A 62-year-old man from Caroline Springs has been charged after an alleged incident in a change room at the Brimbank Aquatic and Wellness Centre on Sunday 25 October. Police allege he used a recording device to film several people in a change room cubicle around 11.10am. He faces charges of producing child abuse material and producing intimate images. Brimbank council says it has terminated his membership and banned him from all council leisure centres. He is bailed to appear before Sunshine Magistrates' Court on 23 March 2027.
Authorities have shut 100 shops under newly granted powers aimed at stamping out the trade in illegal tobacco. Since those powers took effect on 9 September, the VIPER Taskforce and Tobacco Licensing Victoria officers have confiscated over four million unlawful cigarettes, roughly 70,000 vaping devices, three tonnes of leaf tobacco and close to $1 million in cash. The drive is directed at criminal networks that profit from the illicit product, including groups run from overseas. Retailers across a string of Melbourne suburbs have been inspected, and the operation is still underway.
Kindergartens in the Macedon Ranges have received bush kinder grants, with $900,000 in government funding supporting 150 Victorian kindergartens. Eighty-eight kindergartens, including Goodstart Early Learning Riddells Creek and Woodend, and Romsey Early Learning, will start new bush kinder programs with a $6000 grant each. The remaining 62 kindergartens will enhance existing nature-based programs, such as Daylesford Community Child Care. Bush kinder programs encourage outdoor learning and exploration in natural environments, promoting children's health, wellbeing, and development.
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Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny has referred the controversial proposal to turn Clarkefield into a 2500-home township to an independent advisory committee. The committee will examine the amendment, permit application and public submissions before making recommendations. Minister Kilkenny had been expected to decide in August. Macedon Ranges council and developer APD have both welcomed the referral. Mayor Cassy Borthwick said the decision is not final but recognises community questions. APD director Brad Paddon said the company believes outstanding issues can be resolved.
Labor candidate Annette Death has promised almost $20 million for upgrades in Riddells Creek if the party is elected. The plan includes $16 million for modern facilities at Riddells Creek Primary School, which will replace ageing buildings. A further $3 million will fund planning to upgrade the Main Road, Sutherlands Road and Station Street intersection, which Ms Death described as congested and confusing. Another $700,000 would build a new netball court at the Riddells Creek Recreation Reserve.
Sunbury mother Jessica Gusew and her son Malachi are fundraising through Smart Pups Assistance Dogs after the death of Millie, the assistance dog they got in 2022. Malachi, 16, has brittle asthma and autism, and Millie helped him at hospital visits and appointments and gave him confidence. Millie died from bone cancer on 21 October. The family is now raising $25,000 to help train and place a new assistance dog, which costs the charity up to $50,000 for each child.
The Rotary Club of Keilor is preparing its annual 100 Christmas Bags project for isolated patients in the Moonee Valley and Brimbank areas. Bolton Clarke community nurses will deliver the gift bags, which contain basic food, toiletries, personal care items and seasonal treats. The club says many recipients have no family, friends or wider community, and the bags aim to bring them comfort at Christmas. Recipient Anica said the gift brought her to tears, while Kent said he was looking forward to the day.
A new Australian play, Fall, will have its world premiere in Melbourne's west in December. Written by Michele Lee and directed by Beng Oh, it opens at The Bowery Theatre in St Albans on 5 December. The production then moves to Bluestone Church Arts Space in Footscray for four shows from 9 to 12 December. Set in northern Laos in 1975, the three-character play follows an Australian teacher and a former Hmong student facing the end of the Secret War. The 75-minute show is recommended for audiences aged 15 and over, and Wit Incorporated Theatre Company presents it.
The Municipal Association of Victoria has recognised long-serving councillors through its 2026 MAV Councillor Service Awards. MAV President Jennifer Anderson said recipients should be proud of their leadership and commitment to residents. She said the role is demanding and often done as a second job or alongside family care. Awards were presented at 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30-year service levels, plus a Mayor Emeritus Award. The association said the recipients have left a lasting mark on communities across the state.
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.
Stock Sense is holding a fencing workshop in Gisborne on Friday, November 20, from 9.30am to 3.30pm. Participants will learn how to install new fences using the right tools, materials and techniques. The day also covers how to inspect, maintain and repair existing fences to extend their working life. Stock Sense will lead a discussion on biosecurity and best-practice measures for protecting farms. The exact venue will be sent to participants closer to the date.
Ten-year-old Brandon Winkworth raised $500 for Bread Hub Victoria after his school charity choice was not selected. The charity matched the amount, doubling it to $1000. The money will fund vouchers for disadvantaged people in Hobsons Bay and Wyndham to use swimming and gym facilities at Laverton Community Hub and Bayfit. Laverton Community Integrated Services chief executive Michael Pernar praised the boy's efforts. Hobsons Bay mayor Diana Grima said the youngster's hard work was an inspiration. Brandon said he is proud of what he achieved.
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 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.
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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.
