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

Hi everyone,

Wow it is December ALREADY and not long before the summer holidays begin (how quickly has this year flown by?!) - and we have a couple of last events to look forward to. This Thursday we are off on another of our Op Shop Adventures for our fellow shopaholics on a budget. We’ll go to Preston this time. Book in online here and don’t forget to bring your myki as we will be travelling on public transport!

The final Men’s Breakfast run this Saturday, 6 December at 8am. $10 for breakfast and good company. Read on for more details!

We will also be hosting our Christmas Lunch at 12pm next Friday 12 December. If you are part of the ACC community - a line dancer, book clubber, musician, artist - we’d love to see you for our end of year celebration! Just contact us if you are not a regular community lunch person so we can provide the right amount of food! We look forward to seeing you and perhaps one more friend will be joining us (hint - he wears a LOT of red and white).

Otherwise this week we will be running:

• Garden to Plate this morning from 11.30am-1pm

• Toy Library Collection Tuesday from 1-3pm and Wednesday from 10am-12pm

• AAA Bowls at Alphington Bowls Club, Alphington Playgroup here at the centre and Line Dancing at the Alphington Scout Hall all on Wednesday from 10am-12pm

• Armchair Theatre Wednesday from 1-3pm

• First Wednesday of the Month Book Club Wednesday evening from 7.30-9pm

• First Thursday of the Month Book Club Thursday morning from 10-11.30am

• Community Morning Friday from 10am-12pm

• Community Lunch Friday from 12-1pm

• AAA Art Friday from 1-2pm

Cheers, Leanne

Well summer is arriving and it is exciting to see stone fruit back in our lives isn’t it? On Monday at Garden to Plate we bought the most delicious ‘fireball’ apricots - and will be hoping that we can harvest them soon from the garden. So super to have such delicious early varieties now available to grow and buy!

And we made this recipe. It is really good and makes a great appetiser (served with goats cheese) or dessert (served with ice cream), and you can even give it a try with dried apricots if fresh are not in season. Apricot trees are nearly indestructible (if my garden is anything to go by) and so I am sure there are lots of people in the neighbourhood with a home supply of apricots over the next couple of months who will appreciate this quick an interesting way of using them.

We ate these apricots with ice cream for dessert on Monday. And then I made it for Crunch with goats cheese on Thursday. And with ice cream again on Friday for Community Lunch - it really was good, see! Highly recommend. And so simple …

Fresh Apricots with Thyme, Honey and Nuts

Ingredients

·       6 apricots

·       1-2 tablespoons honey

·       1 teaspoon thyme (fresh or dried)

·       ¼ cup walnuts or macadamia or hazelnuts, lightly toasted and broken into easy to eat pieces

Instructions

·       Cut the apricots in half and remove pip and stalk.

·       In a bowl mix together the honey, lightly toasted nuts and thyme.

·       Fill the hollow of the apricots with the honey nut mixture.

·       Serve by themselves or with a smear or sprinkle of goats cheese for an appetiser or with vanilla ice cream on the side for a dessert.

Hi everyone,

We had a fantastic and very busy week last week, and we’re happy to be settling back down into our normal rhythm again.

The barbecue is clean and packed back away (for the next few months) and we’ve done the tidying up …. so we’ll just be sitting back in our office chairs and kicking up our feet (haha - we can only wish!!!).

If you couldn’t make it to Alphington Open Studios last weekend, luckily it runs for two weekends. We’ll have 4 artists here again this Saturday and Sunday as part of this neighbourhood-wide event. Find the map here to check all the spaces and artists you can visit across Alphington. And a special thanks to the Community Bank in Queens Parade for supporting the event this year.

We’ve still got some fun things coming up … another Op Shop Tour on Thursday 4 December (come along and do some sustainable Christmas shopping), Christmas Lunch and Christmas Carols. Check out the posts below for details. Also John is feeling better and going to run a final Men’s Breakfast in December.

Also … we’re starting to focus on programming for next year. If you have a great idea for a program or workshop, have skills to share and/or are keen to volunteer to run something etc. please get in touch asap.

For example, we’re very interested in some more after school activities running here - music lessons, tutoring etc.

We love all new ideas. Email info@alphington.org.au or call us, 9499 7227.

Also coming up with week we have:

• Garden to Plate is on today from 11.30am-1pm. Book in online here!

• Our Toy Library is open Tuesday from 1-3pm. Book your toys by 11am for easy pick up.

• AAA Bowls at Alphington Bowls Club, Line Dancing at Alphington Scout Hall and Alphington Playgroup here at ACC all on Wednesday from 10am-12pm

• Armchair Theatre runs on Wednesday 1-3pm. We’ve been enjoying listening along with them to Under Milkwood by Dylan Thomas recently. Such a great ‘radio’ play.

• Crunch on Thursday from 12.30-2pm. Book online here

• Community Gardening and Craft on Friday from 10am-12pm

• Community Lunch Friday 12-1pm

• AAA Art Friday 1-2pm

We can’t wait to see you.

Cheers Leanne

Hi everyone,

Lots happening this week in the lead up to our Christmas Makers’ Market this Saturday the 22nd of November! The weather is looking good - touch wood - and it’s shaping up to be a lovely day to celebrate another great year here at ACC. We have 25 stalls this year, so lots of opportunities to find perfect gifts.

And while you are shopping we’ll be running Christmas craft activities to keep the kids entertained, and naturally a barbecue to keep everyone happy. We’re also looking for volunteers to help out on the day - see more details later in this newsletter.

Alphington Open Studios will also be starting this weekend, and the inside of the centre will we transformed into a gallery space on both Saturday and Sunday to feature some awesome local artists. How exciting!

And before all this we have another great program lined up this week:

• Garden to Plate this morning from 11.30am-1pm - book online

• 3rd Monday of the Month Book Club tonight 7-8.30pm

• Tomorrow from 1-3pm we are running a special Preserves Group in preparation for the market on Saturday. We will be making jams, pickles and relishes, and we encourage everyone to come along if you can! And donate small clean jars if you have them hanging around …

• Toy Library will also be open tomorrow from 1-3pm

• And 3rd Tuesday of the Month Book Club will be meetomg tomorrow evening 7.30-9pm

• AAA Bowls at Alphington Bowls Club, Line Dancing at the Scout Hall and Alphington Playgroup here at the Centre Wednesday morning from 10am-12pm

• Armchair Theatre Wednesday from 1-3pm

• Crunch on Thursday from 12.30-2pm

• Alphington Arts will be running Thursday evening from 7.30-9.30pm and we will doing linocuts to make Christmas cards! This is a super fun activity and a great way to get into the Christmas spirit. We hope to see you there! Book in online.

• Community Garden and Craft Friday morning from 10am-12pm

• Community Lunch Friday 12-1pm

• AAA Art Friday 1-2pm

Looking forward to a very Christmassy week!

Cheers Leanne