The Artful Dodger — February 2026

From the Chair

Welcome back to another year of creativity, friendship and fun at Warrandyte Arts!

Our Membership Coordinator, Noelene, reports that membership renewals (due by the end of this month) are running at an all-time high for this time of year. Many thanks if this includes you! If you haven’t yet had a chance, or would like to add family members, or gift someone new a membership, you can use this link: www.trybooking.com/DIJZB

You’ll find more information about membership options and benefits from Noelene at the end of this edition of the newsletter.

Best wishes to everyone
Bruce Turner, Chair
[email protected]

Warrandyte Theatre Company

Lyrebirds Awards

Held on February 7, 2026

WTC received two Judges awards for two different productions in 2025:

One presented by Judge Robyn Kelly, for the dynamic scene changes donning hazmat suits, continuing the catastrophic theme in When the Wind Blows, and the other presented by Judge Kate McManus, for showcasing an original fresh new work of Grey Nomad by Dan Lee.

Members of our Company were also nominated for two other awards: Best Lighting in a drama: Harrison O’Toole, When the Wind Blows and Best Performer for a Supporting Male Role in a comedy: Tony Clayton, Grey Nomad.

Congratulations to everyone involved!

Productions for 2026

Season 1 - The Vagina Monologues by Eve Ensler, first produced in 1996 at the ‘HERE’ Arts Centre, New York. Ensler produced the play with the purpose of ‘celebrating vaginas’, but by 1998 the Vagina Monologues became an important contribution for ‘V-Day’ - the movement to end violence against women.

This excerpt from Karen Choi, February 14, 2016, gives an excellent idea of
what to expect from the play:

“The VM is an episodic play that gathers a diverse and engaging group of women to deliver their testimonies about what it essentially means to have a vagina. In the span of the performance, I laughed until it hurt and then I kept laughing, I fell in love with wonderful story telling, and I empathised with characters that were not so different from me. All fear and shame paled as the mystified and misunderstood facts of life materialised in the consciousness of all the audience members. The implication was that these were not just stories, but lived experiences and that each women’s experience was just as unique and worthwhile as the next.”

We look forward to having you with us when we perform this play
directed by Caroline Shaw

Further productions for 2026

Front of House Coordinator

We are looking for someone who is able to organise our front of house for the shows during the year. The role involves putting together the roster, sourcing the wine, beers and refreshments, and helping with the setting up of chairs and tables. Training is available and you certainly won’t be thrown in the deep end. It is a fun and critical role that ensures the audience has an amazing experience. Feel free to contact me if you would like to know more.

Lou Phelan, WTC Convenor
0409 555 648

[email protected]

Dreams - The Fleetwood Mac/ Stevie Nicks Tribute Show

Saturday, April 18 at 7.30pm

Warrandyte Mechanics Institute

Our technical supremo, Adam, is a huge Fleetwood Mac fan and goes out of his way to see tribute bands playing their music.

He says that none have come close to ‘Dreams’ - Melbourne’s original tribute band to the British band formed in the 60s by Mick Fleetwood and John McVie. “Their sound is exceptional, faithful to the original band with outstanding attention to detail. Beautifully balanced and performed with genuine musical respect for the source material.”

Adam knew we were keen to promote live music at the Mechanics Institute Hall and recommended we approach the band to perform.

So we did and…now we have the date of April 18 with tickets at $35 at: Trybooking.com/dhxur

Dreams (aka Gypsy) - The Rumours of Fleetwood Mac, has become one of Australia’s most loved and enduring tributes to Stevie Nicks and Fleetwood Mac, celebrated for its authenticity, musicianship and unmistakable ‘Mac’ atmosphere. The show has built a loyal following and is the original Fleetwood Mac tribute experience in Australia. With lead singer Peta Balcombe recreating the spirit and presence of Stevie Nicks, the band creates and evening that is equal parts theatrical and musical.

The set list celebrates the classics from Rumours and fan favourites across the eras while also embracing the mystique and powerhouse material of Stevie Nicks’ solo career. As a warmup, the band will also include a range of hits from the 70s and 80s in their ‘Yacht Fever Rock Show’.

Life Drawing

Life Drawing has commenced with a good group returning. All appeared enthusiastically engaged in our initial task, a three week pose with a wonderful, professional model.

We are back at it and cheers to another year.

Thanks to all,
Marion

Pottery

We are back! There is so much to look forward to in 2026.

The studio is again buzzing with activity on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Tuesday’s group returned early to the studio and has been busily working and creating with clay. Wednesday’s group finally sat around the worktable on February 11, after an Extreme Fire day had been called on February 4, causing delay.

The studio is in flux with renovations still in progress. 2026 will see major changes to the pottery studio. The old upstairs pottery workspace is being restored, and potters will return to it, but no date has been decided. Work has been on hold because of the summer break and availability of funding. The use of the downstairs space hasn’t been decided but the potters are looking forward to sharing it.

There are challenges ahead for both groups. There is the preparation for WMIAA’s display during the Warrandyte Festival, March 27 and 28, and potters are busily creating items for display and sale during the Festival. And of course there will
be the ‘Big Move’!!

Wednesday’s group welcomes its new members and, in particular, Georgie the parrot, and looks forward to their creative contributions.

Dianne Phillips

Repair Café

We have returned in 2026 with a successful session on Sunday, February 1.

Over the break, Sandi & James sent through final versions of the three promotional videos, which tell wonderful stories. A local luminary saw and exclaimed that they are worthy of an award! Here is a link to all three ‘Meet the Fixers’ videos.

https://warrandytearts.org.au/repaircafe

Also at the February session, we farewelled young Lauren (jewellery fixer), who is heading to Beechworth for a couple of years with her partner. Luckily we have recently gained Ben and Dylan to help keep down the average fixer age. We truly are a wonderfully varied bunch of generous volunteers!

David Tynan

From the Archives

We continue to sort, digitise and file our collected documents and, while the task is still far from complete, we are making progress. We are also endeavouring to fill the gaps - in particular, with respect to events in and regular uses of our current hall which opened in 1928, before the formation of the Warrandyte Arts Association in 1955.

Recent searches on Trove have revealed a few events. From a poster held at the Warrandyte Museum, we were aware of the Lilac Time Balls, organised by the Warrandyte Auxiliary for the Women’s Hospital, Melbourne, held at the hall during October from the 1930s to the 1960s. However, two newspaper clippings have emerged with more detail. The first is from the Argus in 1937, indicating how geographically widely known this annual event was:

Lilac Time Ball

The Warrandyte Hall was decorated attractively on Saturday for the Lilac Time Ball, organised to raise funds for the Warrandyte bed in the Women’s Hospital, Melbourne. White and mauve lilac transformed the hall into a spring pageant, with the windows framed in green with mauve butterflies fluttering over the blossoms. The stage was arranged to represent an old-world garden.

Visitors came from Melbourne and the surrounding district. The large gathering included the President of the Doncaster and Mulgrave Shire (Mr. H.G. Adams) and Mrs. Adams, the President of the Warrandyte Auxiliary for the Women’s Hospital (Miss E. Till), the Honorary Secretary (Mrs. M. Jones), the Honorary Treasurer (Mrs. G. Cracker), and members of the Committee, Shire Councillors, and others interested in the Auxiliary’s work.

The Argus (Melbourne, Vic: 1848-1957), 11 October 1937, p.6.

A more detailed article written by Mavis Chivers appeared in the newsletter of the Doncaster and Templestowe Historical Society in 1974 indicating that this event began in 1933 and continued well into the late 1950s.

Warrandyte Lilac Ball

The Warrandyte Auxiliary for the Women's Hospital, Melbourne, was formed in 1930. In October of 1933, they held their first Lilac Time Ball. It was one of the social events of the year and was held at the Warrandyte Mechanics' Institute Hall with people from miles around the district coming in all manner of transport. The price was 7/6d a double, with prizes donated by members of the Committee for all types of competition dances, one being the “bob” dance. Milne's band from North Ringwood was the band for many years.

The gardens of Warrandyte would be robbed of their lilac so that the hall could be decorated. The women would, of course, have a new frock each and the men always wore ties and kept their coats on no matter how hot they became doing all the old-time dancing. The night would not be complete without the first set Alberts and always finishing with the Royal Irish. (These were a form of square dance with an M.C. calling the figures.) In addition, waltzes, a marathon progressive barn dance, gipsy tap, you name it, we danced the lot at the Lilac Time Ball. Supper was served halfway through the evening - not like we have it today, cabaret and buffet style, etc. Our custom was that everybody who could, moved to a seat around the hall and then cups and plates would be handed around, then the plates of sandwiches and home-made cakes and sponges were served by the local girls and ladies. By this time the coffee would be ready, having been prepared in a kerosene tin on the open fire in the kitchen. The men would carry this around to the people in jugs, with somebody following behind with the sugar and I can still remember that beautiful coffee. After that huge supper, everybody found enough energy to finish off with the Royal Irish.

In the 1940s Mrs. Reynold trained local girls and boys for a debutante set which was an added attraction. The debutante set and their partners were presented to many important people in the years following, one being Dame Patti Menzies. My own mother, Mrs. G. M. Robertson, was presented with a service medal from the Women's Hospital Board of Management.

These are my own recollections of the Lilac Time Ball. Many of the details were destroyed in the 1939 bushfires when the then Secretary, Mrs. Craker’s home was destroyed. The money raised from the balls went to the endowing of cots and beds in the names of Mrs. W. Hussey, Mrs. M. Houston, and Mrs. V. Hawkes.

For many years after my marriage in 1937, I always attended the Lilac Time Ball. My son Craig partnered his cousin Laurie Smith of Warrandyte at a ball in the late 1950s. Like a lot of functions, with the advent of television the Lilac Time Balls finished, but I'm sure the memories to a lot of people will always live on. The work still continues for the hospital. Many of the people on the Committee are foundation members. The reigning president, Mrs. B. Leake, has been in office for the last twenty years.

Mavis Chivers writing in 1974, 08 DTHS Newsletter

If anyone has any other photos of these eras, we would love to see them.

The mind boggles at the notion of a kerosene tin over an open fire in the kitchen, but I recall Joan Golding, a foundation member of WAA, describing at our 50^th birthday celebration her experience of attending Committee meetings and/or rehearsals at the hall where their feet had got soaked while walking down to the hall and how they had hung their socks around the rim of this kerosene tin to dry them before the return walk home.

In the 1970s and 80s, there were themed annual Arts Balls organised by WAA, to which members came in fancy dress in table groups. One poster indicates the 1983 theme was “The Fabulous Forties”, while the following photograph shows a bunch of Queen Victorias! How many people do you recognise? Sadly, several
have passed away now.

Would such an annual event be a goer these days, I wonder? another event we discovered would most certainly not be acceptable was a fundraiser called ‘The Ugly Man Competition’.

But more of that in the next issue of the Dodger!

Pat Anderson

New Banner for Festival

June McIntosh and myself have upgraded the Warrandyte Arts banner. In order to keep the signage continuity, we re-jigged Jock’s illustration. Hope it will shine bright along Yarra Street, with a message to support the organisation.

Marion

Membership

Renew your membership now!

To renew for 2026, click this link https://www.trybooking.com/DIJZB and then “BOOK NOW”.

Hello All

Welcome to another year of Warrandyte Arts productivity, activities, friendships and fun. A few reminders regarding Membership:

Paying your subscription

The WMIAA membership page on TryBooking complies with the Act governing WMIAA as an Incorporated Association.

Each member of a Family Membership must be registered separately (at a cost of $10) giving their name, address, phone number and email address.

‘Added Family Member’ booking process

Click the link and then click BOOK NOW (top right-hand corner)
If you haven’t already renewed the primary, full membership, select a Full Membership
Scroll to ‘Added Family Member’. Insert the number of added family members
Fill in the individual added family member details.
Scroll to next if more than one added family member. You will also be asked for the name of the full membership to which these family members are being added.
Click ‘Next’ when all boxes are completed to go to payment page.

The Groups

Theatre, Chocolate Lilies Choir, Pottery, Life Drawing, Tai Chi, Karate, Repair Café and Writers groups are for people actively engaged in those groups. You are able to select more than one group if you wish.

For ‘Added Family Members’ who don’t belong to a group, or those people who choose to support the WMIAA and upkeep and enhancement of its facilities — the Hall and the Community Pottery — the Group for you is Friend of the WMIAA.

The Fees

Fees are unchanged this year.

$35 for the primary/full member
$35 Friend of the WMIAA
$35 Gift Membership
$10 for each added family member
$25 Student
$25 Pensioner

Benefits of being a member

As well as being able to join one of the active groups (for which members are covered for accident insurance), members have access to discounted hall hire, are able to vote at AGMs and have a say about future plans. And, of course, you also receive the Dodger, with reports on upcoming events and productions etc., as well as invitations to member-exclusive special events, freebies and the like.

AND…there’s the warm inner glow that comes from knowing you are supporting the efforts and maintenance of a community-owned, volunteer-run community association and its assets!

We are grateful for members who are willing to simply offer support through an annual membership and donations and not necessarily become more involved. We also need members who can help with very ordinary tasks, and we need members with expertise (e.g. publicity, fundraising, trades). No matter what your background, you may have just what we need!

Please do get in touch if you think you might be able to help. Just contact [email protected] or 0412 121 63. And don’t hesitate to contact me with any membership queries.

Kind regards,

Noelene Cooper, Membership Coordinator
[email protected]
Mob: 0400 861 133