Our vision for a Regenerative Melbourne

 “How can we provide a society as a place of radical abundance, not artificial scarcity? There's a lot out there for everyone in terms of physical, psychological, spiritual, social, economic resources.” 

PROFESSOR YIN PARADIES, Deakin University (and member of Regen Melbourne Advisory Board)

A clear vision for Greater Melbourne is essential to guide us as we embrace a future that faces more complex challenges including climate change, rising inequality, local and geopolitical instability and biodiversity breakdown. For us, this involves thinking beyond business as usual and relearning how the four elements of our economy (household, market, commons and state) can together work towards a safe and just future for our city’s people and ecology. 

Throughout workshops, interviews and roundtables in 2021, we asked our network to consider their vision for Melbourne as a whole and for Melbourne through the lens of the Doughnut’s themes and dimensions. This resulted in dozens and dozens of vision statements.  Through a community-led distillation process a co-created vision was developed.

Our connection to our natural environment and to one another is the central thread that is knitted into all elements of this vision. The co-creation process we went through together in 2021 continually surfaced the crucial need for healing - of ourselves, of our relationships and of country. As long as we remain disconnected from the land and from each other, we will not be able to genuinely commit ourselves to the ideals outlined in our vision. It is not easy or comfortable, but it sets the direction for our community and for our beloved city. 

This vision has been created and now adopted by Regen Melbourne and will guide all of our work together. 

“I often lie awake at night and imagine the city in a decade, I imagine all the little streets, Little Bourke, Little Collins, Little Lonsdale, all the little streets now being walking pedestrian streets. And like they've been re-wilded. You don't drive down them. They are these unbelievable forests you are walking through. You are walking through these amazing green, lush streets and everyone is spilled out onto the streets.” 

REBECCA SCOTT, CEO STREAT (and member of Regen Melbourne Advisory Board)