‘Leadership,’ Dr Colin Hocking told me, ‘is the ability to collaborate when there is no single, simple answer.’
In a climate emergency, the tonic we need reaches beyond technical expertise. We must recover the ability to remain curious and hopeful, to stay at the table with others during ambiguity, grief and disagreement. We must stay honest as we inevitably misstep, and collaborate to self-correct. Importantly, we must cultivate enough collective joys to keep going!
I’m renewed by rolling up my sleeves at working bees, and I’m restored by time under trees, or swimming in the bay, and meals around a crowded table. The EcoCentre has given these gifts to me, and I hope to you.
Please join us in January for 20+ free events like NatureSpot to connect and act together for our beaches, bay, wildlife and community wellbeing. Together, we can keep going!
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What a celebration of 20 years of environmental action! The EcoCentre Community Enviro Fest held on 7th December 2019 was a fabulous day, with nearly 2000 attendees, 30 workshops and talks, 13 musical acts, and the help of 71 volunteers. Thank you to everyone who made the Festival a brilliant day, particularly our sponsors: City of Port Phillip, South Melbourne Community Chest, Alive Events Agency, and the Victorian Government. Click here to browse photos from the event, or here for a video produced by Alive Events! |
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Join your Port Phillip Baykeeper this January during Summer by the Sea! Embark on a shoreline shell survey at one of eight beaches around Victoria to find out what molluscs call our Bay home. Find the full suite of Baykeeper Summer by the Sea programs here. Your Baykeeper will also be hosting citizen science sessions on beaches around St Kilda in January to monitor sand movement, shellfish habitats and plastic pollution: register here! Funded by the Commonwealth of Australia through the Communities Environment Program. |
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Discover the secrets beneath our Bay and meet other youth passionate about the environment on our free Alive Outside program, for youth aged 12-25 who live, work, study, or play in the City of Port Phillip. Free Snorkelling Safaris are running in January. You'll be amazed at the incredible wildlife you can view under the water as you snorkel with Port Phillip EcoCentre and Dive2U right here at Point Ormond. Register here. |
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The Vegan Bake-off was a highlight of the Enviro Fest! 12 bakers submitted entries, with a judging panel and the public tasting their way through plant-based desserts. Congratulations to Stephen Sholl for winning the judges' prize with his mince pies, and Claire Moon for winning the public vote with chocolate caramel slices. Thanks to our friends at Good Love St Kilda for sponsoring the judges' prize! |
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Meet our 2019/20 Multicultural Bay Ambassadors: Jinhua, Noor, Saniya and Niharika! They'll be working on creating events and programs to connect diverse cultures with environmental action through the EcoCentre. Stay tuned for their events in the new year!
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Cool & compelling
- We're hiring a full-time Education Manager! If you're up for the challenge of coordinating our award-winning education portfolio, leading a diverse staff team, and grow partnerships and funding, we want to hear from you. Applications close 6 Jan 2020: apply here.
- Introducing the McWap — Microplastics Collector with a Pump — created by our interns from Worcester Polytechnic Institute. The McWap collects microplastic samples from fresh & saltwater at depths between 0.2 - 2m, to supplement our existing microplastic trawls across the Yarra & Maribyrnong River surfaces. Watch it in action here!
- Congratulations to several of our partner schools for being recipients of the Woolworths Junior Landcare Grant, including: St Mary's Hampton, South Melbourne Park Primary School, St Kilda Primary School, Clarendon Children's Centre, Poets Grove, St Joan of Arc, and Aspendale Primary School.
- A 'living breakwater' was installed at Point Richards earlier this year. Research from your Port Phillip Baykeeper shows that this has mollusc habitat has increased, and seagrass cover has also grown.
- Molluscs that live on the seabed play an important role in cycling nutrients. Baykeeper research has found that the blue mollusc is the most abundant mollusc in Port Phillip Bay.
- The onus for reducing waste is often placed on consumers, but this holiday season retailers are taking steps to lower their environmental footprint.
- Climate change is likely to be a conversation topic on the dinner table this festive season. Here are some handy tips on how to talk about climate change with people who don't share your views.
- Climate change is changing the world before our eyes. This handy tool from ABC shows you how the climate has changed during your lifetime.
- ​Join former Irish President Mary Robinson and comedian Maeve Higgins in Mothers of Invention, an uplifting new podcast celebrating amazing women doing remarkable things in pursuit of climate justice.
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Mark your diary
EcoCentre Closure: Sat 21 Dec to Sun 5 Jan.
Community Compost Closed: Sat 21 Dec to Sun 5 Jan.
Baykeeper Citizen Science Sessions. Join the Port Phillip Baykeeper in family-friendly activities to monitor sand movement, shellfish habitats, and plastic pollution. FREE.
• Tues 7 Jan 4-5pm, Middle Park. Register here.
• Tues 7 Jan 6-7pm, Lagoon Pier. Register here.
• Wed 8 Jan 9:30 - 10:30am, Point Ormond. Register here.
• Wed 8 Jan 4-5pm, St Kilda Pier. Register here.
• Mon 13 Jan 4-5pm, Kerferd Road Pier. Register here.
Summer by the Sea: Shoreline Shell Safari. Become a marine citizen scientist for a day and help the Port Phillip Baykeeper collect data that contributes to healthier waterways and habitats for our unique biodiversity. FREE.
• Sat 4 Jan 10-11am, Point Lonsdale. Register here.
• Sat 4 Jan 12:30-1:30pm, St Leonards. Register here.
• Mon 6 Jan 9:30-10:30am, Altona. Register here.
• Mon 6 Jan 11:30am - 12:30pm, Point Gellibrand. Register here.
• Thurs 9 Jan 9:30-10:30am, Seaford. Register here.
• Sun 12 Jan 3:30-4:30pm, Rye. Register here.
• Sun 12 Jan 5:30-6:30pm, Dromana. Register here.
• Mon 13 Jan 9:30-10:30am, Port Melbourne. Register here.
Alive Outside: Snorkelling Safari. Meet the breathtaking aquatic life that calls our Bay home. All equipment provided. Free for youth aged 12-25 who live, work, play, or study in City of Port Phillip.
• Thurs 9 Jan 10am - 1pm, Point Ormond. Register here.
• Thurs 16 Jan 10am - 1pm, Point Ormond. Register here.
• Thurs 23 Jan 10am - 1pm, Point Ormond. Register here.
NatureSpot Public Surveys. Survey fauna and flora with us for our citizen science biodiversity project. FREE.
• Mon 20 Jan 10-11:30am, Te Arai Reserve. Register here.
• Mon 20 Jan 3:30-5pm, Elwood School Park. Register here.
• Mon 20 Jan 7-8:30pm, St Kilda Botanical Gardens. Register here.
• Tues 21 Jan 10-11:30am, Canterbury Road Forest. Register here.
• Tues 21 Jan 3:30-5pm, Port Melbourne Rail Trail. Register here.
• Tues 21 Jan 7-8:30pm, Gasworks Arts Park. Register here.
National Climate Emergency Summit: 14-15 Feb 2020. Register here.
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