers or run small baths for the kids
Install water saving shower heads
Check your water meter outside when everything is turned off – great way to find if you have a plumbing problem
Turn taps off while shaving or brushing your teeth
Hand wash your dishes more often as dishwasher cycles waste water
Consider planting drought-resistant trees in your garden if you live in a drought prone area
Wash your car with a bucket rather than running the hose
Install a rainwater tank
Install a septic toilet or go one step further with a waterless toilet

 

Sustainability Matters Magazine – Bridge Hub

An interesting article, published in the Sustainability Matters magazine, talks about Bridge Hub and its quest to solve Australia’s water problems through the launch of their 2020 Water Challenge. The way it works, is that anyone participating has an opportunity to bring a water problem to their attention and submitting it for consideration to be solved. What a great way to bring a community together and work on sustainability.

Click to view online

The Nature Conservancy

The Nature Conservancy also deserves a shout out. We should all model our values on this incredible organisation. One of their projects includes providing food and water sustainability to the Murray-Darling Basin, which is helping save certain wildlife in danger of extinction. Wildlife such as the Southern Bell Frog; which is one of Australia’s largest frog species. Bird species like the Australasian Bittern and Australian Painted Snipe are also thriving from their conservation work.

Southern Bell Frog

Photo credit: Museums Victoria Collections

Bridge Hub and The Nature Conservancy aren’t alone in the sustainability journey towards a more sustainable future in Australia. There are several organisations succeeding. Take a look at the Australian Water Association; Australia’s largest water network who promote sustainable water management by using three core principals. Recognition, information and networking.

Anything is possible if we put our mind to it and embrace nature’s gifts.

 

Seven of Australia’s most Sustainable National Parks

National Parks of Australia – Our Seven Wonders

When trying to live a sustainable life and doing the best for the future of our planet, there’s no better way to motivate yourself to stay on the path of conservation and sustainability, than to look directly into Australia’s back yard, and check out some of the National Parks we have. With such a vast land, we are lucky to live in a country that is still able to help sustain the majestic places our motherland has provided for us.

This week marks Parks Week 2020, so we thought we would remind you of how lucky we truly are, and introduce you to 7 of our top picks of Australia’s National Parks. What’s important is that we remember why it’s so imperative to conserve our country and its pure gifts she has given us, and these seven wonders are a great reminder for that.

CRADLE MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK – TASMANIA

Photo credit: Get Your Guide

Not only is Tasmania’s Cradle Mountain beautiful to see, the fact that half its alpine flora is endemic and cannot grow anywhere else in the world is a wonder in itself. It’s no surprise why so many Australians travel to the area each year. If you plan to visit, check out TasWlk Co who have built 5 Sustainable Cradle Huts among the forest walk. They have been designed to be completely, ecologically sustainable by using unique waste management practices in these non-polluting and self-contained huts.

PORT CAMPBELL NATIONAL PARK – VICTORIA

Photo credit: Explore the Great Ocean Road

Earning a name like the Shipwreck Coast, Port Campbell National Park is one of the most pristine national parks in Australia. It has stunning coastline formations, and it’s marine and wildlife is present in abundance. If you take a walk at night, you might be lucky enough to see some penguins at dinner time. Don’t forget to explore the London Bridge and the Twelve Apostles.

KOSCIUSZKO NATIONAL PARK – NSW

Photo credit: Camper Mate

Regardless that Australia mostly has a subtropical climate, it also offers some of the best snowfields, caves, fishing spots and national park walks in the World.  Kosciuszko National Park would have to be one of Australia’s top rated ‘National Treasures’. With areas such as Thredo-Perisher, Lower Snowy River, Khancoban, Selwyn, Yarrangobilly, Tumut and High Plains, it’s a ‘must-see’ for any Aussie.

BLUE MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK – NSW

Photo credit: Planet Ware

If Kosciuszko isn’t enough to boast about, we also have the Blue Mountain National Park. Consisting of 6 areas, including Katoomba, Blackheath, Glenbrook, Lower Gross Valley, Mount Wilson, and Southern Blue Mountains area, this national park has a very European feel to it. Probably why so many visit the forests the area offers year after year. Visiting The Three Sisters is worth the trip to Katoomba alone.

UNDARA VOLCANIC NATIONAL PARK – QLD

Photo credit: Wikiwand

Many Australians don’t know that we have a volcanic national park in Australia, let alone that it contains one of the planet’s longest flows of lava, originating from a single volcano. Undara is an Aboriginal word meaning ‘long way’ and the name fits the part, since this lava tube cave system began about 190,000 years ago. The area is also very rich in volcanic basalt soils. Tours are only available through commercial tour organisations to protect the environment and sustain it for future generations.

KARIJINI NATIONAL PARK – WA

Photo credit: Ecoretreat 

This unspoiled, nature-based national park boasts a diverse landscape and is well known for its incredible gorges, that are up to 100 metres in depth. You can find this magical, almost untouched nature strip about 1400km north of Perth. Its majestic creeks are visited by tourists from all over the continent, but surprisingly enough, it is extremely well conserved. Karijini National Park is the second largest natural park in WA, and definitely one to add to your bucket list.

WHITSUNDAY ISLANDS NATIONAL PARK – QLD

Photo credit: Australian Traveler

The Whitsundays. We’ve saved the best for last. This is by far Queensland’s most treasured destinations to visit. Offering the purest silica sand which is almost white in colour, it is home to the most vibrant underwater marine life, making it a popular snorkeling destination. It has crystal clear salt water, creating a translucent underwater heaven that we call the Great Barrier Reef. Don’t forget that humpback whales are also spotted here in abundance.

What’s your favourite wonder from our list?