Transition Towns Australia Incorporated

About Transition Towns Australia – Australia’s National Hub for Community Resilience

Transition Towns Australia Incorporated (ABN: 98645508851) is an ACNC-registered charity established in 2017 as the national hub of the Transition movement in Australia. The organisation inspires, connects, and supports local community groups across Australia to build a localised, sustainable, and just future by addressing challenges like climate change, resource limits, and social justice.

Affiliated with the global Transition Network — founded in 2006 in Totnes, UK by Rob Hopkins — Transition Australia shares international best practices while empowering autonomous Australian groups to lead grassroots transformation in their own communities.

What is the Transition Movement?

The Transition movement is a global grassroots initiative bringing communities together to respond to the twin challenges of climate change and economic instability by building local resilience from the ground up. Rather than waiting for governments or corporations to act, Transition empowers ordinary people to reimagine and rebuild their local communities.

The movement is guided by Head, Heart, and Hands principles — balancing evidence-based action (Head), compassion and inner resilience (Heart), and practical projects (Hands) — to create communities that are ecologically sustainable, socially inclusive, and economically resilient.

Today the Transition Network spans over 50 countries with more than 1,000 active groups worldwide. In Australia, Transition Towns Australia serves as the national connector, supporting local groups in cities, suburbs, and regional areas.

Programs and Services

Transition Streets

The Transition Streets program is Transition Australia’s flagship initiative, helping neighbourhood groups work together to reduce their environmental footprint and strengthen community bonds. The program provides structured community workbooks guiding participants through sustainable changes across six key areas:

• Energy: Reducing household energy use, switching to renewables, and sharing resources
• Water: Rainwater harvesting, water-efficient practices, and local waterway care
• Food: Community gardens, food swaps, local food systems, and reducing waste
• Transport: Cycling, walking, car-sharing, and reducing car dependency
• Waste: Reducing, reusing, repairing, and recycling at a neighbourhood level
• Community: Building connections, mutual aid networks, and local resilience

Transition Streets is available both as a printed workbook and as a free online course, making it accessible to communities across Australia regardless of location.

Find a Transition Group Near You

Transition Australia maintains a national directory of Transition groups and events across Australia. From urban neighbourhoods in Melbourne and Sydney to regional communities in rural Victoria and NSW, the network connects people passionate about sustainability and community resilience.

Regular local events include food swaps, community clean-ups, skill-sharing workshops, repair cafés, and climate education sessions. Use the group and event search on the Transition Australia website to find activities near you.

How to Start a Transition Group in Australia

Starting a Transition group is at the heart of what the movement is about. Transition Australia provides comprehensive support for anyone wanting to begin a group in their community:

• Step 1 – Build your core team: Gather a small group of motivated people in your neighbourhood or town
• Step 2 – Raise awareness: Host community events, screenings, or talks to build interest
• Step 3 – Use the resources: Access free workbooks, guides, and toolkits from Transition Australia
• Step 4 – Launch your initiative: Start practical projects in energy, food, transport, or community building
• Step 5 – Connect nationally: Register your group in the Transition Australia directory and connect with groups across the country

Educational Resources and Tools

Transition Australia curates a comprehensive library of practical resources for communities at every stage of their journey:

• Articles and stories from Transition groups across Australia sharing real-world experiences
• Podcasts featuring community leaders, researchers, and activists
• Climate Fresk Game — a collaborative climate education tool for groups and organisations
• Adaptation Game — for local climate adaptation planning
• Group project resources covering food security, housing, local economies, and more
• Degrowth resources exploring post-growth economic models for a sustainable future

Key Focus Areas

Climate Change and Community Resilience

Transition Australia supports communities in developing practical responses to climate change at the local level. Rather than focusing solely on reducing emissions, the Transition approach builds community resilience — the capacity to adapt, recover, and thrive in the face of environmental and economic challenges. Projects include local renewable energy initiatives, community food growing, and neighbourhood preparedness planning.

Degrowth and Local Economies

Transition Australia engages with the growing degrowth movement — the idea that wealthy economies need to reduce material consumption and production to live within planetary boundaries. Connected with the Degrowth Network Australia, Transition groups explore alternatives to GDP-focused growth, including local economies, sharing systems, repair culture, and community entrepreneurship.

Food Security and Food Swaps

Many Transition groups across Australia run regular community food swaps — events where neighbours exchange homegrown produce, preserves, seeds, and plants. These events build food resilience, reduce waste, strengthen community bonds, and reconnect people with local food systems. Food security is a central theme in the Transition movement’s vision for a localised food future.

Social Justice and Inclusion

The Transition movement explicitly links ecological sustainability with social justice. Transition Australia works to ensure the transition to a sustainable future is equitable — supporting communities most vulnerable to climate impacts and advocating for inclusive decision-making. The organisation acknowledges the Traditional Owners of Country and the central role of First Nations peoples in caring for Country across Australia.

Impact and Reach

Since its establishment in 2017, Transition Towns Australia has supported dozens of local Transition groups across Australian states and territories. The network spans metropolitan, regional, and rural communities — from inner-city Melbourne neighbourhoods running food swaps to regional NSW communities building local energy resilience.

Key impacts include:

• Hundreds of community members engaged through Transition Streets workbooks and workshops
• Active group directory connecting sustainability-focused initiatives nationwide
• Regular national events and workshops building skills and connections across the movement
• Stories and case studies documenting community-led change across food, energy, and local economies
• Connection to the global Transition Network with access to international resources and expertise

Membership and How to Get Involved

Transition Australia welcomes everyone who shares a vision for a sustainable, resilient, and just future. There are multiple ways to get involved:

• Become a member: Support the national network and connect with the broader movement
• Start a group: Launch a Transition initiative in your neighbourhood or town
• Join an existing group: Find local Transition groups and events through the national directory
• Complete Transition Streets: Work through the free online course with your neighbours
• Subscribe to the newsletter: Stay updated with stories, resources, and events
• Volunteer: Contribute your skills as a writer, web administrator, social media assistant, event organiser, or video editor
• Donate: Support the national hub’s work connecting communities across Australia