WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15, 2026
new homes LIBS PROMISE SAFER for25 Lalor estate MERNDA RAILWAY LINE
● Brad Battin. Photo: ABC
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■ Protective Service Officers will be returned to local railway stations on the Mernda line under a new commitment by the State Opposition. Shadow Minister for Police and Corrections, Brad Battin, said: “Our plan to recruit 200 additional PSOs means greater safety at train stations, including Mernda Station. “Victorians shouldn’t face a lottery with their safety when travelling on public transport and under a Liberals and Nationals Government, they won’t.” Northern Victoria MLC Wendy Lovell said: “Commuters can be sure that under a Liberal Government, PSOs will be at every station on the Mernda line.” Premier Jacinta Allan will strip PSOs from 120 train stations across Melbourne, meaning Mernda Station may lose a permanent PSO presence, Ms Lovell said. “The deployment of PSOs across Victoria’s public transport system was an initiative of the former Baillieu Coalition Government and has played an important role in preventing crime and improving perceptions of safety for commuters for more than a decade,” an Opposition representative said. Crimes against the person on train stations – including assault, robbery and stalking – increased by 74 per cent between 2021 and 2025. Criminal incidents specifically on public transport in the City of Whittlesea, which includes Mernda Station, have gone up by 137 per cent in the past two years.
MAJOR UPGRADE FOR PRESTON CITY OVAL
■ Lights and change rooms at Preston City Oval will be upgraded thanks to a joint $1.8 million investment from Darebin Council, the AFL, and State and Federal Governments. The change facilities do not currentl;y meet gender-inclusive or accessibility standards, which limits participation by women and girls. The oval’s lighting levels are considered unsafe for sport training or matches, significantly reducing ground usage capability. Following consultation and advice from tenant sporting clubs and state sporting bodies, the project will deliver: ■ Construction of four lighting poles with footings, energy efficient LED light fittings and related electrical works to deliver 300lux level lighting to the oval. ■ Refurbishment of pavilion changerooms to provide gender-inclusive and accessible amenities, including upgraded showers, toilets and changing spaces. Darebin Council will deliver a renovation of the pavilion with gender-inclusive changerooms, a publicly accessible toilet and upgraded ground lighting to meet current sporting requirements and community needs. Benefitting tenant sporting clubs include Darebin Falcons Women’s Sports Club, Northern Knights Football Club, and Preston Cricket Club.
● Cr Emily Dimitriadis, Mayor
● Garden View Estate, Lalor
■ Garden View Estate Lalor is the name for a new residential neighbourhood that will deliver 25 homes adjacent to the Whittlesea Public Gardens. Previously known by its working title Downs Road Residential Development, Whittl;esea Council says the project will transform an unused parcel of municipal-owned land next to Whittlesea Public Gardens. “The residential development is a key action of the Whittlesea Public Gardens Master Plan that Council adopted in 2018,” said a municipal representative./ A planning permit application was approved last year to subdivide the former road reserve on the eastern edge of Whittlesea Public Gardens into 25 lots. Twenty-two lots will be sold on the open market, with buyers benefiting from the option to select their house design from a range of architecturally designed homes provided by Council, which responds to community feedback received in 2024. Three lots will be allocated for affordable housing, providing much-needed support to people experiencing housing stress, which could include young families, older people, women, key workers and people with disabilities. Demand for housing is increasing as the City of Whittlesea’s population grows, and Council says that it is exploring opportunities to turn under-utilised land into good-quality, fit-for-purpose housing in line with Council’s endorsed Strategic Property and Land Plan.