2009 Victorian bushfires

Steels Creek house damaged by bushfires in the Kinglake complex

The 2009 Victorian bushfires on Saturday 7 February 2009 were the worst bushfires in Australia’s history, surpassing both the Ash Wednesday fires in 1983 and the Black Friday fires in 1939. The bushfires travelled at alarming speed, up to 100km/h, across farmland and through plantations and heavily “managed” forests, including forests where recent fuel reduction burns had… Continue reading 2009 Victorian bushfires

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Hawthorn West house

Solar array

The Hawthorn West house is a sustainable renovation featuring a greywater system, solar panels and numerous energy efficiency features. Owners Broderick Street and Vivienne Fraser Location West Hawthorn, Melbourne Country Australia Type Sustainable renovation House size Medium, 21 squares Summary of house features Background Brod Street and Vivienne Fraser have renovated a semi detached single fronted Victorian… Continue reading Hawthorn West house

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Knoxfield house

Knoxfield house

This two bedroom house was designed to be as sustainable as possible on a small suburban block. It was built in 2001. I moved in at the time of my retirement. Entry is via a curved slate path, along a wooden walkway representing a bridge over a dry water course, continuing on slate pavers surrounded… Continue reading Knoxfield house

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Brunswick West house

Front view, Brunswick West house

Stuart McQuire’s home in West Brunswick was the first in Victoria and the second in Australia to feed energy it created into the state’s power grid. Since 1996 the house has has generated more electricity than it has used. After an outlay of $5000, Stuart hasn’t paid an electricity bill. Owners Stuart McQuire and Wendy… Continue reading Brunswick West house

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Green gardens

Sanci permaculture garden

What is a green garden? Is it one that offers habitat and food to native animals? Is it one that produces food for people? Is it one that uses a minimum of water and other resources – or one that creates a shade to cool the house, and is kept damp to help cool the immediate… Continue reading Green gardens

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Human sign St Kilda 2009

Human Sign St Kilda 17 May 2009

The Human sign event was held on Sunday 17 May at St Kilda Beach in Melbourne, Australia. The message was “Climate change – our future is in your hands”. The catch-cry was devised by Sophie Dickinson, 11, a grade six student at St Michael’s Grammar in St Kilda. 5000 people gathered to form the sign to highlight their… Continue reading Human sign St Kilda 2009

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2009 Victorian bushfires Royal Commission submission

Acheron Way, 2009 Victorian bushfire

The SecretarySubmissions2009 Victorian Bushfires Royal CommissionGPO Box 4358Melbourne VIC 3001AustraliaVia email Author: Peter Campbell Content of this submission was partly sourced from: 2009 Victorian bushfires Armstrong Creek Water Catchment Introduction I welcome the opportunity to provide a submission to this 2009 Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission. The tragic events associated with the 2009 Victorian bushfires on and… Continue reading 2009 Victorian bushfires Royal Commission submission

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National Climate Emergency Rally Melbourne June 2009

India Jilly, 2009 Climate Emergency Rally Melbourne

National Climate Emergency rallies were held across Australia on Saturday June 13, 2009. Over 4,000 people attended the rally in Melbourne, Australia, which commenced at the State Library in Swanston Street. The rally was called to acknowledge the climate emergency we are now experiencing and the need emergency action, with drought, bush fires, floods and… Continue reading National Climate Emergency Rally Melbourne June 2009

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WestWyck

WestWyck Apartments with solar panels

WestWyck is a sustainable eco-housing development in Brunswick, Melbourne. WestWyck occupies the building and grounds of the former Brunswick West Primary School. The school ran out of students in the 1980s and faced the bulldozer. The WestWyck developers acquired the property with the aim to bring the building to new and vibrant life as an urban… Continue reading WestWyck

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CERES Community Environment Park

CERES trail map

The CERES Community Environment Park is an internationally recognised model of a sustainable society located in Melbourne, Australia. CERES shares its name with the Roman Goddess for agriculture. CERES stands for the Centre for Education and Research in Environmental Strategies, and is pronounced ‘series’. CERES is located on 4.5 hectares (10 acres) on the banks of the… Continue reading CERES Community Environment Park

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