Three Things I Love: Perth’s sustainability guru on our greatest gardens

Each week, WAtoday reaches out to the Perth community to discover three things people love most about our coastal capital. Today we feature Murdoch University sustainability expert and author Chris Ferreira, whose projects transform unloved Perth spaces into welcoming gardens, and who annually opens his sustainable home for tours and workshops to teach people how they can achieve environmentally friendly housing.

Chris Ferreira, The Forever Project.

1. The ecosystems of Perth. From the gorgeous Bibbulmun track to the stunning coastlines of Rottnest, this city is truly one of the world’s greatest biological hotspots. The diversity of landscapes here is a testament to the resilience of life in harsh conditions. Despite the tough climate and challenging soils, Perth boasts some of the most beautiful and extraordinary gardens you can find anywhere, like the Curtin University grounds, Kings Park outside the Botanicals cafe and the Coogee Common

gardens. Where else can you grow mangoes alongside alpine plants in the same landscape? It’s a place where nature thrives against the odds, and that resilience is mirrored in the people and their achievements.

2. Inclusivity. No matter where you go, there’s a warmth and friendliness in the air. People here are ready for interaction and humour, often laced with self-deprecating wit that makes conversations uniquely enjoyable. I’ve been fortunate to collaborate with some of the most innovative minds on the planet right here in Perth. People like [Curtin University Sustainability] Professor Peter Newman and [Greens MP] Brad Pettitt are a testament to the inclusive and supportive community that encourages creativity and diversity in all forms.

3. Perth has faced isolation, conservatism, tough climates, and historical legacies, yet we’ve also, at least to some degree, embraced change and progress. As we navigate being the fastest-drying part of the world’s continents, Perth is at the forefront of testing out best practice sustainability and resilience, from North Freo Social Farm and Perth City Farm to some amazing examples of resilient development showcasing how to thrive in one of the world’s driest and most sprawling cities – at the grand end Subi Centro with its wonderful apartments and lavish green spaces, a bit further south the Witchcliff eco-village with its dazzling renewable energy systems, and on a small scale the Hamilton Hill eco-apartments that blend clever infill development with protecting and enhancing the urban forest. As we continue to evolve, Perth has the opportunity to stand as a beacon of hope for living well and happily, with prosperity, into the future.

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