Get the appSpringvale, VIC 3171 · 0 stories this week
Nearby: Sandown Village
Alerts, Shorts and your saved stories — free on Google Play.
A 31-year-old man has been charged after a high-speed police chase in Melbourne’s south-east. Officers allegedly spotted a Holden Commodore with false plates in Chadstone and attempted to intercept the vehicle, which allegedly reached speeds of 200km/h and drove on the wrong side of the road. The vehicle was abandoned in Springvale, and the driver was arrested nearby. The man, from Seaford, faced Dandenong Magistrates’ Court and was remanded until October 12.
Six cars have been destroyed and two homes damaged in a fourth consecutive night of residential firebombings across Melbourne. Victoria Police responded to incidents in Oakleigh East, Springvale and Reservoir early on Thursday, with several families inside their homes. No injuries were reported in the Oakleigh East or Springvale incidents. Police believe the two Reservoir incidents are linked, but have not established a connection between all the recent attacks. A teenage boy remains in critical condition after an alleged firebombing in Taylors Hill on Monday, and three teenagers have been arrested.
Melbourne artist Santosh Mahale will lead a Diwali-inspired painting workshop at Strathdon House and Orchard in Forest Hill on Sunday 8 November. The three-hour session runs from 1pm to 4pm and combines acrylic painting with a festive High Chai. Participants can paint subjects such as local birds, heritage buildings, seasonal plants or a memory map of a meaningful place. No previous experience is needed. The $75 ticket covers all materials, High Chai and refreshments. Bookings are made through the Creative Whitehorse website.
Alerts, Shorts and your saved stories — free on Google Play.
Get the appA 31-year-old man has been arrested after a long police chase across suburban Melbourne in an allegedly stolen Holden Commodore. Police say the car reached speeds of up to 200km/h even after its tyres were shredded by road spikes. The chase began in Chadstone early on Friday and passed through several southeastern suburbs. The man faces charges including dangerous driving while pursued, motor vehicle theft, drug possession and driving while disqualified. He was refused bail at Dandenong Magistrates Court and will appear in court again on October 12.
A woman and a 10-year-old girl have been found dead after a car crashed into a dam at Tinana South, on Queensland's Fraser Coast. Emergency services were called to Springvale Road just before 5.30pm on Thursday after a blue Subaru Tribeca was reported in the water. A 36-year-old Tinana South woman and the girl were inside the vehicle and had died before first responders arrived. The Queensland Police Forensic Crash Unit has begun an investigation. Police have urged any witnesses, or anyone with dashcam or CCTV footage, to come forward.
A 36-year-old woman and her 10-year-old daughter were found dead inside their car in a dam on a property in Tinana South, south of Maryborough, Queensland. Police believe the crash happened around 2.45pm while the woman was driving to collect other children from school. The girl's father, who had been alerted by the school, was among the first at the scene. Property owner Joel Hinschen pulled both from the water and his father performed CPR on the girl until emergency services arrived. Police have appealed for information about the vehicle or events leading up to the crash.
A fatal traffic incident in Tinana South, Fraser Coast, claimed two lives on 8 October. Emergency responders attended Springvale Road after a blue Subaru Tribeca entered a dam. Authorities discovered a 36-year-old woman and a 10-year-old girl deceased inside the vehicle. The Forensic Crash Unit is probing the circumstances surrounding the collision. Police seek witnesses or footage from the scene or preceding events.
A former Buddhist leader, Naotunne Vijitha, has been sentenced to 13 years and two months in prison for sexually abusing six young girls. The 71-year-old was found guilty of 17 charges related to the abuse of children under 16, which occurred between 1994 and 2002 at temples in Springvale and Keysborough. Judge Pardeep Tiwana described Vijitha's actions as a betrayal of trust, noting that the victims were as young as five or six years old. Vijitha, who arrived in Australia in 1994, will be eligible for parole after serving nine years and four months.
A Buddhist monk has been sentenced to 13 years and two months in prison for sexually abusing six young girls at his Melbourne temple. Naotunne Vijitha, 71, was the chief monk at the Dhamma Sarana temple in Springvale and Keysborough. Judge Pardeep Tiwana described his crimes as a betrayal of trust, noting the abuse occurred in a place of worship where victims should have felt safe. Vijitha must serve a minimum of nine years and four months before being eligible for parole.
A former Buddhist head monk, Naotunne Vijitha, has been sentenced to at least nine years and four months in prison for sexually abusing young girls at his temple in Melbourne. The 71-year-old, who showed no remorse, was convicted on 17 charges after a jury trial. His victims, aged between four and 12, described lifelong trauma in court. Vijitha's supporters lauded him as he was led to prison, with one victim calling their actions 'insane'.
Melbourne residents faced another night of arson attacks, with six vehicles torched across multiple suburbs. In Oakleigh East, a family of four escaped harm when a firebombed ute damaged their home. Similar incidents occurred in Springvale and Reservoir, where flames spread to properties. Premier Ben Carroll condemned the attacks, while police investigate potential links. The spate of firebombings has destroyed 13 cars this week, with two homes damaged and a teenager critically injured.
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.
Benton's Square Shopping Centre has reopened, with Woolworths and Dan Murphy's trading again. A fire gutted Harcourts Family Butchers, formerly Lindens Meat. Neighbouring businesses Top Pho and The Pantry House also suffered significant damage.
Federal MP Clare O’Neil has visited the Sri Venkata Krishna Brundavana Temple in Murrumbeena. She met His Holiness Sri Radha Manohar Das Swamiji and members of the local Hindu community. O’Neil described the temple on social media as a place of warmth, welcome and faith, and thanked the temple community for its welcome. Her post did not mention any formal announcements or policy discussions during the visit.
A men's style guide has picked 10 boat shoes for summer, from classic leather designs to chunkier modern styles. Boat shoes were first made for sailors and are now a common summer choice for smart-casual outfits. The list includes options for offices, weekends and different budgets. Suede styles need extra care around water. The picks are based on product research rather than hands-on testing of every pair.
Alerts, Shorts and your saved stories — free on Google Play.
Get the appGreeks in Dandenong marked OXI Day despite rain, holding the annual event organised by the Greek Orthodox Community of Dandenong and Surrounding Areas. Bad weather moved the wreath-laying ceremony inside the Church of Saint Panteleimon, but the emotional tone remained strong as people honoured those who resisted fascism. Students from the community's Greek School took part, with poems and traditional dances. Community president Stefanos Karamoschos and school principal Niki Farfara Paschou spoke about freedom, dignity and the value of preserving the Greek language.
Knox City Council has secured $312,500 in state funding for two park projects after community votes in the Victorian Government's Pick My Park program. Marie Wallace Reserve in Bayswater will receive $250,000 for a new eel-themed playspace with water play, an accessible net swing, carousel and bank slide, plus tree planting and seating. David Cooper Park in Wantirna South will receive $62,500 for solar-powered lighting to improve safety after dark. Construction at both sites is expected to start in early 2027.
It is a company profile of Mornington Peninsula News Group, a locally owned and independent media business established in 2006. According to that text, the group publishes five weekly community newspapers, including the Western Port News, Mornington News and Frankston Times, along with two glossy magazines, Peninsula Essence and Peninsula Kids. Because the material provides no details about the shopping centre, the fire, its closure or any response by authorities, no summary of those events can be reliably written from it.
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.
Forensic psychiatrist Rajan Darjee's data shows 43 of an estimated 126 Victorian homicides in 2024 and 2025 were committed by people with psychosis. That is up from about one in 10 a decade ago. Almost 84 per cent of offenders had previously received treatment from mental health services. Professor Patrick McGorry blamed a policy failure to build a modern care system. Experts called for a review of the royal commission's recommendations and a greater focus on severe mental illness.
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.
Workers at eight Victorian councils have rejected a pay offer, continuing protected industrial action that has disrupted services. The councils, including Hume and Merri-bek, are in multi-employer bargaining with unions. The rejected offer included wage increases tied to the rate cap and a $1200 transition payment. The Australian Services Union reported a 98 per cent rejection rate among its members, leading to strike action and service disruptions.
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.