Wait! It’s March already? Make sure you put these events in your calendar before the rest of the year slips away from you!

From a new exhibition celebrating “the trees of our lives”, a spectacular sunset session as part of Enlighten, and a workshop to mend your well-worn cardigan, we bring you the best of what’s on this month, plus some much-loved opportunities to meditate, sing, and draw.

Simone Annis Exhibition

In a new series entitled “A Street Tree Named Desire”, local artist Simone Annis has focused her sights (and paintbrush) on the majesty of trees.

“Like sands through the hourglass, these are the trees of our lives,” she says of the collection of paintings. Through paint, Simone tells a story of place and belonging, in the suburban landscape that she inhabits daily. “Like the trees, I’ve laid down roots.”

Tuesday 5 March to Sunday 14 April | The Link, Ginninderry, 1 McClymont Way, Strathnairn | More information here.

Brindabella Sunset Sessions

As part of Canberra’s Enlighten Festival, Strathnairn Arts Association and Café Stepping Stone are putting on a relaxing night with live music, food and wine, to watch the world’s best light show with a zero-carbon footprint – a sunset over the Brindabella Ranges!

Pre-order a woodfired pizza or grazing box from the fabulous team behind Café Stepping Stone or BYO picnic and spread out as much as you like (we’ve got 20 acres to share). Bring a picnic rug or camping chairs, a blanket and a couple of extra layers to stay warm and enjoy the show.

Wine, beer and soft drink will be available to purchase on the night, as well as a range of Café Stepping Stone desserts and hot chocolate. Music by Michael Sollis and Wyana O’Keefe of the Griffyn Ensemble on the 1 March, and Black Mountain String Band on 8 March.

Friday 1 March and Friday 8 March from 5.30 pm – 8.30 pm | Café Stepping Stone, 90 Stockdill Drive, Strathnairn | More information here.

Drop in and Draw

Take a breath and relax in the Generator Gallery at the Belco Arts Centre where you can indulge your creative spirit and create your own artwork from our curated still-life set up.
Participants are encouraged to bring their own materials and any equipment needed. A limited range of drawing materials will be available for use should you arrive empty-handed.

Every Tuesday-Sunday between 10am-4pm | Generator Gallery, Belconnen Arts Centre, 118 Emu Bank, Belconnen | More information here.

Artists in conversation

Lines of Sight is a body of work on exhibition at the Belco Arts Centre until 28 March. It’s the creative outcome of three years of phone conversations and postcard dialogues between British-born artist Patsy Payne and graphic artist John Pratt, mostly at a distance of 1100 kilometres between Darkinjung and Ngunnawal country.

The focus of their exchange is a particular zone of the environment between Gulaga and the ocean on the rugged south coast of NSW, in Yuin country, which the artists used as a means of developing a visual narrative. It deals with distance, space, time, tides, and atmosphere. They will be joined by, Frances Kenna, whose exhibition, atmospheres, will also be on display questions whether nature is static and space is fluid.

Friday 16 March, 2pm | Pivot Gallery, Belconnen Arts Centre| Registrations required here.

Holy T-Shirt? Don’t chuck it, mend it

Have you got a favourite sweater that’s been moth fodder? Perhaps you’re trying to save money on clothes and keep garments out of landfill? Well, this is the workshop for you! Artist Hanna Hoyne will show you valuable tips and tricks for mending your clothes in a colourful and beautiful way!

Visible mending consists of renewing imperfections using multiple hands-on techniques and revitalising your favourite clothes so you can keep them in your closet! In this workshop, you will learn the following: how to create and hand-sew funky patches or pockets; making holes into features; and reworking tired garments with new textile combinations or a bit of paint!

Saturday 16 March, 9 am – 12 pm | Canberra Environment Centre, Gungaderra Homestead, Harrison | Tickets are $20 here.

Val Johnson Exhibition

Strathnairn Arts will host an exhibition by Val Johnson “Meandering around the Murray” which is a new body of work by this contemporary painter using oils and gouache. The collection presents different perspectives on this iconic waterway which focusses on patterns and shapes which emerge from the landscape.

Wednesday 28 February to Sunday 24 March,  Wednesdays to Sundays, 10 am to 4 pm | Homestead Gallery 1, 90 Stockdill Drive, Strathnairn | More information here.

Strathnairn Playgroup

Are you and your little ones keen to connect with others in the Ginninderry community? Check out the Strathnairn Playgroup! It’s a great way for children aged 0 – 5 years old (and their parents) to socialise and enjoy new activities!

Feel free to grab a coffee from Cafe Stepping Stone at Strathnairn Arts and come down and play or enjoy the tea and coffee at The Link.

Every Friday during school terms, 9.30 pm – 11 am | The Link, 1 McClymont Way, Strathnairn | More information here.

Have a yarn with Good Omen Goodeze

Want to learn a new skill or get back into a hobby you used to love? Local community needle craft group Good Omen Goodeze is hosting an afternoon full of knitting and crochet—and you’re invited. Pop in for a cup of tea and a chat with the passionate members and use the opportunity to make something special to take home or to donate to those in need at the Canberra Hospital. All supplies are provided – you just need to bring yourself!

Every Friday afternoon, 1pm – 3pm | The Link, 1 McClymont Way, Strathnairn | More information here.

Neighbourhood watch meet and greet

Neighbourhood Watch  is a community led safety and awareness program working in partnership with police. It helps prevent crime, stop social isolation and increase the safety, security and quality of life for everyone in the community.
Drop in to The Link for a presentation from Neighbourhood Watch ACT & ACT Policing (subject to operational activity on the day) and some free coffee which will be available from 9 am, so pop down early to say G’Day to your neighbours.

Saturday 9 March, 9 am – 11 am | The Link, 1 McClymont Way, Strathnairn | More information here.

Change up your fitness routine with early bird Taekwon-Do Classes

No experience is necessary for this early-bird special class – you just need to be willing to have a go! Taught by Patrick Steele, everyone over the age of six is welcome (including beginners), and the class will accommodate all fitness levels—from those who have previous Taekwon-Do experience to those who can’t touch their toes. Running Monday and Friday mornings, enrolment for one term is $100 per student, with family discounts available. Make sure to book in quickly!

Every Monday and Friday, 6 am – 7 am | The Link, 1 McClymont Way, Strathnairn | More information here.

Evening Taekwon-Do to wind down after a busy day

If you want gentle exercise but not first thing in the morning, Patrick Steele, is also taking evening Taekwon-Do classes at The Link.

The class is aimed at beginners of all ages from pre-school age and over –  adults are also most welcome and are encouraged to join in with their children. Of course, anyone with TKD experience is also very welcome.

With no experience necessary – the class will accommodate fitness levels of all sorts, from those with a high degree of fitness and flexibility to those who don’t. Afterall, we all have to begin somewhere!

Mondays between 6 pm – 7 pm | The Link, 1 McClymont Way, Strathnairn | More information here

Stepping Stone Silent Book Club

Have you joined a book club like your New Year’s Resolution instructed you to? If you’re scared to take the plunge, this is a book club with a difference. There’s no assigned reading or discussion, just a peaceful space to read your book among fellow book lovers.

Silent Book Club is open to everyone, with no fees or age limits. Engage with others as much or as little as you like! So bring your current read, order your favourite beverage, and enjoy some uninterrupted reading time. Go on, you know you want to.

Sundays 10 March, 17 March, 24 March 2 pm – 4 pm | Cafe Stepping Stone Canberra, 90 Stockdill Drive, Strathnairn | Free but book here.

Tap into your zen with yoga classes

Get bendy during Thursday evenings at a yoga class! You don’t need any experience – just head along for the slow-flow class that will help melt away tension, build strength and mobility, and give you a chance to recharge. Take along a yoga mat, water bottle and comfy clothes.

Every Thursday, 7.15 pm – 8:15 pm | The Link, 1 McClymont Way, Strathnairn | More information here.

Simply Meditate

Try a Buddhist Meditation classes with the Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso at the Belco Arts Centre. Be guided through two relaxing meditations, each 15 mins long. Receive a short teaching and practical meditation tips to build your confidence. Sit on a chair or a cushion.
“When the turbulence of distracting thoughts subside and our mind becomes still, a deep happiness and contentment naturally arises from within.”

Every Wednesday, 12.30 pm – 1.15 pm | Meeting Room, Belconnen Arts Centre, 118 Emu Banks, Belconnen | $12 per session (pay at the door), more information here.

Songbirds of Belconnen Choir

Enjoy a sociable, supportive environment to enhance your singing and musicianship skills by singing with others – it’s not only a fun, valuable learning opportunity, it’s great for our physical and mental health!

Every Tuesday, 7 pm – 8 pm | The Link, 1 McClymont Way, Strathnairn | More information here.

Stop watering obsessively and start a wicking bed

Want to get through the summer with hydrated vegetables? Come along to the Canberra Environment Centre for an outdoor workshop in the community garden on how to set up a wicking bed. Wicking beds are a great way to conserve water while producing great crops. And they don’t have to cost a fortune.

Join Canberra’s own ‘Wicking Witch of the West’, Cally Brennan from Canberra Permaculture Design, who will show you how easy it is to make your own wicking garden bed or plant pot.
Cally has spent the last nine years making all sorts of wicking beds, from the very large to the very small. Learn her tips on how you can make your garden thrive and survive, even in the very hottest weather.

Saturday 23 March, 9 am – 11 am | Canberra Environment Centre, Gungaderra Homestead, Harrison | Tickets are $33.08 and available here.