Inspire Magazine - Spring/Summer issue 2021

ISSUE #02

SPRING/SUMMER 2021 ISSUE #02

GETTING HOME SOONER What the future looks like for first home buyers

BUILDING HOUSES & S H AT T E R I N G GLASS CEILINGS Women in construction breaking down barriers

M EE T O U R LO CA L EC O H ER O ES The quiet achievers saving our environment

PRESENTED BY GINNINDERRY 1

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You get a real sense of connection to the place and its history.˝

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Harry & Meryl From the moment they saw the breathtaking surroundings, the close proximity to Belconnen and the magical community-feel, Harry and Meryl knew they wanted to make Ginninderry their home. They’re two of the co-authors helping us to write the Ginninderry story. And we can’t wait to see how it unfolds.

Find your inspiration at ginninderry.com

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INSPIRE

From the editor Strength in numbers This phrase couldn’t be more significant to us all, than right now.

As the world continues to navigate lockdowns and increasing uncertainty about where this pandemic will take us, one certainty is this: we are all stronger when we feel a part of a community.

Tulitha King EDITOR

We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land, pay respect to their Elders—past, present and emerging— and acknowledge the important role Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples continue to play within the community.

INSPIRE IS PRESENTED BY

This issue takes an in-depth look at the importance of community connections and how we can try and foster these where we live, regardless of whether they are face-to-face or otherwise.

We interview some incredibly inspiring people, from a community of women who are breaking down barriers in the construction industry, to our local quiet achievers who are doing their bit to enhance our environment.

We also look at the looming housing crisis, with thoughts and ideas on how to make housing more accessible to the everyday Australian.

And as the weather warms up, we feature a myriad of ways we can combat the heat sustainably. From creating new urban environments that reduce urban heat, to innovative landscaping products we can use in our backyards, and tips on how to have a more sustainable summer, we’ve got it covered.

EDITOR IN CHIEF

Kate Edwards EDITOR

Tulitha King ART DIRECTOR

Jess Spaleta PHOTOGRAPHERS

Adam McGrath Harry Burke CONTRIBUTORS

Amanda Whitley Emma Macdonald Beatrice Smith Jil Hogan Erin Cross COVER PHOTOGR APHY

Dean Bradley for Country Road Dhani is wearing Country Road Linen Shirt and Mid Rise Jean P R O U D LY P R O D U C E D B Y C O O R D I N AT E

coordinate.com.au INSPIRE is printed on Grange Offset paper stock. Grange is PEFC certified, manufactured in facilities with ISO 14001 EMS certification and made elemental chlorine free with ISO 9706 Longlife certification.

Ginninderry is a new community extending across the ACT/NSW border to the west of Belconnen which will eventually be home to 30,000 people. Developed by a Joint Venture between the ACT Government and Riverview Developments, the vision for Ginninderry is to build a community of international significance, with innovation, diversity and ecological criteria at its core.

INSPIRE is born from this vision and through it we aim to showcase emerging trends in sustainable, modern living.

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Contents

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A sense of community

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Building houses and shattering glass ceilings

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Sustainable summer

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Keeping our suburbs cool

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Getting home sooner

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Artist profile: Paul Summerfield

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Starthnairn Arts Homestead gift ideas

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Our local eco heroes

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The spark that ignited Dylan’s fire

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Strathnairn Arts - a colourful history

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Creatures in our neighbourhood

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Summer garden care

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3 eco-friendly garden ideas

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Take it ouside: circuit session

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5 apps for living green

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Asparagus & Pea Salad with whipped ricotta

COVER STORY PG 30

Our local eco heroes Canberra's quiet achievers doing their bit to protect the environment

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INSPIRE

A sense of community WORDS PHOTOS

Jil Hogan Harry Burke and Adam McGrath

Ginninderry residents greeting each other on a morning walk.

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With the spread of COVID-19 leaving people across the world less connected, social isolation and loneliness are more acute. But it’s during these times that we need a sense of community more than ever and to explore new ways and reasons for people to connect with one another.

According to a report released by Relationships Australia in late 2018, most Australians will experience loneliness at some point in their lives. That same year, The Australian Loneliness Report found that one in four people were experiencing an episode of loneliness, while one in two people reported they felt lonely for at least one day each week. Since these reports were released, the world has become even more disconnected with the onset of the global pandemic, to a point where social distancing is mandated and enforced, and at times we’re legally required to completely stay away from others.

“Loneliness is a really significant issue across Australia, and indeed, across a lot of the world at the moment,” says Nick Tebbey from Relationships Australia. “There are reports out there that liken loneliness to smoking 15 cigarettes a day in terms of the morbidity risk that it can create for a person. So it does have really significant impacts for us as individuals.”

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“However there have been some real concerted efforts to start looking at ways of addressing it,” Nick adds.

“What we've seen over the last 18 months is that strong social connections really do provide a sense of support for us when we're going through tough times. So there's a real unifying thing when there's a natural disaster—or as we're seeing right now, a pandemic—when people get together and look out for each other, support each other, and support the most vulnerable in their communities,” says Nick.

“We know that this then has lasting consequences for a community that then can turn to each other when they need it in the future. A really important benefit of having strong social connections is having somewhere to go for that support when you need it. And the other benefit, which certainly some of our own research tells us, is that the more we feel like we identify with our community and the people around us, and the more we're connected with them, there's actually direct mental health benefits, and a reduction in things like loneliness, and social isolation. So connection can have really positive impacts on our health, as well as just that broader sense of support.”

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It can start with really simple things, like just saying hello, and stopping for a chat, when you pass your neighbours in the street or over the fence. Just generally having conversations like that can open up a whole lot of doors.

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INSPIRE

C R E AT I N G C O M M U N I T I E S T H AT FOSTER A SENSE OF COMMUNITY

One of the factors that can play a huge role in whether or not we feel connected is the community in which we live. In the initial designs for the emerging Ginninderry region, infrastructure was incorporated in ways that helped encourage people to head outside.

“We deliberately tried to keep our streets pedestrian-friendly, to make sure kids can actually get outside and play safely with good routes to the park. Then we’ve included community hubs, which are natural spaces that exist outside the home where people might be drawn together, like parks, ponds or viewpoints,” says Tulitha King, Ginninderry’s Community Development Manager.

“By having community amenities situated throughout the suburb, it creates accidental occasions for interaction, which provide a chance for people to build community on their own terms which is slow and organic. And I think that's really, really important,

Every Sunday evening a group of Ginninderry residents play soccer

and people often feel more comfortable doing it in that way.”

Creating appealing neighbourhoods also helps give people a sense of place and a feeling of belonging.

“Your street might not mean a lot to you. But if you have a relationship with your neighbour, and the kids who live down the road, and the guy who walks by with his dog every day, it makes you feel at home,” says Tulitha.

“And I think it contributes as well to your physical health, because if you feel safe in a community, you're more likely to get outside and be active outside as well. And it contributes to your purpose in life, as well—it gives you the platform to develop as a human being.”

Tulitha says community is the software that then makes places tick, and urban planning goes a long way to ensure it thrives.

“Communities can be extremely diverse, and healthy communities can each look very different, just as people are all different. The trick is to understand what kinds of people, cultures and interests are represented in a community and develop these assets to achieve a cultural blend that defines that community’s place.

The community can drive this itself, however, these days when many family homes are very busy, professional support and an authorising environment do need to be provided to encourage communities to create their own cultural landscapes together,” she says.

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C O N N E C T I N G P E O P L E AT A TIME OF DISCONNECTION

But of course, we could all do with a little encouragement individually when it comes to connecting. The Ginninderry team has also launched a number of community programs and events as an avenue for neighbours to connect, including movie nights, a playgroup, communal gardens, sustainability workshops, yoga classes, and the With One Voice choir, which was launched three years ago.

“There are actually studies to show that singing together builds relationships quite quickly, because singing is quite a vulnerable thing to do. So if you're doing that with a group of people, it's almost like you're just letting your guard down instantly,” says Tulitha.

“And then there's our playgroup, and people bond very readily over the challenges of child rearing. So it's really

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Ginninderry "With One Voice" choir rehearsing at The Link

important to provide that supportive environment for parents and carers of children.”

At a more overarching level, the ACT Government has introduced a number of initiatives to increase community connection and combat loneliness and isolation. To help counteract the isolating effects of the pandemic in particular, they released Community Connections Grants as part of their COVID-19 Stimulus Community Resilience and Crisis Response initiative, plus Seniors Grants and Disability Inclusion Grants. The grants supported groups and individuals to run innovative projects that foster involvement, participation and connection.

Minister for Mental Health and Assistant Minister for Families and Community Services Emma Davidson says the grants were, “to try and help people stay connected during a time

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when they can't all just go and do the things that they used to do”.

“The really interesting thing has been seeing the community spring up and start implementing their own solutions. Through things like the grants programs, small groups have been able to fund a small local activity that allows people to reconnect with each other. [This] has been really important because it's led by the community, and that's how we're going to get through all of this, by doing these things together.”

Some of the activities included trapeze workshops for over-50s, an Intergenerational Pen Pal Project where primary school students and a group of elderly residents connected by putting pen to paper, and a group who produced their own small community theatre performance telling the stories of how people are getting through this tough time.

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INSPIRE

Ginninderry locals exploring one of the many paths that connect the community

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HOW TO BUILD CONNECTIONS

So how can we all build more connections in our everyday lives? “[It can start] with really simple things, like just saying hello, and stopping for a chat, when you pass your neighbours in the street or over the fence. Just generally having conversations like that can open up a whole lot of doors,” says Nick.

“Some of the things that we've seen, certainly over the last 18 months, are neighbourhoods doing things differently, but really coming together in ways that I think are quite inspiring.

So they set up neighbourhood WhatsApp groups or Facebook groups where they share what's going on in the neighbourhood, or where they offer to grab someone some groceries if they're isolating or in quarantine, and they've organised events when they could.”

If you feel you need a reason to reach out, use Neighbour Day as your cue.

The annual event, which has been running in some form for 20 years and was held on March 28 this year, encourages people to connect with their neighbours, whether near, far, or online.

The event’s website (neighbourday.org) has a range of ideas on how to reach out to those around you and ways to build a connection at any time of the year, and Nick says don’t be afraid to get creative.

“If we've learned anything over the last year, it's that it's about being creative in the way you connect, and not letting some of these really difficult things that are happening around us and that are limiting what we can do get in the way of making connections. We saw last year this huge uptake in people looking for creative ways that they could be connected via, like having trivia nights over Skype and things like that,” says Nick.

“There's a lot of uncertainty still around us, we don't know how long we're going to be dealing with them. So taking that effort, being creative, and really building on those connections with your neighbours puts in place a really strong groundwork for years to come, which is really important for our mental and our physical health.”

Tulitha says we can all play a big role in growing not only our own personal connections, but those in the greater communities around us.

“I think there's sometimes this notion that the government will fix things.

I like the idea of encouraging people to do their bit to really feel like they belong, where they live, and to make it their home; not just their yard and their house, but also the streets where they live,” she says.

“At Christmas time, we had a couple of Christmas parties in the streets, and those sorts of things are wonderful, because it means that people feel

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comfortable taking ownership of a public space and claiming it for the community. We also have a local young man who set up a local soccer friendly competition every Sunday night. Those types of activities are about communities owning that public space and bringing their flavour into it and making it about the actual community that lives there. That public space becomes about them, and it tells their story.”

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The more we feel like we identify with our community and the people around us, and the more we're connected with them, the better the mental health benefits.

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INSPIRE

Building houses and shattering glass ceilings WORDS

PHOTOS

Beatrice Smith Adam McGrath

An ambitious local initiative is working to change the statistics around women in the construction sector and break down barriers.

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Jo Farrell, General Manager of KANE Construction ACT, on the Strathnairn Charity House site

Across the world, cracks are forming in glass ceilings. By November 2020, women held 32.1 per cent of seats across Australia’s top 200 boards and female politicians now hold the majority in the Senate for the first time ever.

In the Australian construction industry, however, it’s a different story. While statistics show promising growth with the overall number of women in construction roles increasing by 34% in five years—from 44,583 in 2015 to 59,587 in 2020—this is a small drop in the ocean when it comes to Australia’s 1.2 million-strong construction workforce.

But an ambitious local initiative is working to change these statistics and showcase Canberra’s female talent in the sector.

The Strathnairn Charity House may currently be a concrete slab with one of the best views in Canberra, but it represents something far bigger—the collaboration of dozens of women across myriad roles—from architecture and interior design, to electricians,

builders, carpenters, painters and landscapers—to prove that a woman’s place is on site.

A joint venture between Ginninderry and Master Builders ACT, The Strathnairn Charity House is being conceptualised, designed and built with high-quality donated and low-cost services and labour.

Once completed, the house will go to auction, with the proceeds split between three worthy organisations within West Belconnen—Pegasus Riding for the Disabled, Karinya House, and Canberra City Care Charnwood— with funds distributed through Hands Across Canberra.

With four bedrooms, three bathrooms and a sleek modern design, the Strathnairn Charity House is expected to fetch upwards of a million dollars at auction—but it won’t just raise much-needed funds. It will also break down barriers within the construction industry, as the team behind its design, construction and oversight will be comprised solely of women.

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INSPIRE

Architect Cassandra Keller and Architectural Assistant Abbie Muir discuss Charity House renders

Construction on the Charity House is being spearheaded by KANE Constructions ACT’s General Manager Jo Farrell, whose track record for empowering women in trade roles speaks for itself.

importantly, every trade we use will have a female apprentice, and participants on the Master Builders ACT & Ginninderry’s successful SPARK Women in Trades program will also use the project as a live training site.”

Jo is also the founder of not-forprofit organisation Build Like A Girl, which champions women in trade and encourages young women to consider a trade as a career option. Naturally, Jo was excited by the prospect of a house built entirely by women.

For Jo, it’s all about visibility as the house comes together on-site—because you cannot be what you cannot see.

“The ACT Women’s Action Plan sets a target of achieving increased participation by women in the construction sector…so this project is a great opportunity to shine a light on the impact that women can have in our industry,” she says.

“From a design and construction point of view, the project will be led by a female architect and builder, but more

“We’re starting to really recognise how many women are playing a part in [the house’s] construction…it’s about recognition and making them visible.

That’s the most important part of this story,” she says.

"There’s got to be women there showing that it can be done to then allow younger women to say, ‘Well if she can do it, I can too’."

Architect Cassandra Keller shares Jo’s enthusiasm. Her firm CK Architecture is heavily involved in programs which she

says, “enable young women to explore careers in construction they may not have thought about,” so being part of the Strathnairn Charity House team was a natural choice.

“It’s a great example of showing young women—and the broader community —what other women can do in the construction industry,” says Cassandra.

“It makes it real for girls.”

Cassandra says the Strathnairn Charity House is as much about inspiring the next generation as it is about celebrating the women in Canberra’s construction industry.

“I feel very lucky to be a part of it because I can see what a difference it makes for young women. When I was that age, I would have loved to have seen more of that happening.”

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One such young woman is 25-yearold Siobhan Nelson. Now a first-year electrical apprentice with Control & Electric, Siobhan came across Ginninderry’s pioneering SPARK Construction Program at a jobs fair and quickly realised it was the perfect route to a career that suited her better than she ever expected.

Because of SPARK’s involvement with the Strathnairn Charity House, Siobhan has been able to put her mark on the house in not one, but two, ways— helping create the formwork and connecting the site to the grid—and says the atmosphere on-site is electric (no pun intended).

“You could see the inspiration on everyone’s faces and how excited they were to be doing something that was going to give back to women and the community,” says Siobhan. “Everyone had a big smile on their face. The best word would be ‘empowered’.”

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I’m so grateful for the opportunity to be involved…you walk away feeling really positive and like you want to give back. In the future I’d love to do more of the same.

Siobhan Nelson, Electrical apprentice and SPARK graduate

However, Jo is also quick to add that women don’t need to be young or at the start of their careers to take up a trade.

“Don’t listen to the negativity,” she says.

“Reach out to us or someone else in the industry and get the right information.

Construction is genderless—it’s not about who you are, it’s the attitude you bring to the table that will dictate your success in this industry.”

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For Siobhan, the Strathnairn Charity House is just the beginning.

“I’m finishing my apprenticeship and once I’m fully qualified, I’d like to stay in the industry and teach,” she says. “My long-term goal is to help encourage more women to be involved in a trade.”

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INSPIRE

5 WAYS TO A MORE

Sustainable Summer We’ve been waiting for the warmer weather all year.

But many of our favourite summer pastimes can come at an environmental cost. So here are five easy ways to reduce your impact on the environment and enjoy summer guilt-free.

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W E A R E C O - F R I E N D LY SUNSCREEN

CARRY A W AT E R B O T T L E

Sunscreen is a non-negotiable when it comes to protecting yourself from the sun’s harmful rays. But recent studies have found that many sunscreens contain oxybenzone and octinoxate, chemicals that contribute to coral bleaching—even at low concentrations—along with toxins that impact marine life. Even if you’re not swimming in the ocean, these chemicals enter marine ecosystems through sewage treatment plant outflows. The solution?

Choose mineral sunscreens that contain non-nano zinc dioxide as the primary active ingredient.

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DITCH THE DISPOSABLES As the warmer weather lures us outdoors for picnics and BBQs, it’s time to put a stop to using disposable cutlery, plates and cups and try reusable alternatives. There are some fantastic biodegradable options that you can buy at your supermarket—such as bamboo plates and cutlery, as well as a host of eco-friendly picnic kits that you can reuse again and again.

The world uses about one million plastic water bottles a minute, and more than 90% of those don’t get recycled. So while staying hydrated this season, swap singleuse plastic water bottles for reusable water bottles. Better still, choose brands made with insulation technology to keep your drink super chilled.

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W E A R S U S TA I N A B L E SUNNIES Speaking of plastic bottles that aren’t being recycled, there is now an Australian brand— Good Citizens—that is producing sunglasses made from 100% recycled plastic (except the lenses). Alternatives like these are not only super stylish (check out their customisable options at goodcitizens.com.au), they’re locally manufactured and putting plastic waste to good use.

PL ANT FLOWERS FOR OUR BEE By adding a few native flower species to your garden bed or flower pot (bees love blue, violet, purple, yellow and white varieties) you’re not only adding a bit of colour to your outdoor spaces, you’re also providing much needed nutrition for our bee population. This is particularly important in the summer months when there are fewer flowers around for them to survive. And by providing these food sources, you’re boosting the bee numbers we need to support the biodiversity within urban landscapes.

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Keeping our suburbs cool WORDS

Emma Macdonald

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To combat Canberra's urban heat islands, new forward-thinking developments such as Ginninderry are treading a much shadier path, making sure trees and water courses have right of way.

Consider this: If the Australian population continues to increase at its current rate, to an estimated 31 million people by 2030, we will need to construct as many as 197,000 homes a year. Whether these homes help or harm the planet is the big question.

A major CSIRO report in 2017 pointed to the impact of Canberra’s urban heat islands—the warming which happens when pavements, roads and buildings absorb the sun’s heat and radiate it back, day and night, increasing the temperature and stopping urban areas from cooling down.

The report found the ACT was around 8oC warmer in summer and 6oC warmer in winter than its surrounding rural areas. And areas with large expanses of impervious surfaces (such as rooftops, carparks and concreted areas) were much warmer again— sometimes up to 4-11oC hotter than the Canberra average. These sorts of surfaces are often found in commercial and industrial areas, and, sadly, new housing developments where “green infrastructure” was not factored in at the greenfield stage.

Planning mistakes of the past—creating urban heat islands—are now issues the community must face, and avoid repeating in the future as we meet an ever-increasing demand for housing stock.

Ginninderry’s Sustainability Manager, Jessica Stewart, is at the forefront of ensuring the development avoids some of the devasting environmental costs now impacting ACT residents across other parts of the city.

Some of the sustainability features prioritised at Ginninderry include keeping big trees to provide natural canopy cover. This means protecting some very old, large trees within the development—some of which have been there since before European settlement.

“By integrating our existing trees into our suburb design we have managed to keep around 80% of all trees. Large hollow-bearing trees are vital not only for shade, but also for nesting of many bird species,” Jessica said.

Those trees which cannot be preserved are incorporated into the Conservation Corridor or to some of the many ponds which provide extra habitat spaces.

According to Jessica, water sensitive urban design is key to the success of Ginninderry.

“Given our connection to the Murrumbidgee River and Ginninderra Creek, we have a responsibility to ensure that we treat our water on site carefully.

Incorporating water within our suburbs also helps to keep things cool. Air moving across water bodies provides cooler air to areas downwind.”

Building materials were also chosen to decrease the temperature.

“By using materials that either don’t hold heat or get rid of their heat quickly, we can limit the urban heat island effect. Permeable paving is an easy substitute to traditional paving, concrete or asphalt. Permeable paving allows moisture to filter through to the soil underneath allowing it to cool quicker overnight.”

Chief Executive Officer of the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) Davina Rooney said the ACT was increasingly a “shining light when it comes to sustainability leadership in the built environment and is showing the way by creating pathways to a net zero future”.

Having been awarded the highest possible 6 Star Green Star Community certification in 2016, Ginninderry has been recently recertified for the same rating for another five years— proof that new developments can be committed to a healthier future for residents and the planet.

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Incorporating water within our suburbs also helps to keep things cool. Air moving across water bodies provides cooler air to areas downwind.

INSPIRE

“With its links to the natural environment, people-centric design elements and high sustainability ambitions, Ginninderry is carving out a new benchmark for liveable, healthy and resilient communities,” Davina said. “As it takes shape, Ginninderry is a sneak peek into what a healthy, low-carbon future could look like.”

The ACT’s Commissioner for Sustainability and Environment Dr Sophie Lewis said residents would be the ultimate winners when developments mitigated the worst impacts of climate change.

“There is a lot we can do in our built environment to address this and take heat out of our suburbs, including through house and building design, green roofs and gardens, green spaces in our suburbs and using permeable,

rather than hard, surfaces for our suburbs. It is great to see that these principles are being adopted at Ginninderry in the design phase and it would be fantastic to see all greenfield developments future proofing suburbs and homes for a hotter future.”

Less easy is mitigating the effect once it is built.

“There is a lot we can be doing in existing suburbs to take the heat out of the urban environment, but it becomes harder and harder. In existing suburbs, there might not be enough space for required planting and surfaces cannot easily be replaced.

So we have to do both—promote good, climate-focused design in the long term and provide everyone with the chance of a climate-wise suburb.”

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Getting home sooner

What does the future look like for first home buyers?

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It now takes the average first-home buyer couple in Canberra six years to save the 20% deposit needed for an entry-priced home—nine months longer than it did a year ago, and 20 months longer than five years ago.

Canberra is also our nation’s most expensive city to rent. People typically shell out $668 each week for a house and $521 for a unit.

The current housing market statistics are not painting a great picture for first home buyers.

Last year, fuelled by record-low interest rates and federal and state subsidies, first home buyers took out mortgages at numbers not seen since the peak of the global financial crisis.

Canberra's house prices broke record after record, finally posting an 18.1% annual increase in value. The median house, according to CoreLogic, is now valued at $770,873. And even though lending to first home buyers surged by 66% in 2020, rising prices are putting home ownership further out of reach for some.

There is also an alarming trend that shows a dramatic decrease in home ownership since 1971: from 64% to 50% for Australians aged 30 to 34, and 50% to 37% for Australians aged 25 to 29.

The cost of buying a home has increased by 130% over two generations and many first home buyers are now turning to their parents for help.

According to analysis by Digital Finance Analytics, the Bank of Mum and Dad is now Australia’s ninth-biggest mortgage lender, with parental contributions averaging more than $89,000 – an increase of nearly 20% in the past 12 months.

These statistics tell a story of structural inequality that is very hard to shift.

What we need are big, bold ideas and new solutions, not band aids.

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What we need are big, bold ideas and new solutions, not band aids.

TOWA R D S A F LE X I B LE F U T U R E

One smart solution that is being pioneered in Canberra are Ginninderry’s Flexi-living Homes.

From the earliest days of development, when the Riverview Group and ACT Government sat down at the drawing board, housing affordability was a central plank of the Ginninderry project, says David Maxwell, Managing Director of Riverview Developments.

“We set a goal up front that 15% of all homes would be affordable,” he explains.

The Flexi-living model is the “something in between” an apartment and a traditional home. Separately titled, but with the convenience and lowmaintenance lifestyle of an apartment, Flexi-living Homes fill an important gap, David says.

“Flexi-living Homes are for people entering the housing market. We have clear criteria. We will only sell to home buyers with a family income of less than $120,000 a year, and the owners must live in it for three years.

“We agree on a price, contracts are exchanged, and the owners pay a 5% deposit. They don’t pay another cent until settlement—this means you don’t have to make progress payments throughout the process.”

And because Riverview acts as the developer of the project, the model “helps us maintain quality of the built form”. The first tranche of 70 Flexiliving Homes has been delivered and the next tranche is expected in 2021.

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Housing affordability: A hard nut to crack While developments like Ginninderry are thinking outside of the box to come up with creative solutions, many other clever people are putting their minds to the affordable housing problem.

New creative finance products are entering the market each week.

Innovative construction techniques—like modular construction and 3D printing—can improve productivity and lower costs. Removing regulatory barriers and planning roadblocks can get homes to market quicker.

But unravelling the interconnected threads that have us tied in knots is not easy. Here are just a few illustrations of why housing affordability is a hard nut to crack.

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Redefining renting

Build-to-rent is residential accommodation held over the longterm by an institutional owner. While new to Australia, the asset class is well-established in the United States, where it makes up 20% of rental accommodation in some markets.

Because the owners are in it for the long term, they are incentivised to look after their tenants. Early movers in Australia have delivered apartment projects where tenants can paint the walls, put up pictures, keep pets and don’t have to stump up for a bond.

YWCA Canberra’s chief executive officer Frances Crimmins says buildto-rent can address the growing group of people who fall through the cracks—those who earn too much to be eligible for public housing but who can’t keep up with Canberra’s skyrocketing private rental prices.

“We were the original build-to-renters before it became trendy,” Frances says. She’s currently in conversations with the ACT Government and other community housing providers, and has made clear recommendations about how to get build-to-rent off the ground in Canberra. “But it’s the price of land that is the issue for us”.

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Architects take action

Nightingale Housing has attracted headlines in recent years for its architect-led model. Profits, capped at 15 per cent, kept the purchase price of apartments affordable, and each project is pre-sold by ballot. But the model proved impossible to scale, with architects often unable to raise the funds needed to get projects off the ground. With just a handful of projects completed, Nightingale Housing now partners with landowners, like faith-based organisations, to develop buildings with a percentage allocated as affordable housing. “We’ve looked at the Nightingale model as we’ve explored housing affordability options,” says David Maxwell. "Once we build a group centre, this option will be more feasible."

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Tax treatments

Governments need tax to deliver services and maintain our quality of life.

The problem is some taxes, like stamp duty, are inefficient and often prevent people from ‘rightsizing’ to suit their stage of life. After nearly a decade of transitioning to a broad-based land tax, the ACT has the lowest stamp duty rate

in the country. However, the National Housing Finance and Investment Corporation has recently highlighted the challenge for policymakers.

“Despite reductions in stamp duty rates during the transition, stamp duty revenue collections haven’t declined much, while residential land tax revenue has continued to grow.” The ACT Government continues to look for solutions. From 1 July 2021, stamp duty was scrapped for off-the-plan purchases up to $500,000—a saving of up to $10,000 on a new apartment or townhouse, whilst eligible first home buyers in the ACT pay no or reduced stamp duty.

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Vacant office to vibrant living

Transforming empty offices into affordable housing makes sense, especially as more Canberrans work from home. Some adaptive-reuse projects have taken shape around the nation’s capital, reimagining old offices as warehouse-style apartments, student accommodation, hotels or retirement living.

While adaptive reuse offers many advantages, including reducing waste to landfill and carbon emissions, not all buildings are suitable for conversion.

Meeting the National Construction Code can prove a headache with some older buildings. Other projects can come at a hefty price tag, putting them well outside the affordability equation.

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According to analysis by Digital Finance Analytics, the Bank of Mum and Dad is now Australia’s ninthbiggest mortgage lender, with parental contributions averaging more than $89,000 – an increase of nearly 20% in the past 12 months.

GOVERNMENT ACTION

More than half of renters across Australia are now paying more than 30% of their income in rent—the key threshold for housing stress. One in six pays more than 50%, having no money left over to save at the end of the month.

These are the sorts of statistics that keep Rebecca Vassarotti MLA up at night. As the ACT Minister for Homelessness and Housing Services, and the Minister for Sustainable Building and Construction, Rebecca works at what she calls the “pointy end of housing”.

For nearly two decades Rebecca saw how housing—or lack of it— reinforced social disadvantage. She was the executive director of YWCA in Canberra for nearly a decade, led the Australian Council of Social Services for a time, and spent seven years sitting on the board of Community Housing Canberra.

The pandemic has exposed and exacerbated existing fault lines in our community. “We’ve always had low rental vacancy rates and affordability in Canberra, but I don’t think anyone could have expected this current situation and it has put incredible stress across the city,” she says.

Rebecca is now responsible for a portfolio of social housing assets that are home to 20,000 tenants across the ACT.

She is also leading an ambitious agenda to transform the ACT’s social housing stock. Co-housing and build-to-rent demonstration projects are taking shape. An extra $18 million has been earmarked for specialist homelessness services over the next four years and 400 additional public housing dwellings have been promised by 2025. The ACT Government has also pledged to simplify our planning system, which will make it easier for projects by private developers to get off the ground.

“There’s a real recognition by the ACT Government that there’s work to be done. There’s a very active conversation underway with the community, with the federal government, and with industry about the roles they can play,” Rebecca says.

New challenges require us to think differently about age-old problems, and Rebecca applauds industry efforts to embrace innovative models, pointing to Ginninderry’s Flexi-living Series as an example. But the task is an urgent one that requires the efforts of Canberrans across sectors and specialisations.

“Housing affordability is an issue that government won’t solve on its own.

We need to be innovative, to embrace technology and different thinking, and to have deep conversations across our city. It’s a collaborative effort.”

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First home dreams realised Molly & Peter We always thought about living in the Belconnen area, but we couldn’t realistically see any way of getting into the market. One day my parents visited Ginninderry and told us about the Flexi-living Homes. When we had a look at the plans, we just thought they were really cool and would suit us, and the possibility of buying a home was suddenly more achievable. We’ve been here over a year now and there is no way we would have a house by now if we hadn’t come across this option.

Simone, Mat t & Isobel The first reason we decided to look into Ginninderry was because of the Flexi-living Homes they had on offer, which provided us with an affordable option. However, once we did more research about Ginninderry, it began to tick all the boxes for us.

Because the homes are sustainably built we are saving on things like our electricity bill. We love the location and having views of the Brindabellas from our doorstep. And most important for us is the community. We are fortunate to have such lovely neighbours and an abundance of other young families living close by.

Shakeela, Humza, Abdullah & Ibrahim When we immigrated to Australia in 2017, we were lucky enough to arrive in Canberra just as the Ginninderry project was launching, with the first ballot for the Flexi-living Homes drawn in April. Having only just arrived, we didn’t know much about the housing market, but when we compared Ginninderry to other options, we really felt very lucky that we decided to buy here. We loved that we could buy an affordable brand-new modern house in a brand-new suburb. We also love the fact that our home is energy efficient, that we have a separate land title and that we have a great community, the backdrop of mountains and plenty of space for kids to play.

Paul Summerfield ARTIST PROFILE

WORDS PHOTOS

Emma Macdonald Andrew Sikorski

Some artists use paint and pigments to express their vision to the world.

Canberra digital artist can—and often do—head Paul Summerfield employs a PC and pixels.

When it comes to artistic output, Paul Summerfield is both prodigious and diverse. From album covers, to murals for Lonsdale Street Roasters and Canberra Hospital, to portraits, a residency with the National Folk Festival, and even a colouring book, his creative impulses can—and often do—head in many directions.

But his one constant is a desktop PC. Where other artists employ a colour palette and paintbrushes, Paul needs a powerpoint and software like Photoshop or Illustrator to create his particular aesthetic, which can come to him in a subconscious moment or take thousands of hours of deliberate movement, overlay, erasures and pixel adjustments.

Paul is the newest artist to join the Ginninderry Art Trail (GXAT), where his distinctive rich, dreamy, and sometimes comical landscapes feature alongside other local artworks on show at the Ginninderry Display Village.

Paul grew up in Coffs Harbour and studied Fine Arts at TAFE before moving to Canberra in 2003 and completing a course in 3D Animation at the Academy of Interactive Entertainment.

“As a kid growing up in the '80s, our first family computer was an Apple Macintosh Plus featuring an impressive 8 MHz 68000 processor, 1 MB of RAM, 800k disk drive, 9" monochrome display and all the freedom of the world at my fingertips,” he recalls with a laugh.

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“Being able to work with layers is one of the interesting advantages digital artists have, and I often use as many layers as I like—sometimes hundreds of them and sometimes just a handful.

When a picture is finished and printed, the amount of layers is just a trivial fact about the process. Generally, while creating a work, the composition of how everything fits together is in my subconscious thoughts.

“Which leads me onto the subject of the subconscious mind. Sometimes decisions are made while creating a work that are very decisive and thought about, while other times they just sort of happen from decisions made by the subconscious mind on the fly.”

Paul, who was commissioned to be the National Folk Festival’s resident artist in 2017 for a four-year term, is rarely without the stereo blaring from his small studio at Gorman House.

He soon began to coalesce his fine arts aptitude with a burgeoning fascination with technology. While Paul often resorts to lead pencil and a sketch pad, he translates his art into the digital realm.

“Working digitally can give you certain freedoms over traditional media forms—being able to erase elements of a work in a blink of an eye, shaping things to perfection—which brings me to something I actively think about while creating digital artworks, not being too perfect. Approaching a work as if it's a painting or drawing, not being too fussed with the level of perfection you can conceivably reach if you had all the time in the world, and being able to follow mistakes and evolve them into new ideas is something to treasure, I think.

“A huge inspiration for my work is music in all its glorious genres. I’ll listen to anything that makes me feel something. From death metal to ocean soundscapes and back to posthardcore, then to psytrance and then some folk music. I guess, listening to music can really take your imagination to places far away.”

Night Falling Archival digital print on fine art paper Work: 100cm X 100 cm

But Paul said his inclusion in the GXAT was a welcome introduction to new audiences and a rare privilege for an artist.

“Being a part of the GX Art Trail has seen some good exposure for my work to new audiences which I may have not received in other ways. I like the way the project features artworks by local artists in a display home environment.

I think it gives the viewers a real sense of what it would be like to live with one of the artworks in their own space or home.”

To view Paul’s work, you can go ageofwonder.org or visit the Ginninderry Display Village open 10am–4pm, Friday to Sunday.

Osiris and the Thoughtful Garden of Quetzalcoatl Archival digital print on fine art paper Size: 40cm x 80cm

INSPIRE

Gift ideas from the Strathnairn Arts Homestead SHOP

Looking for some unique and locally produced gift ideas?

Located in the Strathnairn Arts Homestead, SHOP offers the opportunity to purchase original, quality artworks, gifts and books direct from Members and Studio Holders of Strathnairn Arts, and a selection of inspiring Australian Artists. Featured work includes glass, ceramics, textiles, stone, wood, jewellery, along with selected regional products. All works are original designs and handmade, many are one-off pieces.

SHOP is fully staffed by a volunteer team of contributing artists; so say hello to our makers and artisans when you visit!

OPEN 10AM–4PM, W E D N E S D AY T O S U N D AY, S T R AT H N A I R N A R T S HOMES TE AD.

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9 3 4

6 7 12

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5 1

1. CL ARE MA ZITELLI

linen purses with snap close $45.00 2. BANDICUTE

hand printed romper, various designs, sizes newborn to 24 months $60.00 3 . B OY F R O M T H E B U S H

pencil holder, various designs and sizes

$45 - $75

4. JO HOLLIER

Bird Montage #1 Limited edition print $150.00

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5. BASE SOAPS

ethical body soaps and shampoos using all-natural ingredients Various 6. BELINDA ROSEE

hand woven cowl, Various designs

9. EMINA ADRIA ANS

ceramic coffee cups $38.00 1 0. J U L I E T C L A P H A M

utensil holder gift set $42.00 1 1 . K AT E P I E K U T O W S K I

Limited edition hand-printed original earring designs

$85.00 7. L I T T L E T R E E S T U D I O

ceramic fruit bowl with three legs $260.00 8. TRENNA L ANGDON

ceramic brooches in various designs $25.00

$55.00 - $58.00

1 2 . J U L I A R AY N E R

handmade coiled jasmine basket, perfect branch handle

$200.00

Our local Eco Heroes WORDS

Erin Cross

Named as the world’s most sustainable city*, it’s no surprise that Canberra is home to quiet achievers doing their bit to protect the environment. We chat to four local eco-heroes about their work—and how the community can help.

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Dhani Gilber t Tell us about yourself?

I'm a proud Kalari Wiradjuri woman from the Lachlan River. I am a secondyear student studying a double degree at the Australian National University— a Bachelor of Science and a Bachelor of Environmental Sustainability—and studying for a Graduate Certificate in Wiradjuri language, culture and heritage at Charles Sturt University.

I'm also a Community Education Officer with the Woodlands and Wetlands Trust at Mulligans Flat Woodland Sanctuary and Jerrabomberra Wetlands.

What do you do in these roles?

At University, I'm focusing on studying science communication, conservation biology and ecology, looking at how we look after certain species and our natural landscapes. Then, in my role as Community Education Officer at Mulligans Flat, I do a lot of work on how we communicate to the community, particularly around species reintroduction, how we protect our landscapes, looking at the benefits of and the risk of losing species, and focusing on how we communicate cultural landscape values. I also do quite a bit of activism.

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Why are you passionate about the environment and sustainability?

We need to enact sustainable ways of managing our environment because if we don't, we're not going to have an environment to manage—and, ultimately, if we don't have an environment, we don't have anything.

I think Country and the environment is so crucial to all parts of our continued function as people, and so I'm really passionate about looking after that landscape. I grew up in a family and a community where caring for Country is really important, including valuing that connection to Country and its inherent right to be healthy. That’s really continued on in all aspects of what I do.

What are your concerns for the future?

As a young First Nations person I think we face a lot of challenges in terms of where the future is headed and what’s going to happen, but I have a lot of optimism. I know the community and young people have this amazing capacity for change, and that’s what gives me a lot of hope for the future.

How can the community help?

I think there’s a lot of actions people can take in order to help Country thrive. Anything from planting native vegetation in your garden to making sure you're conscious of where you’re going, what you’re taking with you, what you're bringing back. Building community connections is one of the most important things in order to have action. It really encourages people to get involved, find initiatives or even places they want to see action.

*Uswitch global ranking, 2021

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Anke-Maria Hoefer Tell us about yourself?

I coordinate FrogWatch—a citizen science project monitoring frogs in the ACT and the surrounding region.

FrogWatch is part of the Ginninderra Catchment Group, and funded by the ACT government.

Anke-Maria listens for, and identifies, different frog species

are detected early and addressed quickly. It also creates a better understanding on how to best manage, improve and create frogfriendly habitat in our increasingly urbanised landscape.

busy with other things and as a result environmental issues are often not on the forefront of our minds—but climate change or habitat destruction really affects us all and it will cost us more than just a lot of money in the long term.

Why are you passionate about it?

What do you do in your role?

As the FrogWatch Coordinator, I run a lot of different frog-related research projects, teach volunteers to be fully fledged citizen scientists, and act as the conduit between citizen scientists and real scientists in our local research institution and government agencies. Frogs are the most threatened species group globally and their declines and losses of species have been described as the single biggest threat to our biodiversity. Monitoring local frog populations and their habitat is vital to ensure that possible declines

My position as FrogWatch Coordinator marries two of my main interests: people and the environment. I meet so many amazing people every day that come to volunteer with FrogWatch and to contribute to a project. Together we can make a real difference to our local environment.

What are your concerns for the future?

My biggest concern for the future is human inertia—we know a lot but we do not do enough. People might be disengaged, overwhelmed or

How can the community help the environment?

Many people are passionate about the environment and have the strong desire to make a difference but might not know how to contribute. Becoming a FrogWatcher is perfect for that because it offers a hands-on and engaging opportunity to get involved and to take action. Plus it's heaps of fun!

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Dr Gavin Smith Tell us about yourself?

I’m an Associate Professor in the School of Sociology at Australian National University. I'm working on both sociological and ecological issues and I'm looking now in my research at brown snake ecology, and that really dovetails beautifully with my glorified hobby which is as a Canberra snake catcher.

What do you do as a snake catcher?

During the warmer months from approximately October to April, I am on standby pretty much 24/7 for people who find a snake in or on their property. Sometimes I can just deal with the situation on the phone, but if there's an issue with a human-snake or pet-snake conflict, I will go out to that property and safely catch the snake. I then release the snake in an appropriate habitat. I’m also involved in the Canberra Snake Tracking Project which looks at what happens to a snake after it is relocated to a new habitat by a snake catcher, along with monitoring its movement, behaviours, welfare, genetic profiles and use of habitat.

their behaviour and ecology, and then be able to hopefully communicate that knowledge to a wide audience of people who might come to see snakes slightly differently.

What would happen if we didn't have snakes?

It would unbalance the very finely tuned ecosystem and cause untold ecological damage. For instance, there would be increases in species that snakes routinely predate on—I’m thinking of mice and rats in particular.

Snakes are one of those fantastic native and natural predators that play a part in controlling rodents as well as other species populations. They also act as prey for other native, but also now invasive, species.

Why are you passionate about snakes?

Aside from having a bit of a spiritual connection, I think another reason I care about snakes is because they have been so badly represented and persecuted in the past, and even to this day. They're very misunderstood publicly, and the more I work with them, the fonder I become of them, especially their different personalities and the contribution they make ecologically. I'm really on a mission to increase my understanding of Gavin tracking snakes he has previously released

How can the community help?

There are various things—they can like/follow the Canberra Snake Project Facebook page, even if they dislike, detest or feel indifferent towards snakes. The more I can show different sides of the snake's character and behaviour and the more people are educated about snakes, then we as a society can start to move on a little bit from that intense dislike and fear relationship that we have with these animals, and appreciate their evolutionary sophistication and ecological importance. In the future, I would just like to see people being a bit more tolerant of snakes and being willing to share the landscape with them.

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The spark that ignited Dylan’s fire WORDS

Emma Macdonald

At just 15, Dylan Armstrong was at risk of being lost.

Lost to family instability which saw him drop out of school, lost to a bad crowd he started hanging out with, and possibly even lost to a life of alcohol and substance abuse.

But instead of being lost, Dylan was found—by Ginninderry’s groundbreaking SPARK Training and Employment program.

Two years on and Dylan has a full-time job with Huon Contractors, a roof over his head, a girlfriend, a car he paid for himself, and he is increasing his education and skill set with a Certificate IV in Construction.

His future lies not in the margins of disaffected young people turning to lives of hopelessness and crime, but with skills for a productive working life.

Most importantly, Dylan is happy and has hope for his future.

The polite and softly-spoken young man has been found.

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Two people who deserve some of the credit for pulling Dylan back from the brink are Dan Crowe, the affable foreman for Huon Contractors, and Emma Sckrabei, SPARK’s Head of Community Training and Employment.

Together, Dan and Emma have put Dylan on a new trajectory. And now they could not be prouder.

“I could see right from the start, that even though he was very young, I knew he was going to do well if he was only given a chance,” said Emma. “It was just all the outside factors that were going to maybe stop him, his homelife, and hanging with kids who were no good for him. But he was always respectful and reliable and had a strong foundation for all those work-related skills. I could also see he had a real talent for problem solving and he was a bit of a perfectionist.”

Dylan, who previously enjoyed school before his family break-up, remembers finding his feet right from the start.

In a 12-week training program, he learned how to use hand and power tools, excavation, brick and concrete laying. And he was helping develop one of Canberra’s most unique developments. Not only does Ginninderry have the highest 6-greenstar rating for its environmental sustainability practices, but its SPARK program provides a social contract with the local community to deliver education, training, work experience and job opportunities across a range of fields.

“We know our project is located on the doorstep of one of the lower social-economic regions in Canberra.

And we have a social obligation to assist,” said Emma.

SPARK not only offers training programs, but also runs courses for Women in Trades, Conservation and Land Management, Women Returning to Work, introductory IT, Early Childhood Education and Care, and Disability support courses, among others.

Out of a busy and beautifully designed multi-purpose community and information building named The Link, teams of participants attend courses, mingle with support workers and educators and are assured of a helping hand when it comes to wearing the correct personal protection gear and warm coats. They also get to eat a solid, hot breakfast, lunch and fruit during the day, or even access counsellors, depending on individual circumstances.

“We tend to go the extra mile to bring support where support is needed,” said Emma, who was increasingly alarmed to see her young tradies turning up for a full day’s labour with little more than an energy drink to sustain them, and now happily does a massive grocery shop at the start of each week to keep them well fed.

The support that Dylan received from Dan was more personal.

Dan, who is referred to on his building sites as Captain Dan (this is due to losing an arm in a sawmill accident early on in his career and now having a hook like Captain Hook), remembers meeting a young Dylan when Huon took on some of the SPARK graduates for work experience.

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“Emma told me he was doing it seriously tough at home and so I wanted to make sure he knew he had someone to lean on,” said Dan. Dylan recalls that Dan was kind and available for a chat right from the start.

“

Dylan is a good kid with a good nature who was in a very bad environment, but he will do alright from now on. He would have slipped through the cracks. We saved him I reckon.

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Dylan working heavy excavation machinery under the guidance of Captain Dan.

“For the first couple of months I tried to keep it as work, like to just leave the other stuff at home and focus on work.

But it was so hard, and then it got to a point where I just couldn't keep going and I had to tell someone, I guess, about why I wasn’t there the days I was having off, and how things were affecting me…so I told him,” Dylan said.

“Captain Dan was pretty much trying to get me away from my current situation and living somewhere else so that I could keep coming to work. He even offered that I could come and live with him.”

While Dylan found refuge moving in with his girlfriend’s family, Dan found another team member to drive Dylan across town from Tuggeranong for his early starts each morning.

He recalls feeling an immediate connection to the young trainee.

“I’ve got three kids and know how important it is to be a good parent to help them through things. Dylan had such struggles in life and none of the parental role models or guidance that he deserved. I stepped in to be a mentor and to see him through it and

the first thing I said to him was 'you’ve got to get out of there'."

“Nowadays he is a great worker. He is reliable and happy. He used to be pretty shy and he was young, but over the last 18 months he has really come out of his shell.”

Dylan said Dan’s constant support made the difference in him sticking to the job.

“He gave me a lot of motivation to kick on. Because there were a fair few times there where I just wanted to quit and go back to what I was doing before I got my job. There were some times where I did want to give up.”

Dan said knowing kids like Dylan had turned their lives around while working as part of his team was the best part of his job.

“I love what I do, even after 30 years in the industry. I love to look after my team and to get the job done. But seeing some lives change so much is a real reward.”

“Dylan is a good kid with a good nature who was in a very bad environment, but he will do alright from now on.

“

I could see right from the start, that even though he was very young, I knew he was going to do well if he was only given a chance.

He would have slipped through the cracks. We saved him I reckon. Had he not come to the program, and not received support from workers who care and a stable influence from an older bloke which he didn’t get from anywhere else then who knows where he would be?”

These days Dylan is busy helping lay drainage pipes. You may find him on his Bobcat or his excavator making sure all the levelling is perfect, and working conscientiously until his day is done.

His girlfriend is now considering doing a SPARK program herself—Women in Civil Construction. There are lots of options and opportunities in front of them, and thanks to the initial spark that Dylan received, his future is bright indeed.

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S t rat h nairn A r ts

a colourful history From being granted to famous explorer Charles Sturt (who allegedly lost the land in a card game to Charles Campbell), farmed and built upon by the Baird family, to hosting a range of creative endeavours—and a menagerie of animals—the picturesque precinct of Strathnairn Arts has a history as rich and colourful as the works of art produced there.

From its vantage point overlooking the majestic Brindabella Mountains and undulating pastureland, the Strathnairn Arts Homestead is not only one of Canberra’s best kept secrets, it is the inspiration behind Ginninderry's brand new suburb, Strathnairn.

It’s a haven for artists and art lovers, with studios for artists working in a variety of visual media. With three gallery spaces that regularly hold exhibitions, a gift shop featuring handcrafted products, a vegetarian café open Wednesday to Sunday, and beautiful gardens to wander through, it’s also an oasis of peace for anyone wanting to retreat to a quiet and beautiful place that seems a million miles away from our city—but in fact is only 10 minutes from Belconnen.

re c. 1960 whe homestead Strathnairn years 40 r fo ed liv mily the Baird Fa

It has also been the setting in which many people’s lives, ambitions, tireless work, losses, heartbreak, joys and passions have played out.

Before European settlers claimed the land around Strathnairn, this region belonged to the Ngunnawal people, with evidence of Aboriginal quarrying for dark red jasper in the general vicinity, as well as artefacts made from other raw material.

However by about 1824, the beginnings of Indigenous dispossession were seen as the first European graziers took up grants of land. These settlers included George Palmer who named his property Ginninderra, and the famous explorer, Charles Sturt, who was given 5000 acres in 1837, naming it The Grange.

Frederic k C am p bell c. 18 the land 8 0, o w n grant fo ed r ov e r 2 5 years.

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LEFT

Pedro the donkey—one of many Strathnairn residents RIGHT

Blue Folks Holiday Program 1980

An anecdote claims that Sturt soon after lost the property in a card game to Charles Campbell, son-in-law of Palmer, but this cannot be verified.

What is known is that the transfer of the entire 5000 acres to Campbell occurred on 26 February, 1838.

Campbell renamed the land Belconnel Station; a name that evolved to Belconnen and was eventually given to Canberra’s western satellite town in the early 1960s. Despite having extensive land holdings including Duntroon and Yarralumla, the Campbell family put a lot of effort and expense into the land at Belconnel Station. When Charles died in 1888, his son Fred inherited the land and worked hard to develop it.

He designed and built fences covering a large area, drained swamps and built dams to cater for a merino sheep breeding program and went to considerable effort to control feral pests including rabbits. So it’s not surprising that when the Commonwealth Government decided to claim much of his land as the site of the new national capital, he and his family were considerably distressed.

It took three years for the government to finalise arrangements, during which Fred rallied and pleaded with authorities to reconsider. However his pleas fell on deaf ears and not only did he lose Belconnel Station, but also his home, Yarralumla—now the residence of the Governor General.

In 1911, the Belconnen property was acquired by Colonel David Miller, newly appointed Administrator of the Federal Capital Territory, for his own use. He and his family added workers' accommodations and a laundry to the property and were active in the community until 1923.

From 1924, the homestead was leased to Jack Read, who built a small fourroomed weatherboard house that forms the core of the current homestead and planted around 500 hundred pine trees.

David Elphinstone took over the lease in 1931, adding a verandah/sleepout to the eastern side of the house, a living room with a fireplace to the south and a garage to the back of the house.

In 1934, the Baird family bought the block, which was now 1126 acres in size. Despite the onset of the Great Depression, they managed to extend the homestead and build the woolshed and other farm buildings, including a cottage, fowl yard, feed store and a shearers quarter. In keeping with their Scottish heritage, they named the property Strathnairn and set about running a farm with sheep, some cattle and horses.

Living 16 kilometres from Canberra, they learnt to be self-sufficient. Ellen Baird kept the large larder at the homestead stocked with bulk food supplies and preserved fruits. Ian tended a bountiful garden for fresh

produce, and there was sheep for meat, cows for milk, and chickens for eggs, which was particularly vital during World War II, once rationing was introduced. Electricity didn’t reach the property until 1948, and a consistent water supply was always a challenge.

They were also exposed to the extreme weather conditions with a fire sweeping close by in the 1960s and the sounds of the Murrumbidgee River roaring when it flooded.

Nevertheless one of their sons, David Baird, recalls a happy-go-lucky childhood. ‘We ran free all over the place’ said David. He and his brother, John, shared adventures with the two Anderson boys from neighbouring Pine Ridge. David remembers the family hosting dances and parties in the woolshed, playing tennis on their court, and competing in polo games at the Canberra Showground.

David eventually took over the lease from his father in 1965, running both merino sheep and varieties of Shorthorn cattle until the property was resumed by the Commonwealth Government in 1973, marking the end of an era.

After a few years of temporary leases, the Blue Folk Community Arts Association was granted a 25-year lease on the Strathnairn homestead and 23 acres of land, by the Department of the Capital Territory in 1980.

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The family hosted dances and parties in the woolshed, played tennis on their court, and competed in polo games at the Canberra Showground.

Made up of a group of artists, actors, poets, singers and musicians, they aimed to promote, manage and conduct festivals of music, drama, and theatrical productions for both children and adults.

It was a demanding program for the fledgling committee and its five full‑time staff, with much of the responsibility shouldered by the Artistic Director, Domenic Mico (Founder of Canberra’s Multicultural Festival), who lived with his family at Strathnairn.

Along with his creative work, he also undertook general maintenance activities and the care of the animals— four goats, two horses, chickens, geese and ducks, a peacock, doves, a donkey named Pedro, and some sheep.

They received several grants for construction works and their programs, and volunteers enthusiastically contributed to working bees to develop the grounds and facilities. And, according to Domenic, the programs were nothing like what you would be allowed today, with activities including sword fighting, launching a pirate ship into the dam and rounding up ‘convicts’ in carts.

Despite Domenic resigning to pursue studies in Italy in 1981, Blue Folk continued to conduct programs such as farm visits, dramatic productions, exhibitions, weekly classes, school activities, holiday programs and workshops for the intellectually disabled.

However, the huge workload and maintenance of the property became an ongoing problem and the drought in 1982 took its toll, not just on the land—but for the Blue Folk budget that was drying up.

In 1984, Blue Folk changed its name to Brindabella Community Arts in the hope that it would revitalise the organisation. The name change, however, did nothing to alleviate the problems or the dwindling budget, and—despite the huge personal effort of volunteers and several managers, resulting in renovations and new programs—by 1992, the association had a mere 13 dollars in its account.

Nick Stranks and Alison Munro came on board at this time and, together with Caretaker Michael Sainsbury, they attempted to turn the situation around.

They spent considerable time cleaning up neglected studios that had become infested with rats and possums, and inundated with mould.

They then encouraged students to exhibit at Strathnairn and invited Alan Watt, the Head of Ceramics Workshop at the (then) Canberra School of Art, to use the studios for some of his ceramics students. Alan accepted on the basis that his department would have ‘exclusive rights to some studios and were able to build kilns in a purpose-built shed,’ which led to the formation of the Strathnairn Ceramics Association.

Because of the funding and organisation, ceramics quickly became the dominant art medium

at the property and a kiln shed was built, and workshop space extended through the enthusiastic efforts of volunteers and art students.

Strathnairn’s profile was raised through activities such as the sponsorship of a School of Art ‘Emerging Artists Support Scheme’, that offered a studio residency and exhibition to the selected recipient. Eventually, Brindabella Arts Association and the Strathnairn Ceramics Association merged to become an almost entirely self‑sufficient entity—finally metamorphising into the Strathnairn Arts Association in 1998.

Passionate people continue to be at the heart of Strathnairn today. An active Board, a small team of professionals and dedicated volunteers contribute to what it is now; a vibrant community with engaging facilities for the general public to enjoy, a thriving arts facility, and an integral part of Canberra’s heritage.

Facts and stories from the publication Strathnairn – A place for People, available for purchase at the Strathnairn Arts Homestead SHOP.

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Fergus Stewart with ceramic students 2005 RIGHT

An artist in residence working in her studio

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Creatures in our 'hood IMAGE

Adam McGrath

As Australia’s bush Capital, Canberra is teeming with wildlife. Surrounded by hills, wetlands and grassland reserves, we are in a privileged position to be able to spot all kinds of unique birdlife, lizards and marsupials.

Blessed with a job that allows her to regularly experience close encounters with the local wildlife, Ginninderry Conservation Trust’s Rehabilitation and Reporting Officer, Rachel Eland, shares her tips and insights on 10 of the creatures that you might be able to see in parklands and reserves in and around our city.

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Where are you most likely to spot one?

Wallaroo Nankeen Kestrel Where are you most likely to spot one?

The Ginninderry Conservation Corridor is home to many Nankeen Kestrels. These critters are widespread across Australia but you will mostly likely see them in open country such as grasslands and farmlands.

Where are you most likely to spot one?

The Wallaroo can be found across most of mainland Australia. You are likely to spot one on rocky hills or around shrublands. The Corridor is home to many Wallaroos—so many, in fact, that we have named a hill after them.

What time of day?

You can spot them during the day and night around rocky hills.

Pinkies feed on the larvae and eggs of ants with which it shares its burrow.

They are considered vulnerable in the ACT and are endemic to Central and Southern Tablelands.

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Common Wombat Where are you most likely to spot one?

The Common Wombat can be found in open grasslands, woodlands and even in mountainous areas that receive snow. Most will dig their burrow along river banks or under sheltered areas such as a tree.

What time of day?

Wombats are nocturnal, emerging from the burrow when the sun sets and returning around sunrise. You may be lucky on a cool overcast day to see one late in the afternoon. If you do see a wombat out during the day, it will likely have mange, a horrible parasite which, if untreated, will eventually kill the wombat.

If you do see a Wombat with mange, you can report it to ACT Wildlife.

Any fun facts?

Wombats can run at a speed of 40kph—that’s impressive.

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The Nankeen Kestrel is the only Australian bird of prey that hovers.

Kestrels use the wind by facing into it and using the current to hold them in place while they hunt, unlike other birds that hover by using the wings at hyper speed.

Any fun facts?

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A female wallaroo can become pregnant soon after giving birth.

The new embryo stays dormant until the older joey is ready to exit the pouch. This process is called embryonic diapause.

You might catch a glimpse of one moving through the landscape in the summer months during sunlight hours.

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You can see them during most times of the year during daylight hours. Many will be in pairs as they are mostly monogamist birds.

What time of day?

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Pinkies are elusive little critters and you are unlikely to spot one unless you go looking. These legless lizards are quite selective about their habitat and they choose to live under loose or partially embedded rocks in sloping rocky open grasslands with predominantly native grasses.

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Any fun facts?

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Eastern Bearded Dragon Where are you most likely to spot one?

Eastern Bearded Dragons are widespread across NSW and ACT and are most active around the warmer months from September to March. They are usually found around woodlands and dry eucalyptus forests. Bearded dragons are amazing climbers and you can find them on tree branches, rocks and logs. The best place to spot a Bearded Dragon is in a sunny place where it can soak up the rays. Look carefully though because they are very good at camouflage.

What time of day?

The best time to find Bearded Dragons is when the sun is warm. However, during the hottest months of the year, you’re more likely to find them in the early morning or late afternoon, as even our reptiles need respite from the Aussie sun.

Any fun facts?

The Bearded Dragon can change its colour from yellow to black when it feels threatened and puffs up its neck to make it look more fierce. It also uses this skill to regulate its body temperature by making itself lighter in hot weather and darker when it’s cold. What a clever little critter.

Broad-palmed Frog Where are you most likely to spot one?

The Broad-palmed frog is actually a species of tree frog that is grounddwelling. You’ll find this critter around dams, ponds, billabongs, rivers and even semi-permanent pools where they have good protective vegetation surrounding them.

Double-barred Finch Where are you most likely to spot one?

The best place to spot a Double-barred Finch is in the grassy woodlands around Canberra. This is usually where they breed. On the odd occasion they will migrate to the suburbs in the cooler months.

What time of day?

The best time to find these frogs is during spring when the rain coincides with higher temperatures, all the way to the end of summer, particularly from November to February. At night they can be found foraging in leaf litter. If you sit quietly around the edge of a water body or a damp area nearby, you may find a male calling.

Any fun facts?

Many of Canberra's Broad-palmed frog population is found along the Murrumbidgee River. It truly is a special place.

What time of day?

The best time to see a Double-barred Finch is during the hours when the sun is up. There have been many sightings in the Belconnen area with some sightings around Mt Ainslie and Mt Taylor.

Any fun facts?

The Double-barred Finch builds a rounded nest, with a side entrance and short tunnel into an inner chamber lined with grasses, feathers, moss, lichen and the down from fluffy seed heads.

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Eastern Brown Snake Where are you most likely to spot one?

Eastern Browns are most commonly found in open landscapes such as grasslands and woodlands. During the winter when they become inactive, they will shelter in logs, cracks in rocks and animal burrows until warmer days return.

What time of day?

You are mostly likely to see a Brown snake during the day when it is out and about looking for food or sunning itself on a rock, along the banks of a waterway and out in the open grass.

So, watch your step.

What should we be mindful of in terms of safety?

There are simple precautions you can take when exploring the bush. Wearing long pants, closed-in shoes and thick socks significantly reduce the risk of being envenomated. If you do have a close encounter, the most important thing is to stay calm, stand still and try to move away slowly. Give the snake a good distance before you continue on your adventure—it’s probably more scared of you than you are of it.

Shor t-beaked Echidna Eastern Long-necked Tur tle Where are you most likely to spot one?

The Eastern Long-necked Turtles are very common around the Canberra region, and if you stop to look in a slow-moving body of water like a dam, pond, lake and river you will hopefully see one.

What time of day?

These turtles hibernate in the winter.

The summer rains are the trigger for the turtles to get active and find food.

So, keep an eye out during the day from October to April.

Any fun facts?

Any fun facts?

The Trust, in partnership with professional snake catcher Associate Professor Gavin Smith from the Australian National University, are currently tracking five Eastern Brown snakes that have been removed from the urban environment and relocated into a natural environment. Our personal favourite, is FloJo, a 1.4m snake who is thriving in her new home.

The Eastern Long-necked Turtles are armed with a rather gross defensive mechanism whereby they squirt out a stinking liquid from their scent glands just above each leg. If you are ever helping out a turtle from harm’s way, make sure you pick them up from the shell and move them in the direction they were going, otherwise they will just try and go back the same way.

Where are you most likely to spot one?

The echidna is one of Australia’s most widespread native mammals and can be found across most habitats, including urban areas, open grassland, snowy mountains and the desert.

What time of day?

A good time to find echidnas is during breeding season from June to September during daylight hours.

During the warmer months, keep an eye out during the morning and evening when they are out foraging in open grasslands and woodlands around Canberra.

Any fun facts?

Let’s face it—echidnas are strange creatures. They lay a single egg which incubates in their pouch until the puggle (baby echidna) hatches. It feeds the puggle milk which oozes from the inside of the pouch and not through nipples like most mammals. The more you learn, the stranger they become.

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Summer garden care

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As with lawns, longer, deeper watering is best for your plants. The optimum time to water is in the cool of the morning so that your plants have access to good moisture during the heat of the day.

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When the extreme heat and strong winds kick in over summer, it’s hard to maintain a beautiful garden.

But Matthew Frawley, Ginninderry's Landscape and Urban Design Manager, has these easy steps to help make your plants more resilient to Canberra’s harsh summers.

In summer, water your lawn for longer periods of time but less frequently. For example, it’s better to water 2-3 times a week for 30 minutes each time, than every day for 15 minutes. This will train your lawn to develop deeper roots to access nutrients and moisture. Try to water early in the morning, and never during the heat of the day.

Mulching your gardens and pot plants will help to reduce the evaporation of the soil's moisture. Mulch to a depth of 50-75mm to allow rain and watering to access the soil through the mulch.

PROTECTION OF PL ANTS If you have, or intend to plant, some new vegetables, seedlings or plants, consider installing some protection in the form of a shade cloth for them whilst they get established.

FERTILISING

FERTILISING Regular fertilising of your lawn will ensure it has the right nutrients to survive. Apply a granular fertiliser at the start of December and follow up with another application at the end of February.

MOWING Regular, high mowing is best for your lawn, both for its health and visual appeal.

Different grasses have different cutting heights. As a guide, cut couch no lower than 15mm, buffalo no lower than 25mm and Canberra blend no lower than 60mm.

To provide your plants with the nutrients they need to thrive, apply a slow-release fertiliser and the occasional liquid fertiliser like Seasol.

POT PL ANTS Plants in pots have very limited access to moisture and when the pot heats up, moisture, evaporates more quickly. If possible, shade your pots, cover with a good mulch layer and water so that the whole soil profile is moist. A tray below pots will also help retain some water for the plants to take up when needed.

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3 eco-friendly garden ideas

Make the most of the outdoors even more this summer with these additions to your garden that will level up your alfresco areas, while also being kind to the environment.

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which makes it not great for the environment, but the perfect candidate to be given a second life.

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Create a grass driveway with Grass-Cel

While concrete or asphalt driveways tend to be the norm, neither option is particularly eco-friendly. They not only deplete natural resources and release carbon dioxide during production, they can also cause excess rainwater and chemicals to run off into sewer systems and waterways.

So here’s an option that is quite literally green.

Australian company Grass-Cel creates porous paving blocks which let you create stable grass parking and driveway areas. The blocks sit underneath your turf, which allow it to grow as normal. Once installed, it will look like you have a natural lawn

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driveway that can blend with the rest of your lawn. And it will also be able to withstand high traffic and car parking and remain looking healthy, whether you’re parking your car, 4WD, trailer or even a caravan. By adding more grass to your garden in the form of a driveway, it can help prevent soil erosion, absorb rainwater, reduce glare and noise, clean the air, and cool your environment.

“All of our products are manufactured in Australia, and they’re the only porous weight-bearing block accredited by Good Environmental Choice Australia (GECA).”

What makes Grass-Cel paving blocks even more eco-friendly is that they’re made of 100 recycled High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) from broken council wheelie bins. This hardy material will never break down,

Grass-Cel paving blocks are easy to install yourself, and can be cut to fit any space.

Wicking garden beds from WaterUps

Watering your garden can be one of the biggest users of water in the home, particularly during the summer months.

So how can you make the precious resource go much further while still keeping your plants alive?

If you’ve ever put a plant pot over a saucer of water and the soil then soaks the water up from below, you understand the basics of water wicking.

In a nutshell, it’s the process of the soil drawing water upwards in a capillary action, caused by surface tension and other forces.

To harness this natural process, Australian company WaterUps designed a unique product to not

“It works well for us because it means our products don’t rot and aren’t affected or broken down by UV light.

So by turning the material into our paving blocks, we’re turning it into something positive,” says Vicki Weeks from Grass-Cel.

only combat water waste, but also reduce the water needed for maintaining your garden.

The basis of the WaterUps products is the wicking cell: a 40cm square tile, with four hollow legs sticking out the bottom. Adding the cell creates a false bottom in your garden bed, creating space for a water reservoir underneath, while the hollow legs are filled with a product called Perlite which helps aid the wicking process. Soil or potting mix is then added on top and plants are planted as usual. Once it’s all set up, the soil then soaks up water from below as it needs it. You add water to the reservoir via an inlet pipe, which you can also use to check how much

As well as being a great option for residential driveways and high-traffic areas, Grass-Cel blocks have also been used at some of Australia’s most prestigious golf clubs, and other public areas.

grasscel.com 0428 260 389 info@grasscel.com.au

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water is left in a similar way to how you’d check the oil in a car.

“Because you pour in the water down the pipe and straight into the reservoir, any water that you're using on your garden goes into your garden, not over the side onto the pavement, or up into the sky through evaporation. So every bit of water is going further,” says Bob Stevenson from WaterUps. From their estimations, WaterUps wicking systems have saved more than 25 million litres of water, compared to conventional watering.

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“If it rains, any rain that goes on to your garden will replenish the garden, but any excess water in your garden will go back down into the reservoir to be reused. So the soil will just stay nice and moist, and it promotes the biology of the soil, which makes for healthier soil, and healthier plants.”

All WaterUps products are made in New South Wales, from 100 per cent recycled plastic, and the company has so far diverted more than 86,000kg of plastic from landfill.

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The products can be used in garden beds above or below ground, and they are modular, so can be arranged to suit almost any space. You can either buy the WaterUps Wicking System itself, which includes everything you need to build your own wicking bed, or you can buy flatpack wicking beds or planter boxes, which have the wicking technology incorporated and are quick and easy to install and get growing. waterups.com.au 1300 205 550 info@waterups.com.au

An Ecosystem in your garden from Gordon Gnohm

When you build a new home, renovate, or even just re-do your landscaping, it can cause a disruption to not only the landscape, but also the area’s overarching ecosystem. Gordon Gnohm, from The Gordon Gnohm, specialises in transforming gardens into thriving ecosystems which are also low maintenance for the owners.

To replicate systems found in the natural environment, he starts with water as the basis of all designs.

Water is captured on the roof of the home, and then funnelled, stored, and distributed across the garden to where it is needed most by the plants.

To design gardens, Gordon first meets with clients, and discusses their lifestyle, how they want to use the space, and what they want to grow, and he can ultimately design spaces for any size or budget. By incorporating smart design features, it ultimately changes your garden’s microclimate, so you can grow almost anything that you’d like.

Gordon’s designs are low maintenance for the owners, and self-water and self-mulch where possible.

His designs also incorporate water features that are not only beautiful to look at, but also help nutrify water, making it more potent for when it goes on to water the garden.

“The water feature makes the water nutrient-rich, because of all of the microbes and the activity from the birds and animals coming and going.

So it supercharges a simple system,” says Gordon.

entertaining. But they're also there to eat the bugs and pests in your garden.

In a new suburb or development, it's really important to have permanent water sources for the critters to come back. Because during development they’re pushed out to the edges, and they're all on the fringe. With every water feature we've put into a new suburb, birds are there within the day.

We actually give all of our customers a book so they can start bird spotting.”

“By having the water there, the birds start coming for a bath that's super

thegordongnohm.com.au hello@thegordongnohm.com.au

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Jonas Cormick from Change Fitness in Belconnen has put together this simple but highly effective routine that can be

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As the weather gets warmer, there’s never been a better time to take your fitness routine outdoors.

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Take it outside!

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done at your local park or even just in your backyard. Aside from burning calories, you’ll also be getting in your daily dose of Vitamin D (don’t forget sunscreen) and a mental health boost from being outside in the fresh air. All you need is a park bench or a level wall about knee height and a patch of grass, so grab a hat, water bottle and towel and head outside.

Circuit Session Warm up by going for a light run around the park for 3-4 minutes. Then complete this circuit 3 times with a 2-3 minute rest between each round. This will give you a 45-minute workout.

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Push Ups/Incline Push Ups Using the bench or ground, start in the plank position, lying face down with your hands under your shoulders and on your toes (or knees). Lower your body towards the ground until you are a fist height off the ground. Then push through your palms upwards to the starting position.

Perform for 45 seconds/ 45 seconds rest

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In & Out Squat Jumps Start with your stance at hip-width apart.

Jump up and land with your legs in a wide low squat hold. Jump back up into the starting stance then back into the wide squat.

Perform for 45 seconds/45 seconds rest

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Plank with Lateral Knee Tucks Using the bench or ground, start in the plank position. Drawing your belly button into your spine, lift your right leg up to the side of your body towards your right elbow, so that you feel a contraction in the side of your abdominals.

Bring your leg back to starting position and perform on the opposite side, alternating between each leg.

Perform for 45 seconds/ 45 seconds rest.

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Alternating Side Lunges Standing up tall with legs hip-width apart, step out to the side with your right leg bending your knee as you push your hips back. Push back off that right leg returning to your starting stance.

Alternate sides.

Perform for 45 seconds/45 seconds rest

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Cool down and stretch

Step Up with Knee Tuck Stand hip-width apart in front of the bench.

Step your right leg up on to the bench while bringing your left leg all the way up to a right angle towards your belly button. Step back down to the ground in your starting position and alternate between each leg.

Perform for 1 minute/ 2 minutes rest.

C O M P L I M E N TA R Y H E A LT H A S S E S S M E N T

Offering personal training for individuals and groups in Belconnen, Change Fitness is offering INSPIRE readers a complimentary health assessment and 15% off your first PT session.

To redeem, just contact Jonas on 0401 245 562 and mention the code “INSPIRED BY CHANGE”.

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Ingredients Whipped ricotta 200g ricotta 1 small lemon, zest and juice 2 tbsp olive oil ¼ cup dill ¼ cup parsley 1/2 tsp sumac 1/2 tsp salt Black pepper Salad 200g asparagus ½ cup peas, fresh or frozen 1 tbsp olive oil Large pinch of salt Large pinch of sumac 1 small lemon, zest Black pepper 1/2 cup hazelnuts, roughly chopped 1/2 cup quinoa, cooked and cooled 1/2 baby spinach 1 small lemon, juice of 1/2 cup herbs (dill and parsley) Sumac, to serve

Method

Asparagus and Pea Salad with

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Café Stepping Stone created this light and lovely salad as the perfect addition to a BBQ or summer dinner party. Serve on a large sharing platter with some freshly cut bread to mop up the ricotta.

1. Combine whipped ricotta ingredients in a small bowl with a spatula or mix in a food processor until smooth. Put into a container and refrigerate until ready to serve.

2. Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a large frypan on medium heat, and add asparagus, salt, sumac and lemon zest, cooking asparagus on all sides until golden brown, about 4 - 6 minutes.

3. Add peas and sauté for 1 minute.

Then place the peas and asparagus into a bowl.

4. Using the same frypan (without cleaning it) add your hazelnuts and toast for 3 - 5 minutes, on low heat, stirring frequently until brown. Add to asparagus and peas mixture.

5. Toss the asparagus mixture with the quinoa, baby spinach, herbs and the juice of 1 lemon and set aside.

6. Spread a large serving platter with a layer of ricotta on the bottom, top with salad mix and sprinkle a little bit of sumac and olive oil over the top to serve.

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5 apps for living green These days there’s an app for everything. Sustainable living apps can show you where to shop, how to cook leftovers and when to plant veggies. Here are five of the best.

ONE SMALL STEP: GREEN LIVING The little things we do each day have an impact on climate change—what we eat, the transport we choose, even who we bank with. So how can we adjust our lifestyle to reduce our carbon footprint? One Small Step shows you how you can move towards living a greener life by challenging you to make incremental changes, like switching to a superannuation fund that doesn’t invest in fossil fuels. onesmallstepapp.com

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Good On You is the world’s best source of ethical fashion knowledge. Use the app to find sustainability tips, guides, and style edits, and stay up to date with the latest in eco-conscious fashion.

Browse more than 3,000 brands, all assessed against a comprehensive rating system which scores its impact on people, the planet, and animals.

No car? No worries!

Airbike operates a dockless bike share service in central Canberra, letting you book, pay and unlock bikes and scooters from your smartphone.

Simply download the Airbike app, locate the nearest bike on the map based on your location, and scan the QR code to unlock the bike and start riding.

Sick of your mailbox bulging with stuff you don’t want? PaperKarma is a mobile app that stops junk mail—real paper mail sent to your home or work, not email.

Simply snap a picture of your unwanted mail and press “Unsubscribe” to remove yourself from one of PaperKarma’s partners’ marketing lists—and reduce the amount of paper waste going to landfill.

Understanding the way you use energy in your home is the first step to lowering your electricity bill. The carbonTRACK app allows you to see how much energy you’re using and when you’re using it, even letting you turn connected appliances on or off, and schedule actions like setting hot water to only heat up when you need it. You could reduce power use by up to 35 per cent!

goodonyou.eco

airbike.network

paperkarma.com carbontrack.com.au

How to build a home with heart.

Take a large dose of community spirit, add generous time and materials for design and construction, and mix with a range of roles from architecture through to construction and sales performed by women. The end result will be a stunning home that represents the best of local industry, auctioned for the benefit of local charities. A home with a heart that will have a lasting impact on our community.

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To follow the progress and stay up to date with the Strathnairn Charity House, go to ginninderry.com/charityhouse