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proudly serving Brimbank and the North West
28 JULY, 2026
Kiss of approval for fence art
Altona Meadows Kiss fanatic Phil Cassar in front of the mural of the band he recently had painted on his back fence. (Damjan Janevski) 563305_04
Visitors to Phil Cassar’s home in Altona Meadows will notice a new addition to his backyard, one that is as striking as it is unsurprising. As someone with one of Australia’s largest collections of Kiss memorabilia and the founder of a Kiss Facebook page with 9000 followers, it’s fitting that the mural recently painted on Mr Cassar’s back fence features the four face-painted members of the 70’s rock icons. “When I was a little kid Kiss were like real life super heroes,” he said of where his devotion to the band came from. Following a visit to his nan’s place one Christmas, that devotion extended from Kiss’s music to their merchandise too. Mr Cassar’s obsession led to him starting a Kiss collectibles Facebook page 13 years ago, however it was a post on another local Facebook page from a young artist called Seb, that led to him having a mural painted of the band. “He did an awesome job,” Mr Cassar said.
Station falls short By Sebastian Conidi The redevelopment of Albion Station risks delivering a rebuilt station that “falls short of its potential to act as a catalyst for urban renewal”, according to Brimbank council. Council endorsed its submission at its 21 July meeting. It is calling for a range of upgrades, including key safety improvements, to be included in what it describes as a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity”. The redevelopment forms part of Melbourne Airport Rail Stage 1, which will upgrade the rail corridor between West Footscray and Albion. In its submission, Brimbank council said while the early designs include several improvements, the project remains constrained by an $80 million budget set in 2022.
Artist’s impression of the new Albion station. (Supplied)
“Since that time, construction costs have increased substantially and are forecast to continue rising before construction commences,” the submission said. “In the absence of an increase in project funding, there is a risk that important place-based connectivity and safety outcomes at Albion Station may be compromised to accommodate these
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additional project requirements.” The council said its review of the concept designs found several key precinct and connectivity improvements, commonly delivered as part of major station redevelopments across Victoria, had been excluded or deferred. These include safe, Disability Discrimination Act (DDA)-compliant pedestrian links across the railway through upgraded station underpasses, and improved walking and cycling connections beneath Ballarat Road on both sides of the rail line. The submission also calls for an upgrade to the existing underpass, a continuous shared user path along the eastern side of the station, improvements to the eastern Ballarat Road underpass, better pedestrian connections and an expanded forecourt on the eastern side of the proposed
pedestrian crossing. The council said while further improvements could be delivered in the future, there is currently no funding or timeframe for them. Councillor Joh Bauch described Albion as “one of the most dodgiest stations” on the Watergardens line. Cr Lucy Nguyen said the upgrades being sought were “not just nice things to have”. “They are essential to the future of our community,” she said. A Melbourne Airport Rail spokesperson said the redevelopment would deliver additional lighting, stairs, lifts, pedestrian paths and a new overpass, making Albion “more accessible and easier for passengers to get to where they need to go”. The spokesperson said community consultation on the early designs would help shape the final plans for the new station.
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