Tuesday, 7 July, 2026
New hospital staffing laws
Father, son in charity walk
Burrinja hosts new exhibition
Real estate liftout inside
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A Star News Group Publication
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Light fantastic By Oliver Winn The Puffing Billy was captured as it choochooed past the Cockatoo Train Station on Thursday 2 July, producing a remarkable lighting display for its highly popular Train of Lights event. We heard the haunting steam whistle first then, flashes of red and purple emerged in the distance. The rhythmic chugging signalled the Puffing Billy’s approach, and it whistled once more, as though it were proudly saying hello to its onlookers. As the train puffed past Cockatoo Station, there were only a few onlookers given the viewing platform wasn’t a main sightseeing location and it was a Thursday night. But it only made the moment more personal as the train conductor gave his signature wave when the train passed by. It’s the fifth year for the Train of Lights event, which has attracted visitors from all over the world. See pictures of the train’s dazzling display on page 13
The Puffing Billy Train of Lights passes by Cockatoo Station. (Oliver Winn: 563715)
Firm no from VCAT Traffic impacts were minor overall, though some internal site management issues were flagged. Community groups and conservation bodies, including the Save the Dandenongs League, welcomed the outcome, calling it a victory for Green Wedge protection and long-standing environmental advocacy. VCAT also cited unresolved groundwater uncertainty and the need for stronger baseline data, reinforcing its view that key risks could not be managed through permit conditions alone. Read the full story on page 4
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The absence of hydraulic modelling also proved critical, with no RORB, TUFLOW or HECRAS analysis provided to assess potential flood impacts. Groundwater conditions were similarly unresolved, with uncertainty about fill material and drainage interactions that could not simply be left to permit conditions. Environmental concerns carried significant weight, particularly the risk to Monbulk Creek’s aquatic habitat and its importance as part of the Dandenong Catchment, home to the area’s last known platypus population.
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Plans to carry out large-scale earthworks in Lysterfield Valley near Monbulk Creek have been knocked back by VCAT, upholding Yarra Ranges Council’s refusal of an application from ESG Lysterfield Pty Ltd. The proposal involved about 400,000 cubic metres of fill spread across 15 hectares, staged over several years, and was described as one of the most heavily contested planning matters before the tribunal in recent memory. The decision, handed down on 24 June 2026,
brings a three-year process to a close. VCAT members Judith Perlstein and Claire Bennett found the project relied too heavily on untested mitigation measures, particularly around sediment control. A key concern was a proposed sediment basin that lacked detailed design certainty, including capacity, construction method and performance in major rainfall events. VCAT said it could not be satisfied that sediment would be properly contained during works, raising risks for Monbulk Creek.
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By Shamsiya Hussainpoor