We’re excited to launch our new expanded community award program to honour and celebrate individuals and groups who are doing amazing things in Manningham.

Mayor Deirdre Diamante has officially announced the new Manningham Community Awards program, with nominations opening on Monday 16 June 2025.

“We’re incredibly fortunate to have so many remarkable individuals, groups and organisations in our community, all working tirelessly to make a real difference,” Cr Diamante said.

“I’m thrilled to introduce the new Manningham Community Awards - a program dedicated to recognising the outstanding contributions of those who are helping to shape our vibrant community.

“This year, we will celebrate those who have gone above and beyond in making Manningham a better place to live, work and visit over the past 12 months.”

The expanded awards program will recognise achievements in eight categories with one of the individual winners also named the Manningham Citizen of the Year.

The expanded awards program will recognise achievements in eight categories with one of the individual winners also selected by the judging panel to be the Manningham Citizen of the Year. The categories are:

• Doreen Stoves Excellence in Volunteering: Recognising an individual who has demonstrated an ongoing commitment to volunteerism.
• Active Community: Recognising and individual or group who has contributed to community participation in active lifestyles, sports or physical activity. 
• Ageing Well: Recognising an individual or group who has contributed to enhancing the lives of older residents, fostering social connection, safety or active ageing.
• Artistic Achievement: Recognising an individual or group who has contributed to Manningham’s creative community, sparking artist, cultural or creative expression.
• Community Excellence: Recognising a community organisation or group that has delivered outstanding programs or initiatives contributing to the wellbeing, development and cohesion of the Manningham community.
• Community Health and Wellbeing: Recognising an individual or group who has enhanced health, wellbeing or resilience in the community, whether through advocacy, program development or direct service delivery.
• Inclusive Community: Recognising an individual or group who has actively contributed to community accessibility, inclusivity or diversity.
• Young Achiever: Recognising a young person aged under 25, who has made a positive impact within the Manningham community through demonstrated leadership, innovation, or commitment to helping others.

Nominations will be open Monday 16 June to Sunday 20 July, with the winners announced at an Award Ceremony at the Manningham Function Centre on Tuesday 16 September.

“I encourage you all to nominate someone who inspires you, someone who has positively contributed to our community. It’s a great way to show how much we appreciate what they do,” Cr Diamante said.

For more information on the awards and how to nominate, visit our Community Awards page.

The Manningham Community Panel’s deliberations have begun, with local voices steering the way to a thriving future for Manningham.

Through a series of externally facilitated discussions and learning sessions, panel members will deliberate for over 40 hours. They will determine key priorities for the community and provide a list of recommendations to Manningham Council.

This dynamic and community-driven process will play a crucial role in ensuring that Council’s strategic plans reflect local needs, values and aspirations.

The panel recruitment started with 8,000 envelopes sent randomly to local households. Of those who accepted the invitation, a second random draw resulted in the final 40 individuals chosen.

This second draw was stratified to ensure people selected were representative of Manningham by age, gender, location, living situation and the language spoken at home.

Residents, businesses and community organisations have also contributed to the panel’s work in several ways.

In the Plan Manningham 2025+ survey (between May and July 2024), community provided their top three priority areas for Council to focus its resources for the next four years.

Council also hosted a series of ‘Targeted conversations’. These small group discussions invited people with similar backgrounds or interests together to discuss detailed information around topics that affect their needs and priorities.

Community could also share ideas on how to improve Council services through ‘Individual submissions’.

Council has committed to an open, transparent and rigorous process that puts community interests at the forefront. Community are invited to listen and watch the deliberations.

You can register to be an Observer for any of the panel sessions. Each registration segment is 90 minutes. Registration will ensure you get a spot, however you can also register upon arrival.

The final four panel sessions will be held between November 2024 and February 2025.

Find out more and stay up to date at Your Say Manningham.

From this week, 8,000 randomly selected households across Manningham will receive an invitation to express their interest in participating in the Manningham Community Panel.

From those who apply, independent non-profit research group, newDemocracy, will draw a panel of 40 people to represent the wider community.

How will it work?

The Manningham Community Panel will play a crucial role in developing our major strategic plans.

Through externally facilitated discussions and learning sessions, participants will help determine key priorities for Manningham and provide a list of recommendations to:

• inform the next Council Plan, Asset Plan and Financial Plan

• help us refresh of our community vision

• define and help us manage the community's top service priorities

• help guide how we manage our services financially

• guide how we manage and invest in physical assets.

Panel sessions will be held between September 2024 and February 2025.

Are there other ways to participate in this engagement if I’m not selected for the panel?

There will be further opportunities to make individual submissions for the panel’s consideration, as well as observe the deliberation sessions.

Learn more and get the latest updates at Your Say Manningham. 

We proudly honoured the exceptional individuals and organisations making a meaningful difference in the community at the 2024 Civic Awards. 

Held last week, family and friends of the nominees gathered at the Manningham Function Centre for the awards ceremony.  The nominees were celebrated for their outstanding contributions, and winners were announced for their exceptional community service.

Brian Tyedin was awarded Manningham Citizen of the Year for his work with Rotary over the past 25 years.

“Being nominated is a reward in itself and to be recognised for what we are doing in the community,” Brian said.

“There are so many opportunities to volunteer in this community and so many people doing great things.

“I hope that by receiving this award, I can work with other organisations to achieve an even better outcome for Manningham and help others in the community,” Brian said.  

This year there were two recipients of the Doreen Stoves Volunteer of the Year Award, Luke Bastian and Kate Gniel.

Luke was recognised for his outstanding commitment to the local Scouting community over the past two decades. Park Orchards-based mum of three, Kate, was recognised for her remarkable work in the community and with the Sharks Junior Football Club.

“Volunteering fills my heart and makes me feel content. My youngest son was diagnosed with leukemia a few years ago, and during that time, we were overwhelmed by the kindness of so many people,” Kate said.

“That’s when we discovered the true power of community and felt deeply connected. It inspired us to give back and help others in the same way we were helped.”
 

Meet the winners of the 2024 Manningham Civic Awards 

Brian Tyedin - 2024 Citizen of the Year

Brian was awarded Citizen of the Year for his tireless support and service to the local community. He is a champion of the Rotary movement and has served Rotary and the Manningham community with distinction. 

2024 Doreen Stoves Volunteer of the Year – Luke Bastian and Kate Gniel 

Luke Bastian - 2024 Doreen Stoves Volunteer of the Year

Luke has played a crucial role in the Scouting community for more than two decades. His remarkable contributions to Rotary and the Doncaster Baseball Club have also been significant. Luke is a dedicated member of the Manningham community and exemplifies the qualities of an exceptional citizen.

Kate Gniel - 2024 Doreen Stoves Volunteer of the Year

Kate is an outstanding individual who consistently makes remarkable impact in the community through her volunteering efforts. Over the past five years, Kate has dedicated her time and energy to enhancing and enriching the lives of others. In 2022 Kate became the first ever female president of the Sharks Junior Football Club and has focused efforts on making the mental health of players and families first and foremost.

Anthony Milicia - 2024 Sports Volunteer of the Year

Anthony dedicates himself to volunteering with Manningham Juventus Football Club as if it were a second job, setting a positive example and motivating others. His actions serve as a source of inspiration and consistently makes himself available to others.

Rotary Club of Manningham City - 2024 Community Organisation of the Year

The Rotary Club of Manningham City Inc. received its official charter on 1 July 2023, bringing together Rotary clubs and individuals with diverse talents that have contributed to Manningham for over 45 years. The Club’s dedication to serving the community spans across all demographics, capabilities and requirements and plays a crucial role in maintaining connections among people.

In addition to the 2024 winners, the following nominees were highly commended for their outstanding contributions:

Michael James - Highly Commended, 2024 Sports Volunteer of the Year

Michael’s dedication to enhancing the Sharks Football Club has positively impacted the lives of many. His strong belief in fostering sporting values and essential life skills underscores his passion for nurturing well-rounded individuals. Michael has introduced programs that have contributed to the overall growth and success of the club’s players.

Manningham Toy Library - Highly Commended,  2024 Community Organisation of the Year

Founded 39 years ago, the Manningham Toy Library has served as a vital resource for the Templestowe Lower community, positively impacting the lives of numerous families. The Library’s focus on inclusivity and accessibility sees it offer a wide selection of toys that address different needs and developmental phases, highlighting its commitment to supporting the entire community.

A heartfelt thanks to the awardees who have dedicated so much of their time and efforts to improve our community.

Find out more about the Manningham Civic Awards.  

A new larger-than-life exhibition is now open at the Manningham Art Gallery in Doncaster.

Pages of Me: A Bird, an Eye, Clouds, Ice cream, is a multimedia project by celebrated Melbourne artist and designer Beci Orpin.

Drawing from her textile-focused background, Orpin delves into mascot culture by creating a giant cat called Pomme, set in a display of oversized pages pulled from her sketchbook, blending bold patterns, found images and positive mantras.

The exhibition explores finding happiness through individuality and acceptance, and visitors are drawn in to read the mantras from Orpin’s pages and catch further glimpses of Pomme.

“The idea for the mascot came from seeing a series of photos of mascots caught in odd, unexpected places – doorways, ticket booths, elevators,” Orpin said.

“It struck me both as comical and a metaphor for getting ‘stuck in the cracks’. I often say that ‘the cracks’ are where I exist – somewhere between creative categories, never fully fitting into one genre.

“Though it can be challenging to exist in ‘the cracks’, it’s where I’m most authentic, where I can be fully myself and do my best work.”

Visitors are encouraged to get creative at the gallery themselves, drawing their own mascot, based on their unique qualities.

Orpin is known for her signature application of colour, shape and optimism. She has collaborated with major brands and organisations including Apple, Google Disney, Uniqlo and the Australian Ballet.

Manningham Mayor Deirdre Diamante said: “We’re thrilled to have such a highly regarded artist exhibit at the Manningham Gallery. It’s a wonderful exhibition and I encourage you to come and see it for yourself while you can.”

Pages of Me continues until Saturday 5 April 2025.

Manningham Art Gallery, 687 Doncaster Road, Doncaster, is open Wednesdays to Saturdays, 11.00am to 4.00pm.

More information about the event is available in Council's events calendar.

Image courtesy of the artist.