Warrandyte Tennis Club and Happy Little Learners present: Learning the fun way - free two week trial.

Come along for a free two week trial of our all new Learning the Fun Way - through music, movement and play program.

Sessions are designed for children 6 months to 7 years. Children are supported by their parents/carers to learn a huge range of age-appropriate skills and understandings in a creative, fun and interactive way.

Separate classes will be offered, specifically catering for children with ASD, ADHD or learning difficulties.

Where applicable, please include a description of your NDIS goals or ILP goals, to ensure we can cater towards your specific needs.

Class timetable

Mondays: 

• Kinder kids (4 year olds) - 9.45am to 10.30am
• Babies (6 months to walking) - 10.45am to 11.15am
• ASD / ADHD (3 to 5 year olds) - 11.30am to 12.45pm plus 30 minutes 'stay and play' 12.45am to 1.30pm

Wednesdays:

• Kinder kids (4 year olds) 9.45am to 10.30am
• Toddlers (walking to 3 year olds) 10.45am to 11.15am
• ASD / ADHD (5 to 7 year olds) 4.00pm to 4.45pm plus 30 minutes 'stay and play' 4.45pm to 5.30pm

Matthew Dunne is an artist and writer living and working in Melbourne, Australia.

The Killing Sink is a response to the deliberate killing of Wedge-Tailed Eagles in Victoria. Using the trial of Murray James Silvester, who pleaded guilty to killing over 400 eagles, as a starting point, the project traces the history of the practice, the animals killed and the geography of the crimes.

The Killing Sink acts as both a public celebration of eagles and a eulogy for what’s been taken, focusing on how we relate to the nature around us. Part true crime and part psychogeography, The Killing Sink asks what has been lost and how far have we really come?

Installation View, Manningham Art Gallery, February 2022. Photo by Matthew Dunne. 

A Fragment of the Infinite Magnificence, explores connections between our private worlds and nature through dreamlike, intimate, interior scenes. A conveying of otherworldly moments that may not be perceived thoroughly by seeing, hearing, smelling, touching, and/or tasting.

“I want to take a part of it home, frame and keep it forever at the corner of my heart, inside my mind, in front of my eyes, or rather, become one with it. I am now reflecting a fraction of all that greatness. Anyone who looks at me will see her and her glory and beauty. Now we are one. She is in my home and, I am in hers. She has always been my haven.” - Zahra Marsous

Zahra Marsous (b.1987 Tehran, Iran) is a visual artist based in Melbourne, Australia. She was awarded a BA in Painting from Tehran University of Art in 2010 and a Diploma in Painting from the Visual Art School in Tehran.

Zahra has held several solo exhibitions in Iran and Australia and participated in numerous group exhibitions, festivals, and biennials. She is interested in the female form and its relationship to nature, emotions, and feelings.

Photo by Charlie Kinross. 

Play with optical filters, colour and light to create a blossom that will delight.  

Join the creative team Skunk Control for a fun workshop to create small flower sculptures. You will use optical filters that cast colour shadows in sunlight and create a flower about to bloom. 

In 2023, Skunk Control will be creating a public artwork for a new park in Hepburn Road Doncaster. As part of this project, they are engaging with the community to create these flowers.  

The flowers will be displayed at MC Square and planted for a time at the new park as part of the public artwork.  

Ages: Suitable for those aged 10+

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.

Dracula comes to Manningham! 

Playhouse Players' “Dracula the Play” opens on World Dracula Day on Friday 26 May at the Doncaster Playhouse.

Local Director, Peter T Nathan is bringing to the stage Bram Stoker’s iconic work adapted by Steven Dietz. 

Dietz’s 1996 version remains faithful to Bram Stoker’s original story. It evokes the same chilling tone created by Stoker and emulates the style of language common at the end of the 19th Century.

There will be special prizes on opening night for best dressed and themed food and drink. 

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.

Join local ecologist John Harris as he takes you on a journey through Warrandyte State Park’s Fourth Hill.

John will undertake a bird survey and help you identify birds found in the Warrandyte area. 

Walk rating: 3km moderate walk, includes steep and narrow sections, creek crossing, slippery sections and tripping hazards.

Food and snacks

A light breakfast will be provided at the end of the walk. 

If you have any special dietary requirements, we recommend bringing your own food and snacks. 

What to bring and wear 

Bring a water bottle, wear solid shoes, weather appropriate clothing and bring your own binoculars so you don't miss a thing!

Download the Aussie Bird Count Smartphone Application on Android and Apple before the walk and bring your smartphone on the day.

Where to meet

The meeting place will be at Gold Memorial Drive Picnic Ground. 10 minutes before the walk starts.

Please note: the nature walk could be cancelled due to extreme weather.

This event is part our Manningham Spring Outdoors Series, where we offer a range of fun outdoor activities across Manningham.

You can also check what’s happening across other Councils by visiting the Spring Outdoors website.

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Pack a picnic rug and enjoy an afternoon of  jazz with friends at Stiggants Reserve in Warrandyte.

Featuring performances from  Shirazz, Bob Sedergreen and friends, Pippa Wilson, Stuart Cardell, Jazz Notes, Simple Syncopation (Donvale Christian College) and, opening the show, the DR Big Band. This free community event will come alive with bands, performers, delicious food, coffee and more. 

Presented by Community Music and Performances Inc, this event is supported by Manningham Council's Community Grant Program.

As part of Australian Heritage Festival 2024, Doncaster Templestowe Historical Society presents an exhibition of kitchen implements, tools and appliances used from the mid-1800s through to the early part of the 20th Century.

An asteroid the size of a large island is heading directly for earth and there appears to be no way to stop it colliding.
What should we do?

Sit at home and pray while twiddling thumbs, drink, wail and gnash our teeth or head down to the local pub for one last trivia night with friends and convivial drink?

Warrandyte Theatre Co. presents The Last Quiz Night on Earth (written by Alison Carr and directed by Bob Bramble) a comedy-drama. Audience and actors engage in a pub trivia night. 

Gather friends for a group table booking of eight. 

Join us for an engaging seminar where we'll delve into the fascinating world of fungi with expert Dr. Alison Pouliot. 

The earth’s rapidly changing climate and environmental issues have come into sharp focus through the demise of charismatic megafauna and the ‘biodiversity crisis’. But what about stinkhorns and slime moulds? How do fungi and their kin get our attention when they are not only overshadowed by more ‘popular’ organisms, but are rarely included in our ideas about ‘nature’ or ‘biodiversity’?

The good news is it seems we’re in something of a ‘fungal awakening’ and mushrooms are finally having their moment. Over the last 25 years Alison has divided her time between hemispheres, working both with fungi and their followers. She has been actively involved in fungal conservation and land restoration programs.

In this talk Alison will explore how fungi are perceived across hemispheres in conservation contexts and which fungal flagships best capture the public imagination. She will also share some stories from the writing of her recent book, Underground Lovers – Encounters with Fungi in which she interacted with fungi and their followers across a dozen countries.

There will be an opportunity at the end for participants to show their specimens or purchase books.

Booking essential: Limited to 50 people.

About the Presenter

Alison Pouliot, BA (Philosophy), BSc Hons (Zoology), PhD (Ecology/Mycology).

Alison is an ecologist, environmental photographer and author and has presented over 800 environmental seminars, forays and workshops in Australia and internationally.

Seminar field trip

Attending this event will enable you to attend the Seminar field trip: Meeting with mushrooms.

• Date: Thursday 30 May 2024
• Time: 9.00am to 11.30am

This exciting field trip introduces participants to the diversity, ecology and curiosities of the Kingdom Fungi, specific to fungi found in the region and its various habitat types.

Participants will learn some of the basic skills used to identify fungi in the field using multiple senses. The relationships between fungi and various plant species and different habitat types will be discussed. Every fungus has intriguing natural and cultural histories and stories, and these will be shared along the way.

Interested participants will be sent a registration link.

Understand the basics of technology, including smartphones and other digital devices. Learn about their functionality and the ways you can use these devices to connect with others and access services over the internet.

The topics covered include:

• using your smartphone
• using SMS
• connecting and working safely
• navigating the internet
• using email
• using social media
• using apps and software
• everyday technology
• staying safe online.

Hope. Love. Survival. What happens when the unimaginable becomes reality?

A quiet life is turned upside down when an elderly British couple prepares for an impending nuclear strike. Armed with only government survival pamphlets and unwavering optimism, they face the horrors of war with a heartbreaking mix of love, humor and denial.

This critically acclaimed adaptation of Raymond Briggs' classic graphic novel is a deeply moving, darkly humorous, and eerily relevant story about resilience in the face of catastrophe.

Why you should see it:

• a gripping and emotional theatre experience that will stay with you long after the final bow
• a blend of satire and tragedy, offering moments of both laughter and heartbreak
• stunning, intimate performances by Adrian Rice and Simone Kiefer, directed by David Tynan

Don’t miss this unforgettable production at Warrandyte Theatre Company. 

Bring a friend, spread the word, and experience one of the most thought-provoking plays of the season.

Beyond the Table: The Dinner Party Reimagined  is a reimagining of a traditional dinner party, with a nod to 1970s nostalgia and celebrating one of the key gathering spaces in our homes, the humble dining table.

The installation is on display at Manningham Art Gallery as part of Melbourne Design Week, Australia's premier design festival featuring events across Melbourne and regional Victoria.

Emerging Manningham artist Isobel Goodman responds to and selects works from Manningham Council’s ‘Potters Cottage Collection,’ a grouping of vessels created by the Potters Cottage co-operative. The co-operative was founded in Warrandyte in 1958 to advocate for and sell handmade functional Australian pottery.

Goodman hand builds her signature papier mâché and plaster sculptures – organic and abstracted forms to reference a dinner party table setting – vases, cutlery, plates, and candlesticks that play off and create a contemporary juxtaposition against the Potters Cottage vessels from the 1970s. 

Surrounding the central dining table presentation is a display of paintings from local Manningham artist Jade Piltz. These works depict bright, layered and abstract domestic objects that encapsulate the exhibition’s celebration of communal gathering and ritual. 

During Melbourne Design Week (15-25 May) visitors can take home a flower to celebrate this exhibition. 

Artist Bios: 
Isobel Goodman was recently awarded a Bachelor of Fine Art from the University of Melbourne. Her practice focuses on sculptural exploration and the body’s navigation of space and environment through the perspective of APD (Auditory Processing Disorder). She invites audiences to examine their relationship between the physical self and how we navigate the world around us.

Jade Piltz is a Warrandyte painter and ceramist. She is fascinated by our innate search for belonging, our desire for meaning and relationships to change and transition. Using mark making, she explores the ways our interactions with surrounding spaces and objects, narrate and inform our lives.

This Exhibition was supported by Gabriela Mello, owner and director of Warrandyte Pottery, through artist mentorship and technical and conceptual support and curated by Lucy Beattie Hughes, Manningham Council’s Creative Industries Officer.

Jade Piltz, Alone, Together (detail), 2024,  acrylic on canvas, 168 x 122cm. Image courtesy of the artist. Photo by: Emily Brookfield.
 

 
Melbourne Design Week is Australia’s largest and leading annual design festival and takes place from 15 to 25 May 2025.

The 2025 program spans 11 days of 350+ events, exhibitions, talks, and installations throughout metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria.

Melbourne Design Week is a vital platform for emerging and established creative practitioners, offering the Australian design community and audiences the opportunity to engage with a diverse program of talks, tours, exhibitions, installations, and workshops. Melbourne Design Week is an initiative of the Victorian Government through Creative Victoria and is curated and delivered by the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV).

Visit designweek.melbourne to view the full program.


 

Join us for an engaging evening with acclaimed author Amanda Hampson as she introduces The Deadly Dispute, the latest instalment in her award-winning Tea Ladies series.

Set in 1967 Sydney, this cozy crime novel reunites readers with the intrepid tea ladies—Hazel, Betty, and Irene—as they uncover secrets, scandals, and sticky situations.

Amanda will share insights into her writing journey, the resurgence of cozy crime fiction, and the art of crafting compelling mysteries. Don’t miss this opportunity to delve into a world of intrigue and nostalgia.

The World's Biggest Sit In (WBSI) is a world record attempt for the largest chair based exercise class ever held.

WBSI is a call to action - to rethink physical activity, get moving, raise awareness about the importance of good musculoskeletal health, and raise much-needed funds to support people living with musculoskeletal disease.

WBSI is suitable for people of all ages and abilities. It is free to participate, and fundraising is encouraged. Register to join in the action in person or online.

Cinderella wants to go to the ball. Jack needs his cow to give milk. Little Red is off to Grandma’s. And a Baker and his Wife are desperate to break a family curse. But when they all head into the woods to chase their wishes, they find that getting what you want isn’t always what you need.

Packed with humor, heart, and unforgettable songs, Into the Woods Jr. is a fast-paced musical adventure perfect for audiences of all ages. 

Come see what happens after once upon a time — and before happily ever after.