Building a sustainable community

National Lifestyle Villages builds sustainable communities

National Lifestyle Villages Green Steps Program

We are the long-term custodians of the land our Villages are located on, and as such, we want to have a positive environmental influence. As such, we are proud to provide an enjoyable and comfortable living environment that retains and attracts local flora and fauna.

What’s more, it’s a smart way to build and saves you money in heating, cooling and water usage.

With this philosophy in mind, since National Lifestyle Villages began, we have implemented a Green Steps Program that includes the following:

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"It’s a smart way to build and saves you money in heating, cooling and water usage"

1Protecting the landscape

We aim to maintain mature trees, which provide natural shade, enrich the soil and protect the habitat of the local wildlife.

2Better water management

We are waterwise, using water economically, with AAA rated outlets. Our Villages are designed to reduce wasteful surface water run-off, making every drop count through ‘groundwater recharge’ methods that return water to the water-table.

Wherever possible, we use non-drinking water and waste-water to water gardens. We use sub-surface reticulation which cuts down on waste through evaporation and sends the water to where it’s really needed – the roots.

Our ground-staff monitor our water use carefully, check water quality and work hard to maximise the efficiency of our water usage.

3Energy management

The homes in our communities are carefully designed to make them more energy efficient, providing extra warmth from the winter sun and natural ventilation in the summer.

High levels of insulation to all roofs and walls mean less need for heaters and air-conditioners, reducing energy use in the homes while concrete flooring to all new homes helps keep hot air out in summer and warm air in during the winter.

Energy-efficient lighting saves energy, and we embrace the use of alternate energy sources such as solar, wind and other renewable natural resources.

4Waste management

In most of our communities we have invested in Asset Recovery Centres (ARC’s). These are provided as a communal place to deposit and reuse everything that is recyclable, including organic waste.

Community-scale composting using worm farms and chickens provides a valuable use for our organic waste. Where possible, non-organic waste is also recycled.

5Carbon emissions management

Greenhouse Gases (GHG) have an impact on climate change and drive global warming. NLV works hard each year to reduce our environmental footprint and minimise the production of GHGs.

Kerry C

I have been the coordinator of the Grubby Gardeners at Bridgewater Lifestyle Village for the past five years. I love to garden and in particular, growing vegetables. To me this provides food for the soul, relaxation and the opportunity to be involved with like-minded Lifestylers out in the open air and lovely surroundings with lots of laughter and friendship.

My first involvement in the village’s gardening group was in the middle of 2007 after moving to the village in October 2006. My husband had gone back to full-time work and with time on my hands and
a lifetime interest in gardening and food it was inevitable that I became involved in what was then just a small group that had been allocated a plot on the back fence of the village in which to grow vegetables.

Unfortunately over the next couple of years, and as the village began to grow, we were forced to shift a couple of times before ultimately ending up pretty much back where we began. This all took its toll on the output from the garden but in early 2010 we were settled at last and are now able to pay our way so to speak.

Syd K

Reminiscing about the 1961 Swan Districts Football Club Premiership

Swan Districts Football Club had never won a Premiership in the WAFL League Competition. We languished at the bottom end, you could have called us cellar dwellers. However in 1957 the WAFL introduced an extra competitive team into the structure. So now all clubs had a League, Reserves and Thirds team, the last being in the 18-20 years bracket. This enabled the clubs to have access to nurture and improve the football ability of up-and-coming players. Swans were the Thirds competition inaugural Premiers in 1957 and again in 1958 which gave the club a little hope for the future.

In 1960, Haydn Bunton, a South Australian, was elected League Coach. From the outset it was obvious that there would be a massive shake up. The placid Black Swan club emblem was ditched, and replaced by the fierce, black fighting one. Training began in the hot summer months at weekends as well as mid-week. Weekends were up and down sand hills at Scarborough through to Trigg and mid-week around the Swan River, swimming across it, and of course, on the oval. Blood, sweat and plenty of tears!