Take part in one of the largest Citizen Science projects in the world while contributing valuable information about Manningham’s biodiversity.

About the City Nature Challenge

The City Nature Challenge runs from Friday 25 April to Monday 28 April 2025.

In this worldwide BioBlitz, cities compete to make the most observations of the most species by the most people.

Manningham is collaborating with more than 25 local governments to form the Greater Melbourne project.

How to participate

It is free, easy and fun to get involved.

During the 4-day window of this challenge, take photos of plants or animals and upload it to iNaturalist.

Your observations will be added to the Manningham iNaturalist projects (Manningham East or Manningham West) so that we can compete with participants from across Melbourne and all over the world. 

All data gets added to Australia’s database of plants and animals, helping scientists with their research to improve outcomes for our environment.

To prepare for the challenge:

1. Install the iNaturalist app on your mobile phone and create an iNaturalist account.
2. Join the Melbourne City Nature Challenge 2025: Greater Melbourne Project.  
3. Start adding your observations.

Join now 

Do you need support to help your newborn baby learn to sleep? Come along to one of our free information sessions.

Through the Maternal and Child Health Sleep and Settling initiative, we are providing support for parents experiencing sleep and settling concerns with their young children.

During this in-person session, consultants will teach you an evidence-informed sleep and settling model of care.

Topics covered will include:

• Age specific development
• Normal sleep patterns
• Ways to deal with sleep difficulties
• Information about your wellbeing.

There will be time at the end of the session for you to ask questions about your specific situation.

In addition to the sessions, we are proud to provide an outreach service for interested parents. Speak to our Sleep and Settling Specialist at the end of the session for more information.

Only parents who attend Manningham Maternal and Child Health service are eligible for this service.

Sessions are also available for older babies and toddlers. 

Events Partners

Working in partnership with the Victorian Government, this program is part of the 'More help for new Victorian mum and dads’ initiative.

Do you need support to help your baby learn to sleep? Come along to one of our free information sessions.

Through the Maternal and Child Health Sleep and Settling initiative, we are providing support for parents experiencing sleep and settling concerns with their young children.

During this online session, consultants will teach you an evidence-informed sleep and settling model of care.

Topics covered will include:

• Age specific development
• Normal sleep patterns
• Ways to deal with sleep difficulties
• Information about your wellbeing.

There will be time at the end of the session for you to ask questions about your specific situation.

In addition to the sessions, we are proud to provide an outreach service for interested parents. Speak to our Sleep and Settling Specialist at the end of the session for more information.

This session is designed specifically for parents of older babies aged between 6 and 8 months.

Sessions are also available for newborn babies and toddlers. 

Please note: these sessions are only open to Manningham registered clients.

Events Partners

Working in partnership with the Victorian Government, this program is part of the 'More help for new Victorian mum and dads’ initiative.

Do you need support to help your newborn baby learn to sleep? Come along to one of our free information sessions.

Through the Maternal and Child Health Sleep and Settling initiative, we are providing support for parents experiencing sleep and settling concerns with their young children.

During this in-person session, consultants will teach you an evidence-informed sleep and settling model of care.

Topics covered will include:

• Age specific development
• Normal sleep patterns
• Ways to deal with sleep difficulties
• Information about your wellbeing.

There will be time at the end of the session for you to ask questions about your specific situation.

In addition to the sessions, we are proud to provide an outreach service for interested parents. Speak to our Sleep and Settling Specialist at the end of the session for more information.

Only parents who attend Manningham Maternal and Child Health service are eligible for this service.

Sessions are also available for older babies and toddlers. 

Events Partners

Working in partnership with the Victorian Government, this program is part of the 'More help for new Victorian mum and dads’ initiative.

Find out how solar power and solar batteries will improve your home, save you money and generate a clean future for the environment.

This webinar will include:

• how solar power and battery systems work
• buying good quality solar and battery products
• what to look for in a solar and battery quote
• how to find a good installer
• how government rebates help.

Our presenter, Ian Moxon, is a seasoned sustainability consultant with over 15 years of experience in this field. He’ll share his extensive knowledge and valuable industry insights into the benefits of installing solar power and solar batteries at your home.

This event is part of our Inspired Living Series. This series showcases an exciting range of fun and sustainable activities and events for all ages, supporting sustainability at home, in the community and at work.

Bookings are essential.

Meeting Date: 24 August 2021
Meeting Time: 7.00pm 
Location: Virtual meeting. You can watch the livestream on this page or on our Facebook page.          

Other temporary changes to our Council meetings:

Public Question Time – At this time, anyone wanting to ask a question of Council should submit their question via email by 5.00pm on the Monday before the meeting. As you cannot be present in the chamber, your question will be read out at the meeting by the CEO. For more information visit the Council Meeting Procedures page.

Council meeting livestream

Agenda timestamps

00:00 - Opening prayer and statements of acknowledgement
06:35 - Passing of former Councillor Fred Chuah
13:00 - Kiwanis Club – Monster Raffle
15:36 - Petitions
24:10 - Public question time
29:21 - Planning permit applications
37:51 - City planning and community
45:42 - City services
49:46 - Procurement Policy review
53:35 - 10 Year Financial Plan 2021/22 to 2030/31
1:00:41 - Council Plan 2021-2025
1:06:10 - Strategic Risk Register
1:10:51 - Bulk Retirement of Council Endorsed Policies
1:20:21 - Review of Manningham's Governance Rules
1:25:47 - Documents for Sealing
1:27:26 - Councillors' question time

As part of the Inspired Living Series and National Recycling Week, Nina Gbor and fellow panel members will discuss sustainable fashion in a circular economy at the Manningham Function Centre.

Nina Gbor:

Nina is a sustainable fashion educator, international speaker, sustainability consultant, and Founder of Eco Styles. Nina is also the Director of the Circular Economy and Waste Program at The Australia Institute and has been featured on the ABC's War on Waste. Nina will talk about her journey into sustainable fashion and discuss the collaborative effort needed to address sustainability challenges in the fashion industry.

Courtney Holm:

Courtney is a circular fashion systems designer, thought leader and entrepreneur. She founded experimental circular fashion label A.BCH in 2017 and built it into a world leading example of what circular fashion could aspire to. In early 2024, she made a strategic decision to step away from making new clothes in order to focus on industry wide solutions. Courtney is the founder and CEO of Circular Sourcing - a climate tech platform turning surplus textile waste into resource. Courtney's expertise is in circular design for clothing, material flows and circular systems design. The heart of her practice is industry transformation for sustainable and equitable futures.

Jenna Flood:

Jenna is a slow fashion advocate whose main focus is helping people understand the issues that surround fast fashion. She advocates for sustainable alternatives such as pre-loved, vintage and clothing made with sustainable practices. Jenna believes in slowing down our clothing consumption by curating capsule wardrobes and buying for long term investments instead of purchasing on a whim or following short trends. She hopes that in the future, more people invest in the sharing economy by renting or borrowing garments instead of owning them.

Inspired Living Series - keynote speaker events

The Inspired Living Series - keynote speaker events showcases five insightful, not-to-be-missed evenings at the iconic Manningham Function Centre.

The series will introduce you to a diverse line-up of local and international keynote speakers offering unique insights on how we can all shift to a greener future.

Topics range from permaculture to sustainable fashion. Each speaker will inspire and motivate simple, positive lifestyle choices, connection to nature and growing a thriving community in the midst dynamic change.

If you have rooftop solar and are starting to consider a battery and/or electric vehicle (EV), you need to 'future-proof' your existing solar to ensure that you have capacity for these new technologies as they become more common and attainable.

This free information session will help you:

• understand how solar and batteries work
• find out whether your existing solar has capacity to add a battery and charge an EV
• understand how to 'future-proof' your household by upsizing your solar and/or adding a battery
• calculate expected savings and payback
• understand how to claim government rebates

All Manningham residents who attend on the night will go into the draw to win a Virtual Home Energy Assessment worth $225!

This phone assessment will be tailored to your household, helping you to plan for a cost-effective and comfortable transition away from gas. We may contact the winner to check on progress in both reducing bills and making the home more energy efficient.

To attend this event, you must have an internet enabled PC or device and be able to download Zoom. Don’t have Zoom? Download it for free. You’ll be provided with the Zoom meeting link when you book.

This free information session is brought to you by Manningham and the Australian Energy Foundation. If you're unable to make the session, you can still learn more about how to keep your home cool while saving energy on the Australian Energy Foundation website.

Between the Details: Video Art from the ACMI Collection presents Bayi Gardiya - Singing Desert by Dr Christian Thompson AO

In this 360-degree video experience, Christian Thompson invites audiences to walk through the landscape of his childhood. Here they will witness a simple yet profound aesthetic gesture of the artist singing in his traditional Bidjara language, a recognised lost language. 

“If I sing even one word of our language, which is considered an extinct or lost language, then it can’t be described as such, because it is being presented as a living language within the art context” - Christian Thompson

See the full program at Between the Details: Video Art from the ACMI Collection. 

For further information contact Manningham Art Gallery, gallery@manningham.vic.gov.au or call 9840 9367. 

Photo caption: Bayi Gardiya (Singing Desert), 2019 (video still). Photo credit: Christian Thompson 

An ACMI touring exhibition
The works in this exhibition are commissioned by ACMI, Artbank, Bundanon Trust, Carriageworks, City of Melbourne, Melbourne Art Foundation, Professor Cav. Simon Mordant AO and Catriona Mordant AM, John Allsopp (Web Directions) and assisted by the Australian Government through the Australia Council for the Arts.

It takes a village to raise a child, and the role of a grandparent is more important than ever.

Join our free seminar on grandparenting with special guest speaker, Dr Michael Carr-Gregg at the Manningham Function Centre on Wednesday 14 May 2025.

This seminar will provide practical advice and tips about grandparenting and there will be an opportunity to ask questions at the end. This event is suitable grandparents, parents and carers.

Free, but registrations essential.

Dr Michael Carr-Gregg

Dr Carr-Gregg is a distinguished Australian psychologist, author, and broadcaster, renowned for his expertise in adolescent and family psychology. He has authored 18 books on topics including parenting, mental health, and adolescent wellbeing, including Grandparents and the Grandparenting Code. His 19th book is currently in progress. 

In 1985, Dr Carr-Gregg co-founded CanTeen, the world's first national support group for teenage cancer patients, alongside a group of young cancer patients. He has held significant roles in academia and research, including serving as an Associate Professor in the Department of Paediatrics at the University of Melbourne. In 2018, he led the enquiry for the NSW Government that led to the nationwide ban on mobile phones in state and territory schools.

Meeting Date: 26 October 2021
Meeting Time: 7.00pm 
Location: Virtual meeting. You can watch the livestream on this page or on our Facebook page.          

Other temporary changes to our Council meetings:

Public Question Time – At this time, anyone wanting to ask a question of Council should submit their question via email by 5.00pm on the Monday before the meeting. As you cannot be present in the chamber, your question will be read out at the meeting by the CEO. For more information visit the Council Meeting Procedures page.

Council meeting livestream

Livestreaming to commence at 7pm on 26 October 2021.

Meeting Date: 25 August 2020
Meeting Time: 7.00pm 
Location: Virtual Council Meeting via Facebook Live    

Other temporary changes to our Council meetings:

• Public Question Time – At this time, anyone wanting to ask a question of Council should submit their question via email by 5.00pm on the Monday before the meeting. As you cannot be present in the chamber to read your question, you can elect to dial in and ask your question or have your question read out by our CEO. For more information visit the Council Meeting Procedures page.

Livestream video recording

Getting There

By car

Parking available at Manningham Civic Centre

By bus

Manningham Civic Centre bus stop:

Bus route 907 City to Mitcham via Doncaster Rd
Bus route 902 Chelsea to Airport West
Bus route 295 Doncaster SC to The Pines SC via Templestowe

Meeting Date: 28 September 2021
Meeting Time: 7.00pm 
Location: Virtual meeting. You can watch the livestream on this page or on our Facebook page.          

Other temporary changes to our Council meetings:

Public Question Time – At this time, anyone wanting to ask a question of Council should submit their question via email by 5.00pm on the Monday before the meeting. As you cannot be present in the chamber, your question will be read out at the meeting by the CEO. For more information visit the Council Meeting Procedures page.

Council meeting livestream

Meeting Date: 13 October 2020
Meeting Time: 7.00pm 
Location: Virtual Council Meeting via Facebook Live            

Council acknowledges that in the lead up to its general elections, it will not make any decision that would, or could be perceived to, inappropriately bind an incoming Council or affect the outcome of the elections.

As per our Election Period Policy, Council will hold an Ordinary meeting in October to consider routine administrative matters and the Annual Report. There will be limitations on the conduct of the meeting such as no public question time, tabling of petitions and Councillor question time.

Council meeting livestream

Getting There

By car

Parking available at Manningham Civic Centre

By bus

Manningham Civic Centre bus stop:

Bus route 907 City to Mitcham via Doncaster Rd
Bus route 902 Chelsea to Airport West
Bus route 295 Doncaster SC to The Pines SC via Templestowe

Meeting Date: 27 July 2021
Meeting Time: 7.00pm 
Location: Virtual meeting. You can watch the livestream on this page or on our Facebook page.          

Other temporary changes to our Council meetings:

Public Question Time – At this time, anyone wanting to ask a question of Council should submit their question via email by 5.00pm on the Monday before the meeting. As you cannot be present in the chamber, your question will be read out at the meeting by the Mayor. For more information visit the Council Meeting Procedures page.

Council meeting livestream

Agenda timestamps

00:00 - Opening prayer and statements of acknowledgement
04:28 - Passing of Doreen Stoves AM PSM JP
23:57 - Tokyo Olympic Games acknowledgement
24:34 - Petitions
25:50 - Public question time
33:06 - Community Partnership Grant Program 2021-2025
38:18 - Draft Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2021-2025

Artist Paul Handley’s Pillars of Déplacement traces his journey through the migrant settlement camps of Europe to the island shores of Lesbos, variously between 2016 and 2019, a period of social and political flux for the region. Geopolitical tensions and conflict at this time in countries including Syria and Afghanistan led to the displacement of thousands of people who were forced to seek refuge in foreign lands.

Despite it being a fundamental human right to seek asylum, this flow of refugees destabilised social fabrics across multiple communities and led to a wave of resistance from governments and local communities in the areas where the refugees sought asylum.

This exhibition represents the artist’s firsthand experience of this tension through a collection of documentary images, objects and artworks that stand as symbols hope, such as his sculptures inspired by the life-jacket graveyards of Lesbos. The exhibition acts as an artistic shrine to all the displaced and lost across the globe and throughout history, spurring reflection on migration and people movement and the ramifications it has on communities and countries.

Exhibition opening

Featuring opening remarks from Manningham Mayor Cr. Andrew Conlon, as well as Paul Handley in conversation with Manningham Art Gallery curator, Davey Warnock.

When: Saturday 17 April, 2.00pm to 3.30pm.
Cost: This is a free event but places are limited. 

Artist talk

Join Paul Handley for a conversation about his experiences travelling through the migrant camps of Europe and the process of translating those experiences into artworks.

When: Thursday 22 April, 11.00am to 12.00pm.
Cost: This is a free event but places are limited. 

Portable Protest Pod - workshop for youth (13-18yrs)

In this workshop for secondary school-aged youth, participants will discuss the history of protest and the art of creating impactful signs and performances.

When: Saturday 1 May, 3.30pm to 5.30pm.
Cost: Tickets are $5 per person. Places are limited. 

Image: Paul Handley, Pillars, 2021, wallpaper pigment print, 240 x 360cm.

More Information

Manningham Art Gallery

Located at the entrance to MC Square, Manningham Art Gallery presents a diverse range of contemporary art exhibitions and related public programs throughout the year. See all upcoming exhibitions.

Meeting Date: 15 September 2020
Meeting Time: 7.00pm 
Location: Virtual Council Meeting via Facebook Live 

Other temporary changes to our Council meetings:

• Public Question Time – At this time, anyone wanting to ask a question of Council should submit their question via email by 5.00pm on the Monday before the meeting. As you cannot be present in the chamber to read your question, you can elect to dial in and ask your question or have your question read out by our CEO. For more information visit the Council Meeting Procedures page.

Council meeting livestream

Getting There

By car

Parking available at Manningham Civic Centre

By bus

Manningham Civic Centre bus stop:

Bus route 907 City to Mitcham via Doncaster Rd
Bus route 902 Chelsea to Airport West
Bus route 295 Doncaster SC to The Pines SC via Templestowe