The Manningham Community Panel has reached a significant milestone, charting a course for the future after delivering its final recommendations to Council.

Manningham Mayor Councillor Deirdre Diamante said the Panel’s insights will be invaluable in ensuring that the Council’s strategic plans are grounded in the community's needs and aspirations.

“By listening to the voices of our community, we’re ensuring that our decisions and actions reflect and align with what matters most to our residents,” Cr Diamante said.  

“The Panel has played a crucial role in this process, comprising members from diverse age groups, cultural backgrounds and geographic locations that represent the unique tapestry of our community.

“This collaborative approach will help enable us to create a more inclusive, resilient, sustainable and vibrant community for all.”

The Panel was established to identify Manningham's key priorities, challenges and opportunities – to help guide our strategic plans. This includes the Community Vision 2040, the four-year Council Plan, and the 10-year Asset and Financial Plans.

Throughout the process, Panel members deliberated for approximately 1,680 collective hours and heard from over 50 speakers from Council and community.

They handed over their recommendations at the final meeting on 1 February 2025. They span several themes including community safety, transport, open spaces and more.

“Over the coming weeks, we’ll prepare a response to each of the panel’s recommendations, including how they will be implemented or the reasons for not supporting any recommendation,” Cr Diamante said.

“We’re sincerely grateful to the panel members for their time and efforts during this dynamic process and committed to implementing the panel’s recommendations to the fullest extent possible. We’ll ensure their insights are carefully considered in all our decision-making as we plan ahead for Manningham,” the Mayor added.

For further information and stay up to date, visit YourSay Manningham.

Community members will enjoy a safer, more accessible and usable Doncaster Hill Community Garden, with a redesign planned to get underway in June.

Manningham Mayor, Councillor Deirdre Diamante said the garden is a treasured place where people come together to grow, share and connect.

“The Doncaster Hill Community Garden plays a vital role in supporting our community,” Cr Diamante said.

“Beyond providing fresh and nutritious food, it nurtures a stronger local food system, social connections and community wellbeing.

“Importantly, it also provides fresh produce to people experiencing hardship through Doncare’s food relief program,” she said.

The works will include levelling uneven ground to reduce tripping hazards and installing raised garden beds at varying heights to support gardeners of all ages and abilities.

New wicking beds, improved composting and better water use will support more efficient and diverse food growing, including culturally significant crops. Security will also be improved through soft fencing, gated access and lockable compost bins.

“We’ve listened to our dedicated volunteers and gardeners, whose insights and aspirations have helped shape the planned improvements to the garden,” Cr Diamante said.

“The result will be a more accessible space that reflects our community values of sustainability, sharing and inclusion,” she said.

The Doncaster Hill Community Garden is a friendly space for anyone interested in growing food, meeting others and learning new skills. It hosts a working bee every second Tuesday, where community members come together to grow and harvest produce.

The garden will be temporarily closed from June to August 2025, while the works take place.

The shed will not be impacted in the redesign.

For more information, visit manningham.vic.gov.au/garden-redesign 

Women’s and girls’ sport is set for a boost in Wonga Park with the local netball facility to undergo a major redevelopment.

Manningham Council has secured a $1.47 million grant to upgrade the Wonga Park Netball Facility through the Australian Government’s Play Our Way program.

This funding is in addition to $450,000 allocated in Council’s 2024/25 capital works budget to deliver a new pavilion, lighting and to reconstruct the netball courts.

Manningham Mayor, Councillor Deirdre Diamante, welcomed the funding announcement, describing it as a huge win for women and girls’ sport and the Wonga Park community.

“We’d like to thank the Australian Government for their support in providing quality facilities for women and girls in Manningham that help reduce barriers and increase participation in sport and physical activity,” Cr Diamante said.

“Advocating for more inclusive and equal community facilities is a key part of Council's role and we’re thrilled that we’ve been able to achieve this significant win in collaboration with Wonga Park Netball Club.

“This is going to make a huge difference to the club and players – providing toilets, change facilities and storage at the courts. New lighting will also allow the club to train in the evenings,” the Mayor added.

Wonga Park Netball Club spokesperson, Jeanette Morriss, said the funding announcement was a fantastic early Christmas present for the club.

“We are just so excited. It’s going to be amazing for women and girls in sport and will create a much safer and inclusive space for our 150 players,” Ms Morris said.

“We would like to thank the Federal Government for the funding and the work Councillors and Council staff have done in advocating on our behalf,” she said.

The much-loved Spring Outdoors Festival is back this September, with a jam-packed program of free and low-cost events for all ages.

Running from September to November, the festival – a partnership program of Manningham, Banyule and Nilumbik Councils – features more than 50 events celebrating nature, sustainability and local biodiversity. 

Manningham Mayor, Councillor Deirdre Diamante said the festival is a much-anticipated part of the annual calendar, offering the community a chance to connect with the environment and each other. 

“We’re lucky to live in an area with such incredible biodiversity and green spaces,” Cr Diamante said.

“The Spring Outdoors Festival is all about inspiring our community to get outside, learn something new and take simple steps that help our environment thrive.”

This year’s program shines a light on biodiversity, with environment seminars, a wildlife gardening seminar series, a guided nature walk and more. 

Festival highlights include:

• Breakfast with the platypus river walk (Sunday 7 September, 6:45am to 8:30am)
• Backyard birds of Warrandyte (Tuesday 14 October, 11:00am to 12:00pm)
• Wildlife Gardening Seminar Series: Attracting wildlife and birds into the garden (Thursday 30 October, 7:00pm to 9:00pm)
• Star gazing night at Ruffey Lake Park (Friday 17 October, 8:00pm to 10:00pm)

The festival kicks off on 7 September and runs until November. Bookings are essential.

For the full program and to register, visit manningham.vic.gov.au/spring-outdoors 

Our community panel came together for the first time on Saturday for the first of six and half day’s deliberation.

The Panel recruitment started with 8000 envelopes sent randomly to local households. Of those who accepted the invitation, a second random draw resulted in the final 40 people chosen. This second draw was ‘stratified,’ set up, so people chosen were representative of Manningham by age, gender, location, living situation and the language spoken at home.

This will be our most significant deliberative engagement to date, with the panel set to play a crucial role in shaping our major strategic plans. 

Here’s some feedback from two panel members after day one:

“I was surprised when I got the invite but said to myself, I have grandchildren and what better way to leave a legacy for them but to have a say into shaping Manningham.” 

“I am from an accounting background so especially interested to look at Council’s financial documents and exploring that side of the process.”     

You can also participate in the deliberative process by registering to be an observer. Observing the process means that you can form your own assessment of the merits of the deliberative approach.

Manningham Council property purchase sets the stage for new community house

Manningham Council has signed the contract to purchase 576-578 Park Road, Park Orchards as part of its planning for a new Park Orchards Community House and Learning Centre.

A priority action in Council’s Community Infrastructure Plan, discussions and advocacy have already commenced for the replacement of this popular neighbourhood house and it is hoped that this significant investment by Council will be the catalyst for investment from other levels of government.

Manningham Mayor, Deirdre Diamante, said the existing community house needs replacing to bring programs and services together.

"The Community House is widely used and offers a variety of programs and services in learning, fitness and art for all ages, and includes a well-loved childcare facility.

“The current building is coming to the end of its useful life, has limited accessibility and is too small to cater to all programs. These limitations have resulted in programs moving to different locations and spread across multiple local venues.

“By bringing these programs together into one building with better access and more space, we can improve efficiency and better support the community’s growing needs.”

The location of the new property, adjacent to the existing Community House at 572 Park Road, will allow for more space for the variety of programs on offer.

“Located in the heart of Park Orchards, as part of a community and education precinct and near public bus transport, the site will maintain convenient access to childcare, schools, recreational areas, and shops.” Cr Diamante added.

The purchase of 576-578 Park Road is part of Council’s long-term planning to replace this important neighbourhood house for Park Orchards.

Neighbourhood houses are predominantly funded by government grants and additional state and commonwealth government funding will be needed to deliver this new community facility.

“We have purchased this property as part of our long-term plan for the community house and local area. We’re pleased to be able to secure a site for a new centre in Park Orchards and will continue to advocate for State and Federal funding to deliver it.”

The purchase was funded by Council’s Strategic Fund which is part of its 10 Year Financial Plan 2024/25 to 2033/34.

For more information, visit Your Say Manningham.