​Deborah White is a Melbourne-based artist who works across performance-based photography, video and mixed-media installations. 

Everlasting Happiness entertains the utopian idea of love as a political concept. The underlying philosophy of this aspiration is to love the most distant. This is not a sentimental notion of love. It is a robust kind of love with a revolutionary power. Viewing the actions of love as a deployment of force, this work intertwines supernatural wonder with the spectacle of war.

The playful and vibrant performance-based video depicts an anarcho-mystic quest battling against the pathology of the post-truth world. Featuring fictitious characters that defy the rational world, the video is infused with flower power, music and animal warriors that open the heart to hope and joy. All the characters are performed by the artist—serving as a self-reflection on the internal struggle to love unconditionally.  This work strives for the idealistic desire of a utopian non-place of the imagination. (Sound design is by Jamie Coghill.)

Video still from Everlasting Happiness (2023).
HD digital video, 11:15 mins, 1 or 3 channel, looped, variable dimensions.

Image courtesy of the Artist.

Come along to this webinar to hear from the founder of Plastic Free July, Rebecca Prince-Ruiz.

Rebecca will talk about how this inspiring movement grew from just a handful of people, to 140 million people worldwide.

Learn how you can be part of this community change as Rebecca shares solutions and stories from people making small steps to reduce plastic waste. Together we can make a real difference in Victoria in 2023, beyond the plastic bans.

Join this free webinar for a practical introduction to strategic planning - an essential tool to help your club build a successful, sustainable future.

When: Monday 8 September, 7:00pm - 8:30pm

Where: Online

What You’ll Learn:

• The difference between strategic planning and operational planning
• Why having a strategic plan is essential
• Step-by-step guidance on creating a simple, effective strategic plan, including how to identify key focus areas and set achievable goals
• How a well-crafted plan can help your club manage resources, improve teamwork, and succeed both on and off the field.

This webinar will be delivered by staff from Leisure Networks.

As part of the Inspired Living Series, Hannah Maloney and Adam Grubb will discuss permaculture and waterwise gardens at the Manningham Function Centre.

Hannah Moloney

Hannah Moloney is best known for her work in permaculture and as a presenter on ABC’s Gardening Australia. Her first book The Good Life: How To Grow A Better World explores ways to counter the climate emergency individually and collectively. Hannah will discuss founding Good Life Permaculture in Tasmania, Home Harvest an annual edible garden tour and why she is known as the 'compost queen'.

Adam Grubb

Adam Grubb runs Very Edible Gardens, who have been designing and creating edible home and community gardens in Melbourne for the last 15 years. He's also co-authored several books, including The Art of Frugal Hedonism and The Weed Forager's Handbook. He got into edible gardening (and co-founded the Permablitz movement of volunteer backyard makeovers) in the mid 2000's in the heart of the millenium drought. Adam will take some lessons learnt then and since to share ways that we can create lush and productive oases with a minimum of water use including wicking beds, passive water capture with micro earthworks, tanks, greywater and more. 
 

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.

Home Harvest Manningham is a monthly home gardening seminar series that will teach you how to grow your own delicious fresh food at home.

In this comprehensive program, Sustainable Gardening Australia will cover everything you need to know about preparing your garden (in Spring) for a bumper summer harvest.

Part one will cover planning, preparing, and growing your garden organically.

Topics include:

• what does growing organically mean
• designing your summer organic garden
• soil management and amendment
• organic fertilizers
• integrated pest management
• composting and worm farms.

Food swap from 6.45pm, session starts at 7.00pm.

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.

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Home Harvest Manningham is a monthly home gardening seminar series that will teach you how to grow your own delicious fresh food at home.

In this comprehensive program, Sustainable Gardening Australia will cover everything you need to know about preparing your garden (in Spring) for a bumper summer harvest.

Part 2 will cover:

• garden maintenance and preparation
• selecting what to plant and when to plant it
• summer veggies in pots
• mulching
• smart watering and managing hot weather
• introducing sustainable ways to improve productivity
• starting with seeds and seedlings
• tips for sustainably avoiding and managing pests and diseases
• feeding the soil and summer crops.

Food swap from 6.45pm, session starts at 7.00pm.

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.

Subscribe to our Environment Newsletter

Keep up to date with our latest environment and sustainability events.

Subscribe now

We’ve opened our final exhibition for the year! 

Showcasing moving image artworks by Australian artists, this exhibition celebrates ACMI’s vibrant collecting and commissioning program.

Come and see the exciting new works at Manningham Art Gallery, Doncaster. Open until February 2024.

Ngura Pukulpa - Happy Place by Kaylene Whiskey

Yankunytjatjara artist Kaylene Whiskey envisions a world where pop culture collides with traditional Anangu culture.

Analects of Kung Phu: Book 1, The 69 Dialogues between the Lamp and the Shadow by Jason Phu 

Jason Phu presents us with a guide for surviving contemporary life through the lens of martial arts films.

The Gods of Tiny Things by Deborah Kelly

Deborah Kelly’s kaleidoscopic video unleashes a vivid collage of animated figures and landscapes cut free from the pages of old magazines and encyclopedias to explore the threats of extinction and the climate crisis, the tolls of colonialism, and the global political shift to the right. 

The Beehive by Zanny Begg

The Beehive is a non-linear experimental documentary exploring the unsolved murder of Sydney anti-development campaigner Juanita Nielsen.

Gaps by David Rosetzky

Gaps embodies Rosetzky’s ongoing exploration of personal identity and the relationship – or ‘gaps’ – between self and other through speech, movement and dance.

Bayi Gardiya - Singing Desert by Dr Christian Thompson AO​​

Open on Thursday 1 February and Friday 2 February 2024 from 10.00am to 2.00pm at Doncaster Library. To experience this 360-degree work, please visit the Creative Lab located on the mezzanine floor of Doncaster Library, accessible via the lift in the junior area. There will be a staff member there to assist. Suitable for all ages. 

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

Photo caption: Kaylene Whiskey, Ngura Pukulpa – Happy Place, 2021. Between the Details: Video Art from the ACMI Collection. Image courtesy of Kaylene Whiskey and Iwantja Arts.

Photo: Max Mackinnon

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.

Ramak Bamzar, a Melbourne-based Iranian photographer, blends art historical influences with a meticulous focus on colour, texture, and lighting. Her work explores themes of gender identity, geographical determinism, culture, and environment, all characterised by thoughtful compositions.

In these striking works, the Moustachioed Women and Rhinoplastic Girls from Bamzar’s 2022 series burst out of their imprisoning frames to capture a moment in the ongoing struggle, intertwining with the essence of Iranian culture and heritage. Through the integration of poetic motifs, epic themes, and historical allusions, the images go beyond mere documentation, offering a profound insight into the resilience and determination of Iranian women.

The Vigil – Crying for a Man I Never Met, 2022. Ramak Bamzar. Image courtesy of the Artist.

Kelly Sports has summer entertainment covered with a jam-packed holiday program filled with sport and recreation activities. From soccer and cricket, to tag games, kids will have a blast staying active and learning new skills.

The Kelly Sports team are supportive and encouraging. Their aim is to help kids get active, develop skills, build confidence and gain a lifelong love for sports and recreation.

Manningham Council are partnering with Kelly Sports to offer a limited number of low-cost, full and half day places in their holiday program. 

Participants can select from a range of activities, times and days. Spaces are limited, so get in quick to avoid disappointment.

Program information

• classes are for children aged 4 to 12 years
• participants must be Manningham residents to qualify for the subsidised rate
• only one application can be submitted per child

How to apply

To secure one of the low-cost places, register your interest now via the online form. Once you have submitted the form, a Council officer will contact you to confirm registration into your nominated Kelly Sports program.

Please note: applications are an expression of interest only and submission does not confirm a place the program.

View the full program

We've installed another, brand-new exercise station at Ruffey Lake Park! Learn how to use the new equipment by trying a workout with a qualified instructor.

This station is off Cricklewood Drive, up the hill from the Church Road car park along the Hilltops Circuit path.

Every session will begin with a demonstration by a qualified instructor on how to use the outdoor fitness equipment. 

The sessions are 1 hour long and are recommended for those with a beginner to moderate fitness level. Anyone can use this outdoor gym to improve their strength, fitness, and coordination.

How to get there: This station is best accessed through the Church Road car park. From there, walk up the hill toward Cricklewood Drive.

On the day, please make sure to:

• dress in activewear
• bring a drink bottle
• wear sunscreen

Belgravia Leisure is committed to doing everything they can to keep everyone safe. Equipment will be wiped down before and after use and hand sanitizer will be available during the session. Instructors delivering these sessions are fully vaccinated. You are not required to wear a mask, however if you wish to wear one please do so. Please do not attend if you are feeling unwell.

It can be fun to plan an overseas holiday where you set your itinerary. Sometimes you don't want to be stuck on a bus and herded like cattle when you travel. You want to be free and tailor your own schedule. 

These two 2.5 hour informal sessions will explore how to plan, book and enjoy an overseas vacation when you want to do your own thing. 

We will explore how to go about this complicated exercise including:

• what to plan
• how to estimate the cost, and zoom in on the actual cost through the process
• when to use a travel agent and when not to use a travel agent
• economy versus premium economy versus business class – air travel
• fly/drive versus bus tours
• consideration of train travel versus car versus bus for medium distances
• travel insurance
• difference between travelling to Europe, USA and Asia – language, culture and cost
• using money overseas
• internet and phone access
• planning for medication
• and much more depending on where the discussion and questions take us.

The session will be guided by an experienced overseas traveller and is not commercially motivated. 

The main focus of the sessions will be to answer questions in advance of your proposed planning and travel – especially if you have not travelled internationally or not travelled for many years.

An exhibition of local artists showing mixed media of member's work.

The art show will be open 10.00am to 3.00pm daily.

For more information, go to Doncaster Templestowe Artists Society.

Representatives from Manningham Senior's Clubs are invited to attend this free workshop.

This session will help grant writers to understand the basics of submitting grant applications.

Topics covered:

• how to interpret grant guidelines to ensure you hit the mark
• synthesising your content to meet the word limits
• understanding how to define your outcomes / strategies
• realistically budgeting your program.

Presented by: EV Community Strengthening, Viv Cunningham-Smith.

Audience: Maximum two representatives from each Manningham Seniors Club to attend.

Cost: Free.

What to bring: Bring your project idea with you.

Watch this brand-new webinar by Psychologist and author Steve Biddulph. 

Recorded in his home in Tasmania, Steve Biddulph presents a whole new way to understand your own mind and listen to its’ deep-down signals.

Described as therapy meeting neuroscience, this talk explores the new concept of ‘supersense’ – the feelings beneath our feelings. This concept helps guide parents to a more awake and free way of living every minute of their lives.

The webinar will cover the following:

• Calming anxiety in parents and kids
• Helping children manage their emotions well
• How to know what is right for you
• Being at ease in a difficult world 

This pre-recorded online event does not allow for questions at the end.

We'll provide Instructions on how to access the webinar within the booking confirmation.

Join our hands-on learning sessions in the Digital Room! 

Book a 30-minute 1:1 with a branch librarian to learn how to digitise family photos, convert VHS tapes, and navigate our equipment. 

Bring a friend along! 

We welcome patchworkers, quilters and other creatives working with textiles.

New members welcome, no previous experience required. BYO projects.

We meet on the 4th Saturday each month; $5 per session.

Parking is available on site and Bus 905 stops at Thompsons Road / Sunhill Road.

Caroline Ellen is one of Australia's most trusted parent educators. Through her presentations, podcast, online courses, private coaching, and online membership, she has helped thousands of families build stronger connections. After 15 years of being a social worker specialising in children and families, Caroline has seen first hand what information and support parents really need in order to make changes at home. Caroline delivers difficult, often challenging information in a style that feels relatable, reassuring, and safe.

In Kids, nudes & the internet, Caroline provides practical resources and advice you can put into immediate action. We'll explore what you can do to reduce the risk of harm, and how to take action if things go wrong.

Caroline's advice is clear, actionable, and empowering. Parents walk away feeling more confident about what action they can be taken to protect their children and ensure a safer, stronger future.

This event is proudly supported by Manningham Councils Community Grants Program.

Home Harvest Manningham is a monthly home gardening seminar series that will teach you how to grow your own delicious fresh food at home.

Karen Sutherland has a lifelong passion for growing her own food. In this seminar Karen will share with you her expertise in incorporating a bush tucker garden at your place.

This session will cover:

• the best bush food plants for gardens in Manningham
• which plants to pot vs those to plant in the ground
• basic growing information
• the basics of harvesting bush 'tucker'
• simple uses for both fresh and dried plants.

Start your passion for native edibles such as lemon and cinnamon myrtle, native thyme and sage, peppers, mints, fruits and berries.

Food swap from 6.45pm, session starts at 7.00pm.

Registration is recommended but not required.

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.

Subscribe to our Environment Newsletter

Keep up to date with our latest environment and sustainability events.

Subscribe now