Imagine Northern Rivers: What might a regenerative, safe and adaptive future look and feel like for the Northern Rivers, within the lifetime of a child born today?
We’re collectively in a ‘hot mess’. Our business-as-usual approach is no longer benefitting people or planet. We need to move towards regenerative futures across our region. We’re talking social, environmental, economic and cultural regeneration. In the plainest of language – a better and safe future for us all.
With start-up funding from the Ingrained Foundation, Imagine Northern Rivers has launched. Commencing May 2025, we will be engaging communities, businesses, peak bodies and government agencies across the region, to explore opportunities for regenerative, adaptive and safe futures. What do these futures look like? How can we get there? And what’s needed to align and leverage Mission for impact?
Imagine Northern Rivers is an ambitious endeavor to link and leverage the work of regeneration, resilience-building, climate adaptation, social wellbeing, the circular economy and government planning, for maximum long-term impact.
What will we do?
Engage place-based communities across the region in articulating what regenerative, safe and adaptive futures (up to 2060) could look like, and the actions needed to take us there.
Host ‘big-picture’ forums about the future of housing, food systems, a circular economy and other themes that emerge due to interest and opportunity.
Thread the place-based and ‘big picture’ vision elements in to a regional story that can inform the planning and work of diverse sectors.
Build an alliance that includes organisations, government agencies, groups, Indigenous communities, farmers, businesses, universities, philanthropists, schools and residents, all serving place-based visions of regenerative, adaptive and safe futures.
Build confidence, knowledge and skills in community-based leaders across the region, to act in service of place-based regenerative futures.
Imagine Northern Rivers is a partnership between Carmen Stewart (local futurist), Ingrained Foundation, Northern Rivers Community Foundation, SEED Northern Rivers, Relocalise Northern Rivers, Australian Earth Laws Alliance and The Family Centre.
Our first workshops are starting in early May in the Byron Shire. Click here for more details (or follow the QR code in the flyer below).
If you live and/or work in another local government area in the Northern Rivers and would like to participate, contact us. We are seeking members of organisations, clubs, networks, business chambers etcetera, to help us convene workshops in communities across the region. There is no cost to participate.
Imagine 2484
Imagine 2484 was the precursor to Imagine Northern Rivers and was facilitated in the 2484 postcode area of Murwillumbah and villages with funding from the Northern Rivers Community Foundation. In 2022 and 2023, Imagine 2484 engaged over 500 locals in articulating a shared vision of a thriving, regenerative and safe future, and the actions needed to create it. A detailed report of what people said they want for our shared future and the actions necessary to take us there, are available here.
Imagine Northern Rivers (stage 2 and beyond) has been funded by Gottfried Klaus, who planted 20,000 trees in Eungella, Northern Rivers. JOY: BE IT and LOVE I AM, were messages he left for us written in trees, upon his death. With gratitude to Gottfried and his love of everything regenerative.