It was Christmas Eve, 1989, when the Garofano family were given unimaginable news. At just five years old, their youngest son was diagnosed with cancer. Eldest daughter, Filomena, said her family wanted to give back to the hospital after how much support they provided during such a difficult time.

“So, 13 years ago, we started our Christmas lights to fundraise for the Sydney Children’s Hospital Foundation,” Filomena said.

"Ever since, we’ve been able to contribute more than $180,000 to the Lights for Kids Campaign".

Filomena said it takes her dad two and a half months to transform their Roselands home into a Christmas extravaganza, which boasts about 250,000 lights.

“Dad takes great pride in setting it up and every year he gets to celebrate his birthday on 1 December by switching the lights on!”

Dani Mocha fondly recalls family traditions while growing up in Syria and Lebanon, where Christmas was the best time of the year.

“When I was a child, we would look forward to this time of the year because the whole family gets together; the lights and the trees would make us happy,” Dani said.

Now, a father of three, the Georges Hall local wants to share his love of Christmas with his family and neighbourhood. Dani spends two months decorating his home and setting up an elaborate Christmas village inside his garage, which he invites the community to come and enjoy. 

For the Ishac family, what started as a Christmas tradition of decorating their Belfield home when the kids were young has continued to grow bigger and brighter each year. 

Matthew Ishac said hundreds of people from the community come to look at their display every night.

“Kids love the four-metre tall Santa and the snow machine,” Matthew said.

“If we’re home, we give out candy canes; it’s become a real show of community spirit!”

Get ready to rock (around the Christmas tree) and spread some joy (to the world) at Carols in the Park. 

The Voice Australia star Siena Fodera will join us to belt out some of her favorite festive songs at Wiley Park Amphitheatre on Saturday 7 December. The 19-year-old is on a high after The Voice Season 13 finished up in October and is excited to continue singing into the Christmas season.

“I had an amazing time on The Voice and life has been just as busy since, if not more!” Fodera said.

"Christmas is my favourite time of the year and I’m looking forward to helping spread that cheer through carols events".

Fodera’s most excited to sing her personal fave at Carols in the Park – All I want for Christmas is you. 

She will also be singing You Make me Feel like a Natural Woman, an ode to her first blind audition on The Voice when she was just 13 years old. Christmas is my favourite time of the year and I’m looking forward to helping spread that
cheer through carols events.

Grab your towel and sunscreen, because our FREE community bus will be heading to Cronulla again this January.

Find out more at cb.city/BusToBeach

After its sparking debut in 2024, Campsie Lantern Festival will be back in 2025 to bring in the end of the Lunar New Year. 

One familiar face who we’re excited to welcome back is Bo Yang from Yunnan Arts Troupe, whose group uses performance to show the cultural traditions of some of China’s ethnic minority groups.

“It also provides a valuable platform through which we can teach the audience a little bit about our diverse cultural identities,” Bo said.

Bo is excited to join the line up again, as he said the festival has an enthusiastic audience and keeps getting bigger and better.

“Personally, I love when the firecrackers go off as it makes me feel like I'm at home for New Year."

But aside from the excitement of the event, Bo said the Lantern Festival provides an opportunity to share and celebrate some of the traditions of the Lunar New Year. “The Lantern Festival symbolises reunion, happiness and the good life. It is a time for us to cherish and
express our affection for our families, and pursue wisdom and the Arts.” 

Campsie Lantern Festival will take place on Saturday 8 February, 5-9.30pm at Anzac Park and Anzac Mall, Campsie and will feature an array of performance, cultural foods and, of course, a sea of lanterns.

Looking for more Lunar New Year celebrations?

The iconic Bankstown Lunar New Year festival will be on again in full force on Saturday 18 January, 4-9pm.

Join us at Griffith Park and Olympic Parade for a stunning display of delicious food, lion dancing, traditional music and much more at this fun family event.

Visit wih.city/BLNY

The 3rd Bankstown Biennale at Bankstown Arts Centre features new work from 17 prominent contemporary First Nations and CALD artists, responding to the theme of Same Same/Different.

Multidisciplinary spatial artist Kien Situ is currently an artist-in-residence for
the Biennale in Padstow. 

“Being on-site is generative – the environment itself begins to shape
the work,” he said. 

He’s also exploring distant moments from his upbringing.
"I was born in Marrickville and spent time in Canterbury-Bankstown with my
family growing up.

The memories are opaque fragments – forms I’m eager to reshape and
reimagine through my work."

This exhibition is funded by Create NSW and City of Canterbury Bankstown.

• When: Until 1 February 2025
• Where: Bankstown Arts Centre, 5 Olympic Parade, Bankstown

Work is well and truly underway on the new multi-million-dollar Canterbury precinct project. 

Upgrades across the Canterbury Olympic Ice Rink, Canterbury Leisure and Aquatic Centre and Tasker Park will revitalise the area and provide residents with easier access to the modernised facilities. 

Canterbury Olympic Ice Rink is expected to be transformed into a hotspot for young kids and professional skaters. We have recently received plans and applications to upgrade the rink, seating area and kiosk. 

The Canterbury Leisure and Aquatic Centre has also seen considerable progress with demolition completed and construction underway.

The new centre will include a 50m outdoor pool, 25m indoor pool, an indoor warm water therapy pool and a zero-depth children’s water play area, all expected for completion by late 2025.

Major upgrades are also scheduled for the children’s play area and basketball court directly adjacent to the Canterbury Leisure and Aquatic Centre, at Tasker Park. The park will see an all-new play space and professional half basketball court to keep the kids entertained and local athletes in shape. 

The entire precinct will be interlinked with shared pathways to allow for easier accessibility and a brand-new parking area adjacent to the Ice Rink.

Ever been unsure about which bin to put an item in? Enter: Recycle Mate!

Recycle Mate is a new tool on our website to help figure out what rubbish goes in which bin. 

Simply search for an item and it will tell you how to get rid of it. Plus, find recycling drop-off points near you on the community map.

You can use this tool now for free at cb.city/RecycleMate

Get ready to shine at the 2025 NSW Seniors Festival, with CBCity events and activities from 3-21 March.

We’re bringing back favourites like movie screenings, bus trips and a golf day, plus our popular Crafty Arts class. And try out the latest sporting craze, Pickleball, with a full day at Morris Iemma Indoor Sports Centre.

To be the first to find out what’s happening and book your spot! Visit cb.city/SeniorsFestival

When Brett Magnussen was diagnosed with type two diabetes in 2020, it was an old hobby that helped turn his life around. 

During the height of Covid lockdowns, the Sefton local was stuck in a rut and knew that something about his lifestyle had to change.

“I started walking down at my local park every day for an hour and that’s where I saw a poster for the Western District Joggers and Harriers Club,” he said. 

In his younger days, Brett loved to run the City 2 Surf, but after building his career and having a family, he hadn't laced up the joggers in more than 30 years. 

“I joined the club and started running with them every Saturday morning, with the goal to complete the City 2 Surf again,” Brett said. 

Not only did Brett achieve his goal, he lost 20 kilos and gained a whole lot of friendships and numerous benefits for his mental health.

And only four months after his diabetes diagnosis, Brett managed to get his blood sugar levels down to pre-diabetic range, with doctors telling him he was in remission. 

Brett encouraged other locals to give running a go and shared his top tips to get started:

• Start slow and work up to it – start by taking brisk walks and make sure you feel good walking before you start running.
• Buy a solid pair of running shoes – they are crucial for comfort and injury prevention.
• Join a run club – running alongside regular people is great for motivation and camaraderie.

Brett will be volunteering at our first ever running festival I RUN with Active CB on Sunday 16 March 2025. 

Join us at Lake Gillawarna in Mirambeena Regional Park to take up the challenge of 21.1km, 14km or 7km races, or join our 3km Harmony Run, which welcomes walkers, dress ups and family groups. 

Or maybe just a slightly better version? We’ve got what you need to meet those tricky New Year’s resolutions. 

• Keep fit – take fun, low-cost fitness classes with CBFit at our Leisure & Aquatic Centres cb.city/CBFit
• Get arty – explore exhibitions and get creative with workshops at Bankstown Arts Centre cb.city/ArtsCentre
• Learn something new – take up a new hobby or develop a new skill with courses from our eLibrary cb.city/Libraries
• Join a team – jump into a new sport, or pick up an old one, with competitions at Morris Iemma Indoor Sports Centre cb.city/MIISC
• Clear out your junk – Clear out your junk - book a household clean-up online and we'll take it away cb.city/CleanUp

Our Summer Reading Club has opened its covers!

We’re encouraging kids and teens to join the club and record the books they read over summer. There are lucky dip prizes as they reach reading targets, plus a major prize draw at the end of summer.

There’s also lots of summer reading fun in our libraries – like our scavenger hunt and EcoArt Competition.

Find out more or register at cb.city/src

After being forced to flee her war-torn country, 16-year-old Adila Musavi is making the most of her education and wants to show everyone back home what she can achieve.

Adila, who attends school in Birrong, lives with her family in Western Sydney after fleeing Afghanistan three years ago. 

“We came here when the Taliban took over and we had just 48 hours to get out before the airports were closed. It was the worst experience I’ve ever had,” Adila said.

“Going to school, playing sports, or even going outside without being fully covered would not have been possible if I had stayed.” 

Communicating without knowing a word of English and fitting in with the other kids at her Birrong school was tough, but Adila is showing her teachers and peers that she can do anything she puts her mind to. 

Adila has gone on to win several academic medallions for excelling across all subject areas, but it was her speech on women’s rights that captured the hearts of her school community.

“It was my first public speaking assignment and I made it to the final round and got to present at assembly,” she said. “That was my first time truly being proud of my own work.”

Adila is also a member of the SRC and social justice team at her school, where she raises funds for refugee programs. 

“I've experienced how being a refugee feels and I don’t want more people to experience that as long as I can help – even if it’s just raising one dollar!”

Adila was recently celebrated for her inspirational efforts with a CBCity Children and Youth Award. And for many of us, it’d be hard to imagine just how much this recognition means to her: 

“I want to show it to my cousins and friends in Afghanistan – I wish they were here and we could receive awards together. It seems impossible but I feel like I can make it a bit possible for them.”

Congratulations to our 2024 Children and Youth Award Winners:

Children’s category

• Community Involvement – Fatima Alam, Amelia Bastawrous, Isaac Chen and Lejla Sinanovic
• Inspiration – Noah Bartolo-Stafford, Kaison Brown, Antonio Lopez and Mehran Mahmoodi
• Leadership – Benjamin Bracken, Omar Ismail, Isabella Sampson and Heleni Tokelau

Youth category

• Academic achievement – Sireen Al Khaled
• Community Involvement – Leo Nguyen
• Creative and Performing Arts – Khushbakht Kamran
• Inspiration – Adila Musavi
• Leadership – Cobalt Walsh
• Sporting – Madeleine Zoumpoulis

With the Higher School Certificate exams behind them, young people around Canterbury-Bankstown will soon need to decide on a career. 

According to Australian School of Entrepreneurship Partnerships and Engagement Coordinator, Leila Varga, the best advice for any young person moving into employment is to simply discover their strengths. 

“Figuring out your strengths and weaknesses through trial and error is the key,” she said.

“Saying yes to opportunities and experiencing different work environments allows you to reflect

on these moments and understand how you would like to enter the workforce.”

We're supporting young people moving into employment by offering a range of FREE and low-cost workshops aimed at anyone aged 15-18 to equip them withthe right information, skills, confidence, and support required for the change. 

Ms Varga said she recommends the Youth Futures workshops for every young person transitioning to employment. 

“Some would say it is expected to have certain life skills prior to entering the workforce which can be found through attending seminars and workshops.”