Wellbeing at CERES

Abstract: The Centre for Education and Research in Environmental Strategies, commonly known as CERES, is an Australian community environment park situated in Brunswick, just north of Melbourne's central business district on the urban fringe. CERES holds a strong focus upon environmental sustainability and education, offering a variety of ways for visitors, volunteers and staff to engage with community and the natural environment and was formed in 1981 to return to health the site which was once a waste dump. 

One of the many interesting aspects of CERES is the potential it holds in offering people an opportunity to develop a sense of place. This article presents an exploration of the relationship between people and place, and how this relationship has the capacity to enhance the wellbeing of people and the environment more generally. It assesses the capacity CERES has for developing a sense of place, encompassing experiential and conceptual understandings of people and place as connected, and therefore reflects upon the significance of CERES in contributing to enhancing environmental and personal wellbeing. This exploration of a connected relationship between people and place is framed in contrast to the dualistic conceptualisation of nature versus culture.