Community Environment Centre Annangrove
Out and About with Michelle Byrne
Opened on world Environment Day in 2006, by the then Mayor of Baulkham Hills Shire Council, Sonya Philips, the community environment centre in Annangrove has become a buzzing hive of activity for residents and volunteers alike.
The mission of the Community Environment Centre is to provide a community resource dedicated to promoting the importance of biodiversity and sustainability whilst connecting the local community with each other and the environment.
The Community Environment Centre sits withing the Annangrove Bushland reserve which contains remnant Sydney Turpintine Ironbark Forest, shale sandstone traditional forest along with a plethora of fauna and flora. This reserve is the perfect place for the community centre and for residents to gain an even greater appreciation of our natural environment.
Features of the Community Environment Centre include native plant gardens, vegetable gardens, bush tucker garden, waterwise garden bed, range of compost bins, worm farm, native beehive, environmental reference library as well as flyers and information about other local environmental organisations, projects and groups. On offer also is a range of workshops and demonstrations that are run on various topics of interest to residents such as gardening planting natives, sustainability at home, worm farms, growing food for wildlife, building insect hotels and so much more. There are also holiday workshops and other activities aimed at our youngest residents.
The community environment centre is also now known as the “platypus hub”, a nod to the collaboration with the Cattai Hills Environment Network (CHEN) and other local environmental groups. The aim of this collaboration is to track and study the movements of platypus in the Hills and to create community awareness of these very shy creatures and the importance of keeping our waterways clean. CHEN in partnership with Western Sydney University have discovered e-DNA of platypus in the Cattai Creek creating much excitement that platypus still live in our waterways despite the increased pressures of urbanisation on a once very rural area.
Like most community centres and organisations, the community environment centre is operated by passionate volunteers who are the drive force and the heart of our Community Environment Centre and who have made the centre what it is. A testament to their hard work and dedication to ensuring we look after our environment for current and future generations of Hills residents.
The Community Environment Centre is open to residents and volunteers on Thursdays 9am- 4pm and Saturdays 10am-2pm. I encourage you to visit the Community Environment Centre, attend one of the many workshops and activities on offer and learn more about our local environment as well as some handy hints or tips for your own gardens.
For more information on the Community Environment Centre including upcoming workshops and demonstrations go to www.thehills.nsw.gov.au/Community/Your-Environment/Community-Environment-Centreat-Annangrove
