What's Worth Your Time

Start the school-holiday plan with the free options

Families can begin September school-holiday planning with the guide's Family & Kids section, shortlist suitable free options, and use each current organiser or venue source for the final age, booking and availability check.

Browse the free family ideas

Aquanation swimmers will need another pool from 1 October

Aquanation's pools, spa, sauna, steam room and waterslide will close for major renewal works from Thursday 1 October, with staged reopenings beginning from 1 February 2027. The gym and group-fitness studios will stay open, while Aquahub and Croydon Memorial Pool are the nominated swimming alternatives; check accessibility and opening details before changing your routine.

Check the closure, alternatives and renewal timetable

How to find a Maroondah playground that fits your family

Maroondah Council's searchable directory covers parks and playgrounds across the municipality and lets families check locations and facilities before leaving home. Useful examples include Wyreena's wheelchair-accessible sensory playspace, Jubilee Park's two playgrounds and accessibility guide, and Croydon Park's mix of playground, skate, basketball, shelter and toilet facilities.

Search Maroondah parks and playgrounds

A simple way to plan a free local weekend

Use the guide's category-and-date structure to narrow a large set of free local possibilities into one workable weekend plan, then check the current organiser or venue source before setting off.

Plan with the September Free Events Guide

Artists and makers can apply for a Wyreena market stall

Local artists and craftspeople can apply to take part in Wyreena’s 28 November Makers Market in Croydon. Applications close at 5pm on Friday 16 October, and places are limited and assessed against Council’s criteria. Food-product applications will not be considered; read the selection and insurance requirements before applying.

Read the stallholder criteria and apply

Croydon’s Block 15 tree-renewal plan is due in October

Croydon residents in Council’s Block 15 street-tree area can watch for the renewal plan in October 2026. Consultation closed on 6 July and submissions are being reviewed. The project page says planting would follow in the May–October 2027 season; use its street list to check whether your address is covered.

Check the Block 15 street list and next steps

Weekly Planner

The September Free Events Guide is open

The September guide gives locals one free-to-open, shareable place to browse free Maroondah-area plans by category and date, with an optional newsletter pathway for future guides and the September School Holiday Guide.

Explore the September Free Events Guide

Browse the full MX What's On guide

Money Matters

Maroondah recorded fewer missed bins as collection costs rose

Maroondah's 2025/26 performance attachment reports 1.91 missed bins per 10,000 scheduled lifts, down from 3.08 the previous year, with Council attributing the improvement to a change in contractor management. The reported garbage-collection service cost rose to $166.08 per bin, which Council links to higher landfill levy fees; residents can report a missed service through Council's current request portal.

Report a missed bin service to Council

How do you judge value from rates?

Maroondah's average general rate charge is set to rise by 2.75 per cent in 2026/27. The percentage describes the overall increase, while the amount paid by an individual property can vary. What information would help you judge whether your rates represent good value: service costs, project progress, comparisons with other councils or clearer household examples?

Reply with your view

The $13 million Croydon question

The 2026/27 budget includes $13 million for the Croydon Main Street Revitalisation. It is a substantial investment in one of Maroondah's major activity centres, with potential effects beyond the immediate shopping strip. What result would convince you the project delivered good value: more visitors, stronger local trade, safer streets, better public space or something else?

Reply with your view

Eat & Drink

Why fish and chips may be Maroondah’s most neighbourhood-shaped takeaway

The August guide contains 26 operational fish-and-chip businesses across 11 suburbs. Unlike several other food categories, the map is not dominated by one large centre, which makes it a useful story about neighbourhood routines.

Read the current local guide

Thai food has the widest suburb footprint in MX’s current cuisine map

The August guide contains 17 qualifying Thai restaurants across 10 suburbs. Croydon leads with four and Bayswater has three, while seven other suburbs contribute one or two local options.

Read the current local guide

Why Croydon stands out on Maroondah’s Italian-food map

Five of the 16 operational businesses in the strict Italian-food guide are in Croydon, with another two in Croydon South. The full directory reaches 10 suburbs, so the story combines one clear cluster with broad local access.

Read the current local guide

Why Croydon holds most of Maroondah’s specialist burger map

The strict August map contains seven operational businesses primarily categorised as hamburger restaurants, all in Croydon, Ringwood or Heathmont. Croydon carries most of this specialist category, while many other venues still serve burgers without making them their primary identity.

Read the current local guide

Six kebab specialists, five suburbs and one surprisingly wide local footprint

Maroondah’s strict kebab and HSP category is small but widely spread. The August guide contains six operational specialists across Bayswater, Croydon, Heathmont, Ringwood and Vermont.

Read the current local guide