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23 JUNE, 2026
Wonderful winter workshops
Alexandra Leti and Vicki Catchpole are two of the artists hosting the winter workshops. (Damjan Janevski) 556603_02
Discover your creative side this winter with free art workshops running in Craigieburn every Monday in July and August. The workshops, hosted by the Craigieburn Art Group, will allow budding and experienced artists to develop and refine their painting skills or try their hand at something new. “It will be for eight weeks on Mondays in July and August, at the Highlander Community Centre [in] Craigieburn,” said Craigieburn Art Group president Vicki Catchpole. “We will have the lovely Alexandra Leti teaching landscape acrylic painting for four of the workshops and the amazing Salvatore Trigila [to] teach portrait drawing again.” Trigila will open the series on 6 July with his workshop exploring the world of portraits, from 3.30pm to 6pm. Other workshops include printmaking with Evelyn Lomas on 27 July and watercolour landscapes with Rufus Wilson on 17 August. Ms Catchpole will close the winter workshops with a session about acrylic roses on 24 August. These workshops are for adults only. Registration required. Details and bookings: www.craigieburnartgroup.org
Emergency delay By Courtney Black Almost a decade since the Craigieburn community was first promised two new emergency services facilities, the state government is yet to confi rm when they will be delivered. In May 2017, the government pledged to build a new SES station in Craigieburn north, as part of a $12 million investment in new SES headquarters for six suburbs. Then, in April 2018, the government announced $13 million for a new integrated fire station, which would house career and volunteer firefighters. Neither have been built. On 3 June, a state government
spokesperson confirmed the projects are in progress, but did not provide any delivery timelines. “We are backing our growing communities like Craigieburn … and Kalkallo with the emergency services infrastructure they need to help keep Victorians safe,” a government spokesperson said. A further share of $3.6 million has been allocated towards a Craigieburn North-Kalkallo VICSES unit in the 2026-27 state budget. The government said that new fire station designs are progressing and a planning permit has been issued. Hume council issued a planning permit to the FRV in July 2025 for the station on
Lygon Drive. In April, the state awarded a $500,000 contract to the FRV for the station’s design services. The design contract proposes a new fire station with three appliance bays, 14 rest and recline spaces and 32 car parking spaces. Craigieburn resident Jason Moore said locals had expected the projects to be delivered within a few years of the funding announcements. “Many of the community loved those promises when they were made, as it meant these would be delivered within three to five years,” Mr Moore said. “In many occasions these are now becoming empty promises
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as the community grows more sceptical of any delivery of any promises actually occurring.” Mr Moore said when major commitments remain undelivered for years in growing communities, residents lose hope. “Much of the older generations know that [in] each election cycle the community are given promises of hope for a rapidly growing community, in the hope it will catch up on the infrastructure community needs,” he said. “The proof is in the pudding with [this] 2018-19 empty possibility of hope.” The state government said project timelines can change due to land searching, designing and planning, design requests, and agencies’ operational needs.
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