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HELLO & WELCOME
Welcome to the first issue of the Sydney Cohousing newsletter for 2026. We hope the holiday season has been safe, restful, and filled with good moments with the people you love. As we step into a new year, we’re excited to launch this monthly newsletter and stay more connected with all of you. This marks the beginning of a regular space to share updates, opportunities, and stories as we continue building community together. We’re looking forward to keeping you updated on everything happening at Sydney Cohousing.
WHO WE ARE
Sydney Cohousing began in 2018 with a simple idea: the way we live now isn’t working for many of us. We were inspired by thriving cohousing communities in Europe and around the world, places where neighbours know each other, share resources, and design their homes with intention. Since then, we’ve become an incorporated association run by a volunteer committee, all working toward a shared vision: creating a modern village where community, sustainability, and affordability come together.
WAYS TO GET INVOLVED
Whether you have a little time or a lot, there’s a place for you:
- Sign up for the mailing list
- Offer professional expertise in local government or housing
- Attend an upcoming event
- Become a member of the association
- Donate directly to our organisation
- Share our newsletter with friends or networks
Every contribution moves us forward
BECOMING A MEMBER
Your support helps us keep building this community, and we’re grateful for everyone who chooses to be part of the journey. If you’d like to become a member of Sydney Cohousing, you can sign up using this link, or simply visit our website and follow the prompts.
Membership applications are reviewed at our monthly committee meetings, and once approved, there’s a small annual fee — $20 for waged members or $5 for unwaged.
OUR VISION ON WHATS TO COME FOR 2026
PROJECT & FOCUS UPDATES
We have ambitious plans for the year ahead, and to stay motivated and aligned, we’ve scheduled two planning session (25/01 and 01/02) for committee members to come together to set our goals for the year and continue working on our Sydney Cohousing Conference in September.
UPCOMING EVENTS
We love events because they give us the chance to meet so many wonderful people in our community. Our most recent social gathering took place in December at the Bank Hotel in Newtown, and it was a fantastic opportunity for connection. Our next social event is yet to be announced, so stay tuned for an email.
SYDNEY COHOUSING COLLABORATIVE HOUSING WEEK
Sydney Cohousing is thrilled to announce Collaborative Housing Week, coming in late September 2026 and timed alongside the national ACHA Summit. This will be a week of connection, curiosity, and big ideas, bringing together residents, housing professionals, policymakers, and anyone interested in building fairer, more community‑led approaches to housing in Sydney.
Across the week, we’ll host a mix of events: a hands‑on collaborative housing workshop, a walking tour of local co‑ops, a public forum exploring alternative housing models, a policy forum digging into barriers and opportunities for co‑ops and CLTs, the ACHA Summit itself, and a relaxed social gathering to spark the kinds of conversations that only happen off‑stage.
We’ll be shining a light on three powerful but often overlooked ideas in Australia’s housing debate: co‑operative housing, community land trusts, and cohousing. Our hope is to bring together the people who can make change (residents, professionals, policymakers, and community members) and build real momentum toward a mixed‑income co‑operative housing pilot in Sydney.
Most of all, we hope this week plants seeds: new collaborations, fresh policy thinking, national attention, and a growing community of people ready to imagine, and build, something better together.
CASE STUDY OF THE MONTH
WHAT IS MURUNDAKA?
Tucked into Heidelberg Heights in Melbourne, Murundaka Cohousing is one of Australia’s most established examples of intentional, community‑centred living. Founded in 2011, the community brings together around 20 households (roughly 35–40 people, from infants to older adults) in a cooperative, all‑rental model that prioritises connection, sustainability, and shared responsibility.
The name Murundaka, a Wurundjeri word meaning “a place to stay or live,” reflects the community’s deep respect for the land and its traditional custodians. This grounding in place is woven into the culture of the community itself.
A MODEL THAT WORKS
Murundaka operates as part of the Earth Common Equity Rental Cooperative and the broader Common Equity Housing program. This structure allows residents to participate in governance and decision‑making while keeping housing secure and affordable. It’s a model that blends the stability of long‑term rental with the empowerment of cooperative ownership, a combination many cohousing groups aspire to.
At the heart of Murundaka is a simple but powerful vision: “We are a cooperative community relating to each other with respect, compassion and support.” This ethos shows up in everyday life, shared meals, working bees, informal childcare, and the kind of neighbourly support that turns a cluster of homes into a genuine community.
WHY MURUNDAKA MATTERS
For emerging cohousing groups like Sydney Cohousing, Murundaka offers a living, breathing example of what’s possible:
- A functioning rental‑based cohousing model proving ownership isn’t the only path.
- A multigenerational community demonstrating the richness that comes from age diversity.
- A clear, values‑driven culture that shows how shared principles can guide daily life.
- Longevity, with 15 years of lived experience, Murundaka is a rare Australian example of cohousing that has stood the test of time.
WHAT WE CAN LEARN
Murundaka’s success highlights a few key ingredients for sustainable cohousing:
- Intentional governance supported by cooperative structures
- Shared spaces and shared responsibility
- A culture of respect and compassion
- Commitment to affordability and accessibility
- Deep connection to place and community
For Sydney Cohousing, Murundaka serves as both inspiration and proof of concept that a community‑centred living isn’t just an idea. It’s already happening, right here in Australia.
RECIPE OF THE MONTH
Sustainability and affordability matter more than ever, especially in times of hardship. Food is essential, and finding ways to stretch your dollar while reducing waste is one of the simplest ways we can care for both ourselves and the planet. So for this month’s recipe spotlight, we’re starting with something fun, practical, and a perfect summer treat: pickled watermelon rinds by Just One Cookbook. Instead of composting or tossing out your watermelon rinds, you can turn them into something delicious with just a handful of pantry staples:
- Rice vinegar
- Sugar
- Soy sauce
- Sesame oil
- Sesame seeds
For the full recipe instructions, click the link.
RESOURCES
INSPIRATION AROUND THE WORLD
Some inspiration stories and resources on cohousing:
- In March 2025, three couples in Canberra built a co-housing property called ‘Stellulata’ by changing the ACT Territory Plan.
- In January 2026, US-based Dakota Prairie Commons, a forming cohousing community, has secured a five-acre property, part of a larger 15-acre parcel, on the east side of Vermillion through AMS Building Systems and is moving forward with plans to build South Dakota’s first cohousing community.
- Free PDF Guide: Unlocking the Doors: Legal and financial pathways to resident-led housing in Australia
COMMUNITY REMINDERS
Inner West Council is running a Building Our Community consultation to help decide how more than $500 million should be invested in local infrastructure over the next 15 years.
It only takes a few minutes for you to allocate 100 points to the projects you think matter most. Survey closes 1st March 2026.
Share your views here: Inner West Website
MEET OUR DEDICATED COMMITTEE FOR 2026
Daniel joined Sydney Cohousing in 2024 after learning about housing co-operatives and wondering why there are so few of them here in Australia. Daniel works as a software developer in the renewable energy industry. He hopes to be part of a movement that changes Australia’s whole housing system for the better: making it fairer, more sustainable, more affordable, and built by ordinary people.
Emily joined Sydney Cohousing when Housing NSW informed her that they planned to demolish where she lives in Glebe. “I choose to be pro-active!” she said. Emily is a member of Shelter, Tenants Union and Action for Public Housing, and the secretary of Hands Off Glebe which is a grassroots group supporting tenants and local issues. Emily is an artist, whose work is at emilyvalentine.com.au. In the coming year Emily intends to organise a buyers’ group to collectively purchase a property.
Andrew works as a Fundraising Manager in the charity and not-for-profit space. He is interested in promoting forms of secure housing that lie beyond the traditional owner / renter paradigm.
Sam is an environmentalist, parent, and an advocate for human rights and social justice. She is passionate about affordability and ensuring people have safe, stable and long-term housing. We are excited to welcome her as a new member to the committee in this important role.
Jason is a software developer and former architect, who joined Sydney Cohousing in 2024 and the committee in early 2025. Jason is interested in co-operative ways of living, as a form of resistance to the individualistic and capitalistic modes that dominate the society we live in.
If you have any questions or feedback, please contact us on:
E: hello@sydneycohousing.au | W: http://sydneycohousing.au | MeetUp | Facebook