Here's an update on some recent and upcoming works delivered as part of the Ruffey Lake Park Masterplan. 

New public artwork at Boulevarde Hill 

The new sculpture by Natasha Johns-Messenger was installed in June this year.

Named EllipseCircleView, this artwork draws inspiration from the panoramic views of Ruffey Lake Park. Its simple geometric forms encourage visitors to contemplate their surroundings and appreciate the beauty of the landscape.

Find out more about the artist and artwork.

Bridges and boardwalks

Works commencing soon

Starting in October 2024 and continuing through 2025, we’ll be enhancing the pathways around Ruffey Lake Park. These works aim to improve accessibility and connectivity, creating a better experience for park users.

Works will be carried out in stages through 2025, and will include:

King Street pedestrian bridge

We’re building a new bridge across Ruffey Creek to provide a safe and accessible all-weather connection for pedestrians. The bridge will offer an alternative to the existing narrow footpath along King Street.

These works will begin later this month and are expected to be completed in December. This schedule is subject to weather conditions.

King Street underpass widening

We’re widening the existing path under the King Street pedestrian bridge. The upgraded 2.5 metre wide shared path will support pedestrians and cyclists travelling through the area.

These works are scheduled to begin in 2025.

Quarry pedestrian bridge

We’re building a new bridge at the Quarry to provide a safe and accessible path for pedestrians. These works will likely begin in 2025.

Ruffey Lake boardwalk

We’re building a boardwalk along Ruffey Lake to create a safe, accessible, and visually appealing pathway that encourages the community to enjoy the lake and its surroundings.

The boardwalk construction is expected to start in 2025.

We’ll continue to publish updates on the works and schedule on the Ruffey Lake Masterplan Your Say Manningham page – subscribe to receive updates via email. 

We welcome the Victorian Government’s commitment to purchasing only Zero Emission Buses (ZEBs) for public transport from 1 July 2025. 

The move to ZEB’s will significantly reduce emissions and pollutants, creating a healthier environment for our community. 

It will also provide a smoother, quieter and cleaner travel experience, which we hope will encourage greater use of Manningham’s extensive bus network. 

Learn more at Zero Emissions Bus Trial and Transition Plan | vic.gov.au

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View some of our past editions!

• Manningham eNews - February 2025
• Manningham eNews - December 2024
• Manningham eNews - July 2024
• Manningham eNews - February 2024

See our full archive of Manningham eNews.

We've partnered with two of Australia’s largest electric vehicle (EV) charging operators to set up a network of nine public charging stations across Manningham.

The partnership with JOLT Charge and Evie Networks will deliver universal direct current chargers at key commercial and tourist destinations from early 2025.

The chargers will be situated on our land and powered by 100% renewable energy. Their supply, installation, operation, and maintenance will be fully financed by the private sector at no cost to us.

By providing public charging stations, we aim to accommodate the increasing use of electric vehicles, especially following new legislated vehicle standards.

A 2023 community survey in Manningham revealed strong community support for local public charging facilities and highlighted the dependence of many local EV drivers on public chargers.

Locations for the chargers are being investigated, focusing on areas where the community can take advantage of the 30 to 40 minute charge time to visit local cafes and restaurants, retail outlets, and sporting facilities.

The final locations will depend on technical feasibility, particularly access to adequate power supply.

For more information, download the brochure below:

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.

For more information, visit our events calendar. 

Image: Pomme the giant cat mascot is a feature of Beci Orpins new exhibition at the Manningham Art Gallery. Picture: Charlie Kinross

Painted Country – a new major exhibition featuring the work of five First Nations artists – is now open at the Manningham Art Gallery in Doncaster. 

The artists – Nellie Ngampa Coulthard, Brenda Napaltjarri, Clara Napurrula, Rene Sundown and Adrian Jurra Tjungurrayi – bring diverse practices and perspectives to reveal their unique depictions of the Australian landscape in their work.

The senior and emerging artists represent two Indigenous arts centres – Iwantja Arts in South Australia and Papunya Tula Artists in the Northern Territory.

The exhibition has been timed to coincide with National Reconciliation Week, which is held each year from 27 May to 3 June, with the 2025 theme Bridging Now to Next.

Aboriginal writer, artist, arts worker and Aboriginal affairs advocate from Cape York Peninsula Jack Wilki-Jans has described the 14 artworks featured in Painted Country as “hypnotic visions” of the artists’ Country.

“Visions of a wide country, a country of colour and texture, of sand dunes and salt lakes, scorched earth and radiant sunsets, of brushes and sweeping tufts of grasses with flowers – Australia!” Jack Wilki-Jans  said.

“It isn’t the hand that paints which this exhibition exalts, it’s the eyes which see.”

This celebration of First Nations contemporary painting is presented in collaboration with Alcaston Art Gallery, with special thanks to the artists, Iwantja Arts in South Australia and Papunya Tula Artists in the Northern Territory.

Gallery opening hours

Manningham Art Gallery, 687 Doncaster Road, Doncaster, is open Wednesday to Saturday, 11.00am to 4.00pm.

Customer service

Our customer service team will be available Monday to Friday from 8.30am to 5.00pm throughout the holiday period, excluding public holidays.

We will be closed:

• Wednesday 25 December
• Thursday 26 December
• Wednesday 1 January.

All of our essential services will continue during this time to ensure the safety and cleanliness of our community is maintained.

If you have an urgent enquiry on a day we’re closed, please phone 9840 9333 to speak with our after hours service.
 

Waste collection 

Your weekly waste collection service will continue without interruption. Check your bin collection days.

We know households often produce more garbage and recycling during the festive season. Please remember all materials must be placed inside your bins – overflowing bins will not be collected.

If you need to dispose of excess waste, you can find your local transfer stations (tips) and recycling centres.

Maternal Child Health 

The Maternal and Child Health line (13 22 29) is available 24 hours a day for phone advice.

If you require medical advice, please contact your general practitioner or in an emergency call 000 or go to your nearest emergency department.

• Between Christmas and New Year, the opening hours for our Doncaster Maternal and Child Health Centre will be:
• Wednesday, 25 December (Christmas Day): closed
• Thursday, 26 December (Boxing Day): closed
• Friday, 27 December: closed
• Monday, 30 December: 9.00am to 4.00pm
• Tuesday, 31 December: 9.00am to 4:30pm
• Wednesday, 1 January (New Year’s Day): closed

Please note that some services may be reduced during this period.
 

Stunning new botanical art displays at the Manningham Civic Centre provide inspiration for bringing the natural world into your own home or workplace.

The displays, on show until Spring, are by artist Kayla Moon, of floristry business xfloss, and are examples of biophilic design.

Biophilic design is about increasing our connection to the natural world within our built environment.

Kayla specialises in unusual large-scale sculptural pieces that combine different materials, colours and structural elements that are both beautiful and thought-provoking.

“Our work is unconventional because of the style of the materials that we use,” Kayla said.

“I love to create sculptures that are big floral monsters - more unusual, even grotesque – beautiful but a bit terrifying.”

Indeed, Kayla’s displays in the foyers of the Civic Centre and MC Square feature the dried and preserved weed Amaranthus, highlighting the beauty of what could considered a ‘monster’ outside its native environment. 

Kayla has combined the Amaranthus with the air plant Old Man’s Beard, Papyrus Sedge, and branches of Corokia to create beautiful sculptural displays.

“I’ve brought together different types of plants at different stages of their lifecycle – weeds, airplants, bushes and deciduous plants. I think it provides insights into natural materiality and the beauty of nature and how you can use flowers, twigs, rocks and other natural items as a medium.”

Biophilia refers to our innate connection with nature and was first coined by psychologist Eric Fromm in 1964. The word biophilia originates from the Greek words ‘bio’, meaning life, and ‘philia’, meaning ‘love of’, resulting in ‘in a love of life or living things’.

In our modern world, biophilic design supports connection to the natural world through practical design principals such as the use of natural shape and forms, environmental features, light and space. 

Bringing the natural world into our home and work environments has many health benefits, including relieving stress and improving our mental and physical wellbeing.

You, too, can bring biophilic design into your own home or workplace. Try some of these tips:

• Live plants: One of the easiest ways to bring biophilic design into your home is through live plants. Spider plants, snake plants, rubber plants and peace lilies are all known for their air purifying abilities and look good too.
• Texture and shape: Decorate your home with textures and shapes that replicate what you might find in nature. Materials such as wood, clay, cork or wool add a natural feel or you could find objects that mimic the patterns and forms of our natural world. 
• Colour: In colour psychology, green is known to calm and rejuvenate, so think about bringing natural colours into your home that make you feel peaceful and bring you a sense of joy, seek inspiration from sunsets, waterways and green spaces.
• Light: If you can, position desks or communal areas around windows to optimise natural light. Reflective surfaces such as stainless-steel bench tops and mirrors can help make a small space feel brighter and more expansive.
• Airflow: Open windows when you can to ensure natural air flow or invest in an air purifier. 
• Scent: Can be a powerful sensory experience. Use diffusers, candles, incense, or natural cleaning products in the home, think about natural scents such as lavender or citrus and made from natural or non-toxic ingredients. You might want to try growing herbs like rosemary, mint or thyme on your windowsill – they smell fantastic, and you can cook with them, too. 

Find out more about biophilic design from the Living Future Institute Australia.

Join us for our Inspired Living Series where you can learn about sustainable ideas from inspiring speakers throughout the year. 

Image: Artist Kayla Moon puts the finishing touches to her botanical art display in the foyer of the Civic Centre.
 

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

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.

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

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.