Police are investigating two suspicious fires in neighbouring Melbourne suburbs overnight. An unoccupied house on Deakin Street in Essendon was alight just before midnight on Tuesday. Firefighters brought it under control within an hour. Less than an hour later, a hair and skin clinic on Shuter Street in Moonee Ponds was set alight. Police allege unknown offenders threw jerry cans into the business before igniting it, then fled in a light-coloured vehicle. Police say there is no information linking the fires, but the investigation is at an early stage.
Moonee Valley City Council, with Essendon RSL Sub-branch, will hold a Remembrance Day commemoration ceremony at the Cenotaph in Queens Park, Moonee Ponds. The ceremony is set for Wednesday 11 November at 10.30am.
Another 12 Victorian towns have graduated as Heart Safe Communities, bringing the state total to 66. The 12-month program, run by Ambulance Victoria and the Heart Foundation, teaches people to recognise cardiac arrest, give CPR and use an automated external defibrillator. Off-duty paramedic Tom Cleaver helped save Adrian Auld in Noojee in May after a public defibrillator at the local hotel was used. Ambulance Victoria director Dr Ziad Nehme urged people to call Triple Zero, push hard and fast on the chest, and shock with a defibrillator.
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A renovated five-bedroom home in Moonee Ponds sold for $2,817,500 after it passed in at auction on Saturday. The vendors, who are moving to Queensland, cut their price hopes. In Yarraville, a converted shopfront home sold for $1,265,000 after drawing three bidders. In Kingsville, a renovated cottage sold for $1.34 million in post-auction negotiations. Agents say renovated homes in good locations are still transacting well, while unrenovated stock is struggling more.
Victoria's state budget may suffer if Melbourne's property market stays weak, according to economists. Clearance rates have been poor, and about 42 per cent fewer homes were scheduled for auction than last year. Ahead of new auction laws requiring sellers to disclose reserve prices seven days in advance, only 551 homes are set for auction next weekend. REA Group senior economist Anne Flaherty says lower stamp duty revenue next year is almost certain. The state budget is due in May 2027.
A luxury home in Melbourne’s north-west with a pool, teppanyaki grill and lift is on the market for $3.95m-$4.3m. The four-bedroom house at 30 Grammar St, Strathmore, was extended and renovated in 2022. It is a short walk to Napier Park, the Napier St shops, the Moonee Ponds Creek Trail and Lebanon Reserve. The property features a stone-topped island bench, Miele appliances, a walk-in pantry, and a rumpus room with a fireplace. Expressions of interest close at 12pm on Wednesday October 21.
Victoria will add 11 AI-powered cameras to its bushfire detection network across the state's east and west. The $3.8 million project is jointly funded by the Victorian Government, Hancock Victorian Plantations and the Green Triangle Fire Alliance. The cameras use artificial intelligence to scan for smoke and fire around the clock, and the expanded network is expected to monitor more than 1.4 million hectares. The new cameras are scheduled to be in place by November 2027. Minister for Emergency Services Paul Edbrooke said early information would help emergency services respond more quickly.
Ken Bodinnar, a 73-year-old former State Emergency Service worker from Paynesville, is fighting to have his workers' compensation claim recognised. His doctors believe his small-cell lung cancer resulted from years of service, including the Black Saturday fires. The insurer rejected the claim, and a medical report later found his exposure to firefighting smoke and diesel fumes was a significant contributing factor. The dispute will go to trial in November. Mr Bodinnar is in intensive care in Geelong and hopes the claim will support his family.
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.
Williamstown CYMS and Footscray United both lost close matches in the Isaac Howarth Shield. The CYs were defeated by Sunshine after a rain delay, while Maribyrnong Park St Marys edged out the Bulldogs. Seddon dominated, bowling out the Tigers for 58 and winning by eight wickets. The Druids secured their first win of the season against Aberfeldie. In the senior division, Yarraville Club beat St Albans, and Altona North's match with Airport West St Christopher’s was abandoned.
A Geelong-region state MP has claimed more than $60,000 in taxpayer-funded allowances for a second Melbourne home since early 2024, despite appearing to miss 70 per cent of parliamentary sitting days. South Barwon MP Darren Cheeseman was expelled from the Labor Party in April 2024 after allegations of persistent, inappropriate behaviour towards staff, and has sat as an independent since. The allowance helps regional MPs living more than 80 kilometres from Melbourne. Mr Cheeseman declined to respond to questions from the ABC. Victoria has no public record of MP attendance, and the Greens and former premiers support introducing one.
A large former Toyota site at 200-214 Blackshaws Rd, Altona North, has been listed for sale, with a possible $40 million price. The 5.3-hectare property was sold by Toyota in 2020. A Victorian government masterplan has earmarked the site for a future town centre with a supermarket, shops and up to 395 homes. No development plans are yet in place. Expressions of interest close at 3pm on November 11.
Aireys Inlet Primary School will host its annual Aireys Fair on 31 October, running from 9am to 3pm. The fair, which has run for more than a decade, is organised by a committee of parents with help from grandparents, relatives and the wider community. It will be held alongside the Aireys Inlet Market, with rides and activities on the oval overlooking the ocean. A community-run bookstore will also operate, with all profits going back to the school.
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.
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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.
Federal Parliament paused on Monday to pay tribute to Indi MP Helen Haines, who is recovering in a Melbourne hospital. Police allege Brendan Nugent, 43, drove a four-wheel-drive into her as she collected items from her car outside her Wangaratta electorate office. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called for lower temperatures in political debate, warning of rising rage and aggression. Opposition leader Angus Taylor described the attack as a national tragedy. Politicians across parties spoke about threats against MPs and their staff, and a donation page in her name had raised more than $1.2 million.
Medicinal cannabis approvals for people aged 25 and under have risen sharply in Australia, according to Therapeutic Goods Administration data. More than 50,000 approvals were issued between 2016 and 2024, with most going to people aged 20 to 25. Anxiety and chronic pain were the leading reasons given. University of Melbourne researcher Christine Hallinan warned that THC, the most commonly prescribed compound for these age groups, can affect mental health and motivation. She also raised concerns about online clinics and prescribers linked to suppliers.
Federal parliament suspended normal business on Monday to pay tribute to independent MP Helen Haines after a man allegedly hit her with his car in a targeted attack in Wangaratta. Police say the attack left her with severe injuries, and both of her legs were later amputated. MPs across parties praised her calm, kindness and commitment to civility in politics. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the country must find a better way to argue, while others called for a conversation about regional mental health services.
Apartment residents and renters across Victoria will be eligible for rooftop solar rebates under an expanded state government program. Eligible applicants can receive up to $2,800 per apartment, capped at $140,000 per building. The changes raise the maximum building size from 50 to 150 lots and let owners corporations allocate up to 20 per cent of generated solar energy to common property. Applications are open until June 2027. Savings for individual households will depend on installation costs, electricity use and how power is shared among residents.
Musician G Flip and actress Chrishell Stause have announced in separate statements that they are no longer together. G Flip, who is non-binary and born in Melbourne, asked people to respect their privacy. Stause said she was in love with G Flip and would always love them. The pair met at a Halloween party, and Stause first spoke publicly about their relationship on the Netflix series Selling Sunset in 2022.
Australia Post Group chief executive Paul Graham has announced he will retire at the end of the financial year. Graham was appointed to the role in September 2021 after a career in logistics and supply chain. Communications Minister Anika Wells thanked him for his service during a period of significant change at the national institution. Foreign Minister Penny Wong has also named Derek Bopping as Australia's next Ambassador for Cyber Affairs, Artificial Intelligence and Critical Technology, and Rachel Moseley as Ambassador for Arms Control and Counter-Proliferation. Several senior public service roles were also filled.
Four young Australian men describe how manosphere content reached them through social media algorithms. Jak, 18, said workout videos led to messages about women and money. Flynn, 24, said his online content became prejudiced before he was hospitalised with a bipolar diagnosis. Bodie, 27, said online gaming friends adopted misogynistic attitudes. Each now says they are moving away from that content.
