Using Community Geographic Domain Names for Community websites

1. Using Community Geographic Domain Names for Community websites Leonie Dunbar, General Manager Registrar and CGDN Services

2. Who is auDA? auDA (.au Domain Administration Ltd) is the federal government endorsed not for profit body who regulates the .au Domain space auDA develops and implements domain name policy (such as who is eligible for a .com.au or a .org.au domain name) Regulates the .au domain name industry Implements consumer safeguards

3. Who is auDA? Continued • Engages with and educates the wider community through outreach initiatives such as: • - auDA Foundation • - The Australia and New Zealand • Internet Best Practice Awards • - CGDN’s

4. What are CGDN’s? Community Geographic Domain Names (CGDNs) are easy to remember locality based website addresses that combine your town/suburb name with your state/territory and country code, for example: www.gladstone.qld.au, www.broome.wa.au These domain names have been preserved for all of community use for addressable localities within an Australian state or territory (except capital cities), as defined by the Committee for Geographical Names of Australasia (CGNA)

5. Who is eligible to license CGDN’s? Legally registered not for profit organisation or a special committee of local council that broadly represent their community Individuals, commercial entities and government bodies are not eligible No restriction on the number of domain names providing eligibility criteria is met for each

6. What can the CGDN licence be used for? Solely for the purpose of operating a community website developed for the benefit of the entire local community. Content should include but not be limited to: - Events - Community & business directory - General information about the community - Local news - Community feedback facility You can also issue geographical email addresses to your community, such as: johnsmith@gladstone.qld.au footballclub@blackwater.qld.au johnsplumbing@biloela.qld.au

7. Current Stats: Over 300 communities have applied for their CGDN servicing populations of over 1.3 million A further 550 communities have registered their interest in their CGDN

8. CGDN applications have come from all over Australia:

9. Types of organisations that have applied: 40% Progress/Resident Action Groups 13% Special committees of local council 12% Technology Access Centres (such as CTCs, Telecentres) 9% Chambers of Commerce 6% Tourism Associations 20% Other

10. Local council involvement: 71% Provide some sort of support including; funding, human resources, IT 28% Have a member of the council is a member of the community website group 16% Provide financial support for the community website

11. Benefits of CGDN Community Websites: Easiest way for your community to be found on the internet through the website address itself CGDN’s provide communities opportunity to “pull together” a variety of resources to a single unique location on-line Allows businesses and community organisations who can’t afford their own website a web presence

12. Benefits of CGDN Community Websites: • Provides a “community of communities” that can share experiences/resources and the ability to communicate with each other • Utilise this communication tool to springboard initiatives and engage the community

13. www.mirboonorth.vic.au

14. Outcomes/Initiatives: Emergency Communication & Information: During the Fire disasters www.mirboonorth.vic.au ensured community members were kept well informed Outcome:They experienced 7 times their normal web traffic during the weekend of these fires and the local council acknowledged their efforts and provided additional information to include on the site.

15. www.buderim.qld.au

16. Outcomes/Initiatives: Driving for a Community Bank: www.buderim.qld.au , www.mirboonorth.vic.au and www.montrose.vic.au are some of the communities who have used their websites to drive the process and seek pledges of support for establishing their own Bendigo Community Bank Branch. Outcome:The Buderim Community Website Group say the response has been nothing short of awesome with a huge pledge rate being strongly endorsed by local community leaders.

17. www.kyogle.nsw.au

18. Outcomes/Initiatives: Car Pooling The Kyogle community created a car pooling initiative to overcome the costs/resources of separate people driving to Sydney. OutcomeIn addition to helping the local community, there is a $5.00 joining fee for the car pooling initiative to help with sustaining the cost of running the Kyogle community website. This initiative has inspired other community groups to provide this resource on their websites.

19. www.gheerulla.qld.au

20. The Gheerulla community website helped a Darwin man find the missing link in his family tree.  Outcomes/Initiatives: By viewing the comprehensive cemetery section of the website a Darwin man was able to trace his family back to early settlement in the Kenilworth, Queensland district.

21. www.greenethorpe.nsw.au

22. Outcomes/Initiatives: • Emergency communication and information • Community Bank involvement • Reuniting long lost friends • Helping people relocate • Rosters for community groups • Sports Results • Providing an employment section • Promoting local economy • Youth engagement • Giving communities a voice to influence • Tourism • Conservation

23. www.kenilworth.qld.au

24. www.kenilworth.qld.au Kenilworth in Queensland already had an existing community website, the group that successfully applied for their CGDN reasoned That, “The existing community website could only benefit from the associated publicity, networking and geographically identifiable nature of a CGDN.” Dennis James, Webmaster for the Kenilworth Community Website

25. www.koonwarra.vic.au

26. www.koonwarra.vic.au • Gippsland was under threat of massive fires • late 2006/early 2007 - the community resolved • to develop a community fire plan from their • local community website • www.koonwarra.vic.au. • “…further demonstrating that the • www.koonwarra.vic.au site is a valuable • community resource, and a trusted local • voice.” • Helen Guy representative of the Koonwarra Sustainable Communities Centre

27. www.korumburra.vic.au

28. www.mansfield.vic.au

29. www.mansfield.vic.au • The Employment section of the Mansfield website is the most popular on their website. • A major issue in Mansfield is attracting doctors and other health professionals • The website group (Mansfield Adult Continuing Education) were recommended to include an employment section as often partners of health professionals need employment as well. • Mansfield doesn’t have a permanent Job Network provider so the community website helps to advertise jobs for the locals.

30. CGDN Website Surveys Most popular pages are those that change regularly – eg. Events, News, Directories Kenilworth in Qld’s most popular is e-cards Mansfield’s most popular is the employment section Most groups have experienced continuous increase in website hits Some have been able to employ Web Administrators

31. Support Services provided include: Promotion of your CGDN community website and any ongoing initiatives via the media, CGDN website and e-newsletters to the community of CGDN subscribers On-line “How to Kit” Optional Community Site in a Box A forum for communities to share their experiences and develop best practice

32. On-line “How to Kit” includes: • Forming a community website group • Forming a not-for-profit organisation • Sourcing funding • Website development • Community consultation • Launch and marketing • Sustainability

33. Community Site in a Box: • “turn key” CMS that includes hosting and has assisted community groups who don’t have the skills or money to develop their own website. • Adapts format when detects mobile devices • RSS Widgets (content syndication) • The free offer of this option expired 30th June, 2010 – currently $99inc GST pa • 68% of applicants have opted to use CSIAB.

34. Community Site in a Box: Create your own styles Functions such as news, events, contact us, search, directories and site map – note unlimited content size Ability to issue unlimited individual geographic local email addresses to your community via the website Statistics on web use and allowance for sponsor ads Create users with different levels of roles: author, administrator, editor or create your own custom roles where users can have access to any section, page, listing, etc

35. www.kinglake.vic.au

36. www.clonbinane.vic.au

37. CSS – Cascading Style Sheet This is a programming language used to describe how a document written in a mark-up language appears on the screen. Here it allows people with CSS skills to add/amend website appearance.

38. www.woodbourne.vic.au

39. www.apsley.vic.au

40. Community Site in a Box: “It is helpful that one does not have to have an in-depth knowledge of html or extensive web software. CSIAB has brought web development to the general community…Well done!” Colin Kemp Bowraville Community Technology Centre www.bowraville.nsw.au

41. Community Site in a Box: “Thank you for the fantastic website in a box. My friend and I are working on the www.nangiloc.vic.au site and it is easier than I ever thought. I am so impressed and excited by all your work”. Fiona Murdoch Nangiloc/Colignan & District Community Association www.nangiloc.vic.au

42. Community Site in a Box: “From my point of view, the product is easy to use, quite intuitive and lets me get on with the job of reaching out to our community members. We’d be lost without it.” John Gwyther Lake Glenmaggie Community www.glenmaggie.vic.au

43. www.cgdn.org.au

44. Leonie Dunbar, General Manager, Registrar and CGDN Services auDA Ph 1300 732 929 Email info@cgdn.org.au