Get ready for Floatfest 2016: 30th - 1st May. Same time, same place!

The Mannum Waters Floatfest is a two day family event with a World record attempt at the largest number of floating kayaks/canoes 'Paddling into the Record Books'. There's fun for the kids, with Çome and try'canoeing, the PS Marion steaming Houseboats, lots of fun and activities for all, stalls, markets, regional food, and much, much more.

There will be two canoeing/kayaking workshops held on Saturday, 30 April. Trained instructors will teach you how to have fun and stay safe in the water. Numbers are limited so get your registrations forms filled in early to avoid missing out!!

For more information on this event, contact the OPAL team on (08) 8569 0179, or email opal@mid-murray.sa.gov.au

OPAL and NRM Education brings "Paddock to Plate" to Mid Murray

This engaging information session will be ran by Nutritionist and paddock-to-plate expert Mel Haynes from Culinetica. The aim of the session is to help up skill local teachers & early childhood educators in the paddock to plate concept; utilizing edible gardens in an effort to improve eating behaviors at school and at home.

The workshop will cover a variety of topics including; 

• Understanding the fruit and vegetable seasonality
• How to link your garden with cooking and nutrition programs
• How to engage the early years with the garden, through food as play, colours, taste, kitchen skills and more
• How to engage primary years with the garden through classroom activities, cooking classes, teaching nutrition skills and more
• Basic instruments needed within the classroom

For more information on this event, and to register, please see attached forms. 

Community Foodies training is coming to Mannum

Mannum will play host to SA Community Foodies training this year, offering local volunteers an opportunity to increase their skills and knowledge to deliver local nutrition programs.

OPAL is a key partner of the Foodies program, and helps ensure the training remains FREE for participants, continues to recruit and increase volunteers numbers and support them to deliver engaging activities focussing on healthy eating.

Now we have four Foodies in the Mid Murray district,  who regularly support community nutrition, whether this be through sharing healthy recipes, helping to improve cooking at home for children, assisting people to build their own veggie patch, or ensuring health is a top priority in schools.

You can now be a part of this, with training open to anyone with a commitment to good nutrition.

Training will run for seven weeks, held each Tuesday at the Mannum Community Hub from 12 May.

Those interested can contact the OPAL team on (08) 8569 0100, or email opal@mid-murray.sa.gov.au

Canoe workshops are back as part of the 2015 Floatfest

Floatfest 2014 was a massive success, and we are excited to announce that OPAL Mid Murray is partnering with Floatfest 2015 and Canoe SA to bring FREE canoe/kayak workshops to the Mid Murray district.

There will be two workshops held (open to all ages and abilities) on Saturday, 2 May. Trained instructors will teach you how to have fun and stay safe in the water. Numbers are limited so get your registration forms filled in early to avoid missing out!!

For more information on this event, contact the OPAL team on (08) 8569 0179, or email opal@mid-murray.sa.gov.au.

Calendar of programs and events

Check out the calendar of fantastic FREE events for children and families to take part in across Mid Murray by clicking here. This fantastic program runs throughout December 2014 and January 2015, and offers a range of activities for children from 0-18 years.

You can also find out more information about what's happening generally across the Mid Murray, by checking out the Mid Murray Council website events page.

OPAL brings MAXIMUM POWER SHOW to Mid Murray kids

This engaging and interactive stage show encourages children to develop positive life habits  in order to achieve Maximum Power in life. No matter whether you want to become a great story writer, an inventor of amazing creations, a terrific helper in your community, or to achieve more in your favourite sport, then we all need Maximum Power. And you know you have Maximum Power when your whole body feels great, you feel strong, you feel full of energy and you feel ready to take on the next challenge.

In the show, children will meet our three amazing superheroes, who each think they have the answer to achieving Maximum Power.  “Captain Chomp” is adamant that eating powerful foods and drinking the right drinks is the secret. “The Activator” believes the most important thing is to be physically active every day. And “Sergeant Sleepwell” thinks Maximum Power can be achieved by simply getting a good night’s sleep.

Which one of them is right?  Well to find out, they will go head to head in the ultimate challenge,  “The Super-Hero Showdown”. . …Each superhero then uses a combination of comedy, magic, video footage and other effects to try and convince the audience of their arguments.

Will they find the answer to Maximum Power? With the help of the audience, including some very lucky Junior Superheroes, they just might get there! 

Shows will be held in Swan Reach, Truro, Mannum and Morgan - with parents, children and schools welcome to attend!

For information regarding dates and venues, click Maximum Power Shows Flyer(348 kb). 

Outdoor Explorers Early Childhood Program and Grants

The Outdoor Explorers program focuses on children being active outdoors and experiencing natural environments. OPAL has partnered with a number of local preschools and child care settings and the Mid Murray Local Action Plan (LAP) Association, to enable children to experience the benefits of learning, playing and being outdoors with a healthy lifestyle now, and in the future.

This is a five-week program aimed at encouraging children to explore the natural environment and enjoy spending time and being active outside.

The program includes weekly session plans, story time ideas, in centre and at home activities and challenges.

Download the Outdoor Explorers Program Guide(2368 kb) here.

Nature Play South Australia has a variety of information and resources that can be used in the home and ideas to explore the environment with your children and friends. Further outside play ideas can be found on the Let the Children Play website, with a large base of outdoor play and learning resources, tips, tools, blogs and ideas.

For more information on this program, contact the OPAL team on (08) 8569 0100, or email opal@mid-murray.sa.gov.au.

Mannum Active Family Walks map

The OPAL team launched the Mannum Active Family Walks (map to print)(4423 kb) on 25 September. This map was developed in conjunction with support and input from the Mannum Kindergarten and Rural Care, Department for Planning, Transport and Infrastructure and Mid Murray Council. Click on the link above to view the map, or view the media release.

Murraylands APEX Mannum Fun Run & Walk

The Murraylands APEX Mannum Fun Run & Walk is on again this Sunday, 14 December, 2014. For details and to register, click on this link.

Eat a Rainbow

The Eat a Rainbow program aims to increase children’s fruit and vegetable intake. It includes a range of activities and opportunities to taste test a variety of fruit and vegetables in a fun environment. 

Read more here.

Geocaching in the Murraylands

Geocaching is a fun outdoor treasure hunting game that anyone with a GPS device or smartphone can play. It involves following clues to search for hidden containers called geocaches or caches. The caches may contain all sorts of treasure and trinkets to be exchanged, clues to other caches or items that can be tracked such as Travel Bugs. Read more here.

Mid Murray Kindergym

Kindergym is a movement program for children 5 years and under and their adult caregiver. It is designed to develop the whole child - socially, emotionally, cognitively and physically and is conducted in a safe, structured and multisensory environment.

During 2013-14, OPAL has worked alongside some passionate volunteers and childcare workers in order to train coaches and coordinators who will eventually look to run official Kindergym sites in 2015.

Currently, there are two Kindergym sites already operational in Mannum (Mannum Mini Movers) and Cadell (Kinder and Coffee), with two more set to be established in 2015, being at Swan Reach and Morgan.

For more information on local Kindergym contacts, please phone the OPAL team on 8569 0100 or email opal@mid-murray.sa.gov.au.

Active Under 5s

The Active Under 5s Program aims to increase active travel in children under 5 years of age in a kindergarten or pre-school setting in a fun and exciting way. Read more here.

Healthy Sports Clubs

OPAL has partnered with a number of local sports clubs to help them develop healthy menus, and guidelines or policies which support a more vibrant club. We also support the association of local sport and recreation clubs with Starclub - a South Australian club development program. For more information on any of this work, please contact the OPAL team on 8569 0100, or email opal@mid-murray.sa.gov.au.