L-R: Maggie John, Dean Hazelwood, Jacqui McLucas, Andi Hazelwood, Matthew Weller, Lorene Warwick and Jeff Hilditch
On Monday, two movements came together in Hervey Bay to tackle peak oil and climate change. Jacqui McLucas and Dean and Andi Hazelwood from Bundaberg relocalisation group SustainaBundy met up with Maggie John, Lorene Warwick, Jeff Hilditch and Matthew Weller from the newly-formed Transition Town Hervey Bay to discuss how the two groups can work together in their sustainability efforts for the region.
"It's always re-energising to meet likeminded, passionate people who are working towards the same goals," said SustainaBundy co-founder Andi Hazelwood. "The need for tighter-knit, more energy-wise communities has really become obvious to the general public in recent months."
The Hervey Bay group talked about their recent promising interactions with Queensland Premier Anna Bligh and Sustainability Minister Andrew McNamara, while the Bundaberg group recounted projects like the SustainaBundy guidebook, permablitzes, and the 2008 World Environment Day Celebration. Plenty of notes were taken, and discussions turned to possible future joint efforts - including collaborating with ABC Wide Bay on a regional cookbook to take advantage of locally grown produce.
Transition towns and relocalisation groups share the same ambitions: to address peak oil and climate change with responses tailor made for the strengths and weaknesses of each individual locality. The Relocalization Network, online at www.relocalize.net, was created in 2003 as one of the first initiatives of the US-based Post Carbon Institute and is now home to nearly 200 relocalisation groups throughout the world. The Transition Network, online at www.transitiontowns.org, began in 2005 in the UK and now consists of 78 official transition towns in England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Australia, New Zealand and the US.
Some organisations are a part of both networks. The relocalisation groups on the Sunshine Coast were started by Sonya Wallace and Janet Millington following a presentation by Andi Hazelwood in 2006. After opening the Sunshine Coast Energy Action Centre in 2007, they became the first Australian group accepted into the Transition Network. Transition Sunshine Coast also developed the first energy descent action plan in Australia, with the support of their local council.
Ms. Hazelwood said, "We all learn from each other and inspire one another. It's an exciting time."
