"The Port Phillip EcoCentre works with community and government to protect and improve Port Phillip Bay and the urban ecology of Greater Melbourne in the traditional lands and waters of the Kulin Nation. Our dedicated team of scientists, educators and volunteers design and implement innovative environmental programs. We use the physical world as our classroom to connect people with their local nature. Since 1999 our collective impact has transformed the way Melbourne understands wildlife, waterways and well-being in the age of climate change."
The environment has become the top concern for Australians (Ipsos 2020), and over the last 24 years the Port Phillip EcoCentre has helped translate that care into action. In the last decade we have seen a 500-fold increase in young people engaging with our programs, a 660% increase in people taking action to restore their local environment, and their volunteer hours increased to a record 21,021 per year in 2020. The cottage facilities are no longer fit-for-purpose, demonstrating sustainable practice, meeting capacity demands or accessibility requirements.
Alison Seymore spoke passionately the work that the Echo Centre doing within the City of Port Phillip. It was exciting to hear the research that they have been undertaking over the last 20 years and the impact that that is having on the community and the environment. Many thanks to both April and Marg Lothian for their inspirational presentation.