|
We are deeply saddened at the sudden passing of Philip Sutton. Philip’s life’s work to lead, teach and activate for change on environmental and climate issues was dedicated, unwavering and inspiring to so many.
As a Darebin local, Philip made hugely significant contributions as a member of Climate Emergency Darebin Advisory Committee. That group was formed after Darebin Council declared a Climate Emergency on 5 Dec 2016. Philip was a key instigator and member of the community movement that led to this moment. The declaration subsequently inspired a world-wide climate emergency movement that continues to bring local jurisdictions and communities together to take action on the climate.
As Philip said in this presentation at our Climate Emergency Conference 2018: “ A person who gets a bee in their bonnet about something, can often have quite an amazing effect.”
Philip did indeed create amazing effects; his impact is deep, and extends far beyond his Darebin home, as indicated in this wonderful tribute in The Guardian. Philip leaves an extraordinary legacy and we thank him. Our heartfelt condolences to his family and close friends.
|
|
|
|
Darebin's Solar Saver program now open
With rising electricity and gas prices, if you are considering solar, now is the time. Darebin City Council's Solar Saver program is now open.
Darebin locals Frank and Carmel made the switch in 2019 through the program. Since then they’ve seen a 75% drop in their energy bills, and some have even been in credit.
The couple now feed about 30% of their solar generated energy back into the grid and use their appliances during the day to make the most of the sunshine.
You too can reap the rewards of solar at a great price through Solar Saver under two different programs: Solar Saver Bulk Buy and Solar Saver Rates programs.
The Solar Saver Bulk Buy program is open to all Darebin residents, businesses or other organisations, and can be used for systems up to 100kW. You will have access to our selected supplier at our rates, and you’ll cover the upfront costs.
The Solar Saver Rates program aims to support our vulnerable households, including public and social housing, and renters and is only available to eligible residents. Under the Rates program, Council will pay the upfront costs and you will then pay back the cost of the system through your Special Rates Charge over a 10-year quarterly payment.
To find out more, visit darebin.vic.gov.au/solar.
|
|
|
Darebin-wide food and green waste recycling is here!
Soon everyone who uses Council’s kerbside waste service will be able to recycle their food scraps and garden waste.
To make recycling your food scraps easy we suggest that you use a kitchen caddy to collect your food scraps. You can use any airtight container like an ice cream or yoghurt container. For those receiving a new bin, you will receive a kitchen caddy along with it. If you already have a food and green waste bin and would like to order a caddy, please fill out our online form at darebin.vic.gov.au/foodwaste.
Here are our top tips to keep your kitchen caddy clean and odour free:
- Keep your caddy on your bench top or under the sink where it’s easy to access and use.
- Biodegradable caddy liners are not accepted in your food and green waste bin. You don’t need to line your caddy, but you can line it with newspaper, paper towel or brown paper bags like old mushroom bags.
- Sprinkle bicarbonate of soda in your caddy to minimise smell and wash it regularly.
And here are our tips to keep your bin happy:
- Add layers of garden waste between food waste.
- Keep meat and seafood in the freezer until collection day.
- Don’t overfill your bin and keep the lid closed.
- Keep the bin in a shady spot.
|
|
|
|
The Victorian Energy Collaboration (VECO)
recognised by sector awards
Council’s largest ever climate initiative, the Victorian Energy Collaboration (VECO), received another accolade recently after winning the Sustainability Category at the 2022 LG Pro Awards for Excellence.
The LGPro Awards for Excellence promote and celebrate the outstanding work being undertaken and delivered by individuals and teams working in Victorian Local Government.
Darebin is proud to have delivered this ground-breaking project, which pools the electricity needs of Victorian Councils into one long-term contract with Red Energy, who provide the group with renewable energy generated from two wind farms in western Victoria.
Here is what the judges had to say regarding VECO: Described by the judging panel as a game-changer.. (the) key features of scalability, impact on emissions reduction, and demonstrated financial savings make it a worthy winner.
VECO continues to increase its value and impact, with the number of participating Councils growing from 46 to 49 Councils over the past six months.
For more information please visit: veco.org.au.
|
|
|
|
Grasslands of Galada Tamboore - NAIDOC week event
Saturday 2 July, 10am-12pm
Experience the spectacular GaladaTamboore, explore the area's cultural significance with a Wurundjeri Woi wurrung Elder, and join the Merri Creek Management Committee for a mid-winter picnic at the grasslands of Galada Tamboore NAIDOC week event.
Meet near the Merri Creek footbridge – see Google map.
Park in Merri Concourse, Campbellfield and walk east to Merri Creek, or park in Whittlesea Gardens, Lalor and walk across the bridge over the freeway. |
|
|
|
Come and get involved at Regent Community Garden
Every Sunday, 4 Robinson Road, Reservoir
Regent Community Garden is an inclusive and welcoming place to meet your neighbours, garden, socialise, share learnings & help to grow a sustainable future. Run by volunteers, each Sunday we aim for activities & events based on these themes:
1st Sunday of the month: 1pm Garden to Plate in season cook up; 2-3pm Produce and Plant Swap
2nd Sunday of the month: Social gardening, seed collection and propagation
3rd Sunday of the month: Social gardening and - Let's get creative
4th Sunday of the month: Garden working bee and afternoon tea
Follow our Facebook page for weekly updates and get involved. Get in touch or drop by to find out more.
Proudly supported by Darebin City Council’s Community Grants Program |
|
|
Creek-side Planting in Reservoir
Sunday 24 July, 10am
Help Friends of Darebin Creek increase creek-side habitat with a planting event along the creek near Gronn Street, Reservoir. This planting will extend on earlier plantings in the area to create more habitat for animals and birds.
Event run by Darebin Bush Crew.
Event Date: Sunday 24 July
Start Time: 10am - midday
Meeting Place: Access creek via corner of Ayr and Gronn Streets in Reservoir. Follow the signs and look for bushcrew vehicles.
|
|
|
Have Your Say - Your Street, Your Say
Complete the survey by Sunday 10 July
The Your Street, Your Say project is your opportunity to tell us how we can improve local streets for people who live, work, study or travel through Darebin. We recently asked for your feedback about your experience of walking, cycling, scooting, driving and playing in your local streets in Reservoir West, Preston West and Thornbury West (Group A).
Thank you for your valuable input. It helped us make plans to solve the key issues you raised, in the places they are needed most.
The plan includes improvements like pedestrian crossings, street closures, bike lanes, planting and changes to street layouts.
Now we want you to let us know if you agree with the plan to improve your streets. Visit the Your Street Your Say website to view the plan and complete the survey by Sunday 10 July 2022.
We will also be asking for your feedback on streets in other parts of Darebin over the next few years.
- Group B – 2022/2023: Thornbury East, Northcote East, Fairfield, Bundoora, and Macleod.
- Group C – 2023/2024: Reservoir East, Preston East, and Northcote West.
Register your interest and we will let you know when we start collecting feedback on issues you are experiencing in streets in Groups B or C.
|
|
|
iNaturalist Observation of the Month (June 2022):
Pink Robin on the Merri Creek!
Last month iNaturalist user @agpeel spotted this female Pink Robin ( Petroica rodinogaster) on the banks of the Merri Creek in Thornbury.
Pink Robins are endemic to (only found in) south-eastern Australia. These little birds often inhabit dense layers of shrubby vegetation but can be spotted in more open and drier habitats during the coldest months of the year. They are easily over-looked as they are not only very little, but also quieter than other robins. So, congratulations to @agpeel for spotting one!
Would you like your observation to be featured on the next edition of the Sustainable Darebin e-Newsletter? Simply sign up to iNaturalist and upload any observation you make of plants, animals or fungi in Darebin (excluding pets, houseplants, and humans).
Only one spotting will be shared each month, but every observation you make will contribute to the understanding and protection of biodiversity in Darebin.
|
|
|
New $250 Power Saving Bonus available for all VIC households
The new $250 Power Saving Bonus program will provide a once-off payment of $250 for Victorian Households to ease cost-of-living pressures and encourage Victorians to compare their household energy prices and save money!
You can apply for the new $250 Power Saving Bonus from 1 July 2022. Applications will be open to all Victorian households who visit the Victorian Energy Compare website or engage with an energy affordability service through one of the participating community outreach partners. If you received the $50 Power Saving Bonus and/or the $250 Power Saving Bonus for concession recipients and meet the eligibility requirements of the new $250 Bonus, then you are eligible to apply for another $250 payment when the new phase of the program opens.
The quickest way to submit an application for the new $250 Power Saving Bonus is through the Victorian Energy Compare website. Victorians who do not have access to a computer or the internet can call the VEC helpline on 1800 000 832 or receive support from one of the Community Outreach Partners supporting the new $250 Power Saving Bonus program.
|
|
|
Shaping our future together
Darebin is growing and changing. Let’s shape our future together.
Help us plan to meet the needs of our diverse community now and into the future.
Until 8 August we are holding two community consultations, Future Preston Central and Housing Conversation. There will be online surveys, face-to-face workshops and pop-up sessions open to everyone. We want to know what’s important, what’s working well and what could be improved. There are lots of ways to get involved, so let’s shape our future together!
Future Preston Central
Help ensure the future development of Preston Central reflects the needs and priorities of our community. If you live, work or socialise in Preston Central – we want to hear from you.
Visit yoursay.darebin.vic.gov.au/futurepreston to have your say via the online survey and interactive map, and to find out more.
Housing Conversation
Help us create a new Housing Strategy and Neighbourhood Character Study for Darebin by telling us how housing needs can be best met in the future. Anyone with a connection to Darebin can join in our Housing Conversation.
Visit yoursay.darebin.vic.gov.au/housing to have your say via the online survey or to find out more.
|
|
|
Oakhill Food Justice Farm: a 'Food Is Free' Initiative in Preston
A lot has been happening at Sustain's Oakhill Food Justice Farm, a community space and food forest on the formerly disused St Mary's vicarage in the heart of Preston. The recent Winter/Waring Workshop was a great success where attendees shared expert knowledge and passion for food growing - including some new volunteers!
Preston Primary school students are learning from farmers Jemma and Shani about the food system, local Wurundjeri seasons and Indigenous plant uses through the Preston primary Passata Patch Program. Every class comes to the farm once a term where they prepare garden beds, plant seedlings and grow all the ingredients to make passata at year's end.
Oakhill Food Justice Farm's paid internships for young people in Darebin who experience barriers to work and education have started - by turning lawn into veggies. The Farm is looking forward to expanding these programs and creating more opportunities to share urban agriculture skills and food growing opportunities. Visit the Oakhill Food Justice Farm website to see how you can support their efforts and get involved.
|
|
|
Sustainability Matters 2022
For those of you that missed this year’s Sustainability Matters event you can now view the event online via our Sustainable Business Playlist. This year’s event featured local businesses: Fungi Solutions, Paperloop, Sunny Electronics and Green Earth Recycle, all of whom are working in the Circular Economy.
The circular economy is a dynamic and exciting space that is rapidly growing and evolving. We are both returning to practices of old, like repairing items to give them a second life, and developing new innovative technologies. This year’s Sustainability Matters brings the stories of four local businesses leading the way in the circular economy space to you and the broader community. It also highlights some of the actions you can take to support the growth of the circular economy in Darebin.
|
|
|
Be wheely wise in Darebin
Darebin’s bike culture is second to none in Melbourne. Council supports this with a year-round bike program featuring free monthly bike checks, one-on-one bike skills sessions and seasonal bike skills workshops.
Be the first to hear about all of these and more by subscribing to Darebin Loves Bikes e-news. We’ll also keep you up-to-date on new bike lanes, bike parking, road rules for bikes, bird swooping alerts and our bike light prize draws. Plus we’ll regularly ask your opinion on improvements to local streets and paths.
|
|
|
Sweet as Sugar: a win for biodiversity in Reservoir
Last week the Darebin Creek Bushland Crew conducted an inspection of recently erected wildlife nestboxes in Thornbury and Reservoir. Using a portable Wi-Fi camera and surveillance software the crew were able to view the new inhabitants of the boxes with minimal disturbance.
The majority of the boxes were occupied, featuring over four dozen ringtail and brushtail possums, as well as the beginnings of bird nests. Most notably, colonies of sugar gliders had taken over several boxes in Reservoir, marking the first recorded nesting of gliders in Darebin!
These cute little animals have been on the decline in recent years, predominantly due to habitat fragmentation, lack of nesting areas, and predation from foxes and cats.
The Bushland Crew is hoping to construct and monitor more boxes along the creek in areas that are lacking hollows for habitat, helping these tiny marsupials regain territory.
|
|
|
|
