Sweltering Cities

Sweltering Cities is a grassroots organisation advocating for climate justice and healthier, more liveable urban environments. It works closely with communities most affected by extreme heat, particularly in low-income and high-density suburbs, amplifying lived experiences to drive policy change. Campaigns include community surveys, advocacy for cooling infrastructure, and building partnerships across health, housing, and planning sectors.

Extreme Heat Awareness Day – National awareness campaign on heat risks.

Cool Walk Community Meetup – The first cool walks in Footscray and Sunshine.

Regen Melbourne

Regen Melbourne is a place-based intermediary founded in late 2020 amid the Black Summer bushfires and COVID-19 lockdowns. Born from a nine-month community-led research process, it crafts a shared vision for a regenerative city guided by the Melbourne Doughnut framework. Its work spans a portfolio of ambitious “Earthshots”, a collaborative Systems Lab for action-research, and ecosystem-building across sectors. Regen orchestrates partnerships and catalyses systemic change to shift Melbourne toward resilience, equity, and ecological balance.

Hot Conversations: Learnings From Our ‘Hot Food’ Workshop – Event recap on food systems and heat.

A Day With The River: Learning From The Birrarung – Vision for a cooler, healthier river environment.

City of Melbourne

The City of Melbourne delivers programs to improve liveability, sustainability, and resilience in Australia’s fastest-growing inner-city area. It is integrating climate adaptation into planning, including urban greening, shade provision, and building design standards. The city’s Chief Heat Officer role drives initiatives that protect vulnerable groups during heatwaves and fosters cross-sector collaboration. Chief Heat Officers are a global network which deliberately consists of all women due to the disproportionate effect of extreme heat on women.

Extreme Heat and Gender Symposium – Discussion on gendered impacts of heat.

Urban Forest Strategy – Plan to increase canopy cover and reduce heat.

Victorian Council of Social Service

VCOSS is the peak body for the Victorian community sector, advocating for equity and social justice. It works on policy, research, and collaboration to ensure vulnerable communities are protected from climate impacts, including extreme heat. VCOSS has engaged with the Greater Melbourne Heat Alliance and supported emergency management planning for heatwaves.

Heatwave Scenario Workshop – Collaborative disaster preparedness exercise.The Link Between Disadvantage and Extreme Heat in Melbourne – Low-income Victorians are living in the hottest suburbs.

CoHealth

CoHealth is a community health service provider in Melbourne’s inner and western suburbs. It delivers medical care, health promotion, and advocacy for marginalised populations. As part of LMCF’s Hot Spots initiative, CoHealth worked in public housing to reduce heat-related health risks, providing residents with information, equipment, and social support.

Hot Spots Initiative – Overview of community heatwave responses.

Pop-up ‘Heat Relief’ Hub – Giving people experiencing homelessness a place of respite during extreme heat.

Banksia Gardens

Banksia Gardens, based in Broadmeadows, delivers programs on education, environment, food security, and social justice. Its work addresses intersecting challenges of poverty, climate change, and community resilience. In heat resilience, Banksia Gardens has promoted sustainable food growing and community gardens, showcased in Melbourne-wide conversations on food and climate.

Climate Adaptation Requires Youth Action – Bringing together young people to learn about key social and environmental issues.

Community Garden – Teaching gardening knowledge and skills.

Darebin Neighbourhood House Network

Darebin Neighbourhood House is a community hub providing education, social support, and inclusion programs in Melbourne’s north. While there’s no published heat-specific project, neighbourhood houses often play crucial roles in resilience planning, including as cooling centres and community support points during heatwaves.

Neighbourhood Houses Victoria Climate Resilience – Collaborative work to build climate resilience.

City of Casey

The City of Casey, one of Victoria’s fastest-growing municipalities, manages community services, urban planning, and environmental programs. With significant suburban development, Casey faces increasing urban heat challenges. While specific heat projects are less visible, Casey has potential to collaborate on regional resilience planning through partnerships with the Heat Alliance.

Climate Action Plan – Plan to reduce emissions and tackle contributing factors to climate change.

Cranbourne and Narre Warren Cool Walks – Community Cool Walks in February 2025.