CEHL celebrates the Bendigo regional co-ops award for the Best Tenant Led Initiative at the 2025 Australasian Housing Institute Brighter Future Awards for Victoria and Tasmania.
Often called simply “coffee catch ups”, with the support of their regional CDC Kim Rattray-Wood, directors from different co-ops would get together support, share ideas, and solve problems together. The eight co-ops involved manage 140 homes, and by working as a group, they’ve shown the strength of co-operative action.
One big achievement has been setting up a joint safety system for all co-ops. By hiring a local contractor to carry out smoke alarm, gas and electrical checks, the co-ops cut costs, reduced stress, and made homes safer for everyone.
The group also joined forces to tackle member recruitment. Together, they hosted an information session at the Bendigo Library to introduce people to co-operative housing. The event attracted 35 locals interested in joining, helping secure the future of their communities.
Winning this award shows how member-led co-ops can create positive change when they work together. Bendigo co-ops are showcasing two key international co-operative principles: concern for community and cooperation among co-operatives.
CEHL received further recognition with the Leading Asset Management award for the Grovedale redevelopment project. The project transformed a single-home block into six single-storey units, increasing Larrakeyah’s housing stock from 13 to 19.
These awards recognise the creativity, commitment, and collaboration of the CEHL co-op housing program, and our capacity to deliver meaningful impact across Victoria.
CEHL will now represent these two categories for Victoria and Tasmania at the national Australasian awards on October 14th in Perth.
