September has been an interesting month in Docklands, and those with eagle eyes will have noticed some advances being made on the wheel!

 

September has been an interesting month in Docklands, and those with eagle eyes will have noticed some advances being made on the wheel!

Now rebranded the Melbourne Star we are seeing all the pods, still in wrappers, now in place. So, for all intents and purposes it looks like it is getting ready to commence operations soon. Docklands waits with bated breath, and surely soon something is going to turn!

For those of you who made it along on Friday, September 20, to see the creation of a new Docklands Networking Lunch. This was held at Bob’s Chop and Steak House and was very successful. The chamber recently entered into an agreement with Docklands News to co-host the quarterly networking lunch that was originally presented by Docklands News.  

The event has now been re-branded as the Docklands Networking Lunch and the Chamber Executive saw this as a logical step and an opportunity to support a proven business-to-business opportunity.  We are expecting this event to be another fantastic forum for exchange of information and ideas as well as making new connections within the Docklands community.

The chamber is proud to announce that on Tuesday, October 15, we present the Pitchit2me PR Road Show. Some time ago, the Chamber was approached by Destination Melbourne about the possibility of sponsoring an intensive workshop on PR and media engagement.  

As mentioned earlier, we felt that this was a logical offering that the Chamber could make to the Docklands business community.  It is a strictly limited (15 attendees only) workshop and we have arranged to have it at the Kangan Batman’s Hill campus, which provides great facilities for this kind of seminar.  We are very pleased that Destination Docklands will also be supporting this event by sponsoring part of the catering.

Another date to keep in your diaries is 6.30 pm Wednesday, October 30, the chamber AGM. By then, the Chamber will have re-drafted our Rules of Association as required by the new Association Incorporation Reform Act 2012. The intention is to have a Special

General Meeting just prior to the AGM at which we will ask our members to pass the new rules by special resolution.  More information and the draft rules will be circulated to our members at least 21 days in advance of the meeting. So keep posted.

Docklands Chamber members are encouraged to contact the chamber if they wish to get exposure to events that are being run in the coming months. As an example Wonderland Fun Park owner operator Melissa Head, who is a chamber member and on the executive, will be launching the Docklands Arts Laughs and Blues Festival featuring all manner of acts from October 1 to 6. Make sure you get your hands on the brochure and book yourself into some of the great shows. Sunday, October 6 sees the return of the Blues Festival with some of the best blues acts in town.

For more information http://www.wonderlandspiegeltent.com.au

The Mission to Seafarers has been making a bit of a splash lately with its regular Friday curry lunches pulling in a small crowd of regulars. Make sure you give lunch a try. Bookings are essential as once it’s gone it’s gone!

The month of October is particular vibrant at the Mission with the annual ANL Arts Prize and Exhibition featuring over 90 original works of art submitted with the theme being “Humanity and the Sea”. Exhibition runs from October 4 to 31 from 12noon to 7pm. Open daily.

Visit http://www.missiontoseafarers.com.au to see what is on at the Mission in October and, in particular consider supporting the charity preview of Captain Phillips starring Tom Hanks in a blockbuster hostage drama set on the high seas with Somali pirates.

This is on Wednesday, October 23 with all proceeds going towards the great work the mission does supporting the welfare of seafarers and ensuring our coastlines are in safe hands.

The Chamber Membership Subcommittee is continuing to work on making contact with potential and current members in the combined effort to not only grow membership, but also make the chamber and its activities relevant to its membership.  

The Membership Subcommittee is continuing with its plan to negotiate with large developers and tenancy managers to sponsor their smaller tenants in multi-membership agreements with the chamber, thereby facilitating a broader engagement with the

Docklands business community and access to the forum that the chamber continues to provide for communication, information and networking.  Further to this, we are pleased to announce that Lend Lease has just confirmed that it will be sponsoring all its tenants to join the chamber as associate members.

The chamber continues to rely heavily on the volunteer effort of its Executive Committee members.  We are sad to say that recently Rick Deering, from SSKB, who has been the hard working chamber treasurer for a number of years, has resigned his position on the committee.  

This is primarily because of the SSKB move out of Docklands – but Rick and SSKB will stay on as members of the chamber.  Meanwhile, Josephine Tan has stepped up and accepted the nomination to position of treasurer.  We are also very fortunate to have been able to co-opt Ebba Lindblom to the Executive Committee.  Ebba is senior accounts manager at 3AW and Magic 1278 and we are really pleased that she has agreed to take on the reins from Mark Wilson.

Docklands Chamber of Commerce and Destination Docklands are also currently working on a memorandum of understanding to clarify and enhance the mutual working relationship between our two organisations.

More on all of this in due course.  Please continue to read the newsletters, visit the website and email DCC Executive Officer, Nandini Bose at [email protected] with any communications or queries.

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