Page 1 Monash Bulletin June 2025 Connect with a club Inside this issue: Cycling Connection Underway Bogong Car Park Open Green Up Monash Tree Canopy Advocacy Page 2 Cycling connection is underway We are about to start work on the first stage of an exciting new cycling connection that will ultimately link the Scotchmans Creek Trail and Djerring Trail in Oakleigh. The new 1.4km connection - a two-way cycleway protected from the southbound traffic lane by a concrete separator island (pictured) - will encourage people of all ages and abilities to ride their bikes safely around the Oakleigh Activity Centre, as well as setting up an important north-south cycling link within the city. Blue Peak Constructions Pty Ltd is set to start work in late-May, with construction expected to be completed by the end of 2025. The project will deliver the protected cycleway along the east side of Atkinson and Hanover Streets, between Dandenong Road and Burlington Street, and an off-road shared pathway along Burlington Street to Oxford Street. At Oxford Street, cyclists will then use the road for a short distance to connect to the Djerring Trail. shape.monash.vic.gov.au/trail-connection Glen Waverley, your parking space is ready We are delighted that Council extension of the Bogong Car Park in Glen Waverley has re-opened. The $40m+ project has added more than 500 new car parking spaces on four additional floors, increasing the total capacity to more than 1,000 free parking spaces. Construction was completed in time for Easter and Mothers Day – making it easier for people looking to celebrate these events at one of the many incredible places to eat, drink and gather in Glen Waverley. The car park includes a new building façade, featuring public art and specialist lighting; improved lifts; 10 motorcycle spaces; two EV charging bays; smart parking assistance and wayfinding signage; and a solar system that will feed into powering the building lifts, lighting, charging bays and other services. Please be aware of parking restrictions when using the car park as they vary across different levels. monash.vic.gov.au/bogong Green Up Monash! Have you ever considered environmental volunteering? Connect with local community groups and meet other like-minded people while choosing from one of several clean-up, repair, recycle, plant or similar volunteering events across Monash. Learn more and help create a more sustainable Monash at monash.vic.gov.au/green-up-monash Page 3 Message from Mayor Cr Paul Klisaris Trees matter to Monash residents. We know you value the benefits trees bring to our neighbourhoods, helping to cool streets and make them walkable and creating a beautiful green environment to live in. We have been concerned, as many of you have, about the wholesale removal of trees and gardens from properties, often referred to as - moonscaping, only to be replaced with hard surfaces. Our Protect Your Trees campaign was designed to advocate to the State Government on further protections for our tree canopy. We are limited in what we can do without those government endorsed tree protections. Thank you for the overwhelming support you gave to this campaign. I have met with the Minister for Planning and spoken with her directly about your concerns. I am hopeful that we will see the change we seek. You can read more about the campaign in this issue of the Bulletin. One of the highlights of the Mayoral year for me is the Sir John Monash Awards when we recognise amazing people in Monash who unselfishly do so much to support our community. Nominations are now open for these awards, across 10 different categories including Active Monash, Youth Leadership, Sustainability, Reconciliation, LGBTIQA+ champion, Age Well and Inspirational Women Leadership. The awards are named for General Sir John Monash, a civil engineer and volunteer soldier during World War 1. By the end of the war, he had risen to the highest rank in the Australian Army and is regarded as one of Australia greatest heroes. It is only fitting that these awards are named after him. Visit monash.vic.gov.au/awards to nominate someone before 13 July – if you know someone who is making a difference in Monash, put them forward! As always, please get in touch if you would like to discuss any matter with me: 9518 3524 or paul.klisaris@monash.vic.gov.au New car park will help businesses boom When the Bogong Car Park reopened last month, Kong Choi Leung joined the celebrations. Since setting up shop in Kingsway 17 years ago, the owner of Glen Waverley landmark Hong Kong Dim Sum has seen many changes to the strip of shops between the Bogong/Kingsway roundabout and the Coleman Parade corner. “Not many shops, very few restaurants,” he said of when he first arrived. Recently, however, he had counted in the same short stretch there were “41 shops to eat and drink at”. Before the COVID pandemic struck in 2020, Kong said businesses had been booming. More recently, the traffic and parking difficulties caused by SRL works were proving to be another major hurdle for traders to overcome. “Traffic is the big problem,” he said. “My customers have let me know they have to drive around and around to find a parking spot. In the last year, so many businesses have come and gone.” But the opening of an expanded carpark, just a leisurely stroll from all Glen Waverley has to offer, will be just the tonic local traders need. “I think this will bring a lot of business back here (Kingsway),” Kong said. Page 4 Celebrate National Reconciliation Week 2025 Monday 26 May 10am-11.30am Take part in a traditional smoking ceremony and enjoy a traditional First Nations performance by Kalat Dancers. Participate in our pledge wall and show your commitment to being a voice for reconciliation into the future. Visit our council pop up stalls and grab a coffee to learn more about our services and how we are working towards reconciliation. Glen Waverley Library Forecourt, 112 Kingsway, Glen Waverley Free Ticketed Event.  To book or learn more scan the QR code, go to monash.vic.gov.au/NRW or phone us on 9518 3555. Celebration event with Ben Brown Join us for a special National Volunteer Week event featuring guest speaker Ben Brown in conversation with Rana Hussain. Hear from Ben and Rana as they discuss the impact and contribution volunteers make to our community, particularly to local sporting clubs and programs, drawing on their own knowledge and experiences. Monday 19 May 6pm-7.30pm Mulgrave Community Centre, 355 Wellington Road, Mulgrave Register at trybooking.com/DAUBP More information: volunteer@monash.vic.gov.au or 9518 3555 Winter Series 2025 LIVE MUSIC IN MONASH BROOKLYN ‘86 Brass Band Friday 6 June, 7pm The Counts Monash University FREE Show AUSTRALIAN BARBRA STREISAND SHOW Featuring Rachael Grace Friday 4 July, 7pm Clayton Theatre Tickets $25 Each BODY OF WORK The Stories of Karen Carpenter and Cass Elliot Sunday 3 August,2pm Oakleigh-Carnegie RSL FREE Show BOOKINGS ESSENTIAL Scan QR Code or go to Monash.vic.gov.au/festival Page 5 We asked and you delivered Council Protect our Trees campaign, calling on the Victorian Government to support our request for tree protections, received overwhelming community support. More than 1,000 signed postcards were returned to Council, endorsing our request for the Victorian Government to support interim tree removal controls across Monash through the Significant Landscape Overlay (Amendment C165) and the implementation of the proposed state-wide tree removal controls. Both these measures would support Council efforts to secure protections for our tree canopy and prevent the wholesale removal of trees from private properties. Mayor Paul Klisaris recently met with State Planning Minister Sonia Kilkenny to pass on information about the campaign and seek her endorsement of what we are asking for. It is clear Monash residents are frustrated with the wholesale removal of trees and gardens from private property. In 2014 the Victorian Government key planning document, Plan Melbourne, also recognised this issue and promised State action to reduce tree loss and cool and green our suburbs. For the past five years Council has been asking the Victorian Government to give us planning controls to protect and improve the landscape and tree canopy of Monash. Thank you Monash for your support for this campaign. We will continue to advocate for these changes and provide you with updates. Have your Say shape.monash.vic.gov.au ... on our business future Council is inviting current and future business owners, operators and employees to have your say in our business sector survey. We are refreshing our Economic Development Strategy and would like to hear your thoughts about what is working well for you as well as any changes or suggestions for any areas we can improve. The City of Monash is a major contributor to the economic and employment base of metropolitan Melbourne and Victoria. Economic development is an important Council function that guides our internal decision-making to achieve growth and development outcomes for the economy and community. Your feedback in the survey will assist us in the development of our future-looking Economic Development Strategy. Have your say until 12 June at: shape.monash.vic.gov.au/eco-dev-strategy MONASH at a glance Waste Collection Calendar Look for the 2025/26 waste collection calendar with your copy of next month Monash Bulletin. You can also check when your bins are collected at: monash.vic.gov.au/bin-collection Kinder enrolments closing Does your child turn three or four by 30 April 2026? If so, they can attend kindergarten next year! Online enrolment for 2026 is currently open, but remember to complete your registration before 30 June 2025 to be eligible for first-round offers. To register: monash.vic.gov.au/kinder-enrolment Court win for Council Two former rooming house operators have been convicted and fined after being found guilty of charges related to running an illegal rooming house in Ashwood. It came after Council Environmental Health Officers investigated a complaint that the property was being illegally operated as a rooming house. Full details: monash.vic.gov.au/illegal-rooming-house Page 6 Monash, get out and find your club With the winter sporting season in full swing, now the perfect time to get out and connect with a local sporting club or recreation group. Whether it is cheering-on your local team from the sidelines; volunteering to help at a community club or even pulling on the boots and having a run yourself – there is so many ways to get involved. Monash boasts almost 100 different sporting clubs, from Australian football, soccer, netball, rugby league and union to basketball, baseball, hockey, softball and many more. Council manages and maintains a magnificent array of sporting venues, including 39 active reserves, 54 sportsgrounds; two public golf courses, at Glen Waverley and Oakleigh; and outstanding indoor facilities like the Waverley Netball Centre, Waverley Basketball Stadium and Oakleigh Stadium. We have three aquatic centres – MARC in Glen Waverley, ORC in Oakleigh and at Clayton – as well as active recreation infrastructure like fitness hubs, public basketball courts, circuit paths and public tennis courts. It is never been easier to get active in Monash and connect with a sporting or recreation group. Find out how to get started: monash.vic.gov.au/Sports-and-Recreation WORDFEST 2025 Unity in Conversation WordFest is the annual literature festival presented by Monash Public Library Service, uniting readers and writers through author talks, writing workshops, and the Monash Short Story Writing Competition. Launch Event with Michelle Brasier Tues 3 June, 7pm,Clayton Theatre OTHER WORDFEST TALKS Author Talk with Sharni Layton, Thurs 5 June, 7pm, Clayton Theatre Author Talk with Andrew Rule, Tue 10 June, 7pm, Clayton Theatre In-Conversation with Emelia Jackson, Thurs 12 June, 7pm, Clayton Theatre In-Conversation with Jane Bunn, Sat 14 June, 1:30pm, Mount Waverley Community Centre In-Conversation with Joel Selwood, Mon 16 June, 7pm, Clayton Theatre Writing Workshop with Cath Moore, Tues 17 June, 6:30pm, Wheelers Hill Library Author Talk with Jacinta Parsons, Thurs 19 June,7pm, Wheelers Hill Library Sir John Monash Lecture with Dr Katherine Biber, Thurs 3 July, 6:30pm, Wheelers Hill Library SHORT STORY COMPETITION Opens Tuesday 3 June and closes Wednesday 30 July. There are three categories to enter your story in:  *Category A: 12-14 years  *Category B: 15-17 years  *Category C: 18+ For the WordFest program: monlib.vic.gov.au/wordfest or visit your local Monash Public Library branch. Page 7 Gallaghers Ward Cr Geoff Lake These are exciting times for Glen Waverley. Last month, the Bogong Car Park reopened after months of construction. This $40+ million project has more than doubled the size of the car park, responding to community demands for more parking in central Glen Waverley, providing more than 1,000 free parking spaces for visitors to Kingsway. It was partly funded from proceeds Council has and will receive from the State Government for its recent land acquisitions within the activity centre, which reduced its impact on Council budget. Attention now turns to delivering the $100+ million Glen Waverley Library project, building a new library and community meeting and function spaces on the site of the current Glen Waverley library. It will be completely funded by the State Government acquisition of the Montclair Car Park land, together with the funds Council received last year for the sale of the Central Car Park. The current library is outdated and lacks the space to serve our community. Go there after school and students are crammed in trying to find a space to study or simply enjoy a book. At other times, young families and older residents must make do with a sub-par facility that is no longer fit for purpose. Following extensive community consultation, Council formally resolved last year to proceed with this project. More than 1,400 people had their say during this consultation. As Chair of the Glen Waverley Activity Centre Steering Committee, I am excited to share that planning for the new library is progressing well. The final touches are being made to a new design that responds to community feedback on the initial concept. We have taken this feedback on board and our architects, Lyons Architecture, have crafted a new design that is elegant and refined and that actively engages with the site and makes the most of every available space. The Steering Committee will recommend that Council releases the updated design for further consultation shortly. I encourage you to check it out and let us know what you think. These two projects, together with Council planned reinvigoration of Kingsway to transform it into an outdoor dining and pedestrian-priority precinct, will set Glen Waverley up for success for many years to come. Next Council Meetings Tuesday 27 May, 7pm/Tuesday 24 June, 7pm Monash Civic Centre, 293 Springvale Rd, Glen Waverley Access meeting agendas and watch in-person or online: www.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, 0461 305 956, Elisha.Lee@monash.vic.gov.au Mayfield Ward, Cr Brian Little | Deputy Mayor, 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, 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 | Mayor, 9518 3524 | 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 Elvis Forever Concert Wednesday 25 June 2025 at 10 am Mulgrave Community Centre 'The King' is coming to Monash! Put on your blue suede shoes and journey through Elvis greatest hits with an award-winning Elvis tribute show by Damian Mullin. Bookings are essential. monlib.events.mylibrary.digital/event?id=137306 Call 9265 4877 To find out more, or book a place: monash.vic.gov.au/recycling-workshops Bowness Photography Prize 2025 Call for entries. This year MAPh celebrates the 20th anniversary of the prize and, thanks to a substantial philanthropic gift from the Bowness Family Foundation, it is now the richest cash prize for photography in Australia. The winner will receive $50,000 in cash, two Honourable Mentions will receive a cash prize of $2,500 each, and all finalists will be paid a loan fee. The prize is open to all artists working with photography. Entries close Friday 13 June. Visit maph.org.au Monash Awards open Do you know someone who is doing inspiring things for the community and goes the extra mile? Then it is time to nominate them for the Sir John Monash Awards! Nominations close Sunday 13 July, but do not leave it to the last minute. For more info: monash.vic.gov.au/awards or call 9518 3619 YOUR HOME. YOUR CHOICE. Are you sharing your home with family or friends? Hear tips for starting conversations and setting boundaries to stay safe and in control. When: Thursday 12 June Time: 10.30am-12pm Where: Glen Eira Auditorium, Corner Glen Eira and Hawthorn Roads, Caulfield Bookings are essential: visit trybooking.com/1345711 or 9524 3255 Morning tea provided, free parking at venue, close to bus/tram. 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 Copyright © 2024 Monash City Council. All Rights Reserved; reproduction in any form will require Council written approval. 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. Information in the June Bulletin 2025 is current at the time of going to print on 1 May 2025. Snap Send Solve is a great app to report through to us what needs fixing visit www.monash.vic.gov.au/snap-send-solve