“If you build it, they will come.”

I must’ve heard at least five different people say this at our first community event.

After all, even though Success is full of beautiful outdoor spaces - abundant lakes, parks, trees, and playgrounds - it’s uncommon to see our community gathering together to enjoy them. But after last Sunday… that might be about to change!

I won’t lie… our committee was surprised when we received 60+ RSVPs to our first event! We hadn’t anticipated that so many people would attend, but it is now clear that the people of Success are ready for more, and ready to show up.

We kicked off the festivities with a vote for our community hub mascot. The four mascot options, drawn by Rachel Law from local art School Paper and Palette, featured native animals found in the local area.

We received 76 votes in total (woohoo!), and it was a tight race! After a tie between the Snake-Necked Turtle and Splendid Fairy Wren, we turned it over to the crowd for a final show of hands, and the turtles took the prize. And it was perfect timing too - though these turtles are reclusive for most of the year, only a few weeks ago, a mass turtle nesting event saw many turtles emerge from the nearby lake to lay their eggs. You can read more here.

(Pssssst… If you were hoping for a different mascot result, don’t worry! The remaining mascots will go back into the draw for voting at our next event!)

The community hub was unveiled by a small and eager flock of children, and the gathered crowd clapped and cheered.

Like all good community projects, this community hub is the result of many people coming together. Notably, the Jarrah components were custom built by the local Cockburn Community Mens Shed and the library box was sponsored and assembled by the locally-owned engineering company Resolve Automation. These high quality components were then cemented in place by locally-owned Full Pressure Plumbing and Gas, ensuring that the hub will last a lifetime. The cherry on top was the smattering of artworks prepared by Paper and Palette students, and turned into long-lasting UV decals by local business Little Grey Cat Co.

The SRA would also like to thank the City of Cockburn, who funded this project, donated chalk and pens to help us bring the event to life, and supported us immensely in revitalising our community organisation.

The afternoon was warm, friendly, bright, and full of laughter and activity. Though most people attended alone or in small groups, by the time the mascot had been announced, it truly felt like we had come together as one. After the unveiling, an organised chaos ensued as children and adults alike gathered around and decorated the newly unveiled library with stickers featuring local children’s artworks.

We also hosted a community brainstorming event, inviting members of the community to write their vision for the future of Success on eucalyptus leaves. The answers, written by children and adults alike, were wonderful, and paint a vivid picture of what is possible if we can keep up the community momentum.

There were games on the grass (thanks Treeby Community Association!), chalk on the sidewalk, a colouring competition, information about local flora and fauna, and a huge buffet of fruits, popcorn, and other delights, contributed by members of the community. We even had a special appearance from the renowned crepe van Excuse my French, who attended the event free of charge! Amidst all the fun, we even found time for a bit of clean-up in the local area, and the rubbish tally showed a total of 16 pieces of rubbish removed from the local park.

Every single person who attended brought something unique and valuable to the event. Whether you brought a smile, a pair of helping hands, a tray of food, or a willingness to engage, we appreciate you! Your participation is the reason that this event was so vibrant and successful. In the modern age, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the state of the world around us, but this event is proof that if we are willing to venture outside and gather together, we can make magic happen.

Last night, while making guacamole, I realised that I was out of lemons. BUT… then I had a realisation - there’s now a new community hub just a few minutes walk away from home, and it’s just been stocked with lemons from a neighbours garden! I took a quick walk to the community hub, and grabbed a fresh lemon from the box.

This isn’t about lemons of course! This is about building a community together - a place where we can share resources and share afternoons in the park. This is our community, and these are our neighbours, and it’s time to make our collective vision come true.

Thank you to the incredible SRA committee for making this happen, and thank you to everyone who attended!

Let’s keep the party rolling at Jan Hammon Dog Park on 9 November 2025. We’ll be unveiling a community hub like this one, voting on a new mascot, and enjoying some more fun community activites. If you can attend, please RSVP to help us with our planning. We hope to see you there!

Peace!

Hannah
President
Success Residents Association

If you build it, they will come.

“If you build it, they will come.”

Wai's Turtle Tracking Adventures

SUCCESS RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION