Active Manningham and Manningham Council are bringing Pride Night at Aquarena back for 2025. This free event will bring together our LGBTQIA+ community and their families, friends and allies.

Pride Night 2025 will be held Sunday 2 February 2025 from 5.00pm to 8.00pm at Aquarena Aquatic and Leisure Centre on Williamsons Road in Templestowe Lower.

Guests can expect fun, fitness, and connection with performances by Holly Pop and Xena Ghost, music provided by DJ Literally, Zumba classes and water aerobics, and a free barbecue.

Manningham Mayor, Councillor Deirdre Diamante said Council is committed to ensuring there are opportunities for everyone to be included in community life. 

“Pride Night is a celebration of diversity, joy, and connection, and we’re thrilled to invite everyone to come along and join the fun.”
 

“Diversity is at the heart of what makes Manningham such a vibrant and connected community, these events strengthen our understanding, and reminds us that inclusion makes us all stronger,” Cr Diamante said.

Manningham Youth Service support worker Leo went along in 2024 and shared their thoughts on the value of inclusive community events. 

"Events like this are an important way for community organisations like Aquarena to invite in the LGBTQIA+ community in and show them that it is a safe space to exist and that the service is for them as well as everyone else."

Come along to Aquarena and celebrate Pride Night in February.

You can find out more and register for the event on the Manningham Council website.

_{Pictured: Ship of Wonder - Julian Clavijo}

Would you like to help shape a new public artwork at Ruffey Lake Park? 

If you have migrated from overseas and now live or work in Manningham, you’re invited to help shape our new Migrant Peace public artwork at Ruffey Lake Park, Doncaster. 

You can participate in our series of interactive community workshops, which will be facilitated by award-winning and internationally renowned artist, Julian Clavijo.

The workshops will be held at the Manningham Art Studios - MC Square, 687 Doncaster Rd, Doncaster, from 6.30 to 8.30pm. 

Bookings essential, places limited. 

To book, select the workshop you want to attend and complete the Eventbrite form. You can attend one or multiple sessions. 

Sessions: 

• Migrant Peace Project community workshop one - Wednesday 14 August 

• Migrant Peace Project community workshop two -  Wednesday 21 August 

• Migrant Peace Project design feedback workshop - Tuesday 24 September. 

Download the project brief:

The final artwork will be installed at Ruffey Lake Park in Doncaster in 2025.  

About the artist 

Julian Clavijo is a nationally and internationally renowned Award Winning Artist currently based in Melbourne, Australia. In 2008, he graduated with a Bachelor of Advertising from the Universidad International de las Americas in Costa Rica. In 2011, he completed a Masters of Arts (Art in Public Space) at RMIT University in Melbourne.

Learn more about Julian Clavijo.   

We’re inviting workplaces across Manningham to join in the fun and take part in Biketober for the month of October! 

The aim of this workplace-based bike competition is to get more people riding bikes for work or play! 

The goal isn’t to ride the most kilometres, but to encourage the most staff to ride bikes throughout the month of October. 

Best of all – there are daily prizes up for grabs!

Discover the benefits of Biketober   

Riding or any form of active travel can help increase alertness, reduce stress and increase energy. 

This can benefit your organisation by boosting productivity and creating a healthier, happier employees. 

Other benefits includes lower parking and petrol costs. 

How to participate   

Complete the expression of interest (EOI) form. After you submit the EOI, a member of our Recreation and Leisure team will contact you to discuss your program. 

A new Active Manningham program is providing life-saving water safety skills to adults from our multicultural community who have little or no swimming experience.

Eighteen people recently graduated from the first round of the 10-week Safely Engaging with Water Program at Aquarena Aquatic and Leisure Centre in Templestowe Lower.

Manningham Mayor, Cr Deirdre Diamante, attended the final session and celebration event, presenting certificates to the successful participants together with Dr Harpreet Singh Kandra, who helped develop the program with Aligned Leisure.

The program creates a safe, inclusive environment for adults from multicultural communities to learn about water safety and develop basic swimming skills. It aims to help participants overcome fear and anxiety associated with water while reducing the risk of drowning.

Cr Diamante congratulated the graduates for taking the important first step of learning to swim.  

“Water safety is such a valuable life skill. I’d like to thank Dr Kandra and Aligned Leisure for making this life-saving program available to our multicultural community,” Cr Diamante said.

The program offers subsidised male-only and female-only sessions with experienced instructors of the same gender during quieter off-peak times, providing a more comfortable learning environment for participants. 

“It’s been great value and I’ve learnt so much,” one participant said of their experience.

“The instructor is amazing and has been teaching us very well,” another participant said.

Round 2 of the program starts on Saturday 26 April. Visit Active Manningham for more information.
 

UNITE! Invest to prevent violence against women and girls

16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence runs from 25 November (International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women) to 10 December (Human Rights Day). 

This global campaign brings together people and communities worldwide to unite against violence towards women, girls and non-binary people.  

This year, we introduced 16 Days of Activism small grants to support local initiatives that raise awareness, promote action and help drive meaningful change.

We are funding six community organisations to deliver activities to youth, carers and multicultural community groups, including: 

• Seniors Happy Life Club  Coffee Chats at Doncaster Bunnings, an event in English and Mandarin where we will join local police in discussing the issue in a safe space and sharing support services.
• An awareness-raising window display at Warrandyte Neighbourhood Community House sharing key messages, statistics, and pathways to support those experiencing gender-based violence.

For full details, see the events below. 

In Australia, family violence is against the law. If you or someone you know is experiencing family violence, please ask for help. In an emergency always call 000.  

Who can? This Girl Can! 

Calling all women and girls – This Girl Can is back in November 2024.

We’re supporting This Girl Can again in 2024. This VicHealth campaign aims to inspire and empower women and girls to get active, regardless of age, size, background, gender identity or fitness level. 

This year, throughout the entire month of November, groups across Manningham will be offering a range of free or low-cost physical activities. Women and girls will have the opportunity to get back into exercise in a way that feels good to them! 

Whether you prefer to get active solo or thrive in the energy of a team, we've got your back every step of the way. Now’s your chance to get out there and get moving!

You can download the 2024 calendar of events or discover what's on below. 

This Girl Can is proudly supported by VicHealth and Manningham Council.

#ManninghamGirlsCan 

UPDATED: Tuesday 27 August 2024

This Dementia Action Week (16 to 22 September) Dementia Australia are encouraging everyone to take the first step to learn more about dementia and how you can help shape your community for the better.

We’ve put together a Local Activity Guide for residents of Manningham living with dementia, as well as their carers and support networks. It’s designed to help you easily find out what’s on during Dementia Action Week, and we encourage you to take part.  

Book an activity today. 

See what's on in the list of events below or download the activity guide.

The Victorian Seniors Festival is a major state-wide festival for and involving seniors. The festival runs from 1 to 31 October every year, with free and low-cost events right across Victoria.

The 2024 theme is – ‘Explore. Engage. Evolve.’ – encouraging older Victorians to stay curious and connected by exploring new activities, meeting new people, and changing how we think of ageing.

We've put together a Manningham activity guide to help seniors, carers, and family members find fun and affordable events and activities during Seniors Month! 

To see what's on,  download the 2024 Seniors Month Local Activity Guide or view the events below.  

See individual events for booking details.

Save the date! This year’s Manningham Carols by Candlelight will be held on Friday 12 December at Ruffey Lake Park.

We’re now inviting performers, food vendors, local businesses and community groups to be part of the festive fun.

Expressions of interest to be part of the line-up are now open until midnight, Sunday 15 June. 

More than 10,000 people attended last year’s carols, so don’t miss your chance to get involved in the biggest event of the year.

Register your interest

The Get Active Victoria voucher program aims to help eligible families and their children get active in sports and recreation by reimbursing the cost of membership and registration fees.

The Get Active Kids Voucher Program has delivered over 147,000 vouchers to eligible families to date!  

The vouchers can help pay for sporting equipment, uniforms, and memberships in a range of activities from cricket to dance. 

This initiative is part of Get Active Victoria’s efforts to inspire all Victorians – regardless of age, ability or location – to move more, every day.

Applications open October 2024. To find out more about the voucher program and how you can apply, visit Get Active Victoria. 

Information for providers 

Approved Activity Providers can receive vouchers from their members and then redeem the cost from the government.  

Registrations to become a Get Active Kids Voucher Activity Provider are now open! 

Are you a local creative artist with a passion for captivating audiences and bringing people together? If so, we’d love to hear from you!

This summer, we’ll be showcasing the unique talents of our community’s artists at our local activity centres.

We’re inviting experienced and emerging artists to apply, working across various mediums, practices and methodologies. These may include: 

• Musician singer 
• Acoustic 
• Classical
• Emerging or retired artist
• Visual artist
• Street performer
• Electronic performance
• Chalk artist
• Sculpture interdisciplinary artist
• Socially engaged practice and more.

Selected artists will receive a financial contribution for a minimum three hours of entertainment. 

Ready to apply?  

Complete the expression of interest form. 

Apply now

Volunteer-led community groups and clubs will receive new support under changes to the Manningham Volunteer Resource Service.

Manningham Council will move to a new delivery model for supporting volunteering once the current contract with external provider EV Strengthening Communities (formerly Eastern Volunteers) ends on 30 June 2025. 

Manningham Mayor, Cr Deirdre Diamante, said Council is committed to supporting volunteers and ensuring we continue to meet their evolving needs and aspirations. 

“Volunteers are the lifeblood of our community, and essential for the continued success of local clubs, groups and associations,” Cr Diamante said. 

“We are deeply grateful to our volunteers for their dedication to making Manningham a better place, whether that’s through community, sport, emergency services, environment or arts and local history groups, among others.

“We’ve valued our partnership with EV Strengthening Communities since 2019, and I’d like to thank them for their work in supporting volunteerism in Manningham,” she said.

In recent years, there have been significant shifts in the volunteering sector, and a gradual decline in people undertaking formal volunteering right across Australia.

“We have been listening to our local clubs and groups, who are seeing increasing demands on their time to meet the growing administrative, regulatory and funding requirements for volunteering activities,” Cr Diamante said.

“These demands are stretching our volunteers, requiring not only extra time, but specific skills.

“We want to ease the burden on volunteers, so they can get back to doing what they do best – supporting the Manningham community,” the Mayor added.

Further details of the new program will be made available in the coming months.

Manningham residents will be able to continue to search for volunteer roles through Volunteering Victoria.

Our highly anticipated International Women’s Day Breakfast event returns on Thursday 6 March, with tickets now available. 

This year’s keynote speaker, Dr Emma Fulu, is a world-leading expert on gender equality and ending violence against women and girls. She has worked for the United Nations and other global programs.

Manningham Mayor, Councillor Deirdre Diamante said International Women’s Day was an opportunity to celebrate, connect and reflect.

“I’m so pleased to welcome Dr Emma Fulu to Manningham to speak on such an important issue that demands attention and action both globally and locally,” Cr Diamante said.

“Championing gender equality and respect in every aspect of our lives is at the heart of driving change. 

“We all have a role to play in turning promises into progress. I encourage men and women to join us for what will be an insightful and inspiring morning,” the Mayor added.

International Women’s Day (IWD) is a global celebration of women’s achievements and raises awareness for women’s equality.

Dr Fulu will speak to this year’s UN Women Australia IWD theme, ‘March Forward: It’s time to turn promises into progress’.

The theme is in reference to the 30th anniversary of the United Nations Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (1995) – considered to be the most progressive blueprint for advancing women’s rights.

While women have broken many barriers since then, there’s still much to be done for millions of women around the world and it’s time to turn promises into progress.

Dr Fulu will be joined by a panel of guest speakers who will bring their lived experience and individual lens to this important discussion.

The event will be held on Thursday 6 March, 7.30am to 9.30am at the Manningham Function Centre. Tickets are $25 and include a plated breakfast. 

For more information and to book your ticket, visit our events page.

A new exciting opportunity to celebrate, develop and grow our local live music scene is coming to Manningham. 

The Live and Local program is presented in partnership with the Live Music Office, One Music Australia  and APRA AMCOS (the Australasian Performing Rights Association and Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society). It has also been assisted by the Australian Government through Music Australia.

The free program offers professional development workshops along with performance and networking opportunities. It will provide valuable resources and support to musicians and song writers of all genres and levels, music industry professionals, venues and businesses within the Manningham community.
 

What’s included?

• Professional Development Workshops: Gain knowledge and skills from industry experts to grow your sustainable music career
• Mentoring and networking: Spending time with professionals and meeting other local people with the same music drive as you
• Micro-Music Festival: Get the opportunity to perform at, host or attend our local Micro-Music Festival events
• Local Industry Forum: Engage with key figures in the music industry and grow your network at our free forum on Saturday 28 June, 1:00pm-4:00pm at the Warrandyte Mechanics Institute in Warrandyte. Register today!
  
   

Who’s it for?

Local musicians, song writers, bands, producers, music industry professionals such as venue bookers, gig promoters, photographers, designers, production companies, managers.

Venues and businesses with space for small live music events in Manningham. 
 

Sign up to get involved

Join us to strengthen the local music scene, improve your skills and make meaningful connections. 

We’re creating the Manningham Music Database to connect local musicians and venues for future live music programming. This database will serve as a central hub for opportunities and collaborations within the Manningham community.

We’ll begin programming as expressions of interest come in, so get yours in today. 
 

Musicians, song writers and music industry professionals

Musicians, bands, song writers, music industry professionals, producers and acts will have the chance to participate in paid events, connect with other local industry professionals, build their experience and contribute to the growth of the local live music scene.  

Apply now

Businesses and venues  

If you run a local space that could be used for live music, or if you already book live shows in your venue, we want to hear from you.

You don’t need to be a traditional live music venue to take part, you may have just a small space within your café, gallery or retail or service area that could make a great little performance area. 

Our Venues Liaison Officer can provide guidance and connect you to local musicians, other businesses and industry professionals through the program.

Apply now
 

Live Music Forum

You're invited to our free Manningham Live Music Industry Forum on Saturday 28 June, 1:00pm-4:00pm at the Warrandyte Mechanics Institute in Yarra Street, Warrandyte. 

Whether you're a musician, business or venue owner, event manager or all-round live music enthusiast, this forum is a valuable opportunity to network with us and the broader community and discuss what a thriving music scene looks like for Manningham.

The outcomes of this forum will assist us to develop professional opportunities for local musicians, inform our planning, includidng our upcoming Live and Local microfestival.

This event is free, but registrations essential.

Register now

Manningham Council has launched an exciting new program to boost the local live music scene.

Live and Local is designed to celebrate, develop and support our local musicians, bands and businesses.

This free program offers professional development workshops as well as performance and networking opportunities, providing valuable resources and support to musicians, venues and music lovers within the Manningham community.

Manningham Mayor, Cr Deirdre Diamante, said Council wanted to support and grow the grassroots live music scene.

“We have so many talented musicians, and music industry professionals in our local area. We want to support our local industry so our community can enjoy live music close to home,” Cr Diamante said.

“This in turn will boost small businesses, bringing more patrons to local venues and activity centres.” 

To launch the program, Council is seeking expressions of interest from musicians and local venues and businesses to get involved.

Musicians will have the chance to showcase their talents and get paid, while connecting with other local industry professionals. This opportunity will build their experience and contribute to the growth of the local live music scene.

Businesses don’t need to be a traditional live music venue to take part. All is required is a space for small-scale performances. Examples include retail spaces, cafes and galleries, as well as hotels, restaurants and bars.

Expressions of Interest to be part of the program close on Sunday 1 June at 11.59pm. 

Live and Local is presented by Manningham Council in partnership with the Live Music Office, One Music Australia and APRA AMCOS (the Australasian Performing Rights Association and Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society). This project has been assisted by the Australian Government through Music Australia.

Find out more and get involved at our Live and Local program page.

Image: Musician Alex Robertson from Cleo Black.

Manningham’s highly anticipated International Women’s Day Breakfast event returns on Thursday 6 March, with tickets now available.

This year’s keynote speaker, Dr Emma Fulu, is a world-leading expert on gender equality and ending violence against women and girls. She has worked for the United Nations and other global programs.

Manningham Mayor, Councillor Deirdre Diamante said International Women’s Day was an opportunity to celebrate, connect and reflect.

“I’m so pleased to welcome Dr Emma Fulu to Manningham to speak on such an important issue that demands attention and action both globally and locally,” Cr Diamante said.

“Championing gender equality and respect in every aspect of our lives is at the heart of driving change.

“We all have a role to play in turning promises into progress. I encourage men and women to join us for what will be an insightful and inspiring morning,” the Mayor added.

International Women’s Day (IWD) is a global celebration of women’s achievements and raises awareness for women’s equality.

Dr Fulu will speak to this year’s UN Women Australia IWD theme, ‘March Forward: It’s time to turn promises into progress’.

The theme is in reference to the 30th anniversary of the United Nations Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (1995) – considered to be the most progressive blueprint for advancing women’s rights.

While women have broken many barriers since then, there’s still much to be done for millions of women around the world and it’s time to turn promises into progress.

Dr Fulu will be joined by a panel of guest speakers who will bring their lived experience and individual lens to this important discussion.

The event will be held on Thursday 6 March, 7.30am to 9.30am at the Manningham Function Centre. Tickets are $25 and include a plated breakfast.

For more information and to book your ticket, visit the International Women's Day page on our website.