Police are investigating four arson attacks on cars in Melbourne driveways over three days. Two cars were destroyed and a home damaged in Balwyn North early Wednesday, with one person inside unharmed. Earlier incidents in Taylors Hill left a teenager critically injured, while a luxury car was torched in Keilor. Another fire in Maidstone spread to a townhouse, with two residents escaping unharmed. No arrests have been made, and police are seeking witnesses and footage.
Melbourne student Aparjot, 21, has self-published her first novel, When We Were Souls, while studying cybersecurity and working part-time. The 376-page story follows two people who meet, fall in love and face the reality that some connections do not last. It is structured around seven Sufi stages of love, reflecting the Punjabi poetry she has written since childhood. Aparjot funded the book herself, designing the cover and editing the manuscript with help from friends. She is now preparing a second book, Ibadat, due in January 2027, which will draw on her Punjabi poems.
A 59-year-old man has been charged with reckless cause injury, criminal damage and unlawful assault after an alleged attack on the husband of Liberal candidate Amanda Dow. The incident happened on Sunday in Mernda, where police say the victim had gone to retrieve campaign signs. He suffered facial injuries and was discharged from hospital. The accused is due to face Heidelberg Magistrates' Court on February 1. Meanwhile, the latest Newspoll shows Labor trailing the Liberal-National coalition by 10 points ahead of the November 28 state election.
A fresh look is planned for the playground at Brookville Gardens in Toorak, with a draft design now open for public comment. The design includes a tunnel slide, a double slide, a rock scaling wall, a tree climber, a spider web climber, netted cube monkey bars and a shop counter for imaginative play. The council also proposes updating the existing play towers, which the community has said it values. Feedback can be shared online until 11.59 pm on Monday 16 November.
The husband of Liberal Party candidate Amanda Dow has allegedly been assaulted during a confrontation over election signs in Mernda. The party said he suffered facial injuries and was taken to hospital, where he was discharged. Police said a 59-year-old Mernda man has been charged with recklessly causing injury, criminal damage and unlawful assault. The accused has been released on bail and is due to appear before Heidelberg Magistrates' Court on February 1. Yan Yean is currently held by Labor with a margin of 4.3 per cent.
A four-bedroom home on a 4.71ha bushland property at Macclesfield, in the Dandenong Ranges foothills, has been listed for private sale. Price expectations sit between $2.9m and $3.1m. The property at 88 Kirkpatricks Road has been renovated and extended over two decades by its owner, Paige Fleming, working with architect Mark Burns. Features include landscaped gardens and a black infinity edge pool. Barry Plant Emerald agent Justin Barrot is handling the sale.
Consumer spending across Stonnington grew 8.1 per cent on the previous year, reaching $3.78 billion in 2025/26, according to new council data. Malvern East, including Chadstone, remained the largest spending destination at $1.8 billion, up 13 per cent. South Yarra and Glenferrie Road, Malvern also recorded gains, while night-time spending made up 22 per cent of the total. Council says it will fund precinct activations, business grants and night-time safety work in 2026/27.
A triple-brick home in Northcote, with a separate apartment, passed in at auction on a vendor bid of $1.7 million, below its $1.8 million reserve. The property is now listed for private sale at $1.775 million. Meanwhile, a fully renovated art deco home in Fitzroy sold for $1.531 million, above its $1.35 million reserve, to a first-home buyer. In Essendon, a four-bedroom home sold for $2.285 million, above its $1.95 million reserve, to a young family.
A Melbourne mother and her five-year-old son asked residents of the Huntingtower mansion in Hawthorn to fly the Greek flag to mark OHI Day on 28 October. The idea came from Konstantinos, who asked when the flag would be flown at the house. His mother wrote to the residents, enclosing a flag and a short history of the day. A few days later the Greek flag was flying from the tower. The family say they were delighted and thanked the residents, whom they had never met.
Detectives have arrested four teenage boys after an alleged aggravated burglary at a home in Diamond Creek early on Friday, October 23. It is alleged a Ford Ranger and a Kia Sportage were stolen from a carport about 1.25am while a 50-year-old man, a 41-year-old woman and a child were home. None were injured. Police allege the Kia was abandoned on Foote Street in Templestowe, while the Ford Ranger entered an underground carpark on Blackburn Road, Doncaster East, where the four boys were arrested. All four were charged and were due to appear in children's court on Friday.
Typical home prices in 18 Melbourne suburbs have moved above the $950,000 cap for the federal first-home buyer scheme, according to new REA Group figures. The cap was lifted by $150,000 last October, but rising prices have pushed these suburbs beyond it again. Templestowe's median unit price now sits $31,500 above the limit. Industry figures say the scheme makes larger mortgages easier to access but does not necessarily make housing more affordable, while one builder reports packages starting at about $450,000.
Hay fever sufferers could face a harder spring, with pollen levels expected to rise through November. Deakin University researcher Professor Cenk Suphioglu said a wet winter and warm spring weather have created ideal conditions for grass growth. He advised sufferers to stay indoors where possible and keep windows closed on windy days. People with both hay fever and asthma face the highest risk during thunderstorms with high pollen counts, and Victoria's chief health officer urged them to take precautions.
A Melbourne couple has moved into a new home that cost $80,000 less than they planned to spend. Jeyakaran Karnan and Shree Harini Vinothkumar chose a $720,000 house-and-land package in Clyde North after finding auctions stressful. They built at the Orana estate, where they hoped their son Yaalan could grow up among other young families. The couple used the federal 5 per cent deposit scheme, which reduced their deposit to $36,000. Construction took about four months, with the keys arriving roughly 10 months after they signed up.
North Geelong will aim to win its fourth consecutive T20 cricket premiership. The Magpies, who are on a 17-game winning streak, open their season with an away match against Lara. Both sides sit in Group D of the Division 1 and 2 competition, alongside Bell Park and Geelong West. Each team plays three round robin games before quarter-finals and semi-finals, with the final set for Tuesday 26 January. Defending Division 2 champions Lethbridge are in Group A with Winchelsea, Meredith and Teesdale.
Altona Meadows Primary School will celebrate the 10th edition of its internal news program, AMP NEWS, on Thursday 29 October. Year five and six students film, write and edit stories on fetes, special days and sports events. Two episodes are produced each term, featuring teachers and students. Teacher Sarah Capri has run the program since 2017, after it was started by a former teacher in 2016. About 60 students took part this year.
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Kerry Janten has announced she will contest the St Albans seat as an independent. She says she is dissatisfied with the party system and wants the freedom to address electorate issues without following a party line. Her policy focus includes state debt, cost of living, transport, environment and disability access. Ms Janten will hold a campaign launch on Friday 30 October from 6pm to 9pm at the St Albans Community Centre. She says she wants to hear from a broad range of residents, including homeless people and those whose first language is not English.
The Class of 2026 at Chairo Christian School in Leongatha has marked the end of its school years with a series of celebrations. A carnival morning used a toy-themed design, with graduates dressed as characters and running stalls for younger students. The next day, the final assembly featured a devotional message from school captain Meg Stokes and flowers presented by Prep students. That evening, a Valedictory Dinner recognised the graduates and their families. Principal Amy Stork said the school was proud to celebrate with the students.
WorkSafe inspectors will be able to issue on-the-spot fines from 31 March to reduce fatal falls at work. Employers can be fined for failing to control fall risks, keeping safety records unavailable, or starting high-risk construction work without a Safe Work Method Statement. Minister for WorkSafe and the TAC Steve Dimopoulos said falls remain a leading cause of workplace deaths and serious injuries. WorkSafe Chief Health and Safety Officer Sam Jenkin said employers face no new obligations, but those breaking the law will face consequences sooner.
