Sustainability Initiatives

The Town provides opportunities for residents to access products and services that promote sustainability in our day-to-day lives.

A selection of rewards are available through the Switch Your Thinking program that helps reduce waste, energy and water use. 

In the lead up, sustainability initiatives are advertised on our Events page so take a look and find something to inspire you! Or follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to receive the latest updates. 

View Events

Sustainability Strategy

In 2019 a Sustainability Strategy was developed to guide the delivery of future plans, programs, and activities across the Town. The Strategy supports the Town’s strategic goal of being an environmentally responsible organisation that leads by example and embeds sustainable practices into everyday operations.

The Sustainability Strategy was implemented across the organisation and reviewed and updated annually. A Sustainability Working Group has been established to support the ongoing review, update, and implementation of the Strategy.

The Town is seeking community members with an interest in sustainability, particularly in relation to improving the natural environment, enhancing social wellbeing, promoting responsible economic development, and supporting good governance.

If you wish to apply, or have any questions, please submit a completed application form to sustainability@cambridge.wa.gov.au or fill the online form below.

Applications close on Friday, 1 May 2026, at 3pm. 

Click here to apply

 

Switch Your Thinking

As a proud partner Council of Switch Your Thinking, Town of Cambridge residents have access to a range of rewards to help you cut waste, and reduce energy and water use.

Switch Your Thinking work with local businesses to offer residents a discount on products that will make your home more sustainable.

Head over to Rewards for residents for more information.

Also have a look at the Young Re-Inventor program. 

Sustainable Homes

The resources provided by Gaia Permaculture will help make our homes more sustainable.

From accessing maps and weather trends to help with orientation and designing your garden for all seasons to soil improvement and basic permaculture principles.

You can download all the vital information below.

 Accessing-maps-from-Landgate-WA.pdf(PDF, 1MB)

Actively-Aerated-Compost-Tea-Ingredients-and-Instructions.pdf(PDF, 579KB)

Companion-planting-chart-pdf-download-permaculture.pdf(PDF, 2MB)

Composting-Handout-GAIA-PERMACULTURE.pdf(PDF, 1013KB)

Designing-your-garden-for-all-seasons-Town-of-Cambridge-May-2021.pdf(PDF, 12MB)

How-to-access-weather-stats-from-BOM-websites.pdf(PDF, 1MB)

Introduction-to-Permaculture-Workshop-Handouts-June-2018.pdf(PDF, 2MB)

Native-Australia-Plants-Ground-Covers-to-Large-Trees.pdf(PDF, 2MB)

2026 Native Plant Subsidy Scheme

The Town offers residents the opportunity to purchase subsidised local native seedlings throughout May.

The annual Native Plant Subsidy Scheme returns for the month of May. 

Residents will be able to purchase subsidised native seedlings in forestry tubes grown by local nursery Apace.

This is a fantastic opportunity to choose water wise native plants that are adapted to thrive in Perth’s environment. Local plant species don’t just look beautiful, they provide habitat for native animals and pollinators. They also shade and cool your house and garden.

Residents of the Town of Cambridge can purchase up to 40 subsidised native plants for $3.00 each from Apace Nursery, located at 1 Johannah Street, North Fremantle.

Apace retail hours are Tuesday to Saturday 8:30am-2:30pm (the subsidy scheme begins Friday 1 May).

This offer is valid once per household. While stocks last.

To redeem this offer at Apace, please take proof of your residential address and photo ID.

Tips on plant selection from the Town’s Natural Environment Officer

• Banksia’s, Hakea’s and some of our local Eucalypts are a great choice to provide food for Carnaby’s and Red-Tailed Black Cockatoos – Banksia sessilis is a favourite for our local Carnaby’s and if you have the space, consider planting a few of them. Important note: our Black Cockatoos are slow to take off from the ground so avoid planting their food plants on the verge to prevent them flying in front of cars
• If you want Banksia’s flowering throughout the year, buy more than one - Banksia menziesii flowers from around February through to October, and Banksia attenuata flowers from around October through to February
• No room for a Banksia Tree? Try the dwarf varieties for a smaller plant with the same benefits to local pollinators
• Our native bees need lots of their favourite flowers to gather enough pollen from your garden. Eucalypts are great for this but you can also plant a group of one of their other favourites such as Hemiandra, Hibbertia, Scaevola, Thryptomene, Banksia’s and native peas (see next tip)
• Plants in the pea family make a great addition to your native garden – Jacksonia shrubs are great for small birds, Kennedia prostrata is a beautiful ground cover that acts like a natural mulch and Hardenbergia comptoniana is a climber with stunning purple flowers. Important note: be mindful where you plant Hardenbergia because it likes to climb over neighbouring plants and may need regular pruning
• Eucalyptus todtiana, whilst a local and beautiful small tree, if you have tree climbing children you might want to select another species as the bark can be an irritant
• Native grasses are often overlooked but can be an attractive and useful habitat plant in your garden, consider creating a native grass section of clumping Austrostipa’s

For available species and further information see: here(PDF, 1MB)

To choose species suitable for your suburb, check out APACE Nursery’s Suburb Selector here and for more tips and resources check out ReWild Perth here.

This Native Plant Subsidy Scheme is Supported by the Water Corporation Waterwise Greening Programme

Green Energy

The Town of Cambridge has signed up to sourcing 100% renewable energy for our larger contestable sites, supporting the Town’s Strategic Community Plan 2018-2028 of being environmentally responsible and leading by example.

The Town has fourteen large electricity consuming sites, called contestable sites. Contestable sites consume more than 50,000kWh per year and customers can select their retailer. The current contract with Synergy will expire at the end of September 2022 and the Town will commence with the new contract in October 2022.

The remainder of the Town’s sites will not be supplied by green energy yet, but the aggregated agreement signed through the WA Local Government Association and 50 other Local Governments opens up the possibility of being supplied with 100% renewable energy at all our sites.

The renewable energy and carbon off-set aggregation project was authorised by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission until 2036. Renewable energy will be supplied from 3 WA wind farms at Albany, Emu Downs, and Collgar farms. Participating Local Governments will combine their purchasing powers and negotiate terms of supply centrally.

More importantly the program allows for a long-term commitment towards renewable energy and investment in renewable energy sources and infrastructure.

Learn More 

Sustainable Transport 

Find out how to access more sustainable transport options to school, work and in the community on our Getting Around the Town webpage.

This includes walking, cycling and public transport around the Town.

Also join the Your Move Network to share your sustainable travel stories and find resources and things to do. The 2022 Your Move Calendar can be found here.

School Resources

Various resources are available to schools with great worksheets and activities, here are some links to help you get started. Contact the Sustainability Officer if you would like to find out more at sustainability@cambridge.wa.gov.au

Switch Your Thinking Program

 

For sustainable school projects and resources that are aligned to the WA curriculum go to the website here :

Water Efficiency resources

The Water Corporation provides resources and lesson plans click here

Find out more about Waterwise for schools program here :

Sustainable Transport

Share your Sustainable Transport stories on the Your Move program

Download the 2022 Your Move Calendar for a school calendar of key dates and events from the Department of Transport.

Find tips and tools for planning Your Move activities and find out how the program works.

Young Re-inventor of the Year

Need something to do for home schooling or a fun activity for the school holidays?  

How we grow, eat and dispose of food will need to be very different in the future if we are going to look after our planet. The current COVID-19 pandemic challenges us to re-think our relationship with food. When we self-isolate we can’t run down to the supermarket and when we do there is less food on the shelves.  

We now have the opportunity to consider - How can we stretch our precious food further? What new skills can we learn  to grow, cook and recycle food in a sustainable (and delicious) way? How can we use our new skills to look after our planet once things go back to normal?  

Re-invent or create something from waste materials that reflects what sustainable food might look like now and in the future. For example, create a recipe using vegetable scraps or leftovers, make a solar oven, an upcycled worm farm or an ingenious way of storing food. Use waste from home or school to be resourceful and creative. We can’t wait to see what you come up with! 

For more information, resources and ideas visit  switchyourthinking.com.

Road Safety Around Schools

Under the Roadwise program WALGA has developed the ‘Road Safety Around Schools’ guidelines, providing information, tools and advice to schools to improve safety in the greater community. Documents can be downloaded from their website: https://www.roadwise.asn.au/road-safety-around-schools.aspx

Road Safety Around Schools(PDF, 1MB)

Safety Audit Checklist (PDF, 284KB)

Notes for regarding the Safe Routes to School templates (PDF, 656KB)

Waste Wise Schools Programme

The State Government's Waste Wise Schools program supports schools to promote better waste management practices.

Applications are now open for the next round of funding to help Western Australian schools reduce waste to landfill.

Waste Wise Schools Grants help primary and secondary schools set up a range of waste avoidance and recovery projects.

Find out how to become an Accredited school and about available grants on the Waste Authority website.

Aboriginal Culture

Find out more about bush tucker, aboriginal seasons and the Noongar language via these links below:

https://www.noongarculture.org.au/education/

https://www.sercul.org.au/our-projects/bushtucker/

https://noongarboodjar.com.au/education-and-training/for-teachers/

https://www.perthnrm.com/resource/traditional-knowledge/

Sustainable Grants Scheme

The Town of Cambridge Sustainable Grants Program provides funding for community driven sustainability projects which encourage Cambridge residents to be more sustainable.

It aims to give members of the Cambridge community and local groups an opportunity to work together on projects that will benefit the whole community. 

The Grants Program opened on 1 September and closed on 26 September 2025.

View the Program Guidelines(PDF, 241KB)  for full details.

Apply here(PDF, 215KB) PDF

Apply online here