By Bernadette Young
I love living in the inner west; lots of green space, there’s always something going on, and good train service (though I can’t wait until they stop closing the Sunbury line so often…). But rents have been rising, home ownership is out of reach for many, and housing developments often prioritise profit over liveability.
That’s one of the reasons why I joined Westside Cohousing, a local group working to create a new kind of housing in Melbourne’s west: the kind that values community, sustainability, and affordability. We don’t live together yet, but we’re actively planning a cohousing community, designed and built by future residents themselves. And right now, as Maribyrnong City Council develops a new Housing Strategy, I believe this is the perfect time for councils and planners to recognise cohousing as part of the solution to the housing crisis.
Cohousing is a model that’s gaining traction across Australia and around the world. Each household has its own private, self-contained home, but there are also shared facilities: usually gardens, laundry, a common house, toolsheds, and more. It’s designed to bring people together, not through forced socialising, but through simple everyday cooperation. Residents regularly share meals, manage the community together, and build meaningful relationships that help combat the isolation so many people feel today. There are successful examples already operating in Melbourne, like Murundaka in Heidelberg Heights and Urban Coup in Brunswick. We want to bring this model to the inner west.
At Westside Cohousing, we’re a group of locals ready to pool resources, buy a site, and create a community that reflects our values and meets real needs for connection and affordable housing. As Maribyrnong shapes its Housing Strategy, we believe cohousing should be explicitly included. It fits with many of the council’s stated goals: increasing housing diversity, encouraging sustainability, and improving social connection. Cohousing offers practical solutions to housing affordability while addressing issues like social isolation, ageing in place, and resource sharing.
When I visited a cohousing community in Aotearoa/New Zealand, one day I had three different households invite me to afternoon tea and two others ask me to come for dinner. Adults all kept an eye on young children playing in the common areas, to help out their parents. Residents came together for dinner once a week in the common house, and often stayed late to talk by the fire or play games. Homes were well-designed, energy-efficient, and filled with light. Local community groups used the common areas to hold meetings and workshops, bringing benefits to the wider community. I want to bring some of these joys of living – and many more – to Melbourne’s west through a cohousing community.
Want to find out more?
We’re still growing our group, and we’re always looking to meet new people who might be interested in this way of living. Whether you’re just curious or ready to dive in, come along to one of our upcoming social meet-ups:
Saturday 2 August, 3–5pm
The Vic Hotel, Footscray
Sunday 5 October, 10am–12pm
The Granary, Sunshine
Saturday 6 December, 3–5pm
Java Cafe, Yarraville
Drop in anytime for a cuppa or a beer – we’ll be there to chat, answer questions, and share what we’ve learned so far. You can also learn more about Westside Cohousing at westsidecohousing.org
And to learn more about the Maribyrnong Housing Strategy and have your say, visit: www.yourcityyourvoice.com.au/housing
