By Parker McKenzie
Emerald Community House has been named as a finalist in the 2022 Premier’s Sustainability Award for their off-grid community not-for-profit grocery.
The Emerald-based not-for-profit was nominated for its use of “clean, green, off-grid solar energy,” to power the Dig In Community Grocery, run out of a heritage listed historic building the organization restored, where locally grown produce is sold, while also having free food for those in need.
Emerald Community House manager Mary Farrow said the project was the perfect example of the local community, state government and federal government combining to achieve a great outcome.
“We’ve been working with Commonwealth Bank to restore the building for the last 10 years. we got funding from the local government to help clean the asbestos out, replace some windows and put in Stormwater drains because it was rotten inside” she said.
“We got federal money to put in the solar and battery because it has no power, it’s off-grid, and then we got state money to convert it into a grocery.”
The Premier’s Sustainability Award recognises organisations, communities, people and projects working towards a more sustainable future, with finalists judged by the Banksia Foundation and Keep Australia Beautiful Victoria.
Ms Farrow said restoring the bakehouse also helped preserve the history of Emerald.
“Emerald was a mercantile town and it is the oldest town in the Dandenong Ranges,” she said.
“Communities should look at all these different activities that are going on, there are so many good ideas. It’s not always about the winner, when you go and look at who the finalists are, they’re very creative and enterprising.”
The winners of each category will be announced at an award ceremony on Thursday 20 September. Emerald Community House was nominated alongside Revival Projects for its Zero Footprint Repurposing initiative and Warrnambool Community Garden for its conversion of an abandoned quarry into a grassed amphitheatre and water-resource educational display.
