Join us for an engaging session presented by Musculoskeletal Health Australia (MHA) – Australia’s leading voice for musculoskeletal health.

Presented by Helen Jentz, MHA Chief Executive Officer, the session will help you:

• learn about the muscles, bones, and joints that keep us moving
• explore the nine most common musculoskeletal conditions in Australia as well as their impact, treatment options, and self-care strategies
• find out how to take charge of your health and be an active participant in your care.

Plus, get the inside scoop on The World’s Biggest Sit In – an exciting world record attempt for the largest chair-based exercise class on Sunday 26 October 2025.

Come and join the fun at the newly renovated Doncaster Hill Community Garden! 

Every 2 weeks community members gather to lend a hand with planting, sowing seeds, weeding, watering and harvesting fresh produce. 

Comprising of wicking beds, fruit trees and herb patches, the produce is grown and harvested communally. While the produce gets donated to a local food bank, volunteers are able to get involved in fun and interesting activities, learn about gardening and connect with others. 

The garden is open to all and welcomes anyone with an interest in growing food, meeting others and learning new things. 

All gardening tools are provided. Please bring a water bottle, hat and closed toe shoes. 

No registration required. 

Do you share a home with your adult children? Whether your kids have moved back into your home, or you are sharing a space, this presentation will provide tips to maintain harmony in your household and control of your lifestyle.  Followed by a morning tea and service provider stalls. 

Bookings are essential for this free event. 

Register online or call the Manningham Healthy Ageing Team on 9840 9230 to book your spot. 

Transport and parking

If you require assistance with transport, please contact Eastern Volunteers (EV) directly for transport bookings on 9870 7822. 

Parking is available in the Civic Centre car park. 

Learn the unique art of Chinese brush painting with our experienced teachers.

In this class you will learn:

• basic brush strokes
• brush loading techniques
• the use of Chinese ink and colours on rice paper.

Activities will include a series of practical exercises before completing small paintings on three main themes – flowers, birds, fish and landscapes.

The class is suitable for beginners and continuing students. No experience required. All adults aged 55 years and over are welcome to attend.

Please note: students need to supply their own materials.

This is a great opportunity to meet new friends and improve your health and wellbeing while connecting with others in your community.

To reserve your place in the class, call Bo on 0437 956 639.

We look forward to seeing you at our class.

The class is run by CASS Care, a non-profit organisation, providing aged care services in Sydney and Melbourne.

This online program provides an overview of dementia and how to proceed after a diagnosis. The program runs over seven sessions and covers coping with change, relationships and communication, planning for the future and staying healthy.

You will gain knowledge in:

• dementia and related issues such as planning for the future
• strategies for living positively with dementia including support
• the management, reduction and/or prevention of behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia.

Suitable for people living with dementia and their family carers and family members. This program is not suitable for professionals employed in the health or aged care sectors.

Dementia Australia's facilitators have specialist dementia knowledge, skills and experience. This program is delivered interactively - you will be encouraged to share your experiences alongside other participants, giving you an opportunity to develop new support networks.

If you register to attend this program you will be contacted by Dementia Australia staff to ensure that the program will meet your needs and that you meet the eligibility requirements.

Meeting Date: 28 October 2025
Meeting Time: 7.00pm 
Location: Council Chamber, Civic Centre 699 Doncaster Road, Doncaster.         

Council meeting livestream

Timestamps

We invite members of community organisations to attend this information session to find out more about our Community Partnership Grants program 2026-2030.

This session will provide essential information about our upcoming round of Community Partnership Grants which open for applications on Monday 27 October 2025.

Community organisations could include:

• seniors clubs sports clubs
• recreation and leisure groups
• arts and cultural groups
• previous recipients of grants awarded through our Community Grants Program

The session will cover:

• key dates and available funding
• grant streams including community partnership, minor community events and major community events
• eligibility assessment criteria
• project plan
• evaluation framework and budget
• information how to apply

Community Partnership Grant Guidelines

Building on the information shared in the Community Grant Information Session and Grant Writing Workshop, this is your opportunity to ask questions about your grant proposal and receive constructive, unbiased feedback. 

During the session, you’ll have a chance to discuss your ideas in a 1:1 conversation with a staff member from the Healthy Ageing Team. Our team will also emphasize the importance of aligning your proposal with our Healthy Ageing objectives. 

Please note: it is expected you attend the Community Grants session and the Grants writing workshop prior to attending this session to best equip yourself with knowledge required to submit your application.

• Who can attend: Maximum of two representatives from each organisation to attend
• Cost: Free
• What to bring: A pen, notepad and your ideas
• How to register: Places are limited and bookings are essential. Register now to secure your place

If you are unable to register online, call the Healthy Ageing Team on 9840 9230. 

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.

Everyone has the capacity for creative expression and enjoyment. 

Heide’s Creative Age Programs are designed specifically for people living with early stage dementia and their Carers to discover their creativity through the non-verbal avenue of art, and to promote health and wellbeing. Heide’s Creative Age programs are kindly supported by the Phil Taylor Foundation.

The sessions run from 1:30pm each Thursday until 3 April 2025.

Transport option are as follows:

Public Transport
Train (Hurstbridge line) to Heidelberg station and bus #903 (Mordialloc bound) to Heide. Disembark at the Bulleen Road/Manningham Road stop. Estimated bus travel time is 5-10 minutes. Walk to Heide through Banksia Park, via the pedestrian path next to the Helmet sculpture on the corner of Bridge Street or by walking North on Bulleen Road and entering via the upper car park.

Bicycle
Heide is located next to Banksia Park near the Main Yarra Trail. From Southbank, this 33km bike trail passes ancient gums and billabongs before ending at Westerfolds Park in Templestowe. With a flat grade and good quality track, this trail makes for an enjoyable experience and a truly ‘green’ way to travel to Heide.

Car
Free parking available on-site and additional parking available in adjoining Banksia Park (enter via 5 Templestowe Road)

Bus / coach parking
The parking at Heide is not suitable for buses so we advise bus and coach drivers to park in the bays on Templestowe Road, immediately preceding the entrance to the museum at 7 Templestowe Road (alongside picket fence).

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.

Come along and learn from therapeutic horticulturist Shani Shafrir, who will discuss the health benefits of gardening and how being in nature and engaging in gardening activities can support a healthy mind, body and soul.

Shani will also discuss how gardening and garden spaces can become age-friendly and support healthy ageing through design and management techniques.

The seminar begins at 6.30pm, or join us from 6.15pm for our monthly food swap, where you can bring and trade homegrown produce, cuttings, seeds, gardening magazines, jars, ferments and more!

About Home Harvest: Home Harvest is a free, complete home gardening program that runs monthly from February to December. It aims to educate and inspire residents to grow their own organic, nutritious and delicious produce at home. The series hosts seminars, question and answer time, on-site activities and food swaps!

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By improving your home's efficiency, you can reduce energy costs and create a more comfortable home for your family.

Looking for ways to improve comfort and energy efficiency at home? This 2-hour session, funded by Manningham Council and hosted by Doncaster Library, is perfectly timed as we enter the warmer months. 

Join expert presenter Lucinda and learn practical strategies to optimise your home and appliances for summer comfort.

Topics include:

• how heat builds up in your home and strategies to reduce this
• simple tips for staying cooler in summer
• choosing efficient and affordable appliances
• habits and behaviours to make your home more liveable
• government freebies, rebates and financial incentives.
   

You'll leave with fresh ideas and an upgrades roadmap to help you achieve greater comfort and lower energy use – long into the future.

The session is suited to anyone looking for simple, practical ways to save money, reduce their environmental impact and improve their home's liveability. 

Registrations are essential.

Note: Pines Learning will be hosting an earlier session of Liveable Homes - Summer Comfort on 9 October 2025.

Power up a cleaner future

This event is part of our Electrify Your Life program, which supports residents to go all-electric at home, creating a brighter Manningham. Learn how to make the switch at Electrify Your Life.

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

Subscribe now