Transitions tells the stories of more than 25 Latrobe Valley and Gippsland residents who see a bright and healthy future for the region beyond the traditional coal industry.

Published in July 2021, the 86-page magazine features profiles of workers in the healthcare, renewable energy, transport, agriculture and coal power sectors, as well as case studies of regenerative farming, solar and wind projects, sustainable printing and more.

The magazine came out of the Communities Leading Change (CLC) program, which trained 33 local people to facilitate nearly 200 conversations with friends and neighbours about climate change and what a just transition in the Latrobe Valley might look like. Communities Leading Change began as a partnership between Climate for Change and the Gippsland Climate Change Network in 2018.

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MEDIA RELEASE: A new publication launched in Morwell in July tells the stories of more than 25 Latrobe Valley and Gippsland residents who see a bright and healthy future for the region beyond the traditional coal industry.

Titled Transitions, the 86-page magazine features profiles of workers in the healthcare, renewable energy, transport, agriculture and coal power sectors, as well as case studies of regenerative farming, solar and wind projects, sustainable printing and more.

The magazine came out of the Communities Leading Change (CLC) program, which trained 33 local people to facilitate nearly 200 conversations with friends and neighbours about climate change and what a just transition in the Latrobe Valley might look like.

“The profiles in this magazine show the incredibly diverse range of people working towards a positive transition to new industries in the Latrobe Valley,” said Belinda Griffiths, program manager with Climate for Change. 

“Some of the themes that emerged from the project are that people can see the climate crisis happening already, and they are concerned that fossil fuels are hazardous for the environment and our health.”

“Locals know that the world is responding and change is inevitable,” said Tony Wolfe from Communities Leading Change. “We don’t want our region to be left behind, so Gippsland and the Latrobe Valley need a plan for the future with leadership from businesses and government.”

Ms Griffiths said many of the interviews were finalised in the wake of the Yallourn closure announcement, but the tone of responses still tended towards optimism.

“The mainstream media in Melbourne often portrays this region in a negative light and only focuses on the bad news when a business is closed down or a disaster strikes. These are significant challenges, and the publication includes stories of the impact of power station closures and the recent devastating bushfires,” said Ms Griffiths.

“But at the same time we wanted to showcase the uplifting stories of businesses that are booming and communities that are coming together to create change.”

“Many projects in Gippsland and the Latrobe Valley are actually at the forefront of Australia’s energy transition. This region will be home to Australia’s first offshore windfarm, the Star of the South.

“There are innovative proposals for solar farms that incorporate livestock grazing and the first wind farm in a forestry plantation, plus one of Australia’s first solar farms on Aboriginal land. These are exciting things we should celebrate.

“By telling these stories, we are reminding ourselves that Gippsland is a hub of new energy and new ideas. With change there will be opportunity, and we can find a way forward if we work together,” said Ms Griffiths.

Media contact:

Belinda Griffiths, Climate for Change, 0400042297

Tony Wolfe, Communities Leading Change, 041756575

Communities Leading Change began as a partnership between Climate for Change and the Gippsland Climate Change Network in 2018.