Children

Children’s playgroups were the first programs offered at Koonung Cottage, running since January 1978. Programs for children include playgroup, childcare and classes.  Read more about these popular children’s activities.
 

Creative

Artistic pursuits are a significant feature of the Cottage programs. Early offerings included crochet, spinning, weaving and crafts such as macramé and leatherwork.

Spinning has endured along with other long-term programs: bark art, oil painting and pencil sketching. Crafts continue but macramé and leatherwork gave way to paper crafts and beading.

Smocking and cross-stitch were popular in the 1990s while embroidery and patchwork have prospered through the 2000s to the present (2015). 

Other creative activities in Cottage history include fabric painting, floral art, folk art, knitting, lace-making, mosaics, oil pastels, pottery, ribbon embroidery, sewing and watercolour painting.    

I enrolled at the Cottage over twenty years ago, to learn the German language. My teacher, Margaret Stott, made it easy, interesting and fun. The friends I made then, remain friends to this day. 

Health

Exercise for older adults and yoga have been long-term features of Koonung Cottage programs. Nature walks were held regularly throughout the 1990s and early 2000s. Strength training was introduced in 2003 and Bollywood dancing in 2007. Occasional offerings over the years include adult tap dancing, first aid, tai chi and weight loss. 

Social

Lifestyle

Koonung Cottage held German language classes throughout the 1990s. Internet training was introduced in 2000. Over the next few years this expanded to cover e-bay, facebook, myspace and twitter. A digital photography program also grew out of changing community needs in the face of new technology.
Other programs appeared from time to time.

What happened when

1987
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2012

Bridge
Typing
Chinese cooking
Environmental awareness
Spanish language
Memory skills
Conversation skills
Indian cooking
Quit smoking
Life changes
Assertive parenting
Citizenship
Sri Lankan cooking
Gardening
Relaxation and harmony
Coping with anxiety
Creative writing
Aromatherapy
Finance
Singing
Positive thinking
Dogs social training
Practical sustainability
Feng shui
Self-exploration
Declutter
Cryptic crosswords
Sudoku
Family history

Koonung Cottage has provided support and social activities for many people.

• Autism Action Parents’ Support Group.
  
• Book Group (ongoing as at 2015).
  
• Cards and Scrabble.
  
• Grief and Loss.
  
• Lunch group (ongoing as at 2015).
  
• Mahjong (ongoing as at 2015).
  

Over the years Koonung Cottage has also been the meeting place for many community groups including:

• Acquired Brain Injury Carers’ Group.
  
• Alcoholics Anonymous (ongoing as at 2015).
  
• Art in Bark Association (Victorian branch).
  
• Assertive Parenting.
  
• Australian Multiple Births Association (Nunawading Branch).
  
• Bahais of Whitehorse/Nunawading.
  
• Blackburn North Uniting Church.
  
• Cootamundra Walk Committee of Management  (ongoing as at 2015).
  
• Debtors Anonymous.
  
• Eastern Bicycle Touring Club.
  
• Koonung Woodturners Guild (ongoing as at 2015).
  
• Leichhardt Ski Club.
  
• Mindful Meditation (ongoing as at 2015).
  
• Motor-x of Nunawading.
  
• Parents without Partners.
  
• St Alfred’s Anglican Church (ongoing as at 2015).
  

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Sources:

• Course and activities guides 1987-2012. Incomplete records held at Koonung Cottage. There is a significant gap in information about programs offered from 1979 to 1987.
  
• Minutes of meetings of North Blackburn Community Action Group, 9 June 1975 - 21 February 1979. Incomplete records held at Koonung Cottage. 
  
• Minutes of Koonung Cottage Community House Committee, 30 Nov 1987 - 6 June 2005. Incomplete records held at Koonung Cottage.