Page 1 Monash Bulletin January 2026 Summer Splash The fun at Oakleigh INSIDE THIS ISSUE * Achieving net zero * Sir John Monash Awards * Live at Warrawee * Library refurbishment Page 2 Honoured to be serving Monash Message from Mayor, Cr Stuart James I am honoured to serve as Mayor of Monash for the next 12 months and thank my fellow Councillors for their trust in me. I look forward to working with Cr Elisha Lee as Deputy Mayor, who brings valuable experience and a strong commitment to inclusion and social justice. We have a big year ahead: navigating major planning reforms from the Victorian Government, awarding the tender for our new Glen Waverley Library and Civic Centre, planning a significant upgrade of the Monash Aquatic and Recreation Centre, and continuing advocacy to ensure the Suburban Rail Loop delivers real benefits for our community. After years of work, we are opening a dedicated cycling path, designed with the safety of children and families in mind, linking the Djerring and Scotchmans Creek trails through Oakleigh – a fantastic addition to our active transport network. Sustainability will be a key focus for me. In this edition of the Monash Bulletin, you can read more about our net zero achievement – something I have championed and am proud of, having been Mayor when we launched our Zero Net Carbon Action Plan. That plan focused on reducing Council s emissions and delivered real results: introducing food and organics recycling and major steps to reduce our contribution to landfill – achievements that continue to benefit our environment today. Real climate action happens in partnership, and I am excited to build on this progress next year. I love Monash – it is where I live, where my children go to school, and where I have seen the power of community many times. I look forward to working with residents, businesses, community groups and clubs, my fellow Councillors and Council staff to make Monash an even better place to live. Finally, I thank outgoing Mayor Cr Paul Klisaris and Deputy Mayor Cr Brian Little for their leadership and dedication to our community. This is the last Monash Bulletin for 2025. I wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a safe New Year with family and friends. Please get in touch if you would like to discuss any local matters: Stuart.James@monash.vic.gov.au Enjoy Oakleigh big splash this summer Summer here, and we have the ultimate way to beat the heat. When the sun shining, the outdoor pools at the Oakleigh Recreation Centre come alive with fun for everyone. Think giant and brightly coloured inflatables for climbing and diving into sparkling water, with plenty of space to splash around. From our 50m pool to the diving pool, multi-purpose pool, and toddler splash zone – there is something for every age and every vibe. And here is the best part: until the end of March, it is just $2 entry to the ORC outdoor pools every Tuesday and Thursday. Children aged four and under swim for free. Grab your friends, pack your sunscreen, and dive into summer fun. Whether you are chasing adventure, fitness or want to chill out, we have you covered. Check out the latest details before you visit: activemonash.vic.gov.au/summer-special Page 3 Monash Council proud to achieve net zero In 2020, we made a commitment to act on climate change. Five years later, we are proud to announce that Monash Council has achieved net zero. This achievement is the result of real action and investment to deliver on priority actions outlined in our Zero Net Carbon Action Plan 2020-2025. Achieving net zero reflects our community expectations for Council to lead on environmental sustainability – but we know the journey does not stop here. We will continue to reduce our emissions and invest in clean energy, while supporting our community to do the same. And in 2026, we look forward to inviting residents to have their say on how we can work together to create a more resilient and sustainable Monash. Learn more and find out what you can do at monash.vic.gov.au/electrify-my-home Awards honour inclusive gymnastics program Every year, we honour outstanding contributions from members of the community through our Sir John Monash Awards. Dr Natasha Brusco was our big winner this year, recognising her efforts in delivering George Gymnastics Program, which provides 200 children with disabilities free access to inclusive gymnastics classes. Natasha was named Volunteer of the Year and later claimed the awards highest honour, the Sir John Monash Award for Outstanding Leadership. After providing invaluable financial and logistical support for the program, Waverley Gymnastics Centre was also named the Outstanding Advocate of People with a Disability. “It is a ‘no barriers approach,” Natasha said of the program philosophy. “It is not about your ability or disability, it is all about-How can we work together so everyone can participate?. It is an absolute passion project of mine. “It just brings me such joy. I am in the research world and I am stuck behind a computer all day. But when I am with the kids during the program, I can not stop smiling.” More at: monash.vic.gov.au/georges-gymnastics Page 4 MONASH at a glance Oakleigh story Oakleigh is our Life: Greek Settlement in Oakleigh celebrates the contribution of the Greek-Australian community locally. Supported by a Monash Council community grant, the book was produced by History Monash. monash.vic.gov.au/history-book Glenburn Tennis Club We are redeveloping Glenburn Tennis Club in Glen Waverley. Works include reconstruction of all six tennis courts and installing new LED lighting and fencing. Works will be finished in the first half of 2026. monash.vic.gov.au/glenburn-tennis Email news – now weekly Our email newsletter is now sent weekly, helping make sure you can be the first to know about Monash news, events, workshops and engagement opportunities. Subscribe at: monash.vic.gov.au/subscribe A big thank you We would like to thank our Monash Carols by Candlelight sponsors Eastlink, Holicare, Optus, Vic Returns, Aunty Jenny, and Barry Plant for their support and generosity. Page 5 Taking action to ensure food safety Council recently prosecuted three food business operators for unsafe practices that put customers at risk. Breaches included unregistered operations, poor cleanliness and inadequate handwashing facilities. Penalties from the Magistrates Court ranged from $10,000 to more than $35,000 in fines and convictions. Council plays an important role in ensuring food businesses in Monash keep their customers safe. Monash has a total of 1,406 registered food premises and every year council conducts about 2000 food premises inspections. Visit monash.vic.gov.au/food-convictions for details and what to do if you are concerned about a business. Sportsground works started We have started a $1.8m redevelopment of the south oval at Glen Waverley Central Reserve. Works include reconstruction of the oval, including drainage and irrigation, installation of 10 turf cricket wicket strips and replacement of perimeter fencing. The upgrades will be a boost for Mazenod Panthers FIDA Football Club, Mazenod Old Collegians Football Club and Richmond Cricket Club, who call the oval home for year round sporting use. Work is expected to be completed by March 2026. The project is being delivered in partnership with the Victorian Government Community Support Fund. Refurbishment improvingthe library experience After a five-week closure, our newly renovated Wheelers Hill Library has reopened with programs and services running as usual, and regular opening hours resumed. The refurbishment has delivered a more modern library experience, including improved layout and shelving, an additional hireable meeting room and improved accessibility for people who use mobility devices. A new storytime tree also provides an enchanting experience for children. The renovations were funded by Council with the support of a $200,000 grant from the Victorian Government Living Libraries Infrastructure Program. Mount Waverley Library, which is currently undergoing similar renovations, will reopen soon. Find out more about our library services: monlib.vic.gov.au Page 6 Our first of its kind forest celebrates second birthday We are celebrating a significant urban greenery milestone, with the second anniversary of our micro forest at Wellington Reserve in Mulgrave – the first of its kind in Melbourne. Micro forests, densely packed patches of native bushland about the size of a tennis court, help introduce native forest environments to urban areas. We created the forest with the help of local residents, businesses and community groups - using 106 tonnes of recycled soil, compost and sand, repurposed tree logs and more than 650 local indigenous plants - to build habitat for native birds, butterflies and other wildlife. Since then, there have been several community working bees for maintenance tasks like weeding and watering. An increase in biodiversity has been noted with citizen science observations identifying 75 species. If you did like to get involved with the micro-forest, contact us at: sustainability@monash.vic.gov.au Festive season recycling Use our Christmas recycling guide to make bin nights easier this festive season:monash.vic.gov.au/christmas-recycling Tips include: * Freeze food scraps in airtight containers until bin night to reduce smells. * Take cardboard and rigid white polystyrene to the Recycling and Waste Centre (free for residents). Check accepted quantities online. * Timber can not go in the green bin because it is often treated with chemicals. Store for hard waste collection. * Batteries and electronics can start fires in trucks. Never put in any bin. Find safe drop offs at monash.vic.gov.au/e-waste Monash sustainable heroesnamed Earth Action winners Congratulations to Sacred Heart Girls College (SHGC), which has been named our local Hero School for the 2025 Actions for Earth: Schools Sustainability Challenge. The college showed incredible commitment to sustainability by increasing its waste separation for students, staff and maintenance; introducing school composting; commencing vegie garden planting; reducing printing, through the digitising of its school magazine; and switching to zero waste cleaning products. Congratulations to SHGC and all participating schools, who collectively completed more than 230 sustainable actions. Learn more and get involved at monash.vic.gov.au/actions-for-earth Page 7 Councillor Column Cr Rebecca Paterson (Blackburn Ward) Over the past few years, I have written here about Council desire to strengthen tree removal rules to arrest the decline in our tree canopy. You may remember we were unable to secure a significant landscape overlay from the Victorian Government after years of asking. They explained that they were planning to bring in stronger canopy tree protections at a state level. Earlier this year, they announced new rules that required trees over 5m tall in most situations to have a permit from council for removal. While this sounds like a vast improvement, my personal concern is that the decision guidelines that council officers need to follow to assess the application may undermine the purpose of the amendment and that we may not see any increase in trees being retained, or replacement canopy trees surviving. Alongside other planning announcements, I am concerned about the lack of consultation with community and councils. On 6 March the State Government made a suite of significant planning announcements including the Townhouse and Low-Rise Code. You can read more about this in a report that came to our April Council meeting: monash.vic.gov.au/april-meeting. At our most recent meeting, we heard more about the Victorian Government plans: monash.vic.gov.au/november-meeting In my opinion, these changes will profoundly alter the way planning applications are assessed and approved and will change what we see built in our city. The right for the community to be notified about an application and object and appeal has been drastically reduced. The ability for council to apply local standards such as 7.6m front setbacks or 75sqm of private open space has been replaced with reduced requirements. I wish everyone in Monash a safe and happy Christmas and New Year. Next Council Meetings Tuesday 16 December, 7pm and Tuesday 27 January, 7pm Monash Civic Centre, 293 Springvale Rd, Glen Waverley Access meeting agendas and watch in-person or online monash.vic.gov.au/meetings Your Councillors Banksia Ward, Cr Cameron Little, 0472 523 241, Cameron.Little@monash.vic.gov.au Blackburn Ward, Cr Rebecca Paterson, 0437 959 163, Rebecca.Paterson@monash.vic.gov.au Gallaghers Ward, Cr Geoff Lake, 0411 645 281, Geoff.Lake@monash.vic.gov.au Gardiners Creek Ward, Cr Anjalee de Silva, 0424 679 096, Anjalee.deSilva@monash.vic.gov.au Jells Ward, Cr Elisha Lee | Deputy Mayor, 0461 305 956, Elisha.Lee@monash.vic.gov.au Mayfield Ward, Cr Brian Little, 0407 878 033, Brian.Little@monash.vic.gov.au Scotchmans Creek Ward, Cr Nicky Luo, 0451 560 398, Nicky.Luo@monash.vic.gov.au University Ward, Cr Josh Fergeus, 0466 465 421, Josh.Fergeus@monash.vic.gov.au Warrigal Ward, Cr Stuart James | Mayor, 9518 3524 | 0413 184 250, Stuart.James@monash.vic.gov.au Waverley Park Ward, Cr Shane McCluskey, 0466 345 406, Shane.McCluskey@monash.vic.gov.au Wellington Ward, Cr Paul Klisaris, 0412 516 026, Paul.Klisaris@monash.vic.gov.au You can contact Councillors via phone or email. Letters can be mailed to: PO Box 1, Glen Waverley, VIC 3150 monash.vic.gov.au/Councillors Page 8 Whats on in Monash Summer of tennis Feel like joining the Australian Open spirit this summer? Get out and have a hit by booking a court online at one of our local community clubs, no membership required: * Notting Hill Pinewood * Tennis Club * Wheelers Hill Tennis Club * Oakleigh Tennis Club * Monash Tennis Centre/ Glenvale Tennis Club * Essex Heights Tennis Club * Tally Ho Tennis Club Visit: tennis.com.au/book/court-hire/ Active pride pool party Active Monash is excited to announce the return of our annual Active Pride event for Midsumma Festival 2026. We are inviting LGBTIQA+ people of all ages, as well as Rainbow families and allies, to experience our Oakleigh Recreation Centre facilities in a friendly and inclusive environment, and to celebrate PRIDE! Entry costs apply for casual users. Concession discounts available. Children under-5 FREE. When: Saturday 24 January What time: 2pm – 5pm Where: ORC (2A Park Rd, Oakleigh) Monash Women Business Network Celebrate International Women Day in March with the Monash Women Business Network. Join us for an inspiring lunch with networking and a keynote by Jo Stanley on how women in business can lead cultural change. Sponsored by PARKROYAL Monash Melbourne. When: Wednesday 4 March 2026, 11.30am-2.30pm Where: PARKROYAL Monash Melbourne, 872 Blackburn Road Clayton Cost: $60 (includes two-course lunch) RSVP: Monday 23 February Bookings: monash.vic.gov.au/wbn Contact us Monash Civic Centre, 293 Springvale Road, Glen Waverley 8.30am-5pm, Monday to Friday Oakleigh Service Centre, 3 Atherton Road, Oakleigh 8.30am-5pm, Monday to Friday Call 9518 3555, email mail@monash.vic.gov.au, visit www.monash.vic.gov.au National Relay Service (for the hearing and speech impaired) phone 1800 555 660 We welcome your feedback at media@monash.vic.gov.au Monash Council acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the land that makes up Monash, the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung and Bunurong People, and recognises their continuing connection to the land and waterways. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging and extend this to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People.