A SUMMER OF LIBRARIES

Head to our libraries for great conversations – meet new people and keep your creative gears turning.

There’s a whole world to discover from literary experiences to technology classes, family history to film screenings, games and creative projects, to story and rhyme sessions for children. You can also beat the summer heat and unwind at home with our great range of online library collections, including books, audiobooks, magazines, newspapers, movies and music. Your membership unlocks loads of free online content, from your mobile device (or in person at the libraries). Joining is easy and free at the libraries or online, simply provide proof of your identity and current Victorian address.

2023 Stonnington calendar out now

The Stonnington History Centre has released a limited edition 2023 calendar featuring beautiful images from our stunning local history collection.

Each image has been carefully selected and provides a glimpse into our past – the people, places, architecture, fashion and events that have shaped Stonnington into the City it is today.

The spiral bound calendars are printed locally on 350gsm, 100 per cent recycled stock, and available from our libraries for $25, (while stocks last). It’s the perfect Christmas gift for history lovers and anyone who likes to stay organised.

Something BIG is coming this summer

Keep children and young people reading over summer with the BIG Summer Read.

The state-wide reading program from 1 December 2022 to 31 January 2023, is open to all under the age of 18. Participants can track their reading using the Beanstack app and earn badges when they reach reading milestones. There are also some fantastic prizes up for grabs.

Phoenix Park Library is turning 21

Save the date as we invite you to celebrate with us at the library.

Stay tuned for a special day of free special activities on 11 February 2023. There’ll be something to enjoy in all corners of the library, including children’s stories and songs, craft activities, seed workshops and more. (Some activities may require bookings).

Co-located within the bustling Phoenix Park Community Centre, the library offers services to residents and visitors in the Malvern East community.

The program will be announced mid-January 2023 – check for details on the library website.

See what’s on offer and check out all our summer programs and events at stonnington.vic.gov.au/Library

Sporting Fun In The Sun

With the days getting warmer and longer over summer, there’s plenty of sport returning to Stonnington.

Cricket is back at sportsgrounds across town, with the sounds of leather on willow replacing the collisions and kicks of the completed football season. Find your local club online at stonnington.vic.gov.au/active

With the Australian Open not far off, tennis is a popular activity this time of year. Hot Shots clinics are a great way for kids to learn the game, make new friends, and be active in a non-contact sport.

Lawn bowls is the perfect summer activity for the whole family – yes, for children through to grandparents. Simple to learn, yet difficult to master, it’s good for your physical wellbeing and these community hubs provide a fun and lively social setting.

Malvern Bowling Club hosts a Barefoot Bowls competition on Wednesday nights at 5pm, from October to May. With an emphasis on it being a social competition, it’s also great for getting involved in your local area. To participate or spectate, contact the club directly, (membership not required to play).

Stonnington has a great number of beautiful parks and trails –from short strolls to lengthier treks – always open for walking, jogging and bike riding.

Summer sounds by the pool

DJ, producer and mixer, Paz, and guest DJs present Lime Jams – a summer of sounds at Prahran Aquatic Centre.

Enjoy a poolside music journey, featuring a mix of genres from balearic to cosmic, salsa to samba, disco to boogie, hip hop to R&B, jazz to funk, house to techno.

Lime Jams happen over four summer Sundays from 1pm–5pm, 15 and 22 January and 5 and 12 February 2023.

Broadcast live outdoors, alongside the popular Prahran Pool, 41 Essex Street, Prahran Call 8290 7140

Do The Wall Crawl over summer

Stonnington is home to many murals dotted around our precincts, adorning walls and buildings and brightening laneways.

Some may capture your thoughts and imagination for the first time, others are well-known signifiers, paying tribute to the precinct they celebrate. They’ve all been created by some of the most dynamic local and national artists and others have been commissioned for a very specific purpose.

Included in the selection is Spring Parrots by Minna Leunig, which can be found in the Prahran Square Library, and complements Leunig’s sister piece, Flow of Life on the outer façade of the Malvern Library

Mural artist and designer Paul Sonsie’s work Shifts and Shapes can be found on Elizabeth Street next to Prahran Market, and another of his murals is located at 224 Malvern Road, Prahran. The Bert Healy Pavilion has never looked brighter with the addition of renowned artist Emma Coulter’s piece Spatial Deconstruction #27 spanning the entire wall of the pavilion. Taking his inspiration from the many faces of Chapel Street, and indoor flora that became a trend throughout the pandemic, Tom Gerrard’s mural Pot Plants has completely transformed the wall on the corner of Chapel and Barry streets, South Yarra

A short walk over to Prahran will take you to a whimsical work depicting two girls enjoying a typical rainy Melbourne day, by local artist BeFree, appropriately painted on the façade of the Princes Close Childcare Centre