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  Sustainable Neighbourhoods Lake Macquarie
Annual Report 2024
What a year it’s been! We’ve made strides to spread our sustainability messages this year, and our collective efforts were recognised with multiple accolades at the 2024 Lake Mac Awards.

Our citywide Turtle Litter Clean Up was a massive success, thanks to our partnership with Hunter Wildlife Rescue and the enthusiastic participation of our volunteers. After a brief hiatus, Waste to Art returned in October 2023, showcasing the incredible creativity within our community.

We celebrated the Lake Mac Tiny Forest’s first birthday along with a planting day that brought families together at Blackalls Park, while the Holmesville Community Garden blossomed into a hub of productivity and connection. The Greater Charlestown Sustainable Neighbourhood Group conducted an excellent visioning workshop resulting in a revitalised group enthusiastic to continue to deliver existing and new projects.

Workshops like Waste Free Christmas featuring wreaths, furoshiki wrap, seed bombs, and insect hotels by the Cardiff Area Sustainable Neighbourhood Group inspired participants to embrace eco-friendly practices. The Sugar Valley Sustainable Neighbourhood group hosted a well-received companion planting workshop and the Warners Bay Area Sustainable Neighbourhood Group celebrated nature through a Green Burials film screening.​

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2024_annual_report_-_digital_a4.pdf
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The Valentine Area Sustainable Neighbourhood Group empowered the community to make sustainable choices at home through their Solar Sense project and by hosting a transformative ‘Transform your Lawn’ workshop and Sustainable House Day tour.

The Five Bays Sustainable Neighbourhood Group continues their important work with the Pamper Care project. The Toronto Area Sustainable Neighbourhood Group’s anti-graffiti and mural project worked with local Aboriginal artists and business owners to create a welcoming business precinct.

Repair It Lake Mac continues to flourish and has grown to assist other local councils to form their own Repair Cafes, demonstrating the power of community action in reducing waste to landfill.

We continue to promote sustainability in fun and engaging ways. Our presence at the Living Smart Festival 2023 was a highlight, connecting us with many eager community members. In Redhead they revitalised their newsletter, bringing fresh, eco-friendly content to our community. The Blacksmiths, Marks Point and Pelican group promoted responsible dog ownership with local leafleting, and the Rathmines Area group keep everyone informed about sustainable initiatives through their local noticeboard. Our stalls at local events, including Kahibah Village Fair and the Toronto Lions Market further increased our visibility in the community.

We had representatives at the Nature Conservation Council Conference, joined the Hunter Community Alliance and we’re working on developing a Memorandum of Understanding with Council to strengthen our partnership. We also had the opportunity to revisit our constitution, code of conduct and general governance.

As we reflect on this past year, our hearts are full of gratitude for your support. Together, we’re making our community greener and more vibrant. Let’s keep the momentum going into 2025 and beyond!

With eco-friendly cheer,
Gabrielle Clappison
​Chairperson
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Annual Report 2023
This year the Sustainable Neighbourhood Alliance has continued with renewed enthusiasm, ready to continue working towards our vision to foster eco-conscious neighbourhoods. I was honoured to start 2023 by representing our organisation at the official opening of our new home at Council’s Landcare and Sustainable Living Centre, umali baraki-ku.

Throughout the year we have been engaging with our community through pop up stalls, car boot sales, newsletters, community festivals, litter clean ups, community gardens and through sustainability workshops, covering topics like energy conservation and solar, waste reduction, Boomerang Bags, wreath making, Beeswax wraps, tool maintenance, sustainable Christmas decorations and growing food.

Our greening projects were a huge success with the first Tiny Forest in Lake Mac, Blackalls Park planting, Ross Street Verge Garden, Styles Point planting and the Tree Trail at the MAC, including flourishing vegetables at Holmesville Community Garden.

Our consistent work to reduce plastics and waste is making an impact as we witness our community’s increasing willingness to embrace plastic free living. Waste to Art has returned this year, engaging artists of all ages and skills to create an inspirational and varied display for our community.
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I want to acknowledge the tremendous impact of our volunteers, who are the driving force behind our accomplishments. Along with not-for-profit organisations across the country, we have felt the impact of decreasing volunteer numbers in recent years. Despite this, the impact of our volunteers’ efforts continues to increase. For example, our digital reach has grown by almost 200% since June 2020. We’ve delivered 70 events and engaged with more than 8500 people through our projects and campaigns this year. These numbers are a testament to the dedication and hard work of our volunteers.
As we continue on this sustainable eco-living journey, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to our volunteers, members and supporters. Your passion and commitment are the heart of our Alliance, and your enthusiasm continues to drive our mission forward.
Go well.
Gabrielle Clappison, Chairperson
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Annual Report 2022
​A number of Sustainable Neighbourhood projects have made considerable progress this year.
The ReLeaf Lake Mac team is developing the Tree Trail at the Museum of Art and Culture, yapang. Community greening projects at Blackalls Park and Rathmines are now underway, and substantial planning for the Tiny Forest project is proceeding.
Our volunteers planted trees at eight locations for National Tree Day and took part in Clean Up Australia.
Reduce, reuse and waste reduction messages were emphasised at five Repair Cafe sessions, through the Plastic Free Cafes project, a worm farm workshop and three Waste to Art exhibitions.

We have been pleased to influence the development of Council’s Urban Greening Strategy, circular economy initiatives, and continue to actively support other key measures to improve the liveability of the city and manage climate change. We continue to collaborate with a range of generous community partners and other groups to strengthen and share our messages.

On behalf of the Alliance board, I give sincere thanks to all of our amazing volunteers and supporters who deliver sustainable living campaigns and projects to communities across the city with great energy and enthusiasm.
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Sustainable Neighbourhoods Annual Report 2022.pdf
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Annual Report 2021
I am proud that the Sustainable Neighbourhood network continues to exhibit resilience, patience and innovation. We have stayed connected with our members and the wider community by embracing hybrid meetings, small outdoor events, social media and our citywide projects.

To our amazing volunteers, thank you. Without your commitment, dedication and forward-thinking, Sustainable Neighbourhoods would not have made the 10-year mark. In your roles as Sustainable Neighbourhood volunteers and advocates, may you continue to inspire and empower the residents of Lake Macquarie to live a more sustainable life.

- Robyn Charlton, Chairperson
Sustainable Neighbourhoods - Annual Report 2021.pdf
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Annual Report 2020
We are delighted to present the 2020 Sustainable Neighbourhoods Annual Report, highlighting our achievements and activities in the 2019-20 financial year.
Download a copy of the report:
sustainable_neighbourhoods_annual_report_2020.pdf
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This year has provided the Alliance and the Sustainable Neighbourhood Network with many challenges.
Through drought, bushfires and COVID-19, Sustainable Neighbourhoods has evolved and become stronger and more resilient, leading the way for a more sustainable future across Lake Macquarie City.
- Robyn Charlton, Chairperson
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Annual Report 2019
We are pleased to present the 2019 Sustainable Neighbourhoods Annual Report, highlighting our achievements and activities in the 2018-19 financial year.
Download a copy of the 2019 Annual Report
Sustainable Neighbourhoods Annual Report 2019.pdf
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 Annual Report 2018
We are proud to publish the Sustainable Neighbourhoods Annual Report 2018.
The report summarises our achievements and activities in the 2017-18 financial year.
"We are not done and there is much yet to do, but the Sustainable Neighbourhood volunteers' positivity, perseverance and preparedness to act will head us resolutely towards our vision for the City in which we live, 'Neighbourhoods that are empowered to live sustainably'."
Colin Mondy, Chairperson
Lake Macquarie Sustainable Neighbourhood Alliance
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Download a copy of the report
Sustainable Neighbourhoods Annual Report 2018.pdf
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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.
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.
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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