``I'd been sending out flyers and I was resigned that I'd be sitting in the park all by myself,'' she said. ``But 12 people came, some of them with small babies.''

So was born Sustainability Street Winston Hills. While there are 30 sustainability streets in NSW and Victoria, the group founded last year by Mrs Herbert is the only one in this region. It has 20 members.

Mrs Herbert said that since its inception, the Winston Hills group has held regular activities such as a bush-tucker walk and barbecue. Being part of the group has also led her to do things of which she'd never dreamed.

``I've been involved with the Sustainability Street Institute in Melbourne and a couple of weeks ago I spoke at a course run by Bondi, Rockdale and Woollahra councils for residents interested in starting their own Sustainability Street groups,'' she said. ``Next year we hope to grow food and share seedlings and hold events like a composting workshop.''

She has also joined with other residents to create a new group called Transition Parramatta which is ``about doing things to make ourselves less oil-dependent, such as growing our own food in the backyard''.

This Sunday , at 3pm, Sustainability Street Winston Hills and Transition Parramatta has a free movie screening, afternoon tea and discussion at Winston Hills Community Centre. The film The Power of Community: How Cuba Survived Peak Oil looks at how Cuba became less oil-dependent.

Details, bookings: 0422 444 261.