The Good Vibrations Disco has been around in various forms since 2007, when disability service providers asked some Rotarians to help run the canteen. Since then it has grown and evolved, been dropped, scrapped, paused over COVID and resurrected and become something we are very proud of.
Rotary Manningham City provides the neurodiverse members of our wider community an opportunity to socialise, dance and enjoy themselves in a safe regulated environment.
Our involvement not only provides an outlet for this community, but also a brief respite for the care givers and parents who do a thankless hidden role that is never ending. For a few hours every couple of months, we can celebrate diversity, amongst younger people of ‘all-abilities’.
From a project that was pioneered by Liz Ollie and members of the Doncaster club, we are now taking it to a new and exciting level.
Mostly thanks to the efforts of John Bennie planting the seeds of an idea with councillors at Manningham, Mayor Cr. Deidre Diamante has embraced and facilitated the inaugural Black Tie Mayoral Disco.
In recognition of the importance of the project, and in support of our community, we are hoping to fill the function centre on the 1 November with dancers, their parents, and their carers, along with Councillors, Rotarians, and our sponsors the Bendigo Bank, to celebrate and give back to the community.
Only 30% of attendees are from within the wider Manningham area, so widespread is the appeal and need that people travel great distances to come and dance for a few hours. Usually with about 100 dancers and support crew, we are aiming to surpass that for this special event. Kathy Monley has kindly offered Op-Shop discounts to ticket holders so our dancers can find a new outfit, and drive more foot traffic into our store. Look out for the influx over October if you are in the shop.
This event we ask you to come and see, even if you don’t stay to celebrate from 7pm-9pm, I give you three reasons to dress up for the last disco of 2025:
- Come along and witness something small but tangible we are doing well in the community.
- Come and show the council that the whole club supports this project. They were unaware until this year that we did it, and they love it. Show them we are also proud of it.
- If you are able to stay for an hour or two, grab a spot on the Roster when it comes out next week, and help out in a small supporting way. Show the participant our presence.
If we do this well, it might become a regular end of year event on the disco calendar, farewelling the outgoing Mayor–and welcoming the new. We will have the Red carpet Paparazzi capturing dancers on their arrival, Balloons decorating the space, a Photo Booth for the dancers to capture memories, and set the scene for an even better 2026.
Hope you can join us.
Event details for members can be found at: Event: Good Vibrations Disco
Details for dancers and non-members: Good Vibrations Disco
Luke Bastian
