The Artful Dodger — December 2025

From the Chair

Here we are at the end of another tremendous year of action and creativity across the wide range of groups and activities that WMIAA embraces.

A major project this year has been the commencement of the repair and refurbishment of the Old Fire Station building behind the Hall which houses the Warrandyte Community Pottery studio. The initial repair of the termite damage was completed with funds from Bendigo Community Bank and Rotary, together with proceeds from our own fundraising. As this edition is published, our focus is on finalizing the internal design of the upstairs pottery studio and preparation room (old kitchen) to be ready to start work as soon as funds pledged by our new Federal MP, Gabriel Ng, are made available.

The project has involved the efforts of a great many people including the Pottery Group members and representatives of the wider Association. They should all be recognised, but I feel I must at least thank local legend Jock Macneish who has developed the detailed design based on all the feedback, and Grant Purdy, our tireless Secretary, who has played a pivotal and irreplaceable role in securing the necessary external funds.

Warm wishes to everyone for a safe and enjoyable Christmas and start to 2026.

Bruce Turner

Theatre News

Well, that completes another successful year with four amazing shows:
When the Wind Blows, The Importance of Being Ernest, Grey Nomad and, to finish off, The Complete and Utter Follies.

If you missed the Follies, there are some photos below the schedule for next year.

As you will be aware, any community venture relies heavily on volunteers to make everything run smoothly and we are extremely grateful to our amazing volunteers and supporters. The roles are really varied, as you will see here in the run down of the type of tasks that need to happen for a production to get to the stage:

  • Set design and building, painting, construction
  • Lighting design and operation
  • Sound design and operation
  • Costumes and Props
  • Front of House coordination and Front of House staff
  • Stage Manager and Back stage crew
  • Publicity and Ticketing
  • Play readers
  • Prompter
  • Directors
  • Producers
  • Actors!

All this is supported by the Warrandyte Theatre Company Committee who meet once a month to thrash out the details, make play choices, organise the tasks, find new volunteers and undertake the general administration.

This brings me to our situations vacant:

FRONT OF HOUSE COORDINATOR

This is an absolutely essential job organising the team of staff to be on the front door, the bar, selling Choctops and helping to set up the hall. It involves purchasing wine and beer, sending out welcome emails and creating and sending the roster. If you would like to know more about this role, contact me for more information. You would not be thrown in at the deep end!!

WTC COMMITTEE MEMBERS

We are always on the lookout for new folk to join our small but vibrant group; the more the merrier. Again, contact me for further information. No theatre experience necessary, just a willingness to muck in!

Lou Phelan
WTC Convenor
[email protected]

STOP PRESS!

Warrandyte Theatre Company and friends do well in the Lyrebird Awards

WTC has won two judges awards in this year’s Lyrebird Competition, for:

  • Dynamic scene changes done in hazmat suits continuing the catastrophic theme in When the Wind Blows, and
  • Showcasing an original fresh new work of Grey Nomad by Dan Lee.

Tony Clayton has also been nominated for ‘Best Performer in a Supporting Male Role - Comedy’ in Grey Nomad.

Nominations for former cast members and friends include:

  • Mason Frost (Hotel Sorrento, The Glass Menagerie and many more) for ‘Best Performer in a Supporting Male Role – Drama’ in Proof, Peridot Theatre and for ‘Highly Commended Performer in a Drama’ in Frankenstein, Peridot Theatre

  • Francesca Carl (Hotel Sorrento, The Glass Menagerie and many more) for ‘Best Performer in a Lead Female Role – Comedy’ in Educating Rita, The Basin Theatre

  • Audrey-Maeve Barker (The Glass Menagerie) for ‘Best Performer in a Lead Female Role – Comedy’ in Moon Over Buffalo, Lilydale Athenaeum Theatre Company

  • Bob Bramble (Last Quiz Show on Earth) for ‘Best Performer in a Supporting Male Role – Comedy’ in Haunted, Lilydale Athenaeum Theatre Company

  • Paul Wanis (A View From the Bridge) for ‘Best Performer in a Lead Male Role – Drama’ in Frankenstein, Peridot Theatre and for ‘Best Performer in a Lead Male Role – Comedy’ in The Housekeeper, The 1812 Theatre

  • Michael Fenemore (Proof) for ‘Best Performer in a Supporting Male Role - Comedy’ in Haunted, Lilydale Athenaeum Theatre Company

  • Rosey Cullinan (Hotel Sorrento, All My Sons) has also been nominated for ‘Best One Act Play’ for A Lady of Letters, in Talking Heads, Peridot Theatre

Good luck to all the nominees in the award ceremony next February.

Pottery News

The Pottery Studio has been a hive of busy bees, churning out many terrific pottery pieces, including bird baths, tiles, large vases, sculptures, mini tea sets, pots, garden art and, of course, multiple Christmas presents and decorations!

We have also gained a few more members!

We look forward to our breakup Christmas party when both groups can share friendship time together over a scrumptious lunch.

Repair Café

We held our final Repair Café on Sunday, December 7, with a celebration lunch and the launch of promotional videos compiled by Sandi and James from 42K Media.

It was a lovely event attended by:

  • The Honorable Gabriel Ng - Federal Member for Menzies
  • The Honorable Nicole Werner - State Member for Warrandyte
  • Councillor Carli Lange - Local Member for Yarra Ward

Promo video

https://youtu.be/I0NHFcJVf_s

As well as watching the video, we were treated to a poem (doggerel style) read by John Anderson to help us celebrate the work of the WRC. It follows for you to enjoy.

John’s Doggerel for Repair Café Festivities

We are a group of friends who meet to fix up things
And it gives us lots of pleasure to see the joy it brings
To the citizens of Warrandyte who bring along their stuff
Like missing trouser buttons, a machine that’s running rough
A finger ring that’s tight, a missing necklace link
A blocked-up garden hose that has a nasty kink
A loved and ancient toaster that’s unwilling to pop-up
A dress that is too long so the hem needs taking up
A jumper that needs darning, a broken teddy bear
Challenges like these are our normal sort of fare

Books with broken spines, a childhood book in tatters
A printer with a problem which no longer chatters
A machine for sewing cloth that always breaks the thread
A cover that’s too short – it won’t fit the baby’s bed
Some come with their computers, in a state of stress
With something they don’t understand, and which keys to press
Some come a-long with lap tops whirring round and round
And when there’s something tricky, the heavies flock around
We enjoy these sorts of problems in this Mechanics’ Hall
And we love the friendly vibes that goes with it all

Each of us contributes with a special role to play
Beginning with reception who have a friendly way
As they note the stuff for fixing with triage expertise
And allocate a fixer – and put the visitors at ease

While the visitors are waiting, the convenor does his bit
To encourage guests to spend some coins and have a coffee hit
And maybe have some nibbles in best Warrandyte tradition
Contributed by volunteers – invariably, the women

We have many kinds of fixers, who vary in their form
From charming modern trendies, though old age is more the norm
We provide a mix of skills, and we’re always very kind
A better mix of fixers is impossible to find
And then, as people leave, with stuff that’s been repaired
One of our team members asks them how they fared
And collects the information about their visit here that day
And suggests, if they are happy, they might like to pay
To keep the old Hall running, with a big or small donation
With either cash or card – what e’er their inclination

We tell the pol-it-ic-ians that we stop lots of stuff
From being sent to landfill (that’s the sort of talk they love)
But that’s just conversation – what really brings us here
Is, that sometimes things get broken which are held very dear
Something sentimental, a book, or treasured toy
Fixing things for people is a boundless source of joy

Hanson’s Open Garden Day

Large events like Open Garden Days don’t just happen, it takes a community of volunteers to say YES, I can help. Luckily in Warrandyte we have many such people.

This event started quietly, with Bev Hanson reading an article in_The Diary_ about the need to rebuild a large part of the old fire station. Bev responded, as she has so many times in the past, by offering to help, specifically by offering to host an open garden at her property. This meant preparing the garden for the day - mainly the hard work of Bev’s son Peter - clearing paths, mulching, weeding and laying fresh gravel on the road and paths.

We assembled a trusty team of WMIAA volunteers to manage the jobs of the day - parking, reception and people management - the community responded in style and numbers. We were even able to sell all remaining printed copies of the Warrandyte Community Association’s (WCA) book about Bev’s life and works. It can still be ordered via the WCA website.

As we are used to of late, rain threatened to spoil the day and reduce numbers of visitors that we may otherwise have attracted. But then…gaps in the cloud cover emerged and we were able to enjoy a sun-soaked and colourful open garden for most of the day.

Over 200 garden lovers of all ages, from far and wide, showed up. Individuals and whole families, young children running around the garden paths, nooks and crannies, all reveling in the beauty of Bev’s garden design and years of nurturing.

We were able to raise more than $1,600 towards the studio rebuilding project and, on behalf of the WMIAA, I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to Bev and Peter Hanson for their extraordinary generosity and for yet another example of the magic that happens in Warrandyte when volunteers say YES!

David Tynan

Warrandyte Theatre Company and WMIAA Christmas BBQ

The annual Christmas BBQ and Finska tournament was held at the Wonguim Wilam Reserve next to the Yarra in Warrandyte.

Although it was chilly at times, members of the theatre company and the wider Association had a great time and dined on meats expertly prepared by David Tynan and organised by Louise Phelan.

The final of the annual Finska Tournament was a battle between father and daughter. When Grant Purdy overshot the magic 50 points by one point, his daughter Melissa quickly clinched victory!

Melissa Purdy, a family member of the Association, being presented with the revered trophy by last year’s champion, Louise Phelan.

Fleetwood Mac Tribute

The premier Fleetwood Mac tribute band is playing at the hall on April 18, 2026.

Put the event in your calendars early!

Container collection update

Thanks to all those members and friends who recycle their empties using our bin on the deck behind the hall, or frequent SaHa Grapes & Grains (previously Hops & Vine) on Yarra Street, we have raised $2,715.60 since we started collecting containers in February 2024 (until the end of November 2025)!!

Special thanks are due to Alison and Greg Beanland who have single-handedly collected the containers from SaHa each week for the past year. We have had to pause that collection for the time being, but will continue to welcome containers that are eligible for the 10c deposit in the marked bin behind the hall.

A quick note to the drinkers of Squealing Pig Rose and Yakult!

Unfortunately wine bottles and Yakult containers, despite having a 10 cent logo, are not accepted as part of the Container Deposit Scheme in Victoria. They are accepted in SA and NT, but I’m not happy to go further than the Wonga Park Milk Bar! Please recycle them in your own yellow top bin.

Cheers, Adrian

 

Membership Registration Information

Registrations are paid via Trybooking.

Visit: https://www.trybooking.com/CXBDU then click on ‘Book Now’.

Please note, it would be very helpful if when registering or renewing, members only indicate the group(s) they are actively involved in (from the pull-down menu). Having an accurate picture of the total number of members and numbers in groups helps us to promote our organisation and enhance our grant applications.

If you are not an active member of a group (e,g, regular attendee at theatre shows, but not involved in their production) you can register as a ‘Friend of the WMIAA’.

Noelene Cooper
Membership Coordinator

With many thanks to our generous sponsors