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  Sustainable Neighbourhoods Lake Macquarie

Sustainability in Action
Sustainable Property Tour in Mandalong
11 September 2011

The Morisset Sustainable Neighbourhood Group want to inspire and assist their neighbours to take up sustainable living and bush regeneration practices at home.

Group members Margrete and Pip live on a beautiful sustainable property, Yara Balba, at Mandalong, where they have established solar power, rainwater tanks, chickens, vegetables gardens and fruit trees, along with fantastic bush regeneration, and soil improvement works to improve biodiversity and productivity.

The group teamed up with Sustainable House Day (a national event), and the Hunter-Central Rivers Catchment Management Authority, to hold an afternoon tour of the property.

Almost 60 people attended on the day, and enjoyed a stroll around Yara Balba, with commentary from Margrete and Pip.

Participants reported that the visit had increased their understanding of sustainability issues and sparked further interest in learning about related topics such as gardening, composting and worm farming.

Participants also reported that they were inspired to get greener at home by:
  • planting / improving wildlife habitat
  • starting a vegetable garden or fruit orchard
  • installing solar hot water
  • improving their land management practices.

Find out about our upcoming workshops in the 'What would Nanna do?' series.
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Download a copy of this case study
Sustainability in Action was organised by the Morisset Sustainable Neighbourhood Group with support from Lake Macquarie City Council, the NSW Environmental Trust, Southlake Community Services, Sustainable House Day 2011,  Hunter Catchment Management Authority, and Yara Balba Arts Studio.
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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.

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.

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.
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Sustainable Neighbourhoods is an initiative of Lake Macquarie City Council.
www.lakemac.com.au
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We are proud to be a Very Neighbourly Organisation and supporter of Neighbour Day.
www.neighbourday.org