Friends of Chippendale

New footpath policy, Have your say!
City of Sydney is drafting a new footpath policy which will impact the way we compost, collect water and are allowed to use footpaths for gardening. Composting as we do it must be included, it is currently missing from the policy.

Have your say by contacting Jen Beer: CommunityGreening@cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au

Our position is detailed here:

Survey of Native Bee honey and resin sources in Chippendale
What’s on the menu for Sydney’s native bees? A new Chippendale study is following two hives of Tetragonula carbonaria to uncover which flowers, trees, and resins fuel their urban lives. By comparing pollen carried home with plants growing within 300 metres, researchers hope to reveal whether council plantings, footpath gardens, or private yards provide the richest resources and how cities can become better habitats for native pollinators.

More about the study

Planning System Reforms Bill 2025
EDO: Significant changes proposed for all development assessment in NSW risk increasing environmental, community impacts and corruption. Read the EDO's full assessment.

The Planning Panel's handling of the Telstra project, an abuse of power favouring developers, will now extend to all property, mining, and land clearing decisions. Fisheries, national parks, and conservation agencies will be weakened, concentrating power in the planning minister. This ends the planning and environmental assessments established in 1978. The Act will be weakened by amendments from both major parties, leading to a surge in coal and gas approvals. The NSW government is aligning with the federal government to fast-track new coal mines and other harmful projects.

More about EDO

Taiwan acting mayor visiting Chippendale

Andy Chiu , acting deputy Mayor of Hsinchu City in Taiwan, and Director of the Environmental Protection Bureau of Hsinchu City is visiting Chippendale on Friday 5 September from 3.30 at Peace park.

He has dedicated a decade of service to this role, demonstrating sustained leadership and commitment to environmental governance. Now Hsinchu City collects 12 tons of food waste every day and its government now is building a high-speed composting facility. We are excited to have him in our neighbourhood and exchange ideas on sustainability and composting.

Worms at work: Melbourne is doing it

The "Worms At Work" pilot focuses on transforming local food waste into nutrient-rich soil through public composting and worm farming.
It involves community participation in composting activities to promote sustainable waste management practices.
The project aims to educate participants about the benefits of composting and worm farming for environmental sustainability.
It seeks to create a model for effective waste reduction and soil enhancement within the community.

Sucess! City of Sydney votes in favour of our proposal

Our community action plan has been approved unanimously by City of Sydney! This is huge, and couldn't have happened without the backing of the community and your 150 (!) submissions. Moving ahead, we are now in active discussion with CoS including:
Shared zones to improve pedestrian safety, traffic .
Sustainability infrastructure including rainwater swales, expanded composting, and more green space for biodiversity
Dual-purpose public art that also serves environmental functions and reinforces Chippendale’s sustainability identity
Upgrades to Pine Street Creative Arts Centre to improve accessibility and expand programs with a sustainability focus

Friends of Chippendale speaking to City of Sydney at Townhall.We

Listen here, From Minute 16.49 to Minute 23.33

Jane , Bjorn and Michael made the case for turning Chippendale into a world-class sustainability hub.
Councillor Matthew Thompson, Yvonne Weldon and Sylvie Elsmore, who all came to meet us, jumped in to support our vision. Underlining synergies with the overall plan for Sydney, and how Chippendale, being contained and having a history of sustainable projects is uniquely placed to become the sustainable hub we are envisioning.

This is how you do it.
Friends of Chippendale likes to see conversion of old buildings done right, and is excited to have a prime example at our doorstep, with the old Carlton brewery.

"The Brewery stands as a powerful argument for adaptive reuse. It is a reminder that sustainability is not just about systems and ratings but about doing more with what we already have"

We're on the news.. again! Or rather Michael Mobbs, on Sydney Breakfast with Craig Reucassel" Discussing city planning and and construction standards following a letter we sent to Planning Institute of Australia

We're on the news! Here is an article about our recent mobilisation to object the lazy redevelopment of the Telstra building.

“The simplest way to improve affordability and access to housing in Sydney is to build more of it, but this development fails to achieve that goal.” "

Archives: Making Central Park sustainable

Archives: A history of Peace Park

In the 1980s our community arranged for Myrtle St to be blocked off between Pine and Buckland streets.

Later a developer approached our community seeking support for his redevelopment of the then vacant Australia Post depot on the south east corner of Buckland and Myrtle where he planned a block of units.

We agreed that, in exchange for us supporting his project, he would change the design to include a shop/office at ground floor facing the park to make it safer with overlooking from there. We also agreed his developer contribution would fund the park, the design of it and he would build the park, thereby guaranteeing his contributions would stay here.