Community Notices

St Mary's sits at the heart of Wattle Creek, alongside St Mary of the Cross Parish and a busy network of local sporting clubs, libraries and community groups. This page collects the community items currently appearing in the Lumen newsletter. Notices are updated each fortnight; items are removed once the event has passed.

St Mary of the Cross Parish Fete — Sunday 18 October 2026

The annual Parish Fete returns on Sunday 18 October 2026, 10:00am–3:00pm, in the church grounds and on the College Green, straight after the 9:00am Mass. Fr Michael Dwyer and the fete committee promise rides and a giant slide, face painting, a cake stall, devonshire teas in the parish hall, a plant stall, second-hand books, a sausage sizzle, live music from College ensembles at 11:30am and a silent auction closing at 2:30pm. Entry is free; ride wristbands are $25 (pre-purchase through the parish office for $20).

• Donations of cakes, slices, jams and plants can be dropped at the parish hall on Saturday 17 October 2026, 2:00–5:00pm. Please label baked goods with all ingredients (the fete is nut-aware).
• Helpers are needed for one-hour stall shifts. Contact the parish office on (03) 9555 0190.
• Parking is available in the Main car park off Chapel Road and the Sports Centre car park off Convent Lane.

Fete proceeds support the parish's St Vincent de Paul conference and the church roof restoration.

Wattle Creek Junior Football Club — 2027 registrations

Wattle Creek Junior Football Club opens registrations for the 2027 season on Monday 2 November 2026 for NAB AFL Auskick (ages 5–8) and Under 9 to Under 17 boys' and girls' teams. A Come-and-Try Day will be held on Sunday 8 November 2026, 10:00am–12:00pm, at Wattle Creek Reserve — bring runners, a drink bottle and a mouthguard if you have one; footballs provided. Early-bird registration fees apply until Friday 18 December 2026. Enquiries to wcjfc.registrations@wcjfc.org.au. Many St Mary's families play for the Wattles, and the club trains on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from March.

Wattle Creek Library — Spring Holiday Program

Wattle Ranges Shire Libraries run a free holiday program at the Wattle Creek branch from Monday 21 September to Friday 2 October 2026 (closed Friday 25 September for the Grand Final Eve public holiday):

Bookings are essential for Coding Club and LEGO Club through the library website or at the desk. The library is on Main Street, a short walk from Wattle Creek Station.

Wattle Creek Netball Club — summer competition

Registrations for the summer twilight competition (Term 4 2026 and Term 1 2027, Wednesday evenings at the Wattle Creek Netball Centre) close on Friday 25 September 2026. NetSetGo (ages 5–10) plays at 4:30pm; junior grades from 5:30pm. Details from the club via its website or Facebook page.

Parish Youth Group

The parish youth group, MacKillop Youth, meets fortnightly on Sunday evenings, 6:00–8:00pm in the parish hall for students in Years 9–12, after the 5:00pm Mass. Games, pizza, faith discussion and service projects, including cooking for the Vinnies soup van. Next meetings: Sunday 30 August and Sunday 13 September 2026. New members are always welcome; contact Sr Bernadette Long rsj through the College or the parish office on (03) 9555 0190.

Submitting a community notice

Community organisations are welcome to submit notices for the newsletter and this page. Email the wording (up to 100 words) and a contact to office@stmaryswc.vic.edu.au by 4:30pm on the Wednesday before publication — the newsletter is published on Mondays of odd weeks. Priority is given to parish, not-for-profit and local junior sport items; commercial advertising is not accepted.

Community notices are provided as a service to families. Listing does not constitute endorsement by St Mary's College, and the College has not verified the child-safety arrangements of external organisations. Families should make their own enquiries.