International Women's Day 'Give to Gain' Lunch 2026 Macedon Ranges

Join us for our first International Women's Day Lunch with an incredible panel of speakers, silent auction, delish food, prosecco and more!

MACEDON RANGES 💖 INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY 2026 💖

We're excited to kick-off the year with our very own International Women’s Day Lunch in the Vines at the picturesque Mount Towrong Vineyard Cellar Door.

And the best part is...you’re invited to this celebration of women! So bring your bestie, your sister, your nonna!

Enjoy a delicious Enoteca-style lunch and estate prosecco whilst hearing from an inspirational panel of women founders, local to Macedon Ranges and Melbourne, share their story as women-led businesses empowering community.

In the spirit of 'Give to Gain', a silent auction will raise funds for an award-winning cacao social enterprise co-founded by one of our panel speakers, Phoebe Preuss. A portion of every ticket sale will also go to support Samoan women cacao farmers rebuild after a devastating fire destroyed plantations and storage facilities.

This is a worthwhile cause to support, so get dressed up and come join us to celebrate women and have fun! ⁣

IWD 'GIVE TO GAIN' Lunch in the Vines Info

SUNDAY 15TH MARCH

1:00PM - 4:00PM

Mount Towrong Vineyard Cellar Door

4 Taylor's Road Mount Macedon VIC 3441

Single Event Ticket $127 + BF includes,

• Delicious 2 course meal (main & dessert)
• A glass of Estate Prosecco on arrival*
• An amazing panel of empowering guest speakers
• Silent auction to support social enterprise Living Koko
• Plenty of connection time with likeminded women
• Great selfie opportunities and loads of FUN!

IMPORTANT NOTES about the Event

• *Subsequent beverages are at guests' own care.
• Dietary restrictions of Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian catered for with notice.
• Free parking is available onsite at Mt Towrong Winery and Vineyard.
• This event is not suitable for children (except breastfed babies).
• For all event enquiries, please contact hello@manava.au

Be quick, this event has limited capacity. If other We Rise IWD events are anything to go by - this will sell out quickly!

#givetogain

We Rise Networking and MANAVA Health are proud to bring the signature International Women’s Day ‘Together We Rise’ event to Macedon Ranges for the very 1st time and support our Pasifika sisters on the island community of Savaii in Samoa rebuild.

About Silent Auction

Towards the end of last year, the Living Koko plantations in Samoa experienced a devastating fire. A matter of hours saw the shattering loss of over 8,000 kilos of cacao beans — cacao that was meant to carry the social enterprise and community well into 2026. This loss has affected not only the sustainability of Living Koko, but also the Samoan women farmers who tend the land and care for the cacao with generations of knowledge.

We are immensely grateful to the following businesses who have donated valuable prizes in support of the Living Koko fundraiser.

SEEN Portraits Just Planet Coffee Manava Health Step Ahead Finance

Angel’s Homestead Organics Mount Towrong Vineyard and more coming soon!

If you feel called to donate, email hello@manava.au for details on the silent auction. We cannot wait to welcome you at Mount Towrong Vineyard Cellar Door soon!

IWD LUNCH PANEL - Guest Speaker Line up.

Lee Palumbo, co-founder of fair trade business Just Planet Coffee Sunbury

My journey in the Fairtrade movement blossomed after a social justice conference in 2006, where we heard about the inequalities of trade and work practices affecting women and children in particular. From this Just Planet was born, a fairtrade store that became a coffee roastery in Sunbury, on the land of the Wurundjeri people. For nearly two decades, our coffee beans have been more than just a product—they’ve been a way to support social, farming, and environmental improvements in coffee communities around the world. This work is a true labour of love, and it’s deeply connected to my passion for social justice.

Phoebe Preuss, co-founder of social enterprise Living Koko Melbourne West

As the co-founder of Living Koko—a conscious enterprise that creates cacao-based products with a deep commitment to cultural connection, sustainability and community development. My journey began in the world of community cultural development and has grown into a thriving business that uses cacao as more than just food—it’s a bridge and a catalyst for social impact. We are currently fundraising to replant after a devastating fire. Indigenous food systems don't ask for permission- they remember their way home. We stand with Pasifika farmers, support replanting and help us grow futures rooted in land and lineage.

Marina Morgan, founder of SEEN Portraits Melbourne Bayside

My journey has empowered me to guide others beyond surface confidence, recognising that true self-assurance and beauty run deeper than appearance. As a migrant woman, mother and small business from the Ukraine who now calls Australia home, I am on a mission to help my clients rediscover confidence. My style challenges traditional labels of ‘boudoir’ photography, evolving into a multidimensional celebration of the human form and an aligned, intimate expression of self — embracing movement, grace, power, and emotional depth alongside physical allure.

Amy Livinstone, co-founder of MANAVA Health Macedon Ranges

As a holistic health practitioner with 20 years of experience in guiding and mentoring women, I am dedicated to trauma-informed health care grounded in honouring every body’s intelligence to return to wholeness and thrive. I birthed MANAVA from a long-held dream to offer culturally-sensitive spaces of transformation inspired by my own journey and the healing shamanic wisdom of my ancestors. Through gentle touch therapy, mental health neuroscience and a lived experience of nervous system recovery, I help women of all ages navigate life transitions with confidence, connection and a greater sense of calm.