Gardens cared for
Recognise everyday care, beauty and environmental practice.
14–15 November 2026Sir John Monash Museum
Building places forbetter lives
Ebenezer Howard’s 1898 Garden City idea was in response to a crisis of urban living, overcrowding, poor health.
Opportunity or healthy life
Industrial Britain pulled people towards opportunity while often separating them from health, space and nature. Country life offered clean air and room, but often fewer jobs, lower wages and isolation.
Why should a life well lived require a choice between prosperity and well-being?
A third magnet: Town–Country
Howard proposed connected communities where homes, work, school, culture, recreation, transport, parks, gardens, and protected open land came together to create healthier lives.
Opportunity and nature, planned together.
From an idea to action to now
1898Howard names the human problem
1921Garden City thinking reaches Yallourn
PolicyPublic policy promotes wellbeing and livability
NowPower of Color advances Howard's idea for a new generation
Howard’s ambitions sit at the heart of modern public policy
Local, Victorian and Australian governments pursue many of the same ambitions through wellbeing, connection, liveability and stronger communities. Power of Colour turns Howard’s idea and these shared public objectives into visible local action.
A healthy, inclusive and connected Latrobe
- Social connection, inclusion and volunteering
- Community pride and activation
- Regional identity, visitor economy and local enterprise
- Parks, gardens and the natural environment
Wellbeing, liveability and regional transition
- Participation in natural and cultural spaces
- Connected communities and personal agency
- Regional liveability and a diverse economy
- Tourism, culture and sustainable transition
Strong regions, prevention and care for nature
- Regional people, places, services and economies
- Local voices and place-based partnerships
- Preventative health and the wider conditions of wellbeing
- Nature recovery and community action
Shared objectives become real in our communities
Stories shared
Connect gardens with the people, knowledge and places behind them.
People connected
Create reasons to participate, visit, volunteer and celebrate together.
Creativity commissioned
Grow paid opportunities for local makers and creative workers.
Enterprise Growth
Increased demand for local skills, products and services.
Impact measured
Build participation, access, nature and local-benefit measures into delivery.
Alignment is not endorsement
Power of Colour shares objectives found across public policy, including wellbeing, liveability and stronger communities. Recognising those shared objectives does not constitute endorsement of any government, political party or broader policy agenda.
