Giving thanks to our incredible seniors
Please join us this October as we celebrate the seniors in our municipality.
The 2021 Maroondah Seniors Festival celebrates positive and healthy ageing throughout the month of October. The Festival is run in conjunction with the Victorian Seniors Festival and is an opportunity to pay tribute to and acknowledge the importance and value of our older residents.
Held in October each year, the event is an opportunity for Maroondah residents aged 65 years or over, 50 years or over for Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander peoples to find out what activities and community groups are readily available.
Celebration Day
We are once again hosting our Festival Day at Karralyka on Tuesday 5 October. The popular event presents an opportunity for any Maroondah resident over 65 to chat with like-minded people, while enjoying a meal and a chance to reconnect with the community.
The Seniors Wellbeing Expo will highlight services available to seniors, while the talented Me ‘n Me Mates will keep the room entertained with their uniquely Australian style of singing and storytelling.
The Festival aims to celebrate and value our older residents, who have given and shared their skills, experience, time and energy to their community.
This will be a COVID-safe event and will implement any COVID-19 requirements in place at the time.
Staying fit has never been easier!
Are you keen to get back into sport but perhaps not feeling quite as sprightly as you used to?
Why not check out our modified sports program for those aged over 50.
If you’ve never heard of walking sports before, it’s pretty much what it sounds like. Popular sports like football, cricket and netball which have been modified to encourage a gentler way to stay active.
As with any physical activity, benefits include improved mental health, coordination and flexibility. Also, modified sports are a great chance to meet like-minded, friendly faces in an inclusive setting. Catching up after the game for a tea or coffee is also highly recommended.
So, what modified sports are available? There are plenty of options, so you can hit the ground walking!
- Thursdays from 10am to 12noon at the John Frost Stadium (Cheong Park, corner of Eastfield and Bayswater Roads, Croydon).
- Cost: $5 per session, or free for U3A members.
- Tuesdays from 1.30pm to 2.30pm at Saxon Sports (Unit 7, 37-51 Lusher Road, Croydon).
- Cost: $5 per session, or free for U3A members.
- Pickleball is essentially a combination of tennis, badminton and table-tennis - which is played on a badminton-sized court with a solid paddle and a plastic ball. A game takes between 10 to 25 minutes to play.
- Mondays from 10am to 12noon at Maroondah Nets (HE Parker Reserve, 154 Heathmont Road, Heathmont)
- Cost: $5 per hour
- Mondays from 10am to 11am at Maroondah Nets (HE Parker Reserve, 154 Heathmont Road, Heathmont).
- Cost: $5 per session.
Find out more information about on our modified sports program or contact Council’s Active & Healthy Ageing Coordinator on 1300 88 22 33.
Wyreena: A great place to learn
Do you want to meet new people while developing new creative skills? Then make sure you browse the Wyreena Community Arts Centre Term 3 brochure. (pdf, 3MB)
Each term, Wyreena offers a range of short and ongoing courses in the creative arts. Courses cater for people of all ages and abilities in a variety of art forms, including painting and drawing, pottery, sculpture, mosaics, relaxation classes and much more.
Wyreena also provides activities to keep children entertained over the school holidays.
To find out more visit Wyreena at Hull Road, Croydon or explore our Wyreena term courses and classes.
Stay connected and educated with community centres
Maroondah is fortunate to have community centres that impact meaningfully on the lives of our community.
Through these centres, the work of many dedicated volunteers helps to combat social isolation, create inclusive spaces and provide the opportunity for people to learn from and support each other. Their efforts don’t go unnoticed and we encourage everyone to explore what they can offer.
From strengthening community connections, to helping people improve job skills and improving personal responsive to community needs and are the pride of our municipality.
Community centres in Maroondah include:
Together, they offer a variety of educational and accredited courses and recreational activities. Their mission is united in seeking to create strong, connected and inclusive communities.
For more information on our community houses, visit Learning Local in Maroondah.
Karralyka set for the stage for second half of the year
It’s been an exciting first half of the year as Karralyka welcomed back audiences to live theatre with a dazzling array of shows.
Whatever your age and whatever your taste, Karralyka’s 2021 theatre season program promises something for everyone - from music, song, dance and comedy.
There are many new and exciting performances each month and Karralyka has made it easy for you to stay informed with an up-to-date list of live, and live-streamed, performances available on their website. The website also includes an online ticketing system and interactive seat map, giving you the ability to choose your own theatre seats and take a virtual tour of the stage from where your seats are!
The second half of the year sees the inspiring story of Australia’s first culinary queen brought to life on stage in Margaret Fulton: The Musical and strap yourself in for a night of glittering glam rock and phenomenal acrobatics with Rebel, a live circus rock tribute to the original rebel, David Bowie.
Karralyka’s Morning Music program continues to prove popular with seniors, with music and complimentary tea, coffee and treats offered throughout the year. And for younger theatre-goers, Karrakids provides fun and interactive educational performances, with art and craft sessions prior to each show.
dedicated to bringing world-class performances to the widest possible local audience, making arts and culture accessible to everyone.
So, if you’re looking for some fabulous high-quality musical entertainment, there’s no need to head for the city - it’s all here in the City of Maroondah!
For all the latest shows and more, visit the Karralyka website.
(Please be advised that dates for shows may be subject to change under COVID-19 restrictions).
Challenge yourself for Run Maroondah 2021
Keep an eye out for Early Bird entries for this year’s Run Maroondah event, which takes place on Sunday 19 September at HE Parker Reserve, Heathmont.
Run Maroondah is open to all ages and abilities. Individuals and families can join in the 10km run or the 5km run/walk, and children aged 14 and under can register for the 1.2km kids dash, all while enjoying the idyllic scenery of the city’s parks and trails.
To get your training on track in time for the event, the Maroondah Community Runners Club offers free coaching sessions each Thursday from 6.30pm at Croydon Athletics Track. Focusing on technique, coordination, fitness and fun, the sessions are a great way to stay motivated while keeping active - all under the guidance of a qualified running coach. (Children under 12 must be supervised by an adult).
The Run Maroondah course begins at HE Parker Reserve in Heathmont and continues along the Dandenong Creek trail.
Run Maroondah is a smoke-free event, and dogs are not permitted.
Keep a close eye on our website and social media for registration details closer to the date.
Triathlon, duathlon coming to Maroondah
Local triathletes and duathlon hopefuls and residents wanting to challenge themselves can start preparing for the Tri & Duathlon Maroondah, coming to you this October!
Running a course through Town Park, Croydon, and swimming at Aquahub, this October’s Maroondah Tri & Duathlon is a great event for all fitness levels.
Whether you’re a seasoned runner, a keen cyclist or swimmer, or if you’re just starting out, runners, cyclists and swimmers of all levels and abilities have the chance to take part.
If you’re not quite up to competing alone, you can also enter a Tri Team or the Duathlon Dash. This means you can work with other team members to complete the sections of the event. This is a great option for families wanting to participate together.
Stay tuned for more details on our website closer to the event.
Get active - join in the walking craze
With more people wanting to get active and explore their local community, Council has put together a series of programs and initiatives to help get people walking more often and in safe and supported environments.
All adults aged 18-64 years should aim for 150 minutes of moderate physical activity each week. That’s 30 minutes, five days of the week. The walking initiatives are all free, family-friendly and cater for all-abilities.
Extended lighting
Exercising during the winter months can be hard, so until Thursday 30 September we are lighting up a different oval in Maroondah. This means people have more time to walk after work without having to worry about it getting dark.
- Mondays, 7pm to 9pm Town Park Athletics Track, Croydon
- Tuesdays, 7pm to 9pm Mullum Mullum Reserve, Ringwood
- Wednesdays, 7pm to 9pm Mullum Mullum Reserve, Ringwood
- Thursdays, 7pm to 9pm Town Park Athletics Track, Croydon
Find out more information on these locations by visiting Walking in Maroondah.
Walk while you wait
While the children are at training why not spend your time doing a quick walk?
To make it easier to get motivated, we are hosting 30-minute walking groups that coincide with junior sport training times.
The walking groups aims to encourage family members, friends and children to exercise whilst waiting for children/siblings at a sport training session.
The first ‘Walk while you wait’ walking group is from 5pm to 5.30pm, every Tuesday until 2 August at Norwood Football Club, Mullum Mullum Reserve, Ringwood.
If you are part of a club who would like to establish a Walk while you wait group please contact Council on 1300 88 22 33.
To find out more about other walking opportunities and programs in Maroondah, visit Walking in Maroondah.
Festival back in the limelight
In what will be a sight to behold, Maroondah Festival is planned to return for 2021 with an exciting mix of new and traditional entertainment.
A highlight on the local events calendar for many years, we are excited to have in the works a full line-up of many family-favourite activities, delivered in a COVID-safe way.
In previous years, events have included plenty of attractions for all ages and tastes. From children’s rides to popular musical acts, to food trucks and workshops.
Maroondah Festival is the perfect event to just grab your friends and family, head down locally and enjoy the atmosphere. There are always plenty of laughs, good food and memorable fun.
The festival originated in 1990 as the Croydon Festival and was designed to encourage the involvement of Council, community groups, local traders and key business stakeholders within the local area and the surrounding eastern region.
The event has received various makeovers and has gradually increased in popularity, with an estimated 25,000 people passing through the event in 2019.
Save the date - Maroondah Festival 2021
- Sunday 7 November
- 10am to 4pm
- Town Park, Norton Road, Croydon
Our beautiful city at your fingertips
Whether you’re walking, riding a bicycle, taking public transport or have your own vehicle - travelling around Maroondah has never been easier.
With our online interactive map of Maroondah, finding your way around and exploring all our hidden gems is simple for locals and visitors alike.
The map function is easy-to-use and shows the features and facilities of Maroondah - and the best way to get to them.
You can select walking and cycling trails, bike lanes and bus routes across Maroondah. Or you can see the footpath network and zoom right in to see what things are available in these locations including park benches and BBQs.
For those wanting to familiarise themselves more with their neighbourhood, our website also gives access to the My Maroondah map which can help to identify your waste collection days, your ward Councillors and what Council facilities are closest to you.
Visit the My Maroondah page to view the map functions.
The world of waste
There are lots of ways you can reduce your waste and make wiser choices when disposing of items. Below are some of the services and programs offered by Council to support our community to recycle more and reduce the amount of waste going to landfill.
Join the Compost Revolution
Composting at home is a great way to keep organic waste out of landfill and there are lots of different ways that you can do it at home. We are offering residents up to 60% off the purchase of a range of at home composting systems, plus free delivery.
Each Maroondah residential property is eligible for one subsidized system each year. To get your discounted system visit the Compost Revolution website.
Waste Education Program
Council offers a range of workshops and events that help provide the community with knowledge about reducing your waste and contributing to a sustainable environment.
Schools and community groups within the Maroondah area are also offered free waste education sessions. These sessions can be delivered online or onsite and there are a range of different topics available to choose from.
On Call Hard Waste collections
Residents are entitled to two on call hard waste collections each financial year for properties with a residential bin charge (this includes renters). You can book a single or double collection. Make sure you have booked your collection before you place your waste on the naturestrip, otherwise it is considered illegally dumped waste and you could be fined.
There are three ways to make a booking for collection the following week:
- Book online, before 8pm Thursday.
- Call 1300 88 22 33 or contact our Customer Service team via our live chat before 12 noon Friday.
- Visit one of Council’s service centres before 12 noon Friday.
Household chemical collection
The ‘Detox your Home’ mobile collection service is administered by Sustainability Victoria. It allows you to dispose of unwanted household chemicals for free. The collected items are recycled and do not go to landfill.
You must register for these collections online or call 1300 363 744.
Bin Inspection education Program
As part of Council’s waste education program, during May we have conducted visual inspections of household recycling and garden organics bins. The visual inspections of bins allows us to provide households with feedback on their waste disposal behaviours and gather contamination data for targeted education campaigns.
Contamination means there’s something in the bin that doesn’t belong there. When the wrong thing is placed in the bin it has a big impact on our collection and recycling process. Incorrect materials can damage trucks and machinery, endanger drivers and workers at the Material Recovery Facility and increases the cost to provide the service to our community.
All households whose bins have been inspected received feedback on whether the items in the bin were correct. If everything in the bin was acceptable, a blue star for recycling and a green star for garden organics was placed on the bin. If there was a small amount of unacceptable material, a sticker identifying the unacceptable material was placed on the bin. Where a bin was majority contamination, or had a hazardous material in it, the bin was rejected and had its lid stickered shut.