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Over the past six months we‘ve talked to people of different backgrounds, from farmers to artists, architects to engineers, retailers to teachers: people obsessed with bike paths, solar energy and worm farms; people involved in schools, community groups and churches; people of different religions, politics and race.

People different in almost every aspect except one: they care about the future of our planet and they want to do something about it.  Transition Towns can harness that passion and connect people in a way that breathes life into communities and creates sustainable, resilient ways of living together. It’s transforming communities overseas and it’s starting to take hold in Australia.

To start this process in Newcastle we have spent the past six months getting organised.  We’ve built a strong and inspired working group who‘ve been learning about the model and making connections in the community. 

To get an idea of how transition works, we invited Janet Millington from the SEAC to share with us how they got the movement going in Queensland. Over lovely dinners we’ve shared ideas and local produce with many passionate people including food growers, producers and distributors.

We incorporated in August 2008 and have applied for funding grants to help move the process along. With the help of some gifted generous souls we have created promotional materials and the embryonic website.

We’ve given a number of formal presentations including one to NCC Environment Advisory Panel and driven people to distraction with conversations about the possibilities for this movement.

In 2009, two of our working group attended a transition workshop in Bowral with two founding members of the UK transition movement. Another did a similar course on the Sunshine Coast to glean what they’ve learned.

So we feel like it’s time to get out there.