This Craigieburn family home at 13 Featherpark Way sold for $771,500 — $72,500 above its price guide — as fierce bidding from locals and interstate buyers pushed it well past expectations A Craigieburn family downsizing in their own backyard has walked away with a $21,500 bonus after their four-bedroom home sparked a flurry of bids at auction — including from six interstate hopefuls The stylishly appointed house at 13 Featherpark Way had a price guide $650,000-$700,000 but strong local interest and surprise competition from buyers in other states helped push the final price to $771,500 The home was called on the market for $750,000 McGrath Craigieburn’s Terry Singh said 10 official bidders were registered — with a few extras jumping in on the day RELATED: Family’s heartbreak as Melb west auction battle took emotional turn ‘Gentrifying’: Melb north suburb among 2025’s best-performing areas TikTok video twist after 16 bidders turn up for Hawthorn auction “It was one of those auctions where people just kept coming,” Mr Singh said it was a local family who got it — they were already living in Craigieburn and wanted something easier to manage.” Mr Singh said the current had styled the property beautifully for the campaign and created an effortless flow that clearly resonated with buyers with many upset they missed out on the day raised timber entry and sleek facade give this Malcolm Creek-facing Craigieburn property standout street appeal stone benchtops and a wide window splashback make this Craigieburn kitchen both stylish and functional designer alfresco and bedrooms full of personality — including a space-themed kids’ room — the home struck the balance between style and functionality The family had also maintained the home meticulously updated finishes and a backyard deck made for entertaining — complete with built-in barbecue The McGrath Craigeburn director said the result showed that presentation polish and a layout built for lifestyle were winning formulas in the current market overhead cabinetry and direct outdoor access making everyday tasks easier Natural light floods the open-plan living and dining zone where cohesive styling and space to entertain helped seal the deal for the new buyers “Buyers don’t just want a house anymore,” Me Singh said “They want a home they can imagine living in — with kids Set opposite Malcolm Creek and close to Newbury Primary the home also benefited from location and lifestyle appeal A separate rumpus room offers kids or teens their own retreat one of the home’s most versatile and family-friendly features And while many had expected interstate interest to drop off Mr Singh said Melbourne’s northwest is in the spotlight turning to Craigieburn for value and long-term growth,” he said Sign up to the Herald Sun Weekly Real Estate Update. Click here to get the latest Victorian property market news delivered direct to your inbox MORE: Bec Judd’s crime concerns justified as insurance premiums soar ‘Like it’s hovering’: Rare Peninsula home design lovers are circling Piastri family’s near $4m Melbourne splurge third parties have written and supplied the content and we are not responsible for it completeness or reliability of the information nor do we accept any liability or responsibility arising in any way from omissions or errors contained in the content We do not recommend sponsored lenders or loan products and we cannot introduce you to sponsored lenders We strongly recommend that you obtain independent advice before you act on the content realestate.com.au is owned and operated by ASX-listed REA Group Ltd (REA:ASX) © REA Group Ltd. By accessing or using our platform, you agree to our Terms of Use. Things are starting to come together for Craigieburn City in the FV state league 2 north-west season. After a slow start with its squad coming together late in the piece, Craigieburn has claimed points in three of its five matches. On Saturday, Craigieburn got its second win of the season, beating Strathmore, 3-1. Craigieburn coach Michael Loche said they were happy with how things were coming together. “It’s been a far better start than last year when we only had one point at this stage,” he said. “It’s our second year in state league 2 and boys are doing well. “The squad is still a work in progress but we’re coming together well.” On Saturday, Craigieburn had a strong performance against Strathmore. Loche said they could have easily had a bigger win. “I think the boys played really well,” he said. “We took our chances early in the game but we should have buried them, “We missed a penalty and they got one back before half time. “In the second half, I felt like we were the better side.” Loche said getting their goalkeeper back had been a massive help on Saturday, with the side winning both games he had played in. Craigieburn has a new looking squad this season, with about10 players being added to the group. Loche said they wanted to close the gap with the top sides. “We want to try and improve our depth and add a bit more quality,” he said. “Last year was an unknown and we needed to improve the squad. We are nowhere near a finished product.” Loche said after being around the relegation mix for much of last season, they want to improve on that this season. “We want to be competitive in state league 2,” he said. “We don’t want to put parameters on what we can and can’t achieve. “We don’t want to be around 10th where we were last year. We want to push up the ladder. “We want to improve each game we play and get better as a group.” Loche said overall the club continues to grow with it having more than 800 members and now one of the biggest clubs in the north. In other matches, ladder leaders Lalor United had a 3-1 win against the Geelong Rangers. Lalor scored two goals in extra time in the second half to seal the win. Mill Park suffered a 1-0 to the Western Eagles. Whittlesea Ranges had a 2-0 win against Dallas City, while Uni Hill Eagles lost to Williamstown, 5-0. The 2025 season is just around the corner so EDFL Media will be previewing each club heading into Round One. Next, we chat to Craigieburn coach Shane Jacobs who provides some insights on their 2025 campaign. "Being a pretty young squad, our fitness levels have always been at a high level, so this time around we had more of an opportunity to hone in on our fundamentals and game plan more than the last couple of years. Pre-Christmas we did a lot of match simulation and structural work. "Overall I've been really happy with our pre-season.  "It’s been a pretty big recruiting drive this summer. We have definitely added depth to our squad and I’m really happy with who we have brought in, they have fitted in really well." "It would be easy for me to mention some of our A-graders we have brought in, but players that I’m really looking forward to watching are some our our young guns. "Cade Gordon is coming out of our 18s program. Was best on the 18s granny last year and has put in a terrific pre-season. He is pushing his case for Round 1 selection.  "Tadhg Boyle is another one coming out of our 18s program and has a lot of x-factor and really excites me as a player. "Lastly, Harry Albon. I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again, the kid is a star. He only played five games for us last year due to Calder Cannons commitments so having Harry available for selection the whole season just makes us a better team." "It’s been a pretty busy off season for the club, we have a brand new committee and they are doing great things. This is definitely helping things on field and we’re looking forward to season 2025."  "We want to keep on developing our youth. The under 18s are just coming off a premiership and there’s a handful of players in that group that will play 200-plus games for our club! "Finals is where we want to be. Craigieburn Football Club should be playing finals regularly in this division and we think that can happen in 2025."  Player most likely to become a coach one day? Who’s one opposition player you’d love on your side? What match are you most looking forward to in 2025 and why? Oak Park - I tip them for the flag and you want to play against the best. In: Luke Collins (Bundoora), Josh Collins (Bundoora), Dayne Middleton (Hurstbridge), Jai Robinson (Montmorency), Nathan Stewart (Euroa), Dom Micallef (Tullamarine), Tighe O’Brien (Echuca), Ben Radford (Lancefield), Michael Conlan (Lancefield), Jordy Laurie-Rhodes (St Kilda City), Bailey Collins (Mernda), Cody Ball (Avenel), Alessandro Alescio (Preston Bullants AFC). Out: Hugh Stebbing (Old Paradians), Liam O'Connell (Wallan), Matthew Hadeed (Essendon Doutta Stars), Ben Pigott (Laurimar), Nathan Kramer (Watsonia), Matt Stevens (Merrifield), Jason Foley (Merrifield), Bailey Cleghorn (Merrifield), Dakota Forryan (Watsonia), Cody Davey (Merrifield), Cameron Thomson (Wallan), Zayne Kendall (Merrifield), Nathan Bourke (Kilmore), Matthew Kichakov (Kilmore), Bailey Walpole (Kilmore), Joshua Webster (Avenel), Henry Ashworth (Avenel), Alexi Mamalos (Tullamarine). Share via...Gift this articleSubscribe to gift this article Gift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe Construction on Investa’s stalled $450 million build-to-rent development in Melbourne could resume by June if a new builder can be appointed to replace failed contractor Roberts Co, which went into administration last month The decision by Rich List businessman Andrew Roberts to call administrators into his Victorian company shuttered the Footscray housing site as well as separate Craigieburn site where ESR is developing Amazon’s biggest warehouse in the southern hemisphere SaveLog in or Subscribe to save articleShareCopy link Gift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe. Follow the topics, people and companies that matter to you. On a gusty Friday morning beneath grey skies and and rustling gum leaves hundreds of Craigieburn locals gathered at Anzac Park to mark one of the most sacred days on the national calendar– Anzac Day families and other local leaders to honour those who served and especially those who never returned home medals glinting against dark jackets as they proudly stood by the memorial stone The service honoured the brave Australian and New Zealand men and women who served and died in wars with particular reverence for those who made the ultimate sacrifice during the Gallipoli campaign in 1915 and remember the sacrifices that underpins the freedoms of modern Australia One of the morning’s most stirring moments came as Major Brian Coward delivered a moving address offering a vivid glimpse into the bravery of those who landed at Gallipoli 110 years ago and 8,000 men from Britain and France would come through,” Mr Coward said would come to shore at dawn– they were the spearheads that would clear the way of the main source of fire the brigade bravely and courageously started to fire within the first few hours They encountered fierce resistance from the Turkish soldiers They endured heavy artillery fire for the length of the campaign.” His words hung heavy in the air as the crowd continued to silently and respectfully watch on “Australians new and old have got to be grateful for the generations of men and women who have served and who are still serving,” Mr Coward said Craigieburn schools also played a key role at the service with students contributing poems and readings to honour the Anzacs – ensuring the stories of courage and mate-ship are passed down through the generations Shortly after the last poem and despite the wind tugging at scarves and rattling flag poles the crowd stood in solemn silence as The Last Post echoed through the park Long-time Craigieburn resident Margaret Newman highlighted the importance of the day stating she had barely missed a service since moving to the suburb in the late 1970’s “It doesn’t matter how cold or windy it is but we come to honour them,” Ms Newman said when the bugle plays and everyone goes completely quiet and still…you really feel it sold for $585,000 as its owners were screaming in the bathroom There were screams from the bathroom as a Craigieburn house yesterday sold for an unexpected $585,000 The 13 Beechville Place home went under the hammer with a $480,000-$500,000 asking price and when the hammer came down tens of thousands of dollars higher the owners were left screaming with joy after realising the blockout blinds on their front bedroom had been left open as the auction commenced Adam and Jay Skepastianos panicked and went to the next nearest part of the home to the street: the bathroom RELATED: Hawthorn: Cricket hot spot guru looks for $7m edge on flashy home Hamptons-style Hampton home sells big after becoming one of the most viewed in Australia AIA awards 2024: Melbourne pyramid-style house crowned Australia’s best home “There was just screaming and shouting in the bathroom Ray White Craigieburn’s Trish Orrico said there were also screams on the street as the buyers a family who had missed out on at least six other auctions with her agency previously “It’s been a while since I have had that (screaming) especially from inside — as we tell the vendors to not go nuts until the contract is signed,” Ms Orrico said The agent added that she had been just as shocked at the result after a similarly-sized home created by the same builder a few streets over on Ballybunion Ave sold for just $500,000 two weeks ago The home was presented perfectly to homebuyers in a move that helped drive strong bidding The kitchen offered a blend of aesthetics and functionality “It was way above expectations,” Ms Orrico said But it was clear the home had won hearts when the first bid came in at $480,000 Ms Orrico said the home had been presented immaculately Ms Skepastianos said with early nerves after listing the home her and her partner had followed their agent’s advice as well as making sure they kept the home clean and fresh to make the most of a recent repaint and garden overhaul For others hoping to scream with joy after their sale the pair advised making sure you had an agent you related to — and to do everything for the home you can or that little detail could be what gets everyone’s attention,” Ms Skepastianos said they advised other spring sellers to listen to the advice of others — but to trust yourself first Multiple living areas provide a few options for entertaining The bathroom that hosted the couple during the auction After all the excitement of the sale they will now work out where their next home will be — though their broker has suggested they consider a holiday with some of the extra money they had made However Ms Skepastianos said they were still to make up their mind on what the next step would be MORE: Ex-Tiger Dustin Martin lists Albert Park first home for sale Downsizers flock to Victoria’s seaside towns, which could push house prices up | Finder The Block properties face $200,000 value drop the moment they’re sold The transformation of Craigieburn Road continues with the opening of newly upgraded intersections at Hanson Road and Lygon Drive east Drivers are enjoying more reliable journeys on the new lanes on Craigieburn Road between Lygon Drive and Hanson Road The opening of new lanes and traffic light intersections is improving safety and connectivity for residents We’ve recently finished building the shared walking and cycling paths along this section of road,completing the 14km of new shared paths delivered as part of the upgrade meaning cyclists and pedestrians are already benefiting from safer travel and improved crossings Take a look below for more information on what’s coming next as we approach the finishing line As we head towards completion of the Craigieburn Road Upgrade we’re rebuilding pavement on the section of Craigieburn Road between Walters Street and Hardy Avenue These works will involve moving traffic barriers Detours will be in place via Hothlyn Drive and Bridgewater Road Delays of up to 10 minutes are expected during peak times We encourage you to plan your journeys and allow extra time when travelling through the area Pedestrian access to homes and local businesses will be maintained however there will be some disruption to driveway access An alternative parking area will be available on Walters Street opposite Bayside Car Wash for the duration of the closure Traffic controllers will be on hand to safely escort you to the daycare centre and to nearby businesses Sunday 22 September until Sunday 6 October 2024 and have been timed to occur during school holidays and after the reopening of Hanson Road and Lygon Drive to minimise impacts on traffic and the local community the Walters Street intersection will reopen in it’s final configuration We’ve opened new lanes on Craigieburn Road and switched on the new traffic lights at Dorchester Street and Cimberwood Drive This has changed the way you access Craigieburn Road These changes have been made to lower the risk and severity of crashes While new lanes and intersections will continue to open progressively we’ll complete finishing works along Craigieburn Road and around key intersections until the end of the year Finishing works will include the top layer of asphalt on Craigieburn Road and Aitken Boulevard activating new street lighting and traffic signals as well as landscaping To complete these works safely and minimise impacts on daytime traffic there will be intermittent overnight closures on sections of Craigieburn Road and Aitken Boulevard from Monday 16 September until December 2024 These closures will occur between 9pm and 6am There will be some daytime lane closures between 7am and 5pm while we complete any remaining finishing works until the end of the year We’ll keep you informed as works progress using on-road signage Craigieburn boasts 3 excellent shopping centres along Craigieburn Road bus stops and improved pedestrian and cycling paths ensure safer and more convenient access for the community and motorists Craigieburn Junction is your ultimate destination for home essentials offering everything from home furniture and appliances to pet supplies and fresh food Conveniently located at the corner of Aitken Boulevard and Craigieburn Road this retail and lifestyle hub features over 25 speciality stores and a variety of excellent food options Thanks to the newly upgraded and signalised intersection at Aitken Boulevard and improved access from Craigieburn Road getting to and from Craigieburn Junction has never been easier Craigieburn Central boasts a spacious mall with major department stores Recent upgrades to three key entry and exit points on Craigieburn Road have enhanced safety and ease of access situated at the corner of Craigieburn Road and Hanson Road is the longest serving shopping centre in Craigieburn from specialised groceries and eateries to medical facilities Recent improvements to the Hanson Road intersection and the addition of a dedicated right turn lane from Craigieburn Road have improved access to the plaza Local shops and businesses in Craigieburn are open and operating as usual during our works Please continue to buy local and support your local traders Craigieburn top the list of Australia’s highest numbers of home settlements thanks to first-home buyer demand: PEXANathan Mawby is for sale at $690,000-$730,000 in one of the suburbs with the highest numbers of home sale settlements in Australia Melbourne first-home buyers have driven Tarneit and Craigieburn to the top of the nation’s home sales ladder New figures from digital settlements platform PEXA have revealed the two postcodes were the only ones in the nation where more than 1000 residential property sales were finalised in the past three months They are among the 44,482 recorded across Victoria from the start of July to the end of September RELATED: Homebuyer strategies for buying a home sooner First Home Guarantee: Tarneit, Werribee, Craigieburn named among Australia’s top postcodes Melbourne first-home buyers fleeing the city’s rental crisis splashing out on $1m-plus homes But despite hosting the nation’s two busiest postcodes for sales Victoria was the nation’s third busiest state overall behind Queensland and NSW The firm’s Property Insights data also show Victoria’s 76.1 per cent of property settlements with a mortgage was the second highest in the nation behind Western Australia and a major indicator of first-home buyers picking up the slack from investors Chief economist Julie Toth said the data showed Victorian first-home buyers were increasingly taking over from investors with postcodes that appealed to market entrants dominating sales “The pattern we are seeing in Victoria is that sales are highly concentrated … in other states the sales are dispersed across a greater area,” Ms Toth said “The Victorian property market is skewing very heavily to the greenfield (new housing estate) markets “A lot of these will be first-home buyer sales People buying their own homes rather than buying an investment do have a higher percentage that take out a mortgage.” The top suburbs for home sale settlements in Victoria The economist noted that it was also a likely sign that a growing share of first-home buyers were now convinced there would be no further interest rate rises from the Reserve Bank Ms Toth added that Victoria’s heavy skew towards new housing estate area sales was possibly a motivation for the state government’s new policy to discount stamp duty costs for off-the-plan unit sales “To get a bit more movement to the inner city,” she said McGrath Werribee principal Taney Jain was last week named Residential Salesperson of the Year in the Real Estate Institute of Victoria Awards for Excellence Mr Jain said he was both surprised and unsurprised to see Tarneit top the list nationwide with the area a very large suburb with a significant land sales market for new housing construction He added that most sales in the area were going to first-home buyers or to developer-builders “And the spec home builders are targeting the first-home buyers with their work so they are building towards lower price points,” Mr Jain said is for sale with a $490,000-$530,000 asking price in the Aussie suburb with the most home sale settlements in the past three months Many of the region’s buyers are now recent migrants from the subcontinent The agent said he had been surprised he had been named the state’s top real estate agent for a second time but credited his success to his career mantra that his buyers today would be his sellers in a few years time As a result he is now selling the same modest three-bedroom residence at 3B Federal Drive, Wyndham Vale, for the fourth time Mr Jain said many first-home buyers in the Tarneit area and across Melbourne’s west responded better to agents who ensured they were looking at homes that made sense for them to purchase rather than selling them whatever they had listed is being sold by the same agent for the fourth time Ray White Craigieburn director Trish Orrico said the suburb had been as busy as she could remember seeing it with large numbers of investors selling off two- and three-bedroom townhouses and modest homes to predominantly first-home buyers and downsizers Ms Orrico said there were also strong sales of older homes on bigger blocks as raised land tax costs “were driving all the investors out” The agent noted that there had been a modest resurgence in investor demand in the past few weeks but almost exclusively from buyers looking from Sydney and Queensland RELATED: Kath & Kim Star Jane Turner’s $8m Elwood mansion sale secret sparks intrigue Flight Centre co-founder sells historic Collingwood property to Indigenous Treaty Authority Melbourne rental crisis gives insight into the suburbs primed for high-density development Police are appealing for information following an armed robbery in Craigieburn Police said offenders armed with a small knife approached the victim on Champion Parade about 7.30pm on Sunday The victim was stabbed multiple times and suffered non-life-threatening injuries Police believe the victim sought help from numerous people in the area before being taken to hospital Somalian in appearance and wearing navy tracksuit pants and hoodie A second offender has been described at male with a white beard and wearing black clothing Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au Detectives are investigating a two-vehicle collision in Craigieburn that left one man with life-threatening injuries Police believe a sedan was travelling along the Hume Highway when it collided with a truck about 4pm on Monday The male driver of the sedan sustained non-life-threatening injuries while his male passenger was taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries The truck driver was not injured and has spoken with police The exact cause of the crash is still being investigated A resident or visitor to Craigieburn has had a winning start to 2025 after scoring more than $20 million in last night’s Powerball draw The elusive ticketholder held the only division one winning entry nationally in Powerball draw 1494 The total division one prize was $20,809,257.29 The winning entry was purchased at The Lucky Charm Craigieburn The Lucky Charm Craigieburn owner Nicole Knothe said the $20 million win marked the biggest division one prize to have landed at her outlet “This is such an exciting and life-altering win for one of our lucky customers,” she said “We will be telling everyone how lucky we are We will also be hoping to translate tonight’s win into another winner for the $30 million Megadraw this Saturday “We would love to send all our happy thoughts to our lucky winner comfort and the ability to change many lives for the better.” The Lott spokesperson Matt Hart said he hoped Melbourne’s latest division one winner checked their ticket and came forward soon “Our elusive winner is likely oblivious to the fact they became a multi-millionaire last night,” he said “We’re encouraging anyone who purchased a Powerball ticket from The Lucky Charm Craigieburn to check their tickets today “Just imagine how exhilarating it would be to discover you won a prize of this magnitude at the start of 2025 Your plans for the New Year and beyond could be upgraded instantly and if you discover you are holding the winning ticket contact The Lott on 131 868 to begin the prize claim process.” The winning numbers in Powerball draw 1494 on Thursday Work to duplicate Craigieburn Road has wrapped up after three years of roadworks and traffic disruptions crews worked to add nearly 20 kilometres of additional lanes to the major arterial road creating extra capacity between Mickleham Road and the Hume Highway Roundabouts were replaced with traffic lights at Mickleham Road Waterview Boulevard and Hardy Avenue/Walters Street while intersections were upgraded at Vantage Boulevard Craigieburn Road is used by about 28,000 motorists daily Access to and from the CFA has also greatly improved as a result of the project with traffic lights on Craigieburn Road upgraded ensuring emergency service vehicles are given priority when entering and exiting the area Major Road Projects Victoria (MRPV) said the upgrade was complex with about 100 kilometres of utilities relocated over the course of the project About two million work hours were clocked on the upgrade equating to over 50,000 annual working weeks “Craigieburn is the latest community to benefit from new lanes upgraded intersections and 14 km of dedicated walking and cycling paths – which will provide better connections for the local community and make local trips smoother and safer,” MRPV program director Dipal Sorathia said As part of the team’s commitment to leaving a legacy along Craigieburn Road artwork has been installed on the 30 new traffic signal boxes at 15 locations lining the road’s shared use path Local artists were engaged to produce artwork that captures the essence of what makes Craigieburn unique These pieces were digitalised and wrapped around the signal boxes A Craigieburn dad has confessed his heart raced and he was left dumbstruck by the revelation he was Powerball’s first major winner of 2025 and had pocketed $20 million The Melburnian held the only division one winning entry nationally in Powerball draw on January 2 If the winner had been part of The Lott Members Club and registered his ticket to a player card or online account he would have been alerted to his good fortune immediately after the draw officials from The Lott had been eagerly waiting for the ticketholder to check his ticket and come forward “It’s so exciting,” the man exclaimed when speaking to an official from The Lott “I only buy a Powerball ticket from time to time “This has come at a great time for me and my family My heart is beating so fast; I don’t know how to control it It means I can pay off the mortgage and help my family “My wife and children have always said we never go on holidays The man’s winning entry was purchased at The Lucky Charm Craigieburn Owner Nicole Knothe said the $20 million win marked the biggest division one prize to have landed at her outlet “This is such an exciting and life-altering win for one of our lucky customers,” she said “We would love to send all our happy thoughts to our lucky winner It will be jam-packed Craigieburn Festival on Saturday The free festival promises an entire day of entertainment and activities for everyone including live performances by local artists and headline acts This year’s event will be filled with a wide range of exciting activities for everyone to enjoy such as interactive workshops and craft activities perfect for unleashing creativity and imagination Roving entertainers will keep the atmosphere lively with their performances while carnival rides offer a thrilling experience for families and children The market stalls will feature an array of unique items and there will be food trucks will be serving up a delicious variety of treats to satisfy every craving There will be an emergency services display allowing attendees to get a closer look at the vital work of emergency preparedness Hitting the stage this year as the headline act is Emma Donovan who hails from a family of indigenous country music greats and regularly performs with major artists such as Briggs and Dan Sultan Donovan said she loves the feeling of community and family which most of her songs are based on and inspired by “I’m looking forward to playing this festival.” Hume mayor Jarrod Bell said the festival was one of Hume’s best-loved calendar events turning out massive crowds every single year I’m looking forward to seeing locals pouring through the gates to soak up the fun and connect with their community,” he said “These major events are so important for community spirit and our local economy so I encourage people to embrace what’s become one of the premier annual events happening in Melbourne’s north.” The event will be located at Craigieburn Anzac Park on Saturday the festival will have a spectacular firework display Details: tinyurl.com/7pfc52ba Craigieburn have rich pockets that locals don’t even know aboutNathan Mawby Suburbs around the city are home to some millionaire pockets where homes can be worth more than $3m some of Melbourne’s cheapest suburbs are home to millionaire’s rows where houses routinely snag multimillion-dollar prices But with most out of the way of day-to-day life they’re often “hidden gems” that even locals don’t know about Homes routinely top $3m along the rarefied streets of Long Island in Frankston a pocket of the suburb between Kananook Creek and the beach – with a number of the homes offering direct access to the sand RELATED: Block houses or the cash? Experts weigh in on Portelli’s raffle Unlikely regional hotspots luring city dwellers in droves Revealed: Where to find affordable rentals close to Melbourne But step off the island and home prices quickly drop back to the suburb’s $730,000 median price Belle Property’s Garry Donovan said people selling in the pricey pocket tended to highlight the Long Island address “There’s a little bit of a stigma on that word but Long Island fits more into the Mt Martha groove,” Mr Donovan said The agent added that with a waterfront home at 1 Mary St most of the prospective buyers were coming from places like Brighton and Elsternwick He added that the high-priced pocket was one of the last places a home could be bought where you can walk straight onto the sand before you hit Portsea PropTrack economist Paul Ryan said when an area could offer bigger blocks a quiet address and unique aspects such as being on a waterfront or having city views they would often be worth more than others in the suburb 1 Mary St, Frankston is now on the market with a $2.91m-$3.2m price guide they become status symbols and locals will know what it means to be in that spot,” Mr Ryan in many instances he said they were “hidden gems” that even locals might not know exist the city’s most affordable suburb where the typical home costs just $470,000 if you stray into the Killarney Estate you can pay five times that amount as home prices surge past $2m Reliance Real Estate Melton’s Karan Arya said after selling a number of properties in the pricey pocket it was a mix of super-sized blocks starting at 2000sq m and a lifestyle focus that compelled buyers from higher-priced suburbs in Melbourne’s south east and north to spend big on a home in Melton 6 Connemarra Circuit, Melton is on the market now and has a $2.3m-$2.5m price guide but it is a good location in terms of proximity to the city and the area is quite developed and well established,” Mr Arya said His firm is currently selling 6 Connemarra Circuit with a $2.3m-$2.5m asking price and recently locked in a sale for 40 Killarney Drive at $2.04m One Agency Property Partners director Sahil Saran said along Bindowan Drive Sayers Rd and Kingston Boulevard it was more common to see seven-figure prices than not A few weeks ago he sold a block of land on Bindowan Drive for $1.55m and has another at 103 Bindowan Drive for sale at $1.999m-$2.15m Craigieburn is for sale with a $1.75m-$1.9m price guide The suburb’s median house price is $640,000 but we have been seeing that with a lot of migrants they come here work hard and get a first home nearby then they are looking for a forever home,” Mr Saran said “But 90 per cent of people would not know that there are multimillion-dollar homes in Hoppers Crossing When I tell people there’s a $2m house in Hoppers Crossing SKAD Real Estate’s Harminder Singh said high-end homes on larger blocks lined Charteris Drive But it was the city views on offer from Charteris Drive that had most buyers willing to part ways with more than $2m in a suburb where the median house price is just $640,000 Hoppers Crossing is for sale for $1.999m-$2.15m “Out buyers are often moving from interstate or they’re from the area looking to upgrade,” Mr Singh said Hockingstuart Werribee director Justin Tong said there were two affluent pockets in Werribee with generational homes that rarely changed hands particularly those facing the Werribee River “It’s a really family-orientated pocket; you’re buying them with young children and not selling them until you’re empty nesters,” Mr Tong said 8 Watkins Grove, Werribee sold for $1.215m in 2016 He’s currently selling a home at 8 Watkins Grove that set a $1.215m record for the suburb in 2016 and is back up today with a $1.45m-$1.595m asking price Mr Tong said it was a pretty special home which the sellers had renovated adding a massive pergola and outdoor kitchen to the rear Wattle Ave is also one of the top addresses in the suburb Mr Tong said both these streets were Werribee’s most exclusive streets and attracted mainly local wealthy families with kids who went to school in the area Sign up to the Herald Sun Weekly Real Estate Update. Click here to get the latest Victorian property market news delivered direct to your inbox MORE: ‘Man from Snowy River’ high country haven gets international interest Trick that got family into home for $35k less than they thought Bailey Smith splashes $4m on Surf Coast hinterland home Administrators and developers spent the weekend racing to uncover the status of eight projects left stranded by Roberts Co when the Sydney-based contractor put its Victorian arm into administration to staunch mounting losses already topping $60 million Roberts Co VIC’s collapse on Friday shut down work on Amazon’s biggest-in-Australia automated warehouse project in Craigieburn on the Hume Highway Investa and Oxford Properties’ 702-unit build-to-rent project in Footscray and Golden Age’s 28-level strata office on Little Collins Street in the Melbourne CBD Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time Home owners in Craigieburn have been taking on extra shifts at work and cutting back on discretionary spending to keep up with mortgage repayments as many feel the pinch in the lead up to Christmas Craigieburn has topped the list of Australian suburbs for mortgage arrears with 2.96 per cent of home owners falling more than 30 days behind on loan repayments S&P Global Ratings data for the September quarter shows Property owners in Pakenham (2.16 per cent) Point Cook (1.98 per cent) and Hoppers Crossing (1.98 per cent) are also falling behind on their monthly repayments Craigieburn home owner and mother-of-one Maddy said she decided to return to work earlier than expected to bring in some extra cash who bought a home with her partner during COVID lockdown said their mortgage had since become more expensive with interest rate rises “I’ve been working part-time to make extra money,” the 29-year-old said and it feels especially hard around Christmas.” has returned to work earlier than expected to make some extra money has been forced to take on extra shifts to cover upcoming mortgage repayments for his new home in Beveridge I have to do extra shifts to ensure that I actually have money to save as well as being able to pay the mortgage,” Russell but I’m sick of paying dead money to an ever-rising rental market.” Russell said he had been feeling the pinch when it came to the rising cost of groceries and other daily expenses First home buyer Steven Russell has taken on extra shifts to help cover his mortgage repayments.Credit: Wayne Taylor you could go to the supermarket and not stress about the price of groceries Now you have to stress about every little cent,” he said said they had been forced to dip into their savings to cover the mortgages on their two Craigieburn properties Craigieburn business owners Daras Singh and wife Sandhya Saini have been forced to dip into their savings to help cover their two mortgages.Credit: Wayne Taylor Singh said they felt lucky to be able to fall back on their savings but it meant they had to pull back on spending for non-essential items “We are dipping into our savings,” he said and we didn’t have to cut too much from our existing expenses.” The new data comes as the Reserve Bank prepares to meet next week and is tipped to hold rates steady at 4.35 per cent Cuts are seen as unlikely before February and possibly May S&P Global Ratings analyst Erin Kitson said home owners nationwide had been affected by rising interest rates a weakened economy and extended lockdowns were behind the number of people falling behind on mortgage repayments in Victoria “Borrowers in Victoria probably went into this tightening [interest rate] cycle from a slightly weaker position and that clearly would have had an impact on borrowers’ cash flows particularly depending on the nature of their employment,” she said Kitson said Melbourne’s softening housing market had made it difficult for home owners to sell their property for a gain if they can no longer afford to service the mortgage “Property prices impact mortgage arrears when [prices] start to decline It can affect how easy it is for a borrower to sell a property without realising a loss .. which means you might be forced to stay in arrears for longer,” Kitson explained “The other way that property price dynamics impact arrears is how it can influence refinancing prospects “When you have property prices starting to become weaker that can affect your loan to value ratio and therefore how easy it is for you to refinance a loan.” Kitson also pointed to Victoria’s unemployment rate big connection between employment and mortgage arrears because clearly a loss of income is a key cause of mortgage default,” Kitson said Victoria’s unemployment rate was 4.5 per cent as of October Australian Bureau of Statistics data shows director and mortgage broker Nariman Amalsadiwala has clients in Melbourne’s west and north He said home owners struggling to make repayments were holding out for a drop in interest rates next year Amalsadiwala said he had noticed clients avoiding non-essential spending in order to prioritise mortgage repayments with some opting to refinance their home loans “They are finding it more and more difficult to keep up with the payments,” he said “They are constantly looking for ways to consolidate or reduce the payments the car loan or the credit card and putting it on the home loan to stretch it further.” Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter \\u201CI\\u2019ve been working part-time to make extra money,\\u201D the 29-year-old said and it feels especially hard around Christmas.\\u201D as well as being able to pay the mortgage,\\u201D Russell \\u201CInterest rates are going to be a killer but I\\u2019m sick of paying dead money to an ever-rising rental market.\\u201D Now you have to stress about every little cent,\\u201D he said \\u201CWe are dipping into our savings,\\u201D he said and we didn\\u2019t have to cut too much from our existing expenses.\\u201D \\u201CBorrowers in Victoria probably went into this tightening [interest rate] cycle from a slightly weaker position and that clearly would have had an impact on borrowers\\u2019 cash flows particularly depending on the nature of their employment,\\u201D she said Kitson said Melbourne\\u2019s softening housing market had made it difficult for home owners to sell their property for a gain \\u201CProperty prices impact mortgage arrears when [prices] start to decline which means you might be forced to stay in arrears for longer,\\u201D Kitson explained \\u201CThe other way that property price dynamics impact arrears is how it can influence refinancing prospects \\u201CWhen you have property prices starting to become weaker that can affect your loan to value ratio and therefore how easy it is for you to refinance a loan.\\u201D Kitson also pointed to Victoria\\u2019s unemployment rate big connection between employment and mortgage arrears because clearly a loss of income is a key cause of mortgage default,\\u201D Kitson said Victoria\\u2019s unemployment rate was 4.5 per cent as of October director and mortgage broker Nariman Amalsadiwala has clients in Melbourne\\u2019s west and north \\u201CThey are finding it more and more difficult to keep up with the payments,\\u201D he said \\u201CThey are constantly looking for ways to consolidate or reduce the payments whether it\\u2019s refinancing or combining the car loan or the credit card and putting it on the home loan to stretch it further.\\u201D Start the day with a summary of the day\\u2019s most important and interesting stories A couple snapped up a Craigieburn home for more than $130,000 above the top end of its price hopes at its weekend auction The four-bedroom renovated abode at 27 Chelsworth Loop attracted seven bidders when it went under the hammer on Saturday morning initially with a $620,000-$650,000 asking guide Bidding began at $600,000 and rose in predominantly $10,000 increments aside from an unexpected offer of $50,000 which swiftly brought bidding up to $700,000 in the middle of the auction RELATED: Coburg unit snapped up a week before scheduled Vic homebuyers warned underquoting is on the rise Fierce competition for Melb home that sold for first time in 70 years until it was sold to a local couple for a whopping $786,000 Seller Renee Johnston said she was relieved and very happy with the sale She said she had many fond memories in the nearly 17 years her and her family had lived in the Craigieburn abode “We brought all three of our kids (up here) We also got engaged in our house,” Ms Johnston said “It has been a really great place to live.” a large stone benchtop and plenty of storage The 39-year-old added that her family had chosen to make a lifestyle change and relocate to an acreage for more space but wanted to replicate elements of their current home in their new residence but we’ve got everything we ever wanted within it.” Ms Johnston said they had extended the house and renovated the kitchen and bathrooms in the time they had lived there CoreLogic records reveal she purchased the abode for $292,000 in June 2008 Undercover entertaining space with a fireplace Ray White Craigieburn auctioneer and agent Trish Orrico said the auction was “insane” with the property selling well above its undisclosed reserve price The owners are blown away,” Ms Orrico said “I just don’t think any economist or so called expert out there can actually predict (the market at the moment) like we were not expecting that at all.” She added that there were multiple buyers in the market and a lot of bidding activity “Even though there’s a lot of buyers around it is still a strong seller’s market,” she said “I think the interest rate cut probably gave buyers a bit more confidence as well in their bidding capacity.” MORE: Terrifying number of Aussies in mortgage or rent stress Frankston South mansion obliterates suburb record by $6m Real life Noah’s Ark for sale in the last place you’d expect The action has continued at the Hume Tennis and Community Centre More of the top players in the world are Craigieburn for the Melbourne Wheelchair Open Star Weekly photographer Ljubica Vrankovic was able to capture some of the action Eight weeks of intense 24/7 winter works concluded in August with the reopening of Craigieburn Road from Bridgewater Road to Hanson Road This marked the half-way point for the Craigieburn Road Upgrade new driveways and entrances for emergency and community service organisations have been opened in this busy section of Craigieburn Road The accelerated work program included the installation of major drainage upgrades significant asphalt and re-surfacing works Two lanes are now open in both directions between Selwyn Avenue and the Hume Highway with works continuing behind barriers and with intermittent lane closures throughout 2024 The left turn slip lane from Bridgewater Road to Craigieburn Road With a new dedicated left turn lane from Craigieburn Road onto Bridgewater Road as well traffic will flow more easily in this busy area Crews have clocked up a whopping 1 million hours on the Craigieburn Road Upgrade since work began 2 years ago With Craigieburn Road’s new lanes quickly taking shape we want to say thank you to everyone who is working to deliver the biggest road transformation the suburb’s ever seen – and thank you to the community for your patience while we upgrade your roads Locals make up a huge proportion of the project team out delivering your new lanes on Craigieburn Road and contribute to the lives of thousand of others through local purchasing As the Craigieburn Road Upgrade passes the half-way mark westbound traffic has been moved onto the newly-built lanes on the westbound side of the road between Waterview Boulevard and Bridgewater Road Eastbound traffic continues to use the original road with work on the eastbound side and intersections continuing behind barriers into 2024 Barriers are in place in the carriageway and left-turn-only safety provisions that are part of the final road design have begun Restricting traffic from turning right across multiple lanes of oncoming traffic reduces the risk of accidents These complement the new traffic lights being built as part of the road upgrade and the Craigieburn Health Service are all still open for business work will focus on the western end of Craigieburn Road between Mickleham road and Aitken Boulevard between Aitken Boulevard and the Hume Highway utility providers will focus on removing power poles and completing power works To stay up-to-date with traffic impacts, please visit the Disruptions map Please note that changes may be made to these traffic conditions Keep an eye out for signs and instructions from traffic controllers Waterview Boulevard is closed between Craigieburn Road and Harrington Avenue to enable the construction works for the new intersection with traffic lights The boulevard will reopen in late December providing more reliable access onto Craigieburn Road While works continue, Waterside Café remains open for lunch and coffee Craigieburn SES volunteers swapped their permanent base for a temporary operational hub during our winter works to fast track new lanes on Craigieburn Road The temporary relocation ensured the unit could respond to the most urgent and time-critical emergency cases without being impacted by the winter works The Craigieburn SES unit services the local government area of Hume City Council and attends an average of 300 requests for assistance each year Members of the Craigieburn unit joined the upgrade to say thank you for coordinating their temporary relocation to the project’s Lygon Drive HQ The project team paid a visit to the Craigieburn Early Learning Centre recently to teach our youngest recruits how roads help their communities stay connected The busy mini-engineers built their own roads using play blocks and construction vehicles Colouring and activity sheets were a big hit and Fulton Hogan engineer and author Samantha Dungey read her book I Want To Be An Engineer Each child got to take a book home to remember the experience Local shops and businesses in Craigieburn remain open and operating throughout our works An Epping man has been charged following an arson attack at a Craigieburn tobacco store in December The 32-year-old was arrested on Spencer Street in Docklands shortly before 11am on Thursday He was interviewed by police and charged with arson and theft of motor vehicle The man will appear at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Friday Police also executed search warrants were at residential addresses in Glenroy A 25-year-old Reservoir man was interviewed by police and is expected to be charged on summons The charges follow an incident where emergency services were called to a blaze at the Craigieburn Road store about 3.30am on Tuesday A number of men were seen exiting a black Holden Commodore parked directly outside the store before throwing an accelerant into the store and setting it alight The shop sustained significant damage during the fire The same vehicle was stolen from an address in Bundoora about 1.20am that morning Anyone with any information about serious and organised crime linked to the illicit tobacco trade is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report online at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au over the theft of more than $320,000 worth of alcohol from stores across Melbourne It will be alleged the men were working as part of a syndicate where some would steal from stores while others waited in a vehicle outside The stolen liquor was allegedly sold for profit One of the members of the alleged syndicate – a 23-year-old man from Craigieburn – was arrested on Friday November 22 and charged with 36 offences including the theft of $57,000 worth of alcohol He was bailed to appear in Sunshine Magistrates’ Court on February 27 on November 20 police were called to a Thomastown liquor store on Mahoneys Road A 26-year-old man from Truganina was arrested and charged with 68 offences including the theft of $76,000 worth of alcohol a vehicle of interest in relation to the ongoing thefts was intercepted as well A 30-year-old man behind the wheel allegedly tested positive for methylamphetamine A search of the vehicle uncovered 40 bottles of alcohol as well as two shopping baskets from a liquor store He will be charged on summons with 23 offences including the theft of more than $18,000 worth of alcohol Three of his passengers were also arrested It will be alleged the 40 bottles of alcohol found in the vehicle had been stolen from liquor stores in Doveton and Rowville named among Australia’s top first-home buyer postcodes as Victoria dominates First Home GuaranteeNathan Mawby has a first-home buyer friendly $690,000-$720,000 asking price — in the nation’s top postcode for those making a start in the property market Victoria has cemented its spot as Australia’s first-home buyer hotspot with almost 10,000 market entrants here using the Australian Home Guarantee Schemes in the past financial year Craigieburn and Clyde were the strongest in the nation and other areas have also been buoyed as buyers priced out of the market as far back as 2021 revive their home dream amid poor home value growth in some suburbs The 9950 Victorians to use the scheme accounts for a whopping 28 per cent of all people using it in the past financial year significant given the state only accounts for 26 per cent of Australia’s population RELATED: 10 first-home buyers fight for the same home Melbourne Housing affordability: Where homebuyers can buy a house with a $50k deposit Home-saving hacks could score Gen Z $500,000 in 10 years and save the Australian dream The program — under which the federal government guarantees home loans for buyers with deposits as low as 5 per cent — is the only national support scheme to help those actively buying a first home A co-buying scheme promised by the Albanese government ahead of the last election is yet to pass through parliament it helped a third of all Australian first-home buyers in the past financial year with 43,800 places taken up according to Housing Australia’s Home Guarantee Scheme Trends and Insights Report released on Monday In Melbourne and major cities like Geelong the scheme is capped for purchases up to $800,000 while the rest of the state has a $650,000 threshold In addition to the 9950 Victorians to use the First Home Guarantee or the Regional First Home Guarantee a further 150 accessed the Family Home Guarantee which supports single parents to buy a home which includes Hoppers Crossing and Tarneit covers an extensive tranche of Melbourne’s new housing estates – and has long been on first-home buyers’ radar The report shows Victoria is home to five of Australia’s top postcodes for the scheme was the national leader with 617 guarantees issued where 485 people had home loans backed by the federal government PropTrack economist Paul Ryan said a big part of Victoria’s success was relatively higher housing construction compared to other parts of the country it’s helping to keep home prices flat or even record declines in the past year or so — a sign that the nation could build its way out of a housing affordability crisis come with first-home buyer friendly price tags as low as $530,000 Mr Ryan said it was also possibly a sign that Victorian market entrants had been better able to stack the federal offer of a 5 per cent deposit with the state government’s stamp duty concession program and its $10k First Home Owner Grant to build a new property Property Home Base buyers agency founding director Julie DeBondt-Barker said while most first-home buyers were looking to escape the rental trap after values pushed past their reach in 2021 and a few were looking to relocate from Sydney for affordability Ms DeBondt-Barker warned many were increasingly worried about a rise in interest rates which they feared would rapidly increase home values “I have buyers saying they have seen the US is bringing their cash rate down and they are now trying to get in before Christmas,” she said because so many investors have gotten out of Victoria is up for grabs at $599,000-$649,000 in one of the state’s top spots for first-home buyers Housing Australia home ownership chief program officer Jennifer Chew said the strength of the program was also demonstrated by the “number of participants that have transitioned out of the scheme due to equity built up” Figures in the report show 19,000 past users of the scheme that has operated since 2020 no longer need the government to guarantee their loan with many reaching 20 per cent equity stake due to rising home values or paying down their mortgage Real Estate Buyers Agents Association of Australia president Melinda Jennison said the number of first-home buyers who had used the scheme but no longer required a government guarantor as the properties value had risen so much showed how important the scheme was the opportunity cost of trying to save at the same time the market is rapidly rising … it becomes prohibitive,” Ms Jennison said Source: Housing Australia Home Guarantee Scheme Trends and Insights report FY 2023-2024 MORE: St Kilda: Pink Victorian mansion transformed by prominent interior designer Melbourne auctions: Calls for Vic gov to beef-up ‘really clunky’ underquoting laws $30m Portsea mansion that took 15 years to build could challenge suburb’s price record Craigieburn and Westmeadows both have work to do on day two of their Victorian Turf Cricket Association senior division matches both sides are on the back foot after day one of their matches The Eagles are battling with third placed Sydenham-Hillside at Hillside Recreation Reserve The Storm finished day one at 4-75 with only 70.3 overs being bowled Joshua Rasu was the only multiple wicket taker for the Eagles Westmeadows almost conceded first innings points on day one against Aberfeldie the Warriors were bowled out for just 113 in the 46th over Suresh De Silva top scored with 47 for the Warriors with Pathum De Mel the only other batter to score double figures Aberfeldie finished day one at 2-108 with first innings points in sight both Tullamarine and the Greenvale Kangaroos also have work to do The Demons were bowled out for 158 against top four side Grand United with Himesh Gajanayake top scoring with 33 The Kangaroos were bowled out for 102 against Sunbury Roxburgh Park is in a good spot after day one against East Coburg The Falcons bowled East Coburg out for 186 in the 63rd over Sean Pipe took three wickets for the Jaguars Donnybrook is chasing Pascoe Vale Central’s 220 Raja Sandhu took four wickets for Donnybrook Craigieburn Road has been subject to upgrade works Image: Victoria's Big Build/Victorian Government New insights have been revealed in the major Craigieburn Road upgrade project following the completion of major works in late 2024 According to Major Roads Projects Victoria the project saw around 20 kilometres of new lanes added between the Hume Highway and Mickleham Road 16 new and upgraded traffic signal intersections four kilometres of new and upgraded shared walking and cycling paths 14.5km of underground stormwater pipes and 950 drainage pits installed 4500 direct and 11500 indirect Victorian jobs during construction “It carries about 28,000 vehicles per day, to understand how important it was to upgrade this road,” MRPV’s senior project manager Dimuth Gammampila said.   “As part of the upgrade which we’ve recently completed we’ve added extra lanes in each direction [which will] add significant extra capacity to Craigieburn Road “We’ve also upgraded several intersections along the way between Mickleham Road and the Hume Highway We’ve also added safety features like crash barriers to improve safety “We’ve done all of this with the intent of reducing congestion in Craigieburn improving travel times and increasing safety for all road users.”  Fulton Hogan was the construction partner for the Craigieburn Road Upgrade and worked alongside MRPV to carry out the works “There are a number of challenges in building roads like Craigieburn Road One of the biggest challenges we had here was the utility services,” Fulton Hogan’s project manager Grant Deeble said there have been about 2000 different interfaces with utility services and only about 500 of those interfaces we were able to relocate; the rest we had to build around.”   the Victorian SES and Fire Rescue Victoria these upgrades have been a vast improvement of the previous infrastructure “The new transformation of Craigieburn Road is a real gamechanger for Fire Rescue Victoria in our response,” Fire Rescue Victoria’s senior station officer John Macklin said “Traffic can move freely and we can pass through to traffic and get to emergencies a lot quicker.”   Heidelberg Materials Australia has announced the re-opening of its new Geelong Concrete Plant   The company publicly revealed the re-opening.. Holcim Australia has launched a new concrete plant which will service customers in Melbourne’s northern area Regional Group is on the look out for new employees to join its growing operations with hands-on roles in a.. All content published on this site is the property of Prime Creative Media Police have charged a man with murder following the death of a man in Craigieburn on Saturday A 53-year-old Mickleham man was arrested at the scene but conveyed to hospital to be treated for minor injuries where he remained under police guard He was released from hospital on Tuesday and was interviewed by police the following day The man was subsequently charged with one count of murder The charge follows an incident where police were called to reports of a physical altercation at a property on Thoresby Circuit about 6.45pm on January 25 A 33-year-old Craigieburn man was located with a stab wound and transported to hospital with life-threatening injuries Police believe the parties involved were known to each other The Craigieburn Road upgrade is a step closer to being completed with new lanes opened between Lygon Drive and Hanson Road signalised pedestrian crossings have also been installed along Craigieburn Road at Lygon Drive Shared walking and cycling paths on Craigieburn Road between Aitken Boulevard and Walters Street have also been completed while the Craigieburn Road entry and exit points to Craigieburn Central shopping centre have re-opened Major Road Projects Victoria (MRPV) said pedestrians and cyclists are benefitting from safer crossing points “The newly completed shared use path also allows pedestrians and cyclists to travel alongside Craigieburn Road safely These new paths are now connected all the way from Mickleham Road Craigieburn Central and Craigieburn Plaza shopping centre,“ MPRV said a section of Craigieburn Road between Walters Street and Hardy Avenue will be closed from 9pm lane closures and detours will be in place during the works MRPV program director Dipal Sorathia said the uprgade will provide much-needed capacity improvement to Craigieburn Road “We thank motorists for their patience while we get these works done,“ he said The upgrade is expected to be completed next year we've recently reopened the entry and exit points for Craigieburn Central in a major win for the key retail precinct in Craigieburn The upgrade has also seen construction of new intersections and upgraded shared walking and cycling paths on Craigieburn Road between Aitken Boulevard and Walters Street The Craigieburn Road Upgrade has moved another step closer to completion with the opening of newly upgraded lanes on Craigieburn Road between Lygon Drive and Hanson Road and signalised intersections with pedestrian crossings at Lygon Drive (east) Crews worked overnight to move traffic barriers install and activate new traffic signals and streetlights and complete asphalting works and line marking This year has seen a suite of milestones for the project with the successful opening of new intersections with traffic lights at Waterview Boulevard to the west of Craigieburn Road and Dorchester Street and Cimberwood Drive in the east Drivers are enjoying more reliable journeys while pedestrians and cyclists are benefitting from safer crossing points This was 1 of the final pieces of the 6.5km stretch along Craigieburn Road to be completed with the project boasting extra lanes and new intersections with traffic lights that will improve the way people move around the area The newly completed shared use path also allows pedestrians and cyclists to travel alongside Craigieburn Road safely Craigieburn Central and Craigieburn Plaza shopping centre the section of Craigieburn Road between Walters Street and Hardy Avenue will be closed from 9pm Sunday 22 September until Sunday 6 October to rebuild the pavement lane closures and detours will be in place The Craigieburn Road Upgrade will transform travel in Melbourne’s north It will add approximately 20km of extra lanes between Mickleham Road and Hume Highway bus stops and cut congestion and travel times It will also create approximately 14 km of new and upgraded walking and cycling paths The Craigieburn Road Upgrade has created more than 300 local jobs for Victorians and a further 5,000 indirect jobs trainees and opportunities for Indigenous people and priority job seekers When complete in 2025, the Craigieburn Road Upgrade will create capacity for almost 200,000 journeys on the road every week Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of a man in Craigieburn on Saturday Police were called to reports of a physical altercation at a property on Thoresby Circuit about 6.45pm on January 25 He was transported to hospital with life-threatening injuries Officers arrested a 54-year-old man at the scene He was transported to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries under police guard A 54-year-old woman was also taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries Investigators believe all parties are known to each other and are not looking for any other person Anyone with information can contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or www.crimestoppersvic.com.au A tight-knit community and an inspiring display of athletic excellence were on full show last month as Craigieburn Little Athletics Club celebrated outstanding achievements at the Victorian State Track and Field Championships Among the stars was 12-year-old Nana Tiboah who won three gold medals in the 100 metres competing in the under-11 multi-class category 13-year-old Mason Beattie earned a bronze in discusand represent Victoria this month at the national championships Craigieburn registrar Victor Kroussoratis was proud of the club’s recent successes “We’re considered a bit of a smaller club in the region We’ve only had a track for the last eight years,” he said and the kids who are excelling have really done well for themselves.” the club prides itself on its sense of community and inclusivity “Patrick is a multi-class athlete with Down Syndrome and the support from his age group and the other groups is phenomenal,” Kroussoratis said “It’s great to see inclusion across all people’s abilities.” said athletics has been life-changing for her grandson The under-13 boys just accept him for who he is She urges families with children who have special needs to embrace opportunities in sport doesn’t mean they can’t do anything–they can do anything they put their mind to,” she said emphasising the transformative power of inclusion “Patrick has been with Craigieburn Little Athletics since he was five Competing alongside kids without disabilities has helped him understand the discipline and focus required and he’s become a role model himself,” she said Rebecca said it’s the friendships and acceptance that makes a difference it’s not just about competing;it’s the in-between moments–kids coming up to him That’s exactly how we want him to be included in society.” She wants parents to know that athletics is adaptable for all abilities “It doesn’t matter if a child has issues with coordination Little Athletics Victoria has worked to ensure all kids can compete.” As Craigieburn Little Athletics club continues to grow A significant fire started near Bridge Hill on December 5 and grew to about 1000 hectares Firefighters controlled the blaze after several days but the area remains an active fireground and hotspots could still flare up DOC North Canterbury Operations Manager Leeann Ellis says DOC staff will need to get in and make sure tracks are safe for visitors before they can be reopened “Given the area is still an active fireground it’s become clear we won’t be able to assess these tracks until early in the new year The Craigieburn Valley and Broken River ski field access roads are also closed.” hazards on the tracks could include track damage and falling rocks or other debris due to unstable ground "We know this will be disappointing to some people who had hoped to enjoy the area through the holidays plenty of other unaffected tracks in the area will be open “The DOC website is the best place to check which tracks are open and closed We will keep it updated as tracks in the fire area are checked and reopened.” Parks and recreation alerts Currently closed tracks and roads include: Leeann says the fire highlights why it’s so important to be safe with fire in the outdoors “Fires on conservation land are often started accidentally or heritage and cultural sites destroyed by a fire so we’re urging people to stay fire safe in the outdoors this summer.” check any fire restrictions on Fire and Emergency New Zealand’s Check it's alright website before lighting a fire park so hot car exhausts aren’t in long grass Find out about local fire restrictions at Check it's alright Read more about lighting fires on public conservation land Email: media@doc.govt.nz Craigieburn Forest Park extends from the Waimakariri River to the Wilberforce River - with braided rivers alpine screes and rugged mountain peaks topping 2300 m A 19-year-old Craigieburn man has charged following an alleged stabbing in Prahran Police were called to reports a man was allegedly attacked by two males at a nightclub on Chapel Street about 4am amon Sunday A 31-year-old Endeavour Hills man sustained life-threatening injuries and was taken to hospital Police emexecuted a search warrant at a Craigieburn property on Wednesday including clothing and a quantity of drugs The Craigieburn man was arrested at the scene He has been charged with intentionally cause serious injury possessing a controlled weapon in vicinity of licenced premises failing to provide assistance to access electronic storage device and failing to answer bail He was remanded to appear before Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on September 19 A new bulk reverse vending depot has landed in Craigieburn The newest location for the state government’s Container Deposit Scheme (CDS) is located at 107 Yellowbox Drive in Craigieburn The bulk depot offers a more convenient and efficient way to recycle bottles allowing people to dump a large number of containers all at once with staff on-hand to help process the recycling all at once compared to the one at a time approach at smaller reverse vending machines The technology scans and verifies each container deposited and provides options to the user to either receive the amount in cash via digital transfer direct to a bank account or for the amount to be sent as a donation to a nominated charity or community group The CDS Vic West Zone app also allows customers the unique opportunity to donate their container refund to many charities that have joined as charity partners for Victoria’s Container Deposit Scheme and sporting groups new ways to fundraise by registering as a Donation Partner groups and organisations are already fundraising with CDS Vic including the Craigieburn Little Athletics Centre for essential equipment to run club events and the Roxburgh Park Football Netball Club for its ‘Roxy Container Drive’ Residents of Hume can also download the CDS Vic West Zone app to check on the live status of their local refund point TOMRA Cleanaway chief executive James Dorney said Hume is now spoilt for choice to recycle their containers “We’re very excited to have landed a new CDS Vic refund point in Craigieburn adding to the existing network of refund points in Victoria allowing locals a location where they can conveniently drop off their eligible drink containers for recycling,” he said “The community has shown that when provided with a convenient and technology-based container deposit scheme network Since the introduction of CDS Vic on November 1 last year Victorians have made $23 million back on their containers Amedeo Gallicchio and Jess Louchard with kids Sofia 7 Lucia 6 and Valentino 3 at the front of their Halloween House 2024 The Gallicchio family are setting sail on a unique Halloween real estate campaign as they prepare to auction their outer north Melbourne home Amedeo Gallicchio and his wife Jess Louchard have transformed their residence into a pirate-themed spectacle for 2024 – decked out with “pirate paraphernalia” is drawing attention not just for its size and location but for its creative transformation into a pirate’s haven RELATED: First look at new retail boom coming to Melbourne’s south east Rush on unusual bushland home with its own gold mine Unexpected Vic suburbs leading Australia in key housing stats Amedeo Gallicchio shared his lifelong love for all things pirate Known who is known among his neighbours for their “creativity and flair” “I’ve always been a bit of a scallywag growing up pirates have been throughout my life,” Mr Gallicchi said “I had some scrap pieces of wood left over so I made an old kids’ play ship out of reclaimed pallets.” Lucia 6 and Valentino 3 at the front of their house His handiwork extends beyond pirate paraphernalia with Mr Gallicchio personally taking on the landscaping of the home describing it as “country style,” and “relishing the quiet court location” “The kids are able to play outside without the worry of other cars coming up here,” he said Pirate Paradise: Explore the whimsical world of Craigieburn’s most talked-about Halloween home and ‘sails ahoy’ on the market next week “I make nearly everything myself; the skeletons I buy “From bits and pieces of the job I have – I try to involve everything with kids This has resulted in a home that resonates with charm and meticulous care offering a unique experience for potential buyers Mr Amedeo assured that everything inside is fresh and ready with fresh laid carpet and entire house painted with everything done for the future buyers Director of Di Battista Real Estate Daniel Di Battista said he is excited about the unique listing launch “Last year when the vendors had a Halloween theme they had around 500 people attend – we thought by taking their house to the market on Halloween would take advantage of the eyes on the property,” Mr Di Battista said Current owner Amedeo Gallicchio has landscaped the entire property and made the home “move in” ready for new buyers “The vendors have made wise and tasteful decisions – the backyard boasts self-sufficiency with room for bees and veggies an appealing feature for families looking to live sustainably a lot of people transact in the suburb; they don’t leave.” As the auction approaches in late November with their sights set on Heathcote for larger land to continue a “bigger and better” Halloween endeavour in 2025 RELATED: Online shopping tycoon buys two neighbouring Toorak homes Capp’s Yarra River park plan wins award, but may never be built Flight Centre co-founder sells ex-Reach Foundation HQ for millions Detectives are investigating a fire at a tobacconist in a shopping centre in Craigieburn on December 10 Emergency services were called to the blaze at the Craigieburn Road centre about 3.30 am It is alleged three offenders exited a black Holden Commodore which was parked directly outside the store Investigators cordoned off the area and set up a crime scene A Holden Commodore was later located burnt out in Companion Place in Epping shortly before 7 am and police are in the process of determining if it is the same vehicle used in the tobacco shop arson Anyone who witnessed the incident, with dash cam/CCTV footage or information can contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or www.crimestoppersvic.com.au