President's Report

October 2022 - January 2023

A very, very happy new year to you all from what is my first MRSGs President’s Report. I was delighted at the Macedon Ranges Sustainability Group’s first meeting, after the 2022 Annual General Meeting, on Tuesday 18 October to be elected as President for 2022/23. An absolutely fabulous opportunity which I am over the moon to have received from our newly elected committee. I would like to send a special thank you to the out-going president, in both character and vacation of the president’s chair, David Gormley-O’Brien who steered the MRSG for 6 years. In my work with David since 2020 and then in the hand-over of the role, it is clear that David has been a real asset to helping MRSG propel itself into the wonderful community organisation it is today. Though it goes without saying MRSG wouldn’t be what it is without all the passion and commitment from the amazing members who put up their hand to help protect our environment, David as the public face of MRSG has done a phenomenal job and I thank him most heartedly. Thank you, David.

I am writing this president’s report on the country of the Taungurung people and acknowledge their land has never been ceded and who I recognise as custodians of this land on which I live, work, and play. At our 2022 AGM we had the pleasure of hearing from Djaara (of the Dja Dja Wurrung people) who presented their Renewable Energy Strategy, Nyauwi Mutjeka. In their strategy they had the voices of the children sharing thoughts on the sun, energy, and looking after country. It was a lovely display of connecting back to some of the fundamentals of nature through youthful eyes, and a favourite of mine is from Rocco Lewis, aged 8, when asked, “Why do we need the sun?” replied “To live, to get fresh air and to grow plants and vegetables and trees, because trees give you air.” The simple cause and effect of one natural asset to another and our intricate reliance on that process. Nyauwi Mutjeka highlights Djaara’s vision to heal people, country, and climate through clean and renewable energy, and it is through strategies like this that MRSG can connect and commit to establishing and maintaining good links with the First Nations people of Macedon Ranges, including Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung and Taungurung. There are many Action Groups doing good work on Dja Dja Wurrung country, so we are excited be working towards a shared Nyauwi Mutjeka.

In an effort to further help our Action Groups, the committee approved a 2023 MRSG funding allocation for up to $10,000 dedicated to Action Group projects as seed funding, with funding limits of $2,000 per Action Group. The committee would be delighted to receive any project proposals, however those which have already attracted other funding that ours can match or top-up, will be preferred. We also wanted to reaffirm the $50 per quarter set aside for Action Groups to support social gatherings to further connect with their community and their good work. The committee is delighted to be able to provide this kind of financial support to the Action Groups and encourage them to please send through project proposals and social gathering invoices.

A couple of new Action Groups have been endorsed by the committee, Festivals Action Group and Riddells Creek Cool Changes Action Group, which brings our total number to fifteen. This is a phenomenal show of community appetite of wanting to live more sustainably here in Macedon Ranges and choosing MRSG as their home. We welcome the new Actions Groups and look forward to supporting their good work now and into the renewed strategic direction MRSG is looking to take. One major piece of work for the committee this year is to develop a MRSG Strategy which will strengthen our focus and help us recognise, resource, and support MRSG’s Purpose. As we are growing, the committee has realised it is the perfect time to articulate MRSG to the world and help us all understand our direction to a more beautiful and sustainable life. This work for the MRSG Strategy started in Nov 2022 when the committee sought possible themes from our Action Group Leaders, and the Strategy Days will be Saturday 21 January and Saturday 4 February 2023.

The Committee hard at work in its Strategy Day One Workshop, Macedon and Mount Macedon Community House
(Photo: Paul Rovere)

Wishing you a fabulous 2023,
Lenka Thompson (she/her) MRSG President 2022/23