Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

Fourteen social enterprises have been successful in the ACT Government’s new social enterprise grants program.

The ACT Social Enterprise Grant Program aims to support new social enterprises to start up, and help existing social enterprises to take the next step in their business journey.

The 14 enterprises will share in $340,000, to help get their ideas off the ground with the support of The Mill House Ventures.

The Mill House Ventures is delivering the grant program on behalf of the ACT Government, and will work with the recipients to help them achieve their purpose.

“As the key organisation supporting social enterprises in the ACT, The Mill House Ventures is thrilled that these grants will provide so much practical assistance to our region’s early stage and start up social enterprises,” CEO at The Mill House Ventures Craig Fairweather said.

“The independent assessment panel had a very difficult, but rewarding, task in determining the final list of successful grant recipients.”

The recipients are highly motivated and committed to supporting the local Canberra community, providing solutions to challenges and building resilience.

Grant recipients include:

• Women’s Shed Canberra, which offers women of all backgrounds, ethnicities, orientations, an ability to meet and to learn skills in building trades within a safe and supportive community.
• GetAboutAble, a leading Australian accessibility consultancy that supports businesses and other organisations to improve their access and inclusion.
• The Climate Factory, an organisation facilitating the creation of climate-cooling microforests in suburban locations, promoting biodiversity and fostering community engagement in environmental initiatives.

The delivery of social enterprise grants was identified as a transformative project in CBR Switched On: ACT’s Economic Development Priorities 2022 – 2025.

ACT Social Enterprise Grant Program recipients:

• Her Kitchen Table ($30,000)
• Women’s Shed Canberra ($30,000)
• The Climate Factory ($29,915)
• Fundraise for Australia ($12,500)
• GetAboutAble ($30,000)
• RecycleAbilities ($29,000)
• SeeMe Please ($30,000)
• Accessilife ($20,000)
• Endless Australia ($30,000)
• Catalyst Living Skills ($30,000)
• ShowGo ($28,585)
• U Shape Us ($20,000)
• Warehouse Circus ($10,000)
• The Easy Read Toolbox ($10,000)

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Nine new public housing units in West Belconnen are now complete and ready to welcome tenants.

The homes have been developed under the ACT Government’s Growing and Renewing Public Housing Program, which has seen more than 475 homes built and a further 577 under design or construction since the launch of the program in July 2019.

The new homes add to the category of public housing in highest demand: approximately 80 per cent of all housing applicants can be housed in a two-bedroom dwelling.

Each of the homes is equipped with Class C adaptable features, suitable for people with different mobility and accessibility needs, and support tenants to age in place.

They are located close to a school, shops, and transport and feature a 7-star energy rating, offering greater comfort and increased affordability for tenants.

The program demonstrates the ACT Government’s commitment to providing high-quality public housing that caters to tenants’ needs.

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Tuggeranong is a dog friendly region of Canberra, with plenty of on-leash and off-leash open spaces for you and your four-legged friend to explore together.

Here are some of our favourite spots:

Dog parks

There is one dog park in Tuggeranong, with another one on its way.

Greenway – Mortimer Lewis Drive, Lake Tuggeranong

Located next to the picturesque Lake Tuggeranong, this scenic dog park is an ideal spot for your dog to socialise and play.

Large eucalyptus trees provide shade and there are large grassy areas. There are also benches so you can take a seat while your dog plays nearby.

There are two separate play areas: one for smaller dogs, and one for larger dogs.

Lanyon dog park – corner of Jim Pike Avenue and Woodcock Avenue, Gordon

Design work is progressing for a new fenced dog park near Point Hut Pond. Construction is expected to begin later in 2024.

Find more information and keep up to date.

Off-leash areas

There are over 30 areas that are dog off-leash in the Tuggeranong region.

Point Hut Pond

On hot days, take your dog to the western riverbank of Point Hut Crossing and Point Hut Bond. There are dog swimming spaces where your pooch can have a paddle before running themselves dry on the riverbank.

Calwell Playing Fields

With plenty of open space, Calwell Playing Fields is the perfect spot for zoomies or a game of fetch.

It’s important to know that ovals or sportsgrounds are conditional spaces. This means that if the oval is in use (i.e. when it is booked for formal sport, including training sessions), you and your dog will need to come back later.

Fadden Pines District Park

The side of this park closest to the Futsal Centre (the opposite side to the playground and skate park) is a dog off-leash area. There’s a large grassy area perfect for playing, and shady trees throughout the area.

There are public toilets on the other side of the park near the barbecue area. However, remember that when in use, all playgrounds, picnic areas and barbecue areas (as well as sportsgrounds) become dog prohibited areas. If they’re not in use, you’re able to venture into this area with your dog on their lead.

Simpsons Hill, Chisholm

This area is perfect for active dogs. There’s a grassy hill with lots of trees and space to run around.

On-leash areas

All streets, verges, footpaths and cycle paths are on-leash areas. You’ll also need to keep your dog on-leash if you’re within 10 metres either side of the path.

Lakes are also dog on-leash areas unless otherwise signposted.

Remember that regardless of where you are, it’s an offence not to pick up your dog droppings. You can receive a $150 fine for not picking up your dog’s droppings, and a $75 fine for not carrying appropriate equipment to collect your dog’s droppings. Keeping poo bags on hand near your leash (and using them to clean up after your dog) is an easy way to avoid copping a fine!

Learn more about local spots to take your dog or view on-leash, off-leash, conditional off-leash and dog prohibited areas on ACTmapi’s dog exercise area map.

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Work has begun on the new Franklin Dog Park, located in the open space bound by Nullarbor Avenue and Oodgeroo Avenue.

Major works are expected to take approximately nine months to complete (weather permitting), meaning Gungahlin dog owners should be able to use it next summer.

The new fully fenced dog park will be the third in Gungahlin and the eighth in Canberra.

Its design follows community consultation in 2022.

Key features include:

• 2,870m² fenced recreational area
• Accessible loop path within the perimeter of the dog park
• Gravel car park with seven car spaces, including two accessible spaces and four bike rails
• Picnic shelter, seating and drinking fountain
• Dog agility area with some play elements including low and tall bar jumps, weave poles, pyramid ramp, hoop tunnels and log balance beams
• Irrigated grass area for ball and frisbee play
• Dog poo bag dispensers and bins.

There will also be 48 new trees planted for canopy cover, and additional shade once matured.

The ACT has one of Australia’s highest rates of pet ownership. Community feedback revealed Canberrans want space for their dogs to run free and a variety of terrains for dogs to explore and use their sense of smell.

Fenced dog exercise areas contribute to the effective management of dogs in public spaces by providing a controlled space where dogs can freely exercise and play. They also assist in alleviating the pressure on shared recreational areas.

There are several other projects currently underway across Canberra to provide more recreational opportunities for people and their dogs.

The new fenced dog park planned for the Lanyon Valley will provide more spaces for southsiders to socialise and exercise their dogs.

The Lanyon Valley dog park will include many of the same features as Franklin, including a grass play and agility areas, shade structures and seating.

A construction tender for that park will be released around the middle of the year.

Improvements to public open spaces present additional opportunities for on-leash dog walks.

These include improvements to the Tuggeranong foreshore, which are nearly complete, and upgrades to the Lake Ginninderra path circuit and Yerrabi Pond District Park.

Stay up to date on the suburban infrastructure projects being delivered, including playgrounds, local shopping centres and dog parks, at cityservices.act.gov.au/bettersuburbs.

The park will be located in the open space bound by Nullarbor Avenue and Oodgeroo Avenue.

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The new competition-standard half-pipe at Belconnen skatepark is another step closer.

With off-site fabrication underway, construction has now started on site to expand the skatepark alongside the legendary ‘Belco Bowl’.

Fencing of the site has been completed with works over the coming weeks to include demolition activities to provide access to site and earthworks to start preparing the area for the future half-pipe.

The concrete slab is in place and the on-site assembly of the prefabricated metal and wooden ramps is underway.

The new half-pipe is expected to open to the public early in the second half of 2024.

The Canberra Skateboarding Association and Canberra BMX Club have called for improvements to Canberra skate parks.

The city’s skate culture is already strong, and the sport is growing in popularity.

Belconnen is Canberra’s best-known skatepark and already considered world-class by many enthusiasts.

Also known as a vertical or vert ramp, the new half-pipe will take ACT skating to another level, growing the city’s appeal to both national and international skaters.

Young Canberra skater and international competitor Katie Pike is excited about the development.

“I’m really looking forward to having a competition vert ramp in my home skatepark,” she said.

“That will help me out a lot because obviously I have to travel to Sydney to skate competition vert ramps and now that we have one in Canberra it will be a lot easier. Instead of having to travel most weeks I can just train five minutes away from home.”

Joel Bliss, another local skater, is also enthusiastic.

“I’ve been waiting, I think, my whole Canberra skating life for this moment,” he said.

“The first sessions are going to be amazing. I’ll probably just drop in and roll around for a while to get used to it. Because these ramps are big! The vert ramps we are used to around here are like mini ramps in comparison to this actual proper-sized ramp, so the speed you get on these things is just a thing in itself.

“It’s going to be unreal and there will be skaters from all over Australia that will come when they hear about it. It’s going to be a good thing. I can’t wait,” Joel said.

The ACT Government manages seven skateparks and another 12 parks that feature skating facilities across Canberra.

These cater not only to skateboarders but also cyclists, scooters, rollerbladers and rollerskaters.

“I think it’s really good and I think it will help with the progression of skating in Canberra,” Katie said.

The competition-standard half-pipe is funded by both the ACT Government and the Australian Government under the Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program.

Joel Bliss can’t wait for the new half-pipe to be completed.

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A new 30-unit public housing development has opened in Tuggeranong and is ready to welcome tenants.

The unit complex is one of the largest public housing developments delivered under the ACT Government’s Growing and Renewing Public Housing program.

The program, launched in 2019, aims to deliver 1,400 renewed or new public homes by mid-2027, which will increase the total number of public housing in the ACT by 400.

The new homes cater to a wide range of needs and are Class C Adaptable, making them suitable for people with disability and people as they grow older.

The development features an onsite playground and a range of unit sizes, from one-bedroom to four-bedroom.

They have each been completed with above-standard energy efficiency ratings, to provide tenants greater comfort and increased affordability.

The development is located close to shops, services and transport, as well Lake Tuggeranong and surrounding parks, allowing residents easy access to Tuggeranong’s outdoor spaces.

The ACT has the second-highest proportion of public housing out of any jurisdiction in the country.

The ACT Government’s Growing and Renewing Public Housing program is on track to meet its targets.

More than 640 homes have already been built or bought, and another 577 are in the construction pipeline.

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If you avidly use your household recycling bin, upcycled old furniture, or received something from a “buy nothing” group in your community, you’ve been a part of the circular economy.

It’s a system that’s designed to minimise waste and maximise the use of resources. It promotes the repurposing, recycling and reuse of materials so nothing goes to waste.

The circular economy reduces pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, but it’s also a pretty useful way to save money.

There are lots of ways that Canberrans can get involved in the circular economy.

Recycle correctly

If you can’t reduce or reuse, then recycling is the best choice.

Not everything that can be recycled can go in your yellow recycling bin.

Recycle these in your recycling bin:

• aluminium and steel cans
• glass bottles and jars
• paper and flat cardboard
• plastic bottles and containers

For other items, the Recyclopaedia is your go-to guide for recycling.

For example, batteries aren’t accepted in household bins. However, there are over 60 local collection points for the safe disposal of batteries.

Choose alternatives to single-use plastics

Choose reusable alternatives to single-use items such as water bottles, shopping bags and food containers to reduce waste.

Support local sustainable businesses

Look for local businesses that prioritise sustainability by offering products made from recycled materials or following eco-friendly production practices.

Some examples of sustainable businesses in Canberra include:

• Thor’s Hammer
• Soft Landing
• repair businesses
• local charity shops.

Get things repaired

Instead of automatically replacing broken or damaged items, consider repairing them.

Explore local repair cafes, workshops, or DIY repair tutorials to extend the lifespan of products and minimise waste.

A great place to start is the Tuggeranong Repair Café or the Hawker Community Repair Café.

The handy team of volunteers can help fix a range of items including household electrical items, clothing, laptops, tablets and mobile phones and more.

Find out more about the Tuggeranong Repair Café or learn more about the Hawker Community Repair Café.

Connect with your community

Get involved in local community initiatives focused on waste reduction and circular economy practices. These might include:

• neighbourhood clean-up events
• clothing swaps
• community gardens
• composting and food waste reduction.

By working together, Canberrans can create positive change on a larger scale.

Live in an apartment building? Consider working with a local collection and composting service.

Do your research

Make informed choices about what to buy and where to buy it. Prioritise products that are:

• durable
• energy-efficient
• made from recycled or renewable materials.

Shop second-hand

Buying your items second-hand helps reduce waste to landfill and is typically more affordable.

Ways to buy second-hand goods include:

• local charity shops
• vintage stores or boutiques
• markets, such as the Old Bus Depot Markets
• Gumtree and Facebook Marketplace.

Make your own

Your Libraries ACT card comes with access to Creativebug, an online platform with art and craft video classes. There are classes on making and repairing clothes, knitting, and crocheting. There are also courses on how to make home décor or craft projects that make brilliant gifts for friends and family.

Keep an eye on the Tuggeranong Repair Café and Hawker Community Repair Café who sometimes offer repair workshops where you can learn skills from local volunteers.

Growing your own produce is another way to prevent food wastage and resources. New to gardening? Learn how to grow veggies at home in Canberra.

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When bushfire swept through Yarramundi Reach in 2003, it took with it Roman Cypress trees first planted in 1916.

While that exact type of Cyprus could well have disappeared from the ACT, Yarralumla Nursery’s seed bank came to the rescue.

“Yarralumla Nursery’s seed bank is a wonderful resource that has been used to create Canberra’s urban forest,” the nursery’s Senior Director Matt Parker said.

“We were able to propagate the same genetic Cyprus from our seed bank.”

The seed bank is a living record of every seed collected, purchased and stored at the Yarralumla Nursery since 1913.

The latest to be added are the seeds of the Bunya Pine tree.

Native to Queensland, these large conifers hold sacred values for First Nations peoples and come from a plant family dating back to the Jurassic period.

Bunya Pines can be found throughout Canberra – from the National Arboretum to Lanyon Homestead.

The seed bank is a valuable historical asset for the nursery and the role it has played in establishing Canberra’s green spaces.

It now contains over 200 genus of seeds, with relevant information painstakingly recorded.

Seeds are stored in alphabetical order, in old glass ‘lolly’ jars of all shapes and sizes.

They are hand-labelled with the species weight and seed registration number and consistently maintained at 20–22°C.

“If seeds are dried and stored correctly, there are minimal issues,” Yarralumla Nursery Production Operations Manager Belinda Ryan said.

“Our propagation staff specialise in monitoring the conditions of the seed bank and storing the seeds. For example, jars need to be at least two-thirds full of seed to maintain temperature and reduce air moisture and you can’t put seed into warm jars as this may break seed dormancy, meaning they could start to grow.”

Around 15,000 plant cards – which staff refer to as birth certificates – feature seed information dating back to 1913.

While these were once housed in wooden draws at the nursery they have since been digitised and are available on the Archives ACT website.

“Some Eucalyptus species from the ’60s are still viable and germinating,” Belinda said.

“The seed bank at Yarralumla Nursery is an amazing space full of nostalgia; I like searching through and finding the oldest seeds,” Matt said.

And now the newest are safely stored under B for Bunya Pine.

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