News

Armagh Opens Its Doors for Market Day

Monday, June 19, 2017

On Saturday 1 July at 10.30 am, Armagh will open its doors to display its beautiful spaces and welcome the community to an Open Day Market. Katrina Grantham has the details.

For many Melbourne locals, Armagh is unknown. When introduced, visitors are often struck by its homely feel and long history. The Open Day Market offers the public a chance to get to know the Armagh Centre and the people involved, its programmes and the spaces available for hire.

Guests of the Open Day Market will discover a line-up of live music by local players from Toorak’s Swedish Church, East Brighton’s Tara Institute for Buddhist meditation, and acoustic duo Paige and Jimmy. A wide range of market stalls in the usually private grounds will be offering delicious food options and an array of arts and crafts.

On entry, visitors will be offered a tour through Armagh, and can sit in the cosy library to hear directly from long-serving Initiatives of Change workers about their adventures in peace building around the world. Among the story-tellers on the day will be Jim Beggs, former national President of the Waterside Workers Federation, who successfully united hard-line Communists and union strongmen during his career on the Melbourne waterfront, and Barbara Williams, community worker with the Creators of Peace network, who served in publishing and outreach in Australia, India, Papua New Guinea and the UK.

Armagh serves as the Asia-Pacific Centre for Initiatives of Change. The organization’s vision is for the spaces of this historic home to be filled with people all year round, true to its legacy as a gift to the cause of world peace based on personal, inner change. Armagh facilities may be hired for private or public events, and special rates for community and not-for-profit groups can be negotiated.

You can read more about the history of Armagh here.

  • All are welcome to the Armagh Open Day Market, 10.30 am to 3.30 pm on Saturday 1 July. At 226 Kooyong Road, Toorak, VIC 3142. Live music will be from 11.30 am to 2.30 pm. Gold coin donation at the door.

  • For information about hiring the space, contact Events Coordinator Katrina Grantham at events.au@iofc.org, or call 03-98221218 during office hours.