Here's what's on this week in Moonee Valley

Join us for the biggest community celebration of the year! With live music, food trucks, kids activities, market stalls and roving entertainment, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.

Get into the groove with soul-singer Kylie Auldist, jam with big bands Gusto Gusto, Bullhorn and Mister Co, get into the drums and dance with One Spirit Africa, and hear from singer-songwriters Tom Nethersole, Kaytlyn Johnson and Candice Lorrae.

Kids will be delighted by a big unicorn dance party, a wildlife presentations, whacky science experiments, roller skating demonstrations and more!

Feeling peckish? We’ve got you covered with everything from donuts to doner kebabs, steak sandwiches to ice-cream sundaes.

Moonee Valley Festival is packed with fun for the whole family so come along on Sunday 15 March, 10am – 5 pm.

Don’t forget to RSVP to set yourself a reminder and stay up-to-date with all the latest info (including weather events). You can also learn more about the event on our website.

See you there!

This event has been postponed. If you’d like to stay connected and receive updates about future events, please email recreation@mvcc.vic.gov.au

Be a champion for change

Are you passionate about creating safe, welcoming and inclusive spaces for women, girls and gender‑diverse people in sport?

If you’re 18 years or older and involved in community sport as a parent or carer, coach, player, volunteer, committee member or administrator – this FREE workshop is for you.

Moonee Valley City Council, in partnership with cohealth, invites you to take part in a community workshop focused on the powerful role sport can play in advancing gender equity. Together, we’ll explore how local leaders can influence positive, lasting change within their clubs.

What you’ll gain

Participants will:

• explore inclusive leadership approaches and learn how to engage and influence others, including strategies for responding to resistance
• collaborate with others to develop practical ideas for creating respectful and equitable sport clubs
• a free resource pack to help turn ideas into action.

Support information

Discussions about gender equity may touch on topics of family violence. If this affects you or someone you know, help and support are available and you are not alone.

If you are in immediate danger, always call triple-zero 000.

You can reach out to these key organisations for support:

The Orange Door is the free central service for adults, children and young people in Victoria who are experiencing or have experienced family violence, and families who need extra support with the care of children. Visit The Orange Door to find which of their locations across Victoria is closest to you or call 1800 271 045 to reach the Western Melbourne office (open 9am – 5pm Monday to Friday, excluding public holidays).

Safe Steps can be reached at any time of day or night for crisis support. They help people in Victoria who are experiencing or are at risk of experiencing family violence. Call 1800 015 188 to or you could try their live web chat service available 9am till midnight, Monday to Friday.

1800 Respect is a national 24/7 hotline operated by trained counsellors for any Australian who has experienced, or is at risk of, family and domestic violence and/or sexual assault. Call 1800 737 732.

For a full list of support services in Melbourne’s West, download the GenWest Family Violence Services Help Sheet and check out Council’s Family Violence Support and Resources webpage.

For: Leaders (Managers and coordinators) working in community aged care services.

Facilitated by George Gouzounis from MCSSA and hosted by Moonee Valley Connect.

• Delivery: In-person
• Date: Wednesday, 18 March 2026

• Time: 8.30am to 3pm

• Venue: Balcony Tower Room, Clocktower Centre, 750 Mt Alexander Road, Moonee Ponds VIC 3039

• Catering: Morning tea and lunch provided

About: About: This full-day workshop uses Generative AI (CoPilot, ChatGPT, Claude, NotebookLM, Gamma and more) to provide a deeper dive into Generative AI for operations and business applications:

• Brief overview of AI applications in your industry
• In-depth exploration of GenAI concepts and current capabilities in business
• Customising tools for business operations (using ChatGPT Projects or similar)
• Hands-on experience with various GenAI tools for: Content creation and marketing, data analysis and report generation, customer service and communication, process optimisation and innovation
• Best practices for responsible GenAI use in business
• Addressing common concerns (privacy, accuracy, ethical use) across industries
• Interactive exercises and case studies from various sectors
• Brainstorming session on potential GenAI applications in participants’ industries

What to bring: Please bring your digital devices including laptops, smartphones or tablets that you use for work (don’t forget your chargers!).

Facilitator: George Gouzounis, Aged Care Sector Supoort Coordinator, Multicultural Communities Council of South Australia

George Gouzounis chairs the national AI Adoption in Aged Care Workgroup and has authored the Guidelines for the Responsible Use of GenAI in Aged Care, and co-authored the Integrating AI into Support at Home toolkit.

As Aged Care Sector Support Coordinator at MCCSA, George delivers AI adoption, workforce development, and cultural competence training to aged care providers across Australia. He has trained professionals nationally on the practical use of AI and spoken at conferences and panels across the sector.

George serves on a number of committees on innovation and aged care and publishes the popular Age Friendly Futures newsletter for the sector.

Moonee Valley Connect is proudly supported by Moonee Valley City Council SSD funding from the Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing.

Registrations essential. BOOK NOW!

Please let us know your dietary, access and cultural requirements so we can support you on the day.

For more information, please contact AgedCareNavigation@mvcc.vic.gov.au or 0487 927 690

Facilitated by Kylie Ash from Advance Care Planning Australia and hosted by Moonee Valley Connect.

Every older person has a story, and that story should guide their healthcare.

For: Aged and community care workers, care partners, care coordinators, nurses, allied health staff, managers and professionals supporting older people in residential or community care settings.

Organisations delivering CHSP, Support at Home, or residential aged care services are strongly encouraged to attend.

• Delivery: In-person

• Date: Thursday, 19 March 2026

• Time: 1.30am to 4.30pm

• Venue: Council Chambers, Moonee Valley City Council Civic Centre, 9 Kellaway Avenue, Moonee Ponds VIC 3039

• Catering: Afternoon tea provided

About: This interactive training workshop equips aged care and health professionals with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to initiate meaningful advance care planning (ACP) conversations.

Participants will explore current ACP practice, learn how to support individuals to express their values and preferences, and understand best‑practice approaches when healthcare decisions need to be made.

Participants will:

• Develop a clear understanding of contemporary advance care planning.

• Build confidence to initiate and support advance care planning conversations.

• Learn how to assist individuals to document their wishes and preferences.

• Strengthen their ability to apply best‑practice approaches when healthcare decisions are required.

• Access reputable ACP resources to support ongoing professional development.

Presenter: Kylie Ash, Education Coordinator, Advance Care Planning Australia

Kylie is a registered nurse with a Master of Nursing. Her clinical grounding in cancer and haematological settings forged her passion for holistic, person-led care. She has an extensive history managing and contributing to cancer and palliative care workforce development projects nationally. In her current role, she is driven to deliver engaging and innovative learning to care providers and the community to support advance care planning in Australia.

Moonee Valley Connect is proudly supported by Moonee Valley City Council SSD funding from the Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing.

Registrations essential. BOOK NOW!

Please let us know your dietary, access and cultural requirements so we can support you on the day.

For more information, please contact AgedCareNavigation@mvcc.vic.gov.au or 0487 927 690

Hear from energy experts from Uniting Vic Tas at Djerring Flemington Hub, who will be providing free advice for getting on top of energy bills.

Attend a drop-in session for help with:

• understanding your energy bill.
• checking your eligibility for financial relief – and helping you access that relief.
• understanding how best to use your appliances at home.
• accessing rebates/grants to upgrade your old inefficient appliances to new efficient electric appliance.
• budgeting and payment plans for utility bills.

Translators can be available upon request. Bookings not required but please feel free to do so for event updates and reminders. Can’t make it on the day? You can ring the energy team at Uniting.Vic.Tas Monday to Friday, between 9am and 5pm for help with your bills. Phone 1800 313 126.