The Cottage is now closed for School Holidays - except for Friday 3 July for Community Dinner (See Lisa from 10am at the Hall) The process for appointing a new Cottage Manager is underway and the Cottage Committee of Management will be in touch as soon appropriate. In the meantime, take a look at What’s On below and keep updated at https://www.deansmarshcottage.org.au From Caroline... Thank you Deans Marsh & Community!! To everyone in Deans Marsh and the surrounding district

What a magical evening we shared at this year's Winter Solstice Celebration! As the shortest day gave way to a beautiful winter night, our community came together to celebrate light, connection, creativity and culture in true Deans Marsh style. A heartfelt thank you goes to the many volunteers whose time, energy and enthusiasm made the event possible. Special thanks to Nyhm, Adam, Kylie, Gail and Tara for their incredible contributions behind the scenes and throughout the eve

The Deans Marsh Community Cottage will be closed for the School Holidays from Friday 26 June 2026. We anticipate a new Cottage Manager will be employed and start early in Term 3 (Mid July). Please subscribe to the Cottage eNewsletter for updates. Term 3 Calendar will continue as scheduled. We look forward to seeing you in Term 3 at the Cottage!

The Deans Marsh Community Cottage is funded through the Neighbourhood House program to deliver a range of social, recreational and educational programs to the community of Deans Marsh and district. We are looking to recruit a proactive, hands-on person with highly developed management and interpersonal skills and experience working within a community development framework to build and manage the Cottage program of activities and events. Full Position Description is available

The Cottage is planning for the year ahead, and we'd love to hear from you! As we develop our 2026/27 strategy, your ideas, experiences, and feedback will help shape the activities, programs, and services that matter most to our community. Please take 5 minutes to complete this short survey. Your input will help ensure The Cottage continues to support, connect, and strengthen our community in the best possible way. Thank you for being part of our community and helping us plan

We are so extremely thankful to over 60 volunteers for their contributions to Cottage life over the past year. If you've shared your skills, time and knowledge with the Cottage and Deans Marsh Community we'd love you to join us for drinks & nibbles. Friday 5 June 5pm - 6pm Deans Marsh Hall Prior to our monthly Community Dinner (RSVP to that seperately here) Please RSVP by Thursday 4 June for catering purposes & with dietary requirements to Caroline at coordinator@deansmarshco

Hot Club Swing Quartet performing in the Deans Marsh Hall - Saturday 16 May 2026 The Deans Marsh community came together for another unforgettable evening at the latest Music@theMarsh Jazz Night, with incredible live music and a warm community atmosphere creating a night full of joy and connection. A huge thank you goes to lead volunteer Noah Fagan and the many volunteers who helped bring the event to life, including Tom Reid, Liz Bashford and Kath Marotta on the bar, Lisa Ja

We’re excited to share that the Community Plan Revisited is ready! Read The Plan Revisited Here The Community Plan Revisited captures what makes our community so unique and cherished, celebrates what we’re doing well, and highlights where we can grow together. We need people to help spread the word, spark conversations, and inspire others to read The Plan. If you enjoy connecting with people, have skills in communications, marketing, social media or videography — or simply ca

Thanks to the Surf Coast Shire Council we now have small eWaste & Battery Recycling units for our community. Located outside of the Deans Marsh Community Hall and Cottage, these two new units add to the depth of our Recycling Station - which includes recycling of Soft Plastics, Plastic Lids, Hair care Bottles & Bread Tags. Keep batteries and e-waste out of your kerbside bins Batteries and e-waste should never go in kerbside bins, so the collection containers are the safest an

We have a fabulous line up of regular activities and special workshops & events! Bookings & RSVPs via our What's On Calendar If there is something you'd like to to learn or be involved in locally, get in touch with the Cottage!

A huge thank you to everyone who joined us for this year’s Deans Marsh Festival. It was a truly special celebration of community spirit, with an atmosphere that was warm, welcoming and full of life. We’ve received overwhelmingly positive feedback, and it’s a credit to the many people who contributed their time, energy and enthusiasm to make the day such a success. While the heat saw numbers dip slightly from last year — with around 1,000–1,200 attendees (down from 1,500+) —

What a wonderful celebration of “More Than Just Farmers” we had last Friday evening! It was fantastic to see so many people coming together, connecting with community and learning more about the local services available to support mental health. We were honoured to welcome our special guest, Robert ‘Charlie’ Earl, and to share a special screening of Just a Farmer, which sparked meaningful and important conversations among attendees. A huge thank you to our dedicated working g

This is an exciting opportunity for 20 people to win some local product, a service or a cash prize of $100 whilst celebrating our local businesses! The Croaker has multiple donations from local businesses, and each donation will be raffled separately. Entry is FREE, and you can either submit an Entry Form online, or fill out a real Entry Form at The Store or The Cottage. The raffle will be drawn at The Store at 10am on Wednesday 8 th April so come along, grab a cuppa and\o

The hall was buzzing, the dance floor was pumping, and the Blues were well and truly alive at Music @ the Marsh! What a sensational night it was — a great atmosphere, and that unmistakable vibe that took us straight back to the “good old days.” From the first note to the final encore, the energy in the room was back to its roots! A massive shout out to the powerhouse Music @ the Marsh crew who made it all happen. Led by Noah Fagan, with the ever-charismatic James McLennan as

Thankyou to all the Market Stalls, Vintage Clothes Stalls, Food Vans and market goers that came to our market last Sunday. The weather was wonderful, trading terrific and our circular economy worked amazinly! Dresses were bought and exchanged, vintage furniture was sold and the Vietnamese Street food and Chilled & Toasted food van served delicious food. Kirras Koffee kept the caffine fans happy all day! We look forward to seeing these stalls and some extra ones at the Deans

As you might remember, Saturday 10th January 2026 was declared a Total Fire Ban Day for the whole of Victoria. As a CFA member this takes on an additional layer of meaning, I thought it would be worth sharing. As is usual on a level 4-day, available Deans Marsh Fire Brigade members spend the day at the station - a practice that has been the norm for decades. When conditions escalate to a level 4 (based on forest fuel load, temperature and wind strength) members are placed on

The Dean’s Marsh History Chats meet on the first Tuesday of each month, usually at the Dean’s Marsh Store. Each gathering brings with it a weaving of stories, memories, and unexpected connections, many of which only come to light through casual conversation. Fran Permazel recently discovered this whilst chatting to a regular History Chats attendee. While chatting with Rhonda Elmes at the store during one of these history chats, I discovered that her great-uncle had built a ho

Join us for a great term ahead with something for everyone! Click here to Download a PDF For more information or questions please get in touch !

As reported by the Colac Herald, the best of the best turned out to the biggest-ever Deans Marsh Dog Trials on the weekend. Over 1 60 dogs and their 40 handlers competed across three categories from Friday to Sunday, wowing hundreds of spectators from as far afield as Western Australia. Dave Lacey and Akoonah Lilly won the open competition by a single point, while Ronelle Welton and Deppeler's Jackson took out the improver section. The novice section was claimed by Wally Dal

The Summer Bus Service timetable is now out. Whether you’re heading to the beach, visiting friends or planning day trips, the summer service will help keep our community connected.Check the timetable online, put a copy on your fridge, and spread the word! Download the PDF timetable below.