Local artists collective Alphington Open Studios is hoping locals who use Instagram will follow their site … and are having a ‘giveaway’ to encourage you to do so … a series of lovely cards and some delicious chocolate are on offer.

Click here to both ‘like’ the giveaway post and ‘follow’ the page … then you’ll be in the running! Something positive we can all easily do at this time to support other locals who do neighbourly things in the neighbourhood right?

We’ve still got our fingers and toes crossed that the Alphington Open Studios weekend (currently scheduled for 27-28 November) can go ahead.

And did you know that we’re planning to host a small works exhibition at ACC as part of the event? If you are a local artist who would like to participate (you’ll need around 2-4 small works) please email your interest here. Thanks Yarra City Council for supporting this local arts initiative.

And good luck in the draw everyone!

You could win these gorgeous cards made by artists from Alphington Open Studios.

Time is passing us by … and it is pretty nice to be marking it with this series of local neighbourhood walks.

The third walk is through the northern streets of Alphington, and whilst lots of the houses that are talked about have disappeared, it’s still pretty interesting to understand how this area developed, and how it has changed. Who knew, for example, that Yarana Road was once a long driveway to a fancy house …

To find out more you can pop past ACC and collect a physical map from the box on the side of the seed library, if you have a printer you can download and print your own here and of course you can also just download it and follow along on your device.

We hope you have a lovely time exploring the northern part of Alphington this weekend!

Our second History Walk through the Lucerne Estate (south of Heidelberg Road) is now available for your weekend walking pleasure!

We’ve printed 70 copies that are again out on the street for you to collect, both on the bottom shelf of the seed library and in the little perspex brochure holder on the side.

Alternatively if you have a printer at your house you can print your own here or read along on your phone.

We hope you have a lovely weekend.

If you are interested in learning more about the history of our neighbourhood … and also like a stroll, perhaps you’d like to print out or collect our first History Walk.

This walk starts on the south side of Alphington Station and takes you on a tour of the Old Alphington Village. Thanks to Anne and the 3078 History Group for all the background work that has gone into this flyer, and thanks also to Lee for the graphic design and Kalimna for the photos.

We’re planning to record an accompanying podcast at some stage to sit along side this walk. We’ll let you know when this is active.

If you have a printer at home you can print a copy here. If you’d like to collect a printed copy you’ll find some out the front in the little brochure holder on the side of our seed library.

National Science Week ran from 14-22 August. And we had a fabulous eco-dyeing weekend workshop on offer here at ACC with local textile artist Rose Kulak. She does the most amazing prints and we were VERY excited about it.

This week however, we came to the sad conclusion that it is unlikely that we’ll be able to go ahead with this workshop in person anytime soon, and so instead we’ve been exploring how we can offer an eco-dyeing experience at home.

Rose is helping us put together a couple of different take home kits that include all the materials and instructions you will need to undertake a project using things like eucalyptus leaves, onion skins or oxalis (sour grass that is now in bloom all over the neighbourhood).

Eco-dyeing 101 kit

a dye bath in action … looks pretty cool huh?

So if you’d like to learn a new skill and/or you are keen to explore the science of eco-dyeing and eco-printing … and to find out more about natural fibres, mordants and fixatives, the impact of pressure and heat, and pH levels … then email us here and nominate your preference for the:

1. Eco-printing 101 kit (learn how to use pressure and steam for printing) or

2. Eco-dyeing 101 kit (learn how to make a natural dye bath)

When you register we’ll get back to you re. collection times over the next few days. And then … we hope you have lots of fun … and send us a photo or two of your amazingly interesting (and fingers-crossed, beautiful) results!

Note, this activity is designed for adults, and will also be really interesting for children - but supervision is strongly recommended and actually really necessary.