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proudly serving Maribyrnong and Hobsons Bay
1 APRIL, 2026
Easter Egg-citement (Damjan Janevski) 540306_01
Egg-citement is brewing as kids across Melbourne’s west dream of what chocolatey goodness the Easter bunny will deliver this Sunday. Many will spend their weekend filling up on sweet treats, baking hot cross buns and attending Easter celebrations with their families. Emily, 10 (pictured) is ready to hunt down any chocolate eggs the Easter bunny leaves behind and fill her basket to the brim.
Homes power on By Cade Lucas
12533599-HC07-22
Hobsons Bay council has voted in support of plans for a social housing development on Power Street in Williamstown. At it’s meeting on Tuesday 24 March, council endorsed the state government’s proposal to build a five-storey complex with 65 social housing apartments on a vacant block at 5 Power Street. While a state government project, council voted to endorse the rezoning of the area in order for the apartments to built and also for council to write a letter in support to the community consultation process currently underway.
Consultation on the Power Street apartments closes at the end of the month and some nearby residents have already launched a campaign to stop it. A Change.org petition calling on Planning Minister Sonia Kilkenny to refuse the rezoning of the area and prevent the apartments from being built has already attracted 250 signatures. The petitioners argue the development would increase traffic congestion, put further strain on existing infrastructure, is out of scale with neighbouring buildings and presents safety risk to children and pedestrians from the nearby train station, childcare centre and schools.
Attempts by Star Weekly to contact the petitioners were unsuccessful. However, one of those to have signed the petition is local ward councillor and Hobsons Bay deputy mayor Lisa Bentley, who spoke against the plans at Tuesday night’s meeting. “Over recent days a considerable number of residents have contacted me complaining the have not been consulted on this proposal,” Cr Bentley said, adding that while social housing was vital, local residents were worried about the location and size of the Power Street proposal. “These concerns are being expressed respectfully, but they are genuine,” she said.
However, the mover of the motion, Cr Rayane Hawli, said Williamstown had a long history of social and public housing and that Power Street was an ideal location for more. “Its close proximity to public transport (North Williamstown Station) does make it a suitable location for this type of development and arguably addresses the traffic concern,” Cr Hawli said, arguing the proposal had broad community support. “I don’t believe the majority of Hobsons Bay residents believe in stigmatising those who need social housing,“ she said. “Exclusion does not make the community safer.”
Kenyon-Smith Denture Clinic A family tradition for 60 years 100 Pier Street, Altona 9315 9231 • 27 Old Geelong Road, Hoppers Crossing 9748 8204
Dental Prosthetists Full dentures, Partial dentures, Repairs - relines • Victorian Denture Scheme • Veterans’ Affairs John, Andrew, Simon and Paul Kenyon-Smith