White Gum Valley’s creative community development up and running

AFTER years of collaboration, planning and construction, White Gum Valley’s sustainable and affordable development for the creative community has finally been completed.

The collaborative project between LandCorp, Access Housing and local group Sustainable Housing for Artists and Creatives (SHAC) was officially opened on Wednesday morning, with dignitaries invited to tour one of the apartments as well as see one of the two art studios in use.

The SHAC project, at the new WGV at White Gum Valley development, was designed and built to cater specifically to artists and creatives and also includes a raft of sustainability features such as being almost entirely run off solar energy, which has helped the WGV site attain One Planet Living accreditation.

The 12 residences are made up of three three-bedroom town houses, eight two-bedroom units and one one-bedroom unit, as well as the two studios which can be used for work spaces, meetings, exhibitions and events.

New resident Clare Detchon said she loved living there and being a part of a thriving community.

“I used to live in Freo but I had to move out because I was priced out,” she said.

“This is an exciting project, having artist accommodation with studios as well, it seems like a perfect fit to me.

“I think there should be more-with this will come great ideas and opportunities.

“I think one of the biggest things about this is that it’s a community of people. All of us can bounce ideas off each other and we can collectively make bigger projects happen than we could do by ourselves and at the core of it that’s what is so exciting.”

Access Housing chief executive Garry Ellender said as well as being the owner of the property they would look after the sale of energy generated on site.

“Our development is an exemplar in social and environmental sustainability and, as one of Western Australia’s largest non-government developers and providers of affordable housing, Access Housing is proud to be taking part in this unique case study,” he said.

“SHAC members are key workers and contributors in the Fremantle economy and community and with this development having reached completion, these creative workers can now afford to reside within the Fremantle area and stay active in the well-recognised cultural and artistic fabric that the city is renowned for.

“We hope this project will demonstrate a viable model and business case for us to offer discounted solar energy to more tenants in the future and inspire other community housing providers around the country to do the same.”