Denmark CSL: About us

A centre to ensure the needs of current and future generations are met sustainably. Fostering innovative exploration, research, development, education and practice

History

The site that is now the Centre for Sustainable Living was made available when an old dormitory building belonging to the Western Australian Education Department was to be decommissioned and then demolished. The Denmark community, led by the AgSchool2000 committee representing thirteen local organisations, successfully lobbied the Education Department to save the buildings. Exhaustive fundraising by the Denmark Education and Innovation Centre enabled the transformation of 1950's architecture into an exemplary sustainable convention centre suitable for hosting social, cultural, environmental and educational events. The creation of the centre was sponsored by National and State Government agencies and non-government philanthropic agencies. The result is a conference centre with accommodation and catering facilities that will lead the way in demonstrating sustainable building practices.

Half way through the rebuilding process

Drawing on inspiration from the very successful Schumacher College in England, the Quarry in Wales, the Rocky Mountain Institute in Colorado and similar centres elsewhere, the decision was made to focus on sustainable living. There were no other demonstration and education centres in Western Australia which could offer a comprehensive range of options to support sustainable living for a wide range of clients from the community, intrastate, interstate and overseas.

Planned activities included courses on, and practical examples of, waste water management, energy efficiency, organic horticulture, bush regeneration, bush products, strategic wetlands management and eco-tours. The centre was expected to attract school groups, higher education students, and people from industry and government. Strategic direction was to be provided by the Western Australian State Sustainability Strategy (September 2003). A Technical Advisory Group was established to supervise the refurbishment of the building, and a Project Team was appointed to oversee the development and running of the centre.

Recognition by the government of the importance of the site and the economic contribution that the enterprise would make to the region resulted in sizeable funding and support being secured from a wide range of major sponsors and supporters, to assist in the original negotiatons, to refurbish the building and to employ an enterprise development officer to undertake the business development and marketing for the centre. The result is a conference centre with accomodation and catering facilities which leads the way in demonstrating sustainable building practices.

Market research conducted as part of the Business Plan 2000 demonstrated a strong level of support, with a projected initial booking rate of 25% for the accommodation facilities, and wide support from the community and government agencies. Financial forecasting was positive and supported the project team's confidence in the centre's long-term viability.

Our Organisation

The Centre for Sustainable Living is owned by the Denmark Education and Innovation Centre Inc. and managed by Green Skills Inc.

The Denmark Education and Innovation Centre (DEIC) is a not for profit community organization formed to support the Denmark community in progressing into the 21st Century. DEIC has considerable experience in running a range of community projects including the establishment of the Denmark Telecentre. In developing the project, the DEIC Board of Management was responsible for steering the overall direction of the centre; liaising with the Education Department and meeting leasehold obligations, accountability for any funding provided, insurance, and supervision of the centre manager,

Green Skills Inc. is a not for profit registered training organization that was established in 1989. Green Skills is a project management organization and also runs training and employment programs in metropolitan and regional areas.

Our team

louise Louise Duxbury BA(Hons) [Project manager]: Projects manager with Green Skills, Louise founded Green Skills Inc. with a passion for showing how meaningful work that respects the environment can be created. She has assisted in establishing a wide range of community based enterprises and projects. Her particular skills lie in communications, facilitation, conflict resolution, strategic planning, submission writing and project development.

dawn Dawn Atkin BA(Hons) [Centre manager]: Dawn has a diverse vocational background, including hospitality and office management, with experience in research and development in adult education and training. In addition to operations management, her skills include social and cultural analysis (using a range of qualitative research methodologies) and community consultation and facilitation.

jessie Jessie MacIver [Finance manager]: A qualified Chartered Accountant with over 40 years experience with firms of chartered accountants in Australia and the United Kingdom. Jessie is responsible for the financial management of the centre.

mark Mark Tupman [Caretaker]: Mark lectures in horticulture and music at the Great Southern College of Technical and Further Education as well as caretaking the centre. Mark has been working in the organic horticulture field throughout Western Australia for the last decade.

Building and setting

The centre sits on just over one hectare of land and is adjacent to the Denmark High School, Denmark TAFE and Denmark Agricultural School. The building is a feat of innovation and sustainability. From being ear-marked for demolition in 2000, it has been renovated, extended and restored by a small team of dedicated builders and craftsmen. The centre is near to the shores of the Denmark River and its adjacent bicycle/walking path that leads to the Denmark township and then continues on to the glorious Wilsons Inlet.

The Denmark region offers visitors a range of experiences as diverse as its incredible scenery. Some of Australia's finest wineries, a wealth of creative artistry, and world-class natural attractions - magnificent karri forests, idyllic estuaries and glorious coastline are all available in or within a few kilometers of the centre. The town itself offers sporting facilities, artistic venues, shops and a light industrial area.

	Louise Duxbury BA(Hons) [Project manager]: Projects manager with Green Skills, Louise founded Green Skills Inc. with a passion for showing how meaningful work that respects the environment can be created. She has assisted in establishing a wide range of community based enterprises and projects. Her particular skills lie in communications, facilitation, conflict resolution, strategic planning, submission writing and project development.
	Dawn Atkin BA(Hons) [Centre manager]: Dawn has a diverse vocational background, including hospitality and office management, with experience in research and development in adult education and training. In addition to operations management, her skills include social and cultural analysis (using a range of qualitative research methodologies) and community consultation and facilitation.
	Jessie MacIver [Finance manager]: A qualified Chartered Accountant with over 40 years experience with firms of chartered accountants in Australia and the United Kingdom. Jessie is responsible for the financial management of the centre.
	Mark Tupman [Caretaker]: Mark lectures in horticulture and music at the Great Southern College of Technical and Further Education as well as caretaking the centre. Mark has been working in the organic horticulture field throughout Western Australia for the last decade.