Backstory
Our aim is to both 'walk the talk' and 'talk the walk' on climate protection, river & wetland care and other sustainability issues. Step in for information, action or involvement and then step out and walk more lightly on the planet!
Late in 2000, three friends (Brenda Conochie, Rob Gulley and Rachael Roberts) decided a shopfront community environment centre was needed in Perth - a campaign centre and eco-products store to support the community's efforts to live in a way that respects our environment and future generations. We gathered others to form a community association for this purpose. With underwriting by the ACF (Australian Conservation Foundation), we leased a former fish & chip shop plus house and backyard, in the heart of Maylands, only 150m from the train station, and 8 minutes from the city. Generous well-wishers helped with the private commercial rent, and the first furnishings and office equipment. We had a big launch party in March 2001, with guests of honour Peter Garrett (then Midnight Oil front man), Judy Edwards (then Minister for the Environment) and a Noongar elder who has since passed away.
From 2002-mid 2004, funding from WA's SEDO (Sustainable Energy Development Office) & the AGO (Australian Greenhouse Office's) Cool Communities program helped us retrofit the shop and house - and for a series of workshops on energy efficiency, which was to become our main focus.
From seed we collected along the river, we grew thousands of she-oaks, paperbarks and rushes, and planted them out on the eroded Maylands foreshore. We composted tonnes of scraps from the Fruit&Veg just down the lane. We've taught composting, wormfarming and bokashi to hundreds of folks, we hosted teaching students; and gave talks to hundreds of community groups on sustainable living.
In May 2009, priced out of Eighth Ave, we moved camp to 125 King William Street, Bayswater, thanks to a generous offer from the City of Bayswater. We are now in a nice little house with a great native front garden beside the Eric Singleton Bird Sanctuary and Riverside Gardens in Bayswater.
We've established a thriving organic backyard food garden, thanks to permaculture gardeners Harry Wykman and Bonnie Wykman. Our volunteers now keep the garden going.
We've built up (and up!) our home and workplace energy and water auditing program and now have energy and water saving advisors working with us. We are visiting schools on request to provide sustainability services. We're pleased to have helped Maylands Peninsula, Hillcrest and Ashfield Primary Schools with energy and water audits.
We play our part in Perth's colourful climate rallies. You've probably seen our great plastic windmills on TV quite a few times; they spin like mad for TV cameras in the St George's Tce wind-tunnel and other settings. We also set up our nice green tent (thanks, Lotterywest!) at quite a few fairs, fetes and festivals around the metro area and beyond.
Combine a visit here with a refreshing 20 minute walk around the Eric Singleton Bird Sanctuary next door.
Constitution
Our constitution commits us to trying to protect and restore the natural environment of Western Australia through community education and involvement. It also lays down how we should elect our 10 committee members and how often they should meet and so on.
Familiarise yourself with the Environment House Constitution. (PDF 360kb)
Updated July 2018
Annual Report
Each year our Annual Report is made publicly available.
Read the Environment House 2022/23 Annual Report.
Membership
Is open to all who endorse our Constitution, and have their application approved by the Committee. The fee is $15 (conc. $5) per year.
Contact us if you're interested in becoming a member.
Volunteer
Environment House runs mainly on 'vollie-power'. We need around 20 at any one time, staffing stalls, pricing goods, doing office tasks, or working in the garden. We try to ensure that job-seekers can add new skills to their CV's by the time they leave. We're keen to have vollies who can commit EH for at least 6 months, as it does take a while to learn the ropes.
Contact us if you're interested in becoming a volunteer.
Community Partners
Environment House works in cooperation with:
The City of Bayswater - We greatly appreciate the direct financial support from the City. Also we have co-ordinated the planting of 2000 native trees/bushes/sedges along the Maylands riverfront, in cooperation with CoB's Environment Officer, Jeremy Maher. Thousands more sedges and casuarina trees were planted throughout 2005, along the Maylands foreshore and on the Maylands side of Ascot Island. The Friends of Maylands Samphires is working on a riverside conservation project at Clarkson Reserve, Maylands.
Community Bank Bayswater - Our principal sponsor of more than six years, Community Bank Bayswater does not invest in fossil fuels, has Green Loans and is conveniently located in the heart of Bayswater with friendly and helpful staff. Banking that helps us and others.
Transition Town Bayswater (TTB) is an important community engagement arm of Enviro House, aimed at increasing sustainability and reducing the effects of climate change.
Conservation Council of WA - Environment House is now a member of this statewide 'umbrella' organisation and receives much-appreciated support from its staff.
Anti Nuclear Alliance of WA and People for Nuclear Disarmament - We used to provide office space for these organisations, but when we moved to this smaller building, we were delighted that they found new space with Oxfam just down the road at 5 King William St, within easy visiting distance.
Trillion Trees - We recommend visiting Trillion Trees wonderful Hazlemere nursery to buy native plant seedlings.
Australian eco-wholesalers - We retail the products of a growing number of eco-wholesalers, both community and business-based: EnviroClean, RELN (worm farms), Eco-Organics (Bokashi fermentation compost bins) Tinderbox, and Scrumpy soaps.
Sponsors
Environment House been a grateful recipient of sponsorship from civic-spirited individuals, the City of Bayswater (with an annual grant and low rental for our current premises), the Bendigo Bank Community Bank Bayswater, the WA public (via Lotterywest), businesses, and occasionally a State or Federal Government grant.
As a registered environment centre, donations are tax-deductible.
Cheques/money orders should be made payable to "Environment House tax deductible fund". Donations via credit card (in person or by phone) are also very welcome. Of course shopping here - or even better, becoming a 'regular' - is a great way to support us too!
Getting decked out!
In 2018 a huge amount of work went into upgrades at Enviro House. We worked closely with Nonie and Moss from Wandoo Design & Construction to create a new front window and entry, a wheel chair accessible bathroom and a timber framed covered deck.
Colin Haydoc of Remill supplied the decking which is milled out of recycled Jarrah. He pioneered the processing of recycled timber into dressed flooring, decking, mouldings and furniture grade material in Western Australia. He is determined to get the most out of the limited material and increases its value in its second or third use rather than most down cycling processes we accept as sustainable these days. Colin Haydoc is a true environmentalist.
Environment House acknowledge the work and ethos of these fabulous local companies.
