Greater Melbourne is richly diverse. Each street, village and neighbourhood has passionate individuals, sporting clubs, local businesses, community organisations and councils who know their place best; they know the history, the quirks and they hold their own visions for a more equitable and hopeful future. There are countless examples of communities coming together in service of their place. There are street parties, working groups, neighbourhood gardening projects, community campaigns, energy projects, recycling and waste programs, clean-up days, swap-shops and toy libraries. Community activation is happening all around our city, building on a rich and powerful history of community organising. At its best, communities coming together in service of place creates belonging, connection and long-lasting positive impact.

Imagine if these hyper-local, street-level activations were interconnected, well-resourced and nurtured by the other layers of our economic system, including government and business. Imagine if all Melburnians were connected to their communities and found purpose in the direct impact they can create in their neighbourhoods. Imagine a coherent and powerful wave of action, influencing the centralising forces in our system and accelerating the transition to resilient and regenerative streets.

In the face of our rolling ecological, social and economic crisis, we need all hands on deck! Luckily, there are many places to start and many examples to learn from.

What’s happening across Greater Melbourne?

Village Zero in Sandringham is organising around a holistic vision for regeneration in Sandringham, including generating, storing and consuming locally produced renewable energy, reducing waste by reuse, repair, repurpose and recycling of materials, increasing and improving green space for people to gather and connect, and promoting art and cultural (shout out to Sandy Street Art) activities that acknowledge their distinct history.

Over in Newport, recognising the capacity and support needed for community leadership to thrive Hothouse Projects runs regular programs, courses and living labs. Partnering with two local councils, Network West and WestGate Neighbourhood Fund the Community Leadership program brings together diverse cohorts of local leaders to use the strength of their local resources, connections and imaginations to create portfolios of hyper-local interventions to support biodiversity, energy infrastructure and neighbourhood resilience.

Cross to Collingwood to see examples like Greening Cromwell St highlighting the power of businesses coming together to take responsibility for their place to narrow the gap between the advice they give to clients, and what happens on their front doorstep. Catalysed by STREAT and i2C Architects during lockdowns, supported by Cultivating Communities and the local council this street wide initiative quickly spread to over twelve local businesses participating regularly in street regeneration. Street art, planter boxers, biodiversity audits, working bees you name it, Greening Cromwell St are there.

Down on the Peninsular, groups like Flinders Zero Carbon and Repower are taking energy into their own hands, supporting communities to reduce emissions and build shared battery infrastructure to re-distribute the benefits of the renewable markets back into their place.

Zooming out to the whole of Greater Melbourne Transition Town movements and Friend’s of Groups are dotted all across the suburbs. Including community organisations advocating for and supporting the waterways that flow through our city, like the Yarra River Keeper Association and Friends of the Merri Creek.

Community is more than a nice feeling. Community is a powerful force that has repeatedly demonstrated that a more regenerative and relational way of being is possible.