African Party
Wayapa Wuurrk Early Years Program | $4,963
Connection with natural elements through the traditional lens of First Nations and neuro diverse divergent knowledge and wisdom via a sensory, movement, music and arts based program. Sessions conducted across a variety of Nillumbik venues to provide easy access, including Allwood Neighbourhood House and local libraries.
Ale Prunotto (writer and researcher)
Write to Move | $4,950
Six week parkour and creative writing program for LGBTQIA+ youth aged 18-25 to explore place, movement and identity. Participants will learn parkour in a supportive environment at Alistair Knox Park, before undertaking creative writing activities at Eltham Library, responding to themes explored in the movement sessions.
Allwood Neighbourhood House
The Bridge | $4,950
Roving community-led performance where audiences move to watch a story play out in different areas where actual historical events took place. Performed after dusk via projected images, dramatic sound effects and lighting, to tell the story of Henry Hurst’s encounter with bushranger Robert Burke.
Allwood Neighbourhood House
Music for Mamas | $5,000
Providing expectant and new mothers a space for connection, learning and exploration of the role of music to support their transition through Matrescence. Over four sessions every two months, participants will enjoy a performance and discussion with musician and mother Claire Tonti and education from Dr Elizabeth McLean, Registered Music Therapist (RMT, PhD).
Bushfire Resilience Inc
Bushfire Resilience Inc Community Bushfire Preparation | $4,940
BRI experts will develop web-based tools for residents to assess their risk and prepare their homes, properties, animals and loved ones for the threat of bushfire. The online resource hub will provide webinars, interviews, transcripts, topic specific video clips and viewer comments, with 24 hour access to Nillumbik residents.
Butterfly Community Art Studio
In the Key of Percy and Melba | $4,000
Residents of all ages will be invited to participate in a series of creative arts experiences and workshops, woven together through storytelling, orchestral music and puppetry arts, culminating in a live performance in Christmas Hills. An exploration of excerpts from the musical partnership of two Australian objects of fame during the early 20th century - Dame Nellie Melba 1861-1931 and Percy Grainger 1882-1961.
Carry & Connect
Purchase of equipment for community use | $5,000
Started in 2020, Carry & Connect has provided local participants the opportunity to exercise through walking approximately 2-4kms, in Eltham or Research, whilst carrying sandbags, hand weights, pulling sleds or whatever manner of challenges provided for that week. These funds would improve operational capacity with an enclosed waterproof trailer, a weight-bearing sled, and additional weights.
Christmas Hills Primary School
Christmas Hills Primary School 150th Year Celebration | $4,931
2024 marks the 150th year of Christmas Hills Primary School, and they are marking this significant occasion by hosting a celebratory, family-friendly event that is open to the community. There will be live music, face painting, children's entertainment, a petting zoo and indoor jumping castle and a historical display.
Clean Energy Nillumbik
Expert Eco Chats | $4,000
Expert Eco Chats consists of 12-15 sustainability experts at Edendale Farm, offering 20 minute appointments to Nillumbik residents with the expert of their choice, covering topics such as how to make homes more comfortable and cheaper to run, how to electrify homes, and which projects should be tackled first.
Country Fire Authority
Subsidised Listening Sets | $5,000
To reduce risk on high fire danger days, digital listening sets across Arthurs Creek and Strathewen will enable residents to listen to firefighters' radio traffic in the area. Sets will be dispersed to households geographically in these areas, who will relay information on their phone tree to inform neighbours of precautions.
The Creative Co-Operative
Eid in Eltham 2025 | $4,999
Celebrating Ramadan 2025 with diverse festivities from 49 countries worldwide, inviting local communities and visitors to join a vibrant Eid celebration at Eltham Square, marking the holy, spiritual month of Ramadan. Experience culture, food, art, henna over community spirit for an inclusive celebration at this cherished event.
Eltham and District Woodworkers
Annual exhibition and festivities | $5,000
Promoting the joy and skills of woodworking to diverse audience. Free exhibition at Eltham Community and Reception Centre, featuring display of works and demonstrating techniques. In addition, the woodworkers help approximately 400 children to make toys which the children can take home.
Eltham Redbacks Football Club
EmpowerHer | $3,120
EmpowerHer is a mental health project for female players, to promote wellbeing, raise awareness and offer resources. It will include workshops, individual support, and initiatives to enhance mental resilience, empowering girls to excel in sports and life.
Em for Music Magic
Children's Weekly Music | $3,262
Embark on a musical adventure at Allwood House in Hurstbridge with free weekly music sessions for local 0-6 year olds. Delight in 40 minutes of singing, instrument exploration, and dancing, fostering a love for music.
Hurstbridge Jazz Club
Think Global, Play Local | $5,000
A series of four gigs in Hurstbridge that explore the connections between local jazz artists and global perspectives. Drawing on jazz traditions from around the world, this series will celebrate a range of emerging voices in jazz music as well as feature established artists with connections to Nillumbik.
Imagine Re-evolution
Mellow Mornings at the Imaginarium | $5,000
Transformative project to address the needs of young people experiencing anxiety or resistance towards school, offering a nurturing environment to recalibrate and ease into their day. Working with items destined for landfill, reimagining them into something new. Aimed at Nillumbik youth who have difficulties getting to school.
Montsalvat
Gathering and Sharing the Archives: Half a Century of Montsalvat Festivals and Events | $5,000
Community-focused project to engage with the community in researching diverse archives, to uncover, assess, conserve, catalogue, describe and provide public access to the ephemera of posters, flyers, programs and videos from half a century of festivals, events and performances, organised by or held at Montsalvat since 1970. Materials will be shared via social media and a public archive link on the Montsalvat website.
Nillumbik Literary Festival
Nillumbik Literary Festival | $4,161
At the Nillumbik Literary Festival, local stories come to life. Held at historic Allwood House over a weekend of author talks, creative writing workshops, storytelling and much more. The festival will inspire the community to discover all this vibrant community has to offer.
Northern Gujarati Association
Navratri 2024 Indian festival of music and dance | $5,000
The Navaratri Indian festival at Diamond Valley Sports and Fitness Centre will feature popular group dance Garba, with people of different backgrounds and skills forming concentric circles wearing traditional attire. The festival aims to bring the community together and pass this culture onto the next generation.
Operation Newstart Northern
Operation Newstart Nillumbik | $5,000
Featuring challenging outdoor adventure activities to re-engage young people, deemed to be at significant educational risk, aged 14-17 enrolled in Nillumbik secondary schools. Outdoor activities in surfing, hiking, mountain biking and caving promote personal growth in line with evidence-based adventure therapy practices. Local agencies such as healthAbility Reconnect, Headspace, Youth Services and Eltham Leisure Centre partner to co-deliver the program at various sites across Nillumbik.
Plenty Valley Cricket Club
Pathways for Girls in Community Cricket | $3,990
In partnership with Diamond Valley Cricket Association and North-East Metro Cricket, to grow girls' participation in cricket - engaging schools and community cricket clubs in delivering Cricket Blast programs, and delivering junior coaching academies and mentoring, aimed at increasing girls' participation and pathways in cricket.
Research Preschool
Messy Play Open Day | $237
Weekend open day and a two hour play-based session for young people (aged 1-5) and their parents/caregivers. Nillumbik families can discover Research Preschool and enjoy a range of age-appropriate sensory activities. Stay-and-play days like this have a larger flow-on effect as it showcases to adults just how easy messy/sensory play can be integrated into children's lives, and help families socialise.
Rotary Club of Diamond Creek
Community Lunch | $5,000
Recipients and other Nillumbik community members are invited to this free community lunch to provide an opportunity and meal to mix socially.
Rotary Club of Eltham
2024 Rotary Eltham Art Show | $5,000
The 2024 show will present three-dimensional artworks (sculpture, ceramics, jewellery, glass and woodwork) sourced from across Victoria. Funding will contribute towards equipment hire and curator and judges' fees. A gala opening and public viewing will be held at the Eltham Community and Reception Centre.
St Margaret's Anglican Church Eltham
Emergency Food Relief | $2,000
LinC will provide emergency food relief by making/delivering food parcels across Nillumbik, stocking the St Margaret's food pantry, which is open at all times for emergency food supplies, and delivering Christmas hampers via Nillumbik schools, to individuals, families, and Odyssey House. Names provided by healthAbility and local schools.
The Veggie Empire
Growing Connections | $4,699
A series of free Social Seeding events at the Greensborough urban farm and nursery, to bring together Nillumbik community members living with intellectual disability and a passion for gardening. The events will mark the beginning of an accessible propagation group addressing social isolation in a casual and fun farm setting co-founded by individuals with disabilities.
Victorian Skateboard Association
Promoting Nillumbik Skateable Spaces | $5,000
Promoting Nillumbik Skateable Spaces to significantly increase skateboarding participation and community connection in Nillumbik, engaging children, youth and families at Eltham, Hurstbridge and Diamond Creek skate parks, as well as pop-up skate spaces with partner schools and organisations in the Shire.