By PEACE IJIYERA

 

OPEN House Melbourne has partnered with Latrobe City Council to give locals the opportunity to explore the places that seem out of reach.

The event will run from October 9 to 11 with some program highlights including a tour of Latrobe Valley Law Courts, Latrobe City Commercial Landfill Facility and PineGro, EnergyAustralia Yallourn Mine, Traralgon Water Treatment Plant, Latrobe Regional Gallery, Latrobe Valley Maltese Museum, Yallourn Production Centre, and Traralgon Railway Reservoir Conservation Reserve.

Locals will also experience a musical and skating event by CHEAP-SKATE at Moe Skatepark and Collective Energy; a lineup of speakers discussing topics around the cultural, ecological and archaeological elements that make up the Latrobe Valley.

Open House Melbourne Executive Director and Chief Curator, Dr Tania Davidge, spoke to the Express and gave an overview of what crowds can expect.

“Our festival is really for the curious at heart, the people who really want to discover place essentially, and the community that run it. It’s also for people in the local community to get to know their own backyard a little bit better,” she said.

“It’s really cool. So, you get to see … your community and the buildings in your community from a different perspective.”

As one can imagine, a lot of work goes into the execution of an event like this. Ms Davidge said plans have been in the works for about eight months.

“We’ve worked hard with Latrobe City. There’s been some great people in council we’ve been partnering with to really reach out and reach all of the interesting places in the area … because basically we know we’re only as good as the people who will open their places and their buildings for us on the weekend.”

Ms Davidge is looking forward to the event, and said that there is so much to explore in the Latrobe Valley, describing the history of the area as “incredibly rich”.

Latrobe City Mayor, Sharon Gibson, said the event will be a great way for people to further explore the Latrobe Valley.

“Open House Latrobe is a wonderful opportunity for residents and visitors to explore the places, stories and communities that make our region unique,” she said.

“From industrial heritage sites and cultural institutions to civic spaces and natural landscapes, the program will bring to life the landmarks that have shaped our past and continue to influence our future.

“The festival encourages people to discover something new about Latrobe City, celebrate our strengths, and gain a deeper appreciation of the places that make it such a special community.”

Looking to draw crowds of up to 10,000 people, tickets are now available. Spots are envisioned to go quickly, so Ms Davidge encourages people to secure their ticket as soon as possible.

For a full breakdown of the program and for more information, visit: https://openhousemelbourne.org/open-house-latrobe-2026/