A Regional Sustainability Hub

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• A Regional Sustainability Hub demonstration,
  incubation and research!

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Innovations derived from waste materials
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• Aim of this presentation
• Advise on Regional Sustainability Hub
• A precinct to establish a highly innovative
  Centre to educate about, incubate and research,
  domestic, business and community sustainable
  practices.

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• A fully operational Centre contains
• Education programs, initially waste minimisation
  and resource recovery
• Practical displays, especially waste and resource
  recovery
• Administration and IT Centre
• Events
• Research projects

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A creative education space the inside of a
compost bin
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FURNITURE
Chairs from bicycle wheels
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Products from Recycled Materials
Using necks of bottles
LAMPSHADES FROM GLASS BOTTLES
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FURNITURE
Cardboard furniture holds 80 kg
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• Concept based on CERES!
• Centre for Education and Research in
• Environmental Strategies - Melbourne.
• Almost 30 years old

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• CERES
• a 55 tonne carbon sink
• 4.5 hectares next to Merri creek
• runs on renewable energy, conserves/recycles
  water and waste, grows organic food
• teaches diverse audiences about environmentally
  friendly ways of living
• employs equivalent 60 FTE

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• Idea derives from
• Organics in waste stream
• Queanbeyan Enviro Expo
• SERRROC Schools forum December 2008
• DECCW Community interest Who Cares for the
  Environment report!
• Waste sector changes policy and industry
  practice
• Existing models CERES, Macarthur, Northern
  Rivers Food project?

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• Market situation - No regional equivalent
• Possible challenges Eastlake (ACT),
• Cooma? Goulburn? Galong?

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• Why the SERRROC region?
• Potential significant economic activity,
  including savings re waste services
• Unique regional education centre
• Employment
• Community engagement
• Timely for maximum political support
• Knowledge flow-ons to local economy
• Is self sustaining but help needed initially

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• Flow-ons to local economy
• Eg. Silicon valley succeeded because of
• social networks, not technology!
• CERES Example
• Now developing into a Food Hub city food
• production and better links to local
• producers!

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• Flow-ons to local economy
• Silicon valley succeeded
• because of social networks
• CERES
• Now developing a Food Hub urban food
• production with links to local producers!

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Mushroom/worm production insulated containers
Bee hives
Aquaponic veggie/herb production
Training space/cafe
Composting Toilet /biodigester
Aquaponics fish system
Seedling Propagation
Shop, offices co-op packing space coolroom
Food Hub An initial sketch...
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A food hub concept in the suburbs
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• Finances depends upon final decisions
• Capital
• CERES 15m
• Macarthur 2m
• Northern Rivers 4m
• Operational
• Minimise running costs
• Generate income

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• Concept not to be confused with selection
• of the site
• But the right site will make a
• Difference!
• Eg Queanbeyan - Mountain Road has many
• Excellent qualities but possibly some political
• downsides.

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• Process from here
• Agree in Principle
• Based on forum outcomes, proposal developed for
  interested Councils
• Set up working party
• Feasibility study funds from government?