ABOUT US
The Castlemaine Institute
- Castlemaine Institute is a charitable, member-based research and learning hub located in central Victoria, Australia on Dja Dja Wurrung Country.
- Our action research is, wherever possible, co-created with the community and foregrounds the diverse expertise in our region.
- We apply multidisciplinary depth to complex problems, drawing on and developing local wisdom through our work.
- For us, how we work is as important as what we work on. We prioritise relationship building and the wellbeing of colleagues, collaborators and the broader community.
What we do
Our work is currently centred around four key themes:
Neighbourhood & Household Resilience:
How do households and neighbourhoods prepare for a changing climate? How can everyday places support safety, connection, biodiversity and shared action? What enables people to strengthen their homes and communities to thrive through uncertainty?
Wellbeing Economy:
What kind of economy genuinely supports people, place and planet? How do we shift local economic development toward equity, resilience and regeneration? How do we build systems that measure and value what communities say matters?
Cross-cultural Ecology:
How do we deepen our relationships with Country and embed Indigenous knowledge in the way we care for land, water and climate? What does it look like to support Country-led ecological practices and collaborate through reciprocity and shared custodianship?
Ageing, Care & Culture:
What does it mean to age well in community? How do we strengthen the cultural, social and economic conditions that support dignity, purpose and connection throughout life? How might neighbourhoods and care systems evolve to meet the needs of an ageing population?
Democracy & Governance: How do we broaden and increase participation in regional policy and decision making?
History
Conversations around the creation of the Castlemaine Institute gained momentum in 2018, with the organisation forming officially in late 2019. Those involved have been driven to harness the immense talent and opportunity that exists in our region to find a new way of living, drawing on our local culture and history, incredible wealth of expertise, established industries, strong institutions, and with respect to the custodianship of the land by traditional owners the Dja Dja Wurrung. We are all eager to be part of creating the solutions to regional prosperity that shift our town and our region towards climate resilience, nature positive development, equality and democratic engagement.
Upon embarking on this journey and moving to register the organisation, the founders discovered that the name and concept already existed, established in 2016 by renowned local architect Geoff Crosby. This first incarnation of Castlemaine Institute was piloted with a few innovative environmental and planning projects in 2016 before the idea was put on hiatus. We would like to thank Geoff for generously handing over the name Castlemaine Institute so we could continue to work towards a similar vision.
Our strength lies in our people—a multidisciplinary group of researchers, practitioners and community builders who bring depth, creativity and care to every project. In 2023 Castlemaine Institute was proud to win the Mount Alexander Shire Council Business award for Community Focused Organisation.
