My thanks to team members from all areas who came together to respond to the incident at Dandenong library with such calm and professionalism. A true demonstration of commitment to our community and each other, keeping the doors open for the community while also ensuring highest level of support for each other.
As we have now entered Autumn, the days are fast becoming shorter and cooler. Please prioritise your health and wellbeing and take some time to enjoy the joyous colours of nature.
Have a fantastic week,
Peta
Junior Mayor Elections
The upcoming Junior Mayor Elections take place on Wednesday 26 March at 10.15am in Council Chambers. At this event we’ll see the next generation of leaders step up to share their vision for our community.
Campaigning to be elected by their peers, 10 candidate students will deliver short (2-min) speeches outlining their ideas for the future of Dandenong. The Children's Advisory Group then vote for their Junior Mayor.
All candidates come prepared to share bold ideas that reflect a strong commitment to their community. Please consider joining us to support and encourage young voices in local government. Your presence will show that the voices of children matter.
Keysborough’s Big Picnic 2025 – Expressions of Interest
Festivals and Events team will deliver the annual Keysborough’s Big Picnic, held at Frederick Wachter Reserve, Keysborough on Sunday 13 April from 11am-4pm. The event is a family friendly picnic, with live entertainment, food trucks and activities for the whole family to enjoy. It is also City of Greater Dandenong’s only pet-friendly festival. Keysborough’s Big Picnic offers a fantastic opportunity for a range of Council Departments to engage with community members and showcase their programs, initiatives and services.
If your department or business unit would like to participate, please contact the Festivals and Events team, events@cgd.vic.gov.au to discuss your ideas and to fill out an Expression of Interest form. EOIs close on Friday 28 March.
A Taste of Harmony Staff Lunch (FLARE Committee)
A Taste of Harmony Staff Lunch is an opportunity for staff to come together and celebrate our cultural diversity. Enjoy food, games, a quiz and some shared memories of our time working here.
Staff are encouraged to bring a plate of food from home or purchased locally to share on the day.
There will be four events happening across Council offices on Tuesday 1 April:
Dandenong Civic Centre, Atrium - 12.30pm-1.30pm
Springvale Community Care, Upstairs Kitchen, 12.30pm-1.30pm
Clow Street, Meeting Rooms, 12.30pm-1.30pm
Operations Centre, Lunchroom, 12pm-1pm
There's no need to register, just bring a plate and enjoy.
Donations to the Staff Giving Program will also be available at the event through coin/cash donation boxes on the tables. This program provides a simple and effective way of giving, no matter how small the amount.
Pet Registration Renewals
The Community Amenity team have now processed and sent out pet registration renewal notices for the 2025-26 period. Over 7000 notices have been mailed, and 3000 e-notices were emailed last week. Pet owners are reminded to complete their registration payment by 10 April 2025 to ensure their pets remain registered.
Victoria Police Neighbourhood Policing Forum at Springvale City Hall
On Thursday 27 February, Victoria Police, in collaboration with the Council’s Community Safety Team, hosted the annual Community Safety Forum at Springvale City Hall. The event, focused on addressing the most pressing safety concerns within the community, attracted over 60 engaged community members and key stakeholders.
The forum was officially opened by Acting Assistant Commissioner Therese Fitzgerald and Mayor Jim Memeti, who set the tone for a meaningful and productive discussion. This year’s forum featured a panel of policing experts who presented essential crime statistics and outlined specific local operations aimed at addressing crime and enhancing public safety. A comprehensive Q&A session followed, where community members had the opportunity to share their concerns, ask questions, and offer valuable input on issues including Crime, Youth, Family Violence, Drugs, and Road Policing.
The forum allowed the community to engage with both the Police and Council, strengthening communication and trust. Attendees valued the opportunity to voice concerns, stay informed, and engage in safety initiatives. The event emphasised the importance of ongoing collaboration between the community, Police and Council to ensure a safer environment.
CREATIVE AND ENGAGED CITY
On Monday 10 February, the new Creative and Engaged City structure was launched - a key step in ensuring the City of Greater Dandenong continues to deliver exceptional programs, initiatives, and projects.
I’m pleased to announce the new department leadership team under Natasha Petković-Jeremić is:
Jasmin de Wolf, Team Leader Creative City Promotions
Monique Godbehere, Senior Coordinator Library Services
Sarah Hill, Coordinator Cultural and Community Hubs
Vera Hu, Coordinator Experiences and Partnerships
With the first planning workshops complete, we are already well on our way towards the implementation of streamlined operations, enhanced collaboration and improvements to the allocation of resources, ensuring the delivery of high-quality services to our community.
As further improvements are made to the website and all venue and offerings are enhanced, you’ll be sure to experience more of what the Creative and Engaged City has to offer in the coming months.
Look out for further Source articles for more information.
Enquiry contact details:
For operational matters across venues, contact bookings@cgd.vic.gov.au
For promotional matters, contact artspromo@cgd.vic.gov.au
For programming and partnerships, contact arts@cgd.vic.gov.au
For heritage tour and enquiries, contact culturalheritage@cgd.vic.gov.au
Experiences and Partnerships
Wrapping up a busy February, Drum Theatre hosted the 9 by 5 Exhibition for the first time, celebrating its 30th anniversary with nearly 200 guests and 203 artworks, selling 24 pieces for $3355. This exhibition highlighted the community's engagement and the venue's role as a cultural hub.
In March, Drum Theatre will feature a diverse lineup of performances, including Encore - Women of the 60s, magic show, Fritz, and many more, promising to entertain audiences of all ages and interests.
Walker Street Gallery will present Confluence, a multi-artform installation that explores global shared experiences through the lens of Australian First Nations perspectives, highlighting themes of identity, heritage, and unity.
Heritage Hill continues to present We Built This City, an exhibition engaging the community with heritage stories and artifacts. As part of the National Trust Australian Heritage Festival, Heritage Hill will offer guided tours and activities, providing opportunities to connect with the region's rich history.
Creative City Promotions
February marked the release of Arts in Greater Dandenong Season One: Local Spaces, Global Stories. The program launched as a four-page lift-out in the February Council Magazine, reaching all local residents, followed by a 34-page full-colour booklet distributed across key outlets and stakeholders. This release also led to an increase in ticket sales across all performances in the season's performance program.
We unveiled the Tashabok exhibition publication, a beautifully designed book exploring the exhibition’s themes and installation at Walker Street Gallery, now available for purchase. Additionally, the Walker Street Gallery Shop introduced new stock from local artist Almost Iris.
The 9 by 5 exhibition opening received media coverage in the local paper, spotlighting the exhibition and award winners.
Our social media strategy remains resilient despite industry downturns, with a 10% increase in Instagram followers since January and consistently strong engagement.
Looking ahead, promotion for Confluence is underway across print and digital channels, with invitations for the workshop and opening and finalising the strategy for HOME 25, while continuing to drive engagement for the performance and event program across the business unit.
Cultural and Community Hubs
The 2025 Sustainable Saturdays program was officially launched at the Springvale Community Hub on Saturday 8 February. Held on the second Saturday of each month, this initiative aims to inspire the community to adopt more sustainable practices through accessible and engaging activities.
Each Sustainable Saturday typically features a monthly clothes swap, an urban harvest produces exchange and a sustainability-themed workshop. The February event provided participants with opportunities to explore creative ways to reduce food waste through “scraptastic” cooking demonstrations, engage in traditional weaving using recycled materials, learn about the critical role of bees in the environment and refresh their wardrobes by exchanging pre-loved clothing. Additionally, attendees could trade excess produce from their summer gardens and replenish household cleaning supplies through the Roving Refills service.
BIG Summer Read Finale and Lunar New Year celebrations at the Springvale Community Hub and Library
Libraries have been bustling with activity during February, highlighted by the grand finale of the BIG Summer Read (BSR) and vibrant Lunar New Year celebrations. Our dedicated team worked tirelessly to ensure these events were a resounding success. An impressive 1059 CGD children participated in the BSR, collectively reading an astounding 8931 books – the highest number in the state! Additionally, CGD ranked 4th in the state for participation, a testament to our team members' exceptional promotional efforts.
Peta Gillies, Executive Director Community Strengthening