• Home
  • Latest News
    • ReLeaf Lake Mac >
      • MAC tree trail
      • Tiny Forest
      • National Tree Day
    • Repair It Lake Mac
    • Plastic free Lake Mac >
      • Plastic Free Cafes
      • Plastic free Toronto
      • Ban the bag >
        • Bag Swap Stations
        • Champions
      • Green gifts
    • Waste to Art >
      • 2021 Exhibition Guide
    • Our Community Gardens
    • Renewal 2022
    • Sharing and training opportunities >
      • Celebrate 2022
      • Previous events >
        • Gathering Feb 2022
        • Circular economy gathering
        • Coal Ash update
        • Gathering Feb 2021
        • Picnic and celebration
        • Virtual Catch Up
        • Empowerment workshop
        • Celebrate 2019
        • T-shirt Order
        • Cake and conversation June 2019
        • Celebrate 2018
        • Celebrate 2017
        • Celebrate 2016
        • Health and safety training
        • Recruiting young people
        • Recruiting volunteers
        • Tips and lessons
        • Grants and fundraising
        • Annual Show and Tell
        • Success session - May 2014
        • Online collaboration
    • Newsletter
    • Decade of Sustainable Neighbourhoods
    • Superstars
    • School sustainability
    • Success Stories >
      • Citywide Clean Up
      • Lake Mac Awards 2020
    • Responsible Cat Care
    • Dog brochure
    • Coastal Wetlands Park
  • Local groups
    • Belmont Area
    • Cardiff Area >
      • Pollinator Project
      • Boomerang Bags Sewing Group
      • Past projects >
        • Bird Count BBQ
        • Waste-free Christmas
        • Instagram competition
        • Car Boot Sales
        • Beeswax wrap making
        • National Tree Day
        • Twilight picnic in the park
        • Halloween @ Cardiff
        • Cardiff Cycleway Forum
        • Green coffee grounds
        • Boomerang Bags
        • Eco Angel Cardiff South
        • Wreath making
        • Compost bin making
        • Australia Day Award
        • Shortland Volunteer Award
        • Cardiff Landcare
        • CLEANas Presentation
        • Plant Swap
    • Dudley >
      • Dudley Community Garden
      • Dudley Mural
    • Five Bays >
      • Neighbourhood gathering
      • Pamper care project
      • Awaba State Conservation Area
    • Greater Charlestown >
      • Motherload screening
    • Morisset & Peninsula >
      • Eco articles
    • Pelican Area
    • Rathmines Area >
      • Beeswax wrap workshops
      • Acheivements
      • Kilaben Bay - Rathmines Pathway
      • Rathmines Master Plan
      • Wicking garden beds
      • Bag It Film
      • Rathmines Park Litter Project
      • Camping in park
      • Asbestos removal
      • Celebration 2017
    • Redhead >
      • Redhead Latest News
      • Redhead Village Newsletter
      • Redhead committee
      • Redhead community
      • Redhead Landcare
      • Redhead past events
    • Toronto Area >
      • Projects >
        • Picnic in the park
        • Brighton Ave Footpath
        • Fire Retardant Garden
        • Community Garden
        • Tossers can be binners
      • Vision
    • Valentine >
      • Walking in Valentine
    • Warners Bay Area >
      • Indigenous connection
      • Winter Nature Play Adventure
      • Autumn Nature Play Adventure
    • West Wallsend District >
      • Sugar Valley
      • New projects
      • Holmesville garden
      • Landcare
      • Achievements >
        • Old Waste, New Art 2015
      • Old Waste New Art
      • News
      • Gallery
  • The Alliance
    • Strategic plan
    • Annual Report
    • Volunteer >
      • Waste to Art Coordinator
      • Photographers and videographers
      • Social media
      • Minutes secretary
      • Promotions team
      • Young Leaders
      • Marketing specialist
      • Living Smart Festival 2019
    • Become a member >
      • Annual renewal
    • Strengthening Sustainable Neighbourhoods
    • Alliance Board >
      • Alliance Board Meetings
      • Alliance Meeting Minutes Archive
    • Alliance AGM
  • Resources
    • Volunteer induction
    • Year Planner
    • Governance
    • Planning and implementing
    • Community Gardens
    • Promoting your activities
    • Survey Results
    • SNAPs
  • Supporters
    • Business Supporters
  • About
    • Contact
    • Privacy
  Sustainable Neighbourhoods Lake Macquarie
Meet Colin
Conversations with a super star
Meet Colin. He’s a community advocate, environmental educator, and a major powerhouse behind the success of Redhead Sustainable Neighbourhood.

We chatted about the intersection of sustainability and community and how an ‘old fashioned’ newsletter helps create both.

Picture
Colin helping the Redhead Pharmacy reduce their plastic bag use
“I’ve always been a person who wanted to make a difference. I don’t accept things the way they are, if they can be better.”
“There is still a lack of understanding around the issues – especially climate change, and how we have to change all of society. It’s going to come on us with such a thud if we don’t transition properly or fast enough.”

That’s why Colin does what he does.
Colin commits a lot of time to community endeavours. “I get frustrated because my personal commitment is enormous, and I’m forever trying to make better decisions about what I get involved with, and how much time I spend.”

“But we get to achieve things and make a difference. That’s why I do it.”
“Sustainable Neighbourhood fills a niche here in Redhead. Sustainability encompasses a wide array of community values and the environment. It’s not only projects like the school ANZAC mural or lobbying for park and pedestrian issues.

We get to make those changes, but also talk with people about environmental issues like climate change, power station pollution and removal of vegetation.”
Colin and the Redhead Sustainable Neighbourhood team have recently started the EnergyWave Redhead Project to encourage local uptake of solar.

“Sustainability is so worthwhile. We know what’s got to be done. We just have to generate a wave to move us in the correct direction. It’s important that momentum is maintained. Sustainable Neighbourhoods helps us do that.”
Picture
With the team at a Clean Up Australia event
“I really appreciate that we have both support from Council, and independence from Council. Our community has decided what’s important in creating our own Sustainable Neighbourhood Action Plan, and we have the framework to do it. The wide definition of sustainability gives us a good hook, and a way to engage with everyone.”
Picture
Presenting the annual Possum Award for environmental excellence at Redhead Public School
A key initiative of the Redhead Sustainable Neighbourhood is their newsletter, which is regularly delivered to all households by either ‘old fashioned’ letterbox drop, or email.

“One of the best things we’ve done is start the newsletter, thanks to Lindsay, who raised the idea that people new to Redhead need to know what we’re on about.”

“People laughed at us and called it old fashioned to deliver a bit of paper into letterboxes. But now it’s a mainstay of community life. It keeps everyone up to date, and delivers important environmental messages.”

“We’ve got a team of fantastic deliverers who organise the letterbox drops. I’ve pedalled really hard at times to make sure it keeps going. It’s the most important thing we do.”

During the recent COVID-19 pandemic, the local doctors surgery’s phone lines were suddenly unavailable for over 2 weeks. With patients nervous to see their GP, and wondering what had happened, the surgery called Colin to help get the word out to the community.
“We are well known and trusted in the community, and our newsletter provides welcome and relevant information. We were the perfect avenue to let everyone know about the situation and to publicise the alternate phone contacts. Residents as usual responded with gratitude, saying ‘This just shows the value of the village newsletter – thank you very much.’”
As well as the achievements of the Redhead Sustainable Neighbourhood, Colin enjoys the benefits of being active in the community.

“Personally, I’ve made a great group of friends through Sustainable Neighbourhoods. I considered myself old and retired when I started, but have been pleasantly surprised that I am quite capable of making new friends that are important to me. The support from that network extends beyond the scope of what we do through Sustainable Neighbourhoods.”

“Understanding that we are a part of a wider network and that volunteers around the city are doing it as well. You’re not just starting out on your own.”
Picture
With some of the Redhead Sustainable Neighbourhood team after winning the Community Group of the Year Award
Colin is a founding member of Sustainable Neighbourhoods, helping to facilitate and establish the program in Redhead in 2010, and then taking up the Secretary role for the Redhead Sustainable Neighbourhood Group since 2011. He is also a former Chairperson of the Lake Macquarie Sustainable Neighbourhood Alliance.
Meet more of our volunteer super stars.

Volunteer with us.

Picture
Sustainable Neighbourhoods Lake Macquarie
Our vision - Neighbourhoods that are empowered to live sustainably.
Our mission - Our work is to foster sustainable neighbourhoods and a healthy environment in Lake Macquarie
Our values - We are guided by our values of participation, inclusion, collaboration, empowerment and shared responsibility.
Picture
The Lake Macquarie Sustainable Neighbourhood Alliance is registered as a not for profit incorporated association under NSW Fair Trading. Sustainable Neighbourhood activities are managed and governed by volunteers and financed through grants, collaboration and community fundraising.

We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land and waters on which we live, work and play, the Awabakal People, and acknowledge the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who now reside in this area. We pay our respect to Elders past and present, and future cultural knowledge holders.
Picture
Sustainable Neighbourhoods is an initiative of Lake Macquarie City Council.
www.lakemac.com.au
Picture
We are proud to be a Very Neighbourly Organisation and supporter of Neighbour Day.
www.neighbourday.org