About Us

Since 2007, we have collaborated with Gippsland communities, businesses, and governments around climate change awareness and solutions.

Our Mission

Build partnerships, connect people with information and opportunities, support and deliver climate-positive initiatives with social, economic, and environmental benefits.

Our Principles

Gippsland’s Culture and Country

We acknowledge the various Traditional Owners across Gippsland’s six local government areas; the Gunaikurnai, Monero, Bidhawel, Bunurong, Boon Wurrung, Taungurung and Wurundjeri peoples, as well as all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living in our communities today. We recognise their continuing connection to land and the role they play in managing our shared resources.

Our Environment

We celebrate our diverse landscapes and share a sense of urgency for action to ensure that people and nature can both thrive. We need to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions, drawdown atmospheric carbon levels, and support the regeneration and sustainable management of all Gippsland’s natural resources.

Inclusive Community

We believe that we are stronger together and that everyone can, and should, be a part of the solution. This means working with people and organisations with levels of commitment to climate change and finding the ways in which we can learn together.

The Need for Leadership

The climate challenges we all face are significant, so we aim to support our community and industry partners to increase climate literacy, build connections, and create stronger partnerships. In doing so, we can facilitate and deliver progressive initiatives across Gippsland and beyond.

Agile Organisation

We work in a space that is rapidly changing. Through our partnerships and connections, we can adapt to take advantage of opportunities that will enable us to have the biggest impact with the resources available to us.

Independent and Non-partisan Voice

We are a not-for-profit Incorporated Association powered by a dynamic group of committed volunteers supported by an experienced and enthusiastic team. We work with all levels of government but maintain our independence. We hold all political parties to the same standards: protecting our environment and building a better future for our communities.

Our Project Partners

Latrobe Valley Authority
AGL
Federation University
sustainability victoria
Wellington Shire Council
Latrobe City
TAFE Gippsland
Bank-Australia
Gippsland Alliance for Climate Action

Our CEO

Darren McCubbin

Darren McCubbin
Chief Executive Officer

With a BSc from Monash University Darren worked for CSIRO and the Bureau of Meteorology before arriving in Gippsland as a teacher in 1983. Darren is a graduate of the Gippsland Community Leadership Program and was a Wellington Shire Councillor from 2003 – 2020 including three terms as Mayor.

GCCN Org Chart 2024

Our Volunteer Board

Carolyn Crossley
Carolyn Crossley

Chair

Stephen Angus
Stephen Angus

Vic Chair

Alison Edgar
Alison Edgar

Treasurer

Daryl Brooke
Daryl Brooke

Secretary

Chris Barfoot
Chris Barfoot

General Member

Rob Dimsey
Rob Dimsey

General Member

Alison Taylor
Alison Taylor

General Member

Adam Tyson
Adam Tyson

General Member

Tony Wolfe
Tony Wolfe

General Member

Our Project Team

Esther Lloyd
Esther Lloyd

Smart Specialisation
Community Energy

Tiffany Harrison

Tiffany Harrison
Gippsland Alliance for Climate Action

Chris Barfoot
Chris Barfoot

Project Manager
Energise Gippsland

Dan Caffrey

Dan Caffrey
RED Trailer Team

Ian Southall

Ian Southall
RED Trailer Team

Our History

The Gippsland Climate Change Network was founded in 2007 and was facilitated by the Victorian State Labor Government to affiliate local communities to mitigate the impacts of climate change.

The Victorian State Labor Government was keen to mobilise stakeholders at the time the nation was in the midst of the millennium drought, and discussions on climate change were in their infancy.

Each region was facilitated to set up a body to become part of a Greenhouse Alliance that would coordinate climate change policy between state and local government and the community.

Department of Natural Resources and Environment outreach worker David Willington helped to facilitate these allegiances in Gippsland.

This included representatives from local governments, the Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union, Catchment Management Authority, Gippsland Waste Management, environment groups including the Australian Conservation Foundation, energy consultants, education and training providers and grass roots community members.

These groups drafted a constitution and appointed the then Agriculture Minister Keith Hamilton as the first board chair, with the aim of being the focal point for environmental action in Gippsland.