FISH And WA’s Junjuwa Community Looking To A Sustainable Future

Last year PWF introduced The Foundation for Indigenous Sustainable Housing. FISH has just launched its own website and in early 2012, in association with Landcorp and The Summit Homes Group, it will build a ‘charity home’ in Broome.

The Annual Sustainable Home Project

The construction of a charity home will be an annual project, using the opportunity to train Indigenous tradespeople, and the sale of these homes will raise funds for the ongoing activities and administration of FISH.

This year there will be:
• An architectural design competition with donated services and materials, and
• Sustainable housing including appropriate technologies and systems will be showcased

Socially and environmentally sustainable construction and engagement methods will be developed over time which will contribute to creating sustainable housing in the north of Western Australia.

Everyone will be working towards reconciliation in the region.

The Junjuwa Community Is Looking Ahead

PWF has also written about a go-ahead group of Junjuwa women who have established a craft centre and now sell their wares to the many tourists who pass through nearby Fitzroy Crossing.

These ladies are also forming a sister relationship with the Warrandyte Neighbourhood House in leafy outer Melbourne.

The Junjuwa people have invited FISH to facilitate the building of sustainable housing and implement healthy living programs in their community.

They have allocated land for a pilot project and they have invited FISH to proceed with a draft master plan for their Old Bakery Precinct. This will be developed in consultation with the community.

The Junjuwa Concept House

The community is working with FISH on:

• An advanced collaborative concept design -by FISH and Junjuwa – for local sustainable housing
• On-site consultation that fully addresses community desires and concerns
• Design integrated into landscape, local climate, and outdoors lifestyle
• Adaptable design reconfigurable for specific sites and family needs

All of the above have been approved by Junjuwa community leaders.

Recycling Of The Old Bakery

Another Junjuwa project is the recycling of the derelict bakery building as a community hub. In this hub there will be:

• A women’s centre, art centre, training centre, and information technology facility
• The women’s centre will also serve as a tourist cafe, shop, and entertainment facility
• This Centre will be the keystone of a redevelopment precinct involving the surrounding land and will enable future facilities with a considerably sized housing cluster

Shared Experience: Cultural Conservation Centre

FISH is currently seeking key partners to develop a Cultural Conservation Centre.

This will be designed in collaboration with Indigenous Australians with reference to traditional story, form and country. It will be a place of reconciliation where the ancient and modern meet; a place where people look back to their shared heritage while looking forward towards a shared prosperity.

• A magnificent venue in an iconic location near the Swan River in Perth
• An embodiment of the spirit of partnership between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people
• A place for storytelling and craft to understand the unique perspectives of first Australians
• An archive for the treasures of our shared history for time immemorial
• A hub for Indigenous Organisations and an Incubator for New Enterprise
• A demonstration of sustainable technologies for construction & managing water, waste and energy
• A legacy for all Australians and showcase for the whole world to enjoy and experience

A great model for other Indigenous communities