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This week ..

This week I am going to start with a brief diversion into my own life.

So … over the last couple of years I have been meeting up with my old uni mates to go see plays at the Melbourne Theatre Company. About 8 times a year we go into the city and see plays that explore the big things like feelings and power and thoughts - fabulous things (mostly)! I have been in awe of the sets and stories - the package - that is presented each time. Some people are so clever!

And this last Friday I was meant to see the “The Black Woman of Gippsland” by Andrea James, which I am sure in no coincidence, is now running through National Reconciliation Week. Unfortunately for me I came down with dreadful sciatica, and so whilst I was crying at home and pumping my body full of a cocktail of prescribed steroids, opioids and anti-inflammatories (hooray they worked and by Sunday I was once again able to stand up and walk) my husband, brother-in-law (with my ticket in hand) and mates got the chance to see this play … which they loved. It explores a colonial-era myth about a white woman supposedly shipwrecked in Gippsland and taken in by the Gunaikurnai people. Here is a review.

And this builds on another play I saw and loved last year (it was also on earlier this year, a repeat because it was so popular), "37" by Nathan Maynard which tells the story of a down-on-their-luck country football team whose prospects are boosted by the arrival of two Indigenous players and explores themes of racism, identity, and community within the context of Australian Rules football, drawing inspiration from the experiences of Indigenous players like Adam Goodes. Here is link to a review in The Guardian.

Every time I see things like this they make me stop and think, and reconsider my perspective and my understanding of things, and the complexity … and they really make me acknowledge how much I just don’t know.

Reconciliation is all of our business (as Clare pointed out to me a couple of weeks ago when we were working in the garden on a Friday and she was reminding me to write something in the newsletter for this week). And so this week (such a bummer that I missed the play) I am committing to learning something else new, and maybe you’d like to too. You could maybe read a book or watch a TV show, or go to the play (there’s still tickets available for the MTC show on until 31 May) or listen to a podcast or two …

If you are interested in our local history (like me) you might like to find out more about what happened here in Victoria - I am always blown away by the story of Coranderrk Station/Mission up near Healesville. And just how few of Melbourne’s Aboriginal community survived the colonisation of Victoria to end up there. And how successful it was. And why it was eventually shut down. To find out via TV you can watch series 1, episode 3 of First Australians (SBS) here. Or if you are into podcasts you might like to listen to this one from 2008 from Radio National, Last Refuge: Remembering Coranderrk Aboriginal Station (that’s what I am going to do).

Or of course you can ‘do your own research’ … and if this is your cup of tea maybe start by checking out deadlystory.com website here - an amazing resource with so many links to so many things. Worth a deep dive! Check out the history of Fitzroy and then the link to a walking tour app you can download, for example.

Anyway, good luck! … and back to normal programming …

This week at ACC we have all the usual things … and nothing out of the ordinary.

We (as always) look forward to seeing you!

Cheers Leanne

Walk talk swim Birrarung

You might know that we (off and on) have the 3078 History Group meeting at ACC, and they have a collection of old letters and written anecdotes etc. from older residents of our neighbourhood. Anyway … if you start to read some of the old archives will see that ALL THE KIDS 70 odd years ago used to swim in the Yarra ALL THE TIME.

And of course, the old baths are down in Alphington … a great reminder of the potential of the amazing river asset that sits underutilised on our doorstep. Just imagine on a hot day heading down to a swimming hole at Darebin Parklands or near the boathouses - it would be super cool right?

In this light, I was excited to get an email from Yarra Council this week …. read on …


In the lead up to World Water Day 2025 (March 22), the City of Yarra is teaming up with Regeneration Projects to run an exciting new event series. Picture short, guided river walks through Melbourne’s backyard, connecting with community and storytelling. You’ll get to learn practical ways of caring for the Birrarung’s wellbeing and share your ideas about future river swimming places. This aligns with the City of Yarra’s Climate Emergency Plan and commitment as a Signatory of the Swimmable Cities Charter. As the Wurundjeri saying goes, ‘Burndap Birrarung, burndap umarkoo’ (What’s good for the Yarra is good for All).

Join us at one of these upcoming events to connect and learn more about the river:

Business meets the Birrarung – Thursday 6 March 
Book here

Birrarung Cultural Walk & Yarning Circle – Friday 7 March 
Book here

Birrarung Morning Walk & Breathwork – Saturday 8 March 
Book here 

Birrarung & Bubs Bushwalk – Tuesday 18 March 
Book here

Find out more: https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/walk-talk-swim-birrarung-3989413

Toy Library

Did you know that Alphington Community Centre began as a support service for mums and families? Started by a group of mums it originally ran out of Alphington Primary School and offered serviced like a babysitting club and a toy library - the latter of which still runs today.

In our Toy Library you will find some of the fabulous old puzzles and wooden toys from the 1980s, along with a whole host of newer toys that are suitable for children from 3 months through to primary school.

Our Toy Library costs $45 a year +GST to join - and you can borrow multiple toys every week of school term (that’s 40 weeks a year). Our Toy Library is fully online - so you can book your toys from the convenience of your loungeroom at home, and then pop past on a Tuesday afternoon or a Wednesday morning (when Playgroup is on) to return and collect your toys.

We look forward to welcoming new families to our Toy Library this year - and catching up with our exist Toy Library families as they pop in over the coming weeks.

Join our Toy Library here.


Street photography

With Darebin Parklands around the corner, a raft of heritage buildings dotted through our streets, plane trees in their glory and the ultra urban grunge of a train line on our doorstep, the upcoming street photography workshop in October should be fabulous.

Starting at ACC, join photographer Suzanne Phoenix for a lovely, family friendly walk around our neighbourhood with your camera or phone on Saturday 19th October 10am-1pm. The cost is $48.

This workshop is suitable for all ages. Children will need to be supervised by their paying adult. Please click this link to learn more about Suzanne and join the walk in Alphington in October!

Please note that we need a minimum number of people to attend in order to run our workshops.