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.
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.
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.
AU Now app
Your suburb’s news, alerts and Shorts — in one app
Alerts, Shorts and your saved stories — free on Google Play.
Researchers in Tasmania have discovered the value of animal scat, or faeces, in conservation efforts. A wildlife team found that studying scat can reveal crucial information about species, including their diet, health, and population size. For instance, scat analysis helped identify a Tasmanian devil's diet, which includes unusual items like shoelaces. Additionally, scat can indicate disease presence and genetic diversity, offering insights without invasive procedures. Despite challenges like DNA degradation, scat remains a vital, non-invasive tool for wildlife conservation.
Whittlesea's community grants program has allocated more than $1.8 million to 198 applicants across the 2025-26 financial year. The funds support community-led projects, initiatives and events, along with community groups, businesses, sporting groups, individuals and emergency services. A council summary presented at the 20 October meeting showed 27 applicants approved for over $173,000 in the final quarter, including 11 under the Business to Business Grants Program. Mayor Lawrie Cox said the council was proud to support so many groups. Funded events include Northern Diwali in South Morang on 31 October and the Whittlesea Show on 7 and 8 November.
A new $770,000 dog park at VR Michael Reserve in Lalor is now open to residents. The facility has separate active and quiet zones for dogs of different sizes, ages and temperaments. It also includes shelters, seating, drinking fountains, solar lighting and shade trees. The City of Whittlesea contributed $470,000 and the Victorian Government provided $300,000 through its New and Upgraded Dog Parks Program. Mayor Lawrie Cox said the park followed community feedback on the design.
A 26-year-old Bundoora man has lost his license after allegedly speeding past a police station and blowing more than twice the legal alcohol limit in Greensborough. Police said the man was driving a Toyota RAV4 at an alleged speed of 115km/h in a 60km/h zone. He was issued penalty notices for speeding and drink driving, valued at a total of $1935, and his vehicle was impounded for 30 days.
A 29-year-old Altona North man has been charged over an alleged attempted carjacking in Campbellfield. Police allege he was armed with an axe and tried to steal a car after a collision involving up to eight vehicles at the intersection of Sydney and Bolinda roads, about 7am on Thursday, October 22. He was struck by a vehicle and then restrained by good Samaritans near Sunshine Street before police arrived. He was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
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.
Birch, beech and sycamore trees at Wisley garden in Surrey have shed their leaves early after a record hot summer. Horticulturists say drought stress has caused a false autumn, with yellow-leaved trees losing foliage by mid-October. Trees with shallow roots are most affected, as they cannot reach deeper groundwater. Experts expect an earlier, shorter colour display in drought-hit areas. Wisley plans to plant more hardy, deep-rooted trees such as Lebanon cedars and swamp cypresses to adapt to changing conditions.
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.
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.
