Community Programs

Find out about the great sustainable living programs and actions that are generated by our community for our community:


Carbon Cut

Are you a on a low income and need to save on energy bills? The Carbon Cut team can visit your home to install energy and water saving fittings like light globes and showerheads for FREE. They will also discuss ways to make your home more comfortable. The program is a partnership between Port Phillip EcoCentre and South Port Uniting Care.

Call 9525 3102 for more information.


Education for Sustainability - Port Phillip EcoCentre

The EcoCentre works with schools and community groups to improve sustainable living and the environment through education, collaborative action, demonstrating Eco-living practices and providing a place to meet and share ideas and knowledge.

We offer a range of experiential programs for students and teachers to further Education for Sustainability in your school and to connect with local community based environmental action.

You can choose from a range of programs that have been developed or work with the EcoCentre to tailor your own specific programs. All programs aim to build the capacity of your school community to take action for the environment and provide a meaningful, hands-on learning experience. All programs also align with the Australian Sustainable Schools Initiative, AuSSI Vic.


Port Phillip BayKeeper

Port Phillip Baykeeper is a community program of Port Phillip EcoCentre in association with Waterkeepers Australia. The current Port Phillip Baykeeper is Neil Blake, also Coordinator of Port Phillip EcoCentre.

Neil Blake, as our own BayKeeper, works with schools, community groups and individuals, government agencies and businesses to better understand, appreciate and protect Port Phillip Bay (aka Nairm).

Contact baykeeper@ecocentre.com with your actions and ideas for protection and sustained enjoyment of our Bay.


Blue Hat Project

The Blue Hat Project aims to draw awareness to the importance of a healthy mind through being mindful about the environment we live in. The Blue Hat project enthuses individuals and communities to thrive by connecting to each other and themselves.


Beach Buddies

Walk on the Wild side with the highly qualified Beach Buddies tour guides, who will take your group on a tour to enjoy and learn about the delights of St Kilda's coastal environment at night. See the little penguins and rakalis on the breakwater, and learn about what you can do to care for our coast The tour starts at West Beach and runs for approx. 2 hrs.

Contact Port Phillip EcoCentre on 9534 0670 or click here.


BAC Bikes

BACBikes is a bike workshop where people learn about bike maintenance and get old bikes back on the road at an affordable price. Our bike mechanic, Mark, will teach you how to recycle old bikes, and by doing this, help out people who don't have good access to car or affordable public transport.

Contact: Mark Horner, ph 9690 1188 or visit Mark's blog site http://bacycles.wordpress.com .


Second Bite

SecondBite is a dynamic not-for-profit organisation committed to making a positive difference by sourcing fresh nutritious food that would otherwise go to waste and redistributing it to people who are homeless, living in disadvantaged circumstances or experiencing food security* issues within the community.


Community Gardening

Community gardens are not only fertile places for growing vegies, fruits and flowers but also, for creating new social connections and releasing the stresses of everyday life. With many of our residents living in flats, and one of the lowest ratios of open space to residents in Melbourne, community gardens provide an important resource.

Community gardens offer plots to members to create gardens of their choice. So popular are community gardens that most have waiting lists. Community gardens offer our residents -

  • Healthy recreation activities
  • Opportunities for new social connections
  • Gardens appropriate to people of diverse backgrounds, skills and abilities.

Community Garden Sites

There are many garden sites with plots available to the public, administered by the community.

St. Kilda Community Gardens Club

St Kilda Community Gardens Club has 24 vegetable plots located in Railway Place, close to the Balaclava train station. It is located at Railway Place near Balaclava station.

Fisherman's Bend Community Garden

Located at the Fisherman's Bend Community Centre, corner of Dunstan Parade and Centre Avenue, Garden City is one of Port Phillip's vibrant community gardens. A small plot fee applies and limited gardening tools are available.

For further information, please contact  Port Melbourne Neighbourhood House on 9645 1476

Dig In Community Garden

Port Phillip's second community garden is located at the west end of JLMurphy Reserve, Williamstown Road, Port Melbourne. It consists of raised, vegetable garden plots and includes wheelchair accessible facilities.

For further information,please contact Port Melbourne Neighbourhood House on  9645 1476.

Veg Out - St Kilda Community Artist Gardens

A St Kilda institution, Veg Out is an organic, chemical-free plot garden run entirely by volunteers. Consisting of over 140 creatively decorated garden plots, murals, mosaics and paving, plus chooks, an orchard and other shared garden spaces, it's an unusual and vibrant place, slap bang in the middle of St Kilda, where members, friends, families and community groups, plus plenty of local actors, musicians and artists, all enjoy getting their hands into the soil.

A commitment to a sense of community, conservation and organic gardening principles underpins all activities on the site. Other Veg Out endeavours include the monthly St Kilda Farmers' Market and water conservation initiatives in association with South East Water.

Veg Out contact details:
St Kilda Community Artist Gardens (Veg Out)
Cnr Shakespeare Grove & Chaucer Street, St Kilda (behind Luna Park)
PO Box 1425, St Kilda South, Victoria, 3182, Australia
info@vegout.asn.au

Simply Living Community Garden

This shared garden is an initiative of South Port Uniting Care and is located at Port Melbourne Uniting Church, cnr Bridge & Nott Sts, Port Melbourne.
Contact Janet Hoare
P: 9314 1010
hoareaj@bigpond.com 


Port Phillip BUG

Are you a Port Phillip local with interest in things cycling?
Want to join with others to share ideas and energy to promote cycling matters?
The current bike boom is great but we need more cycle paths and better end of trip facilities.

The City of Port Phillip is supporting the (re)formation of a Bicycle Users Group (BUG), so if you are interested:
contact the sustainable transport officer at transport@portphillip.vic.gov.au or on 9209 6777.


Port Phillip Citizens for Reconciliation

Port Phillip Citizens for Reconciliation (PPCfR) is committed to:

  • Ensuring that communities have the opportunity to walk together with Aboriginal people towards reconciliation, recognising that information, understanding and community discussion are integral to the process
  • Promoting an understanding of the history of Aboriginal people, both nationally and in our local area
  • Developing closer links between local Indigenous and non-Indigenous people in the community

More information

There are lots of other community programs run by community groups. For more details see the Community Hubs page.