About this Event
Part of the Australian Heritage Festival, Our Stories: Living the 60s & 70s transforms Mount Martha House into a vibrant celebration of two decades that reshaped Australian culture.
Across the day, visitors can step into retro interiors, hear engaging talks, enjoy live music and take part in creative workshops inspired by the bold design, fashion and social change of the era. Featuring a headline talk by Australian design advocate Tim Ross, the program explores how the spirit of the 60s and 70s helped shape life on the Mornington Peninsula.
PROGRAM - TALKS AND WORKSHOPS BELOW
FULL PROGRAM ON WEBSITE: Our Stories: Living the 60s & 70s - Our Arts & Culture
IF YOU CANNOT SECURE A TICKET TO A TALK/WORKSHOP AND WANT TO JOIN THE WAITLIST, EMAIL [email protected]
--------------------------------------TALKS-----------------------------------------
All talks are in Room 49
Saving the Suburbs
By Tim Ross, design enthusiast and comedian
When: 10am-11.15am
Cost: $30 per person
Celebrated design enthusiast Tim Ross is a child of the suburbs and he gleefully credits his time growing up in Mt.Eliza for his interest in Modernist architecture.
In this talk, he shares his views on why these varied Mid-Century and heritage houses are important and has a hot take on how they can be saved while we still create new housing in the ‘burbs.
Bio
Tim Ross is a celebrated comedian and a passionate advocate for architecture and design promoting its value in multiple forums.
He is the recipient of the National Trust Heritage Award for Advocacy regarding Australia’s legacy of modernist architecture; of an Australian Institute of Architects National President’s Prize for activism and outstanding contribution to the profession; was a National Architecture Awards jury member and was awarded as an honorary Institute member.
Tim has performed his live Man About the House show in significant buildings throughout the world, at the Venice Biennale and London Festival of Architecture. His ABC TV series Streets of Your Town, and Designing A Legacy; exhibitions including Design Nation, and Motel; prolific publications; guest speaker engagements and as a provocative design commentator have made design accessible to a wide, diverse and appreciative audience.
Freedom and Fun: Fashion of the 1960s–1970s
By Nicole Jenkins, fashion historian and author
When: 11.30am-12.15pm
Cost: Free
Join author and fashion historian Nicole Jenkins for a colourful illustrated talk exploring this exciting era of style and social change.
The 1960s and 70s transformed fashion. Teenagers rejected their mothers’ polished glamour in favour of freedom, fun and bold new styles—from daring mini-skirts to vibrant synthetic fabrics. By the 1970s, fashion shifted again as young people matured, embracing elegance, natural fibres and workplace-ready style. With the old rules broken, fashion became more expressive than ever.
Shaping Surf Culture Since 1968: The Trigger Brothers Story
By Paul Trigger
When: 12.30pm-1.15pm
Cost: Free
Beginning in 1968, Paul Trigger has been shaping surfboards through decades of design change and surfing innovation on the Mornington Peninsula.
In this engaging talk, Paul reflects on the early days of hand-shaping boards, the experimentation that defined the late 1960s and 70s, and the “sea change” of 1978 that helped shape the Peninsula’s surf lifestyle. Through personal stories and insights from decades in the shaping bay, he will explore how local surf culture evolved alongside changing board design and coastal living.
Move over meat pie: How Italian food conquered Aussie dinner tables, 1960s-70s
By Tania Cammarano
When: 1.30-2.15pm
Cost: Free
Italian cuisine has a long history in Australia but during the 60s and 70s it moved beyond the kitchens of Italian migrants and restaurants to firmly establish itself on the dinner plates of Anglo-Australian households.
But how did the food of a migrant minority win over the mainstream? Against a backdrop of rapid social change and challenges to Australian cultural identity, this talk will examine how Italian food conquered Aussie palates.
Life at 30 WRAAC Barrack
by Sheila Vennells-Praed and Lyn Board
When: 2.30-3pm
Cost: Free
From 1952 to 1974, 30 WRAAC Barrack at Mount Martha House housed members of the Women’s Royal Australian Army Corps (WRAAC) who worked at nearby Balcombe military schools and units. Life at the barracks combined strict routines—parades, inspections and training—with shared living and strong camaraderie among the women stationed there.
Former WRAAC members Sheila Vennells-Praed and Lyn Board share firsthand memories of daily life, work and friendships during this important period in Australian military and local history.
-----------------------------------WORKSHOPS------------------------------------
Radical Rags: 60s & 70s Upcycle Revival
Step back into the 60s and 70s and turn pre-loved clothing into bold, personality-packed pieces! In this hands-on workshop, you’ll learn appliqué, patch-making, fabric painting, and upcycling techniques guided by four key rules: colour, theme, positioning, and texture. Bring a garment to embellish — all pre-loved fabrics provided — and come ready to layer, clash, and create! Basic sewing skills required.
Bio
Angelia Dixon, Mount Martha textile artist and creator of Upcycled Artistry, transforms pre-loved clothing into one-of-a-kind wearable art. Inspired by the Peninsula’s Op shops, her playful, “no rules” approach celebrates creativity, sustainability, and the beauty of renewing existing textiles.
When: 10am-1pm
Where: Room 26
Cost: $30/$15 seniors and concession holders
Go Go Dancing: The Mod Move
Get ready to move! Learn iconic 60s go go dance moves — from the Pony to the Batusi — in a fun, hands-on workshop. Follow the steps or make them your own, feel the beat, and bring the energy of the mod era to life. Optional: your favourite 60s outfit!
Bio
Vicky Sapkin has taught 1960s go go dancing on the Mornington Peninsula since 2024 and regularly dances with Melbourne’s 60s cover bands. Featured in Peninsula Essence and the Shire’s Positive Ageing newsletter, she is also a committee member of the National Trust Mornington Peninsula and treasurer of the Peninsula Culture Collective.
When: 11-11.30am
Where: Room 5
Cost: Free (bookings essential)
Flower Power - A 60s-inspired flower workshop
Be inspired by the colour and creativity of the 1960s in this playful, hands-on bouquet workshop.
Using the spirit of “flower power” as our muse, we’ll explore bold colour, form and texture - a nod to the carefree style that defined 60s floristry. Working with seasonal botanicals like daisies, gerberas, sunflowers, carnations and wildflowers, you’ll create a vibrant, expressive bouquet, finished with colour wrap and ribbon.
Guided step-by-step, you’ll learn the fundamentals of bouquet construction, explore thoughtful colour combinations, and create a piece that feels nostalgic, with contemporary techniques.
No experience needed. All botanicals and materials are provided.
When: 1.00-3.00pm
Where: Room 5
Cost: $30/$15 seniors and concession holders
Groovy Macramé: Plant Hanger Workshop
Bring the 60s and 70s vibe home! Learn to make your own macramé plant hanger in this hands-on workshop, perfect for adding boho flair to any space. All materials provided — just bring your creativity and get ready to knot, twist, and groove!
When: 12.00-1.00pm
Where: Room 2
Cost: $20/$10 seniors and concession holders
AND MORE, VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR THE FULL PROGRAM! Our Stories: Living the 60s & 70s - Our Arts & Culture
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Mount Martha House Community Centre, 466 Esplanade, Mount Martha, Australia
AUD 0.00 to AUD 30.00
