Love a bit of political campaigning? Love your neighbourhood house? Enjoy an outing to the city? Know your local MP?

Join us on the steps of Parliament on Wednesday 18 February for our “Day of Action” - we’re hoping to keep the momentum going for our ask for fairer support for neighbourhood houses from the State Government.

Logistics wise, we’ll leave from ACC and catch the train from Alphington Station, meeting up with other houses along the Hurstbridge line on the train.

If you are keen to help support us please email us here so we can know to expect you - and keep you up to date with any information for the day and beyond.

Keen to get into reading this year? We run 5 Book Clubs that meet at ACC. Books are provided by Darebin Libraries. And they are all just about to begin! The perfect time to join up if you are interested. Just jump on our website to sign up.

You can book in here.

Kalimna will then get in contact with you with all the details (note she is in the office on Tuesday and Wednesday each week).

This year we have the following vacancies:

• 2nd Monday of the month Book Club (evening) - 2 places

• 3rd Monday of the month Book Club (evening) - 3 places

• 1st Thursday of the month Book Club (evening) - 2 places

• 2nd Tuesday of the month Book Club (morning) - 9 places (this is a new book club that will begin when we have 5 people signed up … )

We look forward welcoming you to one of our Book Clubs.

MEN’S BREAKFAST – FEBRUARY 2026

A simple table. Real talk. Stronger men.

After the busyness before Christmas, it’s time to come back to something steady.

The Men’s Breakfast is a monthly gathering for men to reconnect — with themselves first, and with other men who value honesty, responsibility, and heart.

To make catering and logistics smooth, this breakfast is run as:

✔ Pre-booked tickets only – $15 each
✔ Seats must be secured before the breakfast

The breakfast runs from 8am-10.30am. Click here to book in.

For more information you can contact John on 0439 899 352 or email coachinglifework@gmail.com.

Why hello!

I hope you have had a lovely summer break. A pretty crazy one hey, weather wise? Not so warm … very very very warm … fires and floods (sorry if you were affected - so much loss across the Victorian community - houses, farms, cars and caravans. My sister drove through the Streatham/Skipton fire aftermath just the other day and was quite shocked and couldn’t get over how scary it must have been for that community).

I have been down at Aireys Inlet and was in a dilemma whether to stay or leave on the hot day when the fires started, then impacted by the smoke from the Otway fires (it was quite overwhelming for a bit there before the wind changed) … and no sooner had that ended and I got stuck in Lorne due to the floods there (we even had to go to the Emergency Relief Centre for a little bit which was a surreal experience).

The fires from the Otways spreading smoke to Aireys Inlet.

Pretty amazing how quickly the bridge got de-mudded and the shops affected were cleared of water and they started the process of drying out with big fans/heaters.

But then (on a happier note) we saw the Aurora Australis. So spectacular. We just wandered down to the local beach and looked south … and there it was!

The Southern Cross in the sky. We were looking out from on the hill (where the toilet block is) just at the inlet at Aireys Inlet.

From the car park at the inlet … looking out over the bit where the river meets the beach at Aireys Inlet.

I am back in Melbourne Monday, and I am hoping my tomatoes have ripened up and my zucchini have not yet turned into marrows! And that my potted plants have somehow managed to survive …

I know that both Corrado and Jenny have been popping into ACC over the break to keep the garden alive (big thanks to you both) - and Project Stationery have been making the most of all the spaces at ACC (I saw on Instagram a photo of people sorting textas outside under the front pergola). And as they haven’t had to contact me for any emergencies, I am assuming all is well at our home base, and I am looking forward to getting back to work and catching up with everyone!

We’re back in the office from Wednesday this week, and we will kick off our first Community Morning for the year on Friday - gardening, craft and chats from 10am and lunch at 12pm - perhaps tomatoes and zucchinis will be on the menu!?!

Looking forward to a great 2026 and hope to see you at ACC soon.

And look after yourself Tuesday - 45 is just way too hot.

Cheers Leanne

We would like to say a big thank you to everyone who has come by in the last few weeks to support our Keep Our Doors Open campaign asking for fairer funding from the State Government.

On Wednesday we delivered around 1000 signed postcards to Kat Theophanous’s office, all signed by locals who value the four neighbourhood houses in the Northcote electorate. Strong communities start here!

Check out some of the photos below! If you get the chance to talk to your local politicians over the next little while please don’t forget to add your support for this campaign into the conversation. The more people who talk about it the better chance we will have (we hope).