Our brand-new Op Shop in the heart of Croydon This isn’t just a place to shop - it’s a welcoming space designed to celebrate creativity and contribute to the vibrant local community there’s something for everyone to enjoy Our Op Shop is designed to reflect the unique energy and creativity of Croydon you’ll find more than just pre-loved treasures; you’ll discover a dynamic space where locals come together to share ideas Stay up to date on how Save the Children is creating a world where every child has a safe and happy childhood *Save the Children Australia’s total expenditure for year ended 31 December 2023 expressed as a percentage. See 2023 Annual Report for full details. © Copyright Save the Children Australia Update your browser to view this website correctly Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time No one can agree which council this school belongs to – and the principal is sick of it Presbyterian Ladies’ College in Croydon sits on the boundary of two councils; the majority of its main school buildings are in Burwood while an area set for expansion falls under the Inner West Council Presbyterian Ladies’ College wants to be included in just one council area It’s a headache the school has been fighting to resolve for the past decade “When we have applied for developments we have often had to apply to two councils This is an unreasonable impost upon any organisation,” he said through meetings with his Inner West Council counterpart Darcy Byrne and in a letter to the council has asked them to give over the rest of the school grounds and the homes that are on the school’s side of Edwin Street That part of the street includes sites the school wants to demolish to make way for an estimated $25 million expansion Burwood isn’t waiting for Inner West to come to the table – they’re taking their proposal straight to the Office of Local Government Faker said the current boundaries are “150 years outdated” “You’ve got a major educational institution which delivers A-grade education to the very talented young ladies they produce there,” he said it’s silly to have a school where 25 per cent of it is in a different council area.” Dr Burgis said he was grateful for Burwood Council’s “proactive approach” Presbyterian Ladies’ College Croydon’s campus map overlaid with council boundary in red Burwood is to the left and Inner West to the rightCredit: PLC Croydon (edited) The Inner West doesn’t see things the same way is concerned about the other homes not owned by the Presbyterian Church that would be transferred to Burwood under the proposal “It’s not right for the boundaries of a municipality to be determined by a private school We haven’t amended our borders anywhere else and doing so here would set a very poor precedent,” Byrne said “Councils are here to act in the public interest In 2020 the council voted to block a proposal from the school to permanently close and sell part of Elizabeth Street to the school for private use to facilitate plans for a new science building In 2023 the school lodged preliminary plans with the Inner West Council for the demolition of two residential unit blocks near the school for the creation of a new science and technology building Part of the plans involve the demolition of tennis courts and part of the school’s aquatic centre facilities for a new sports facility – part of which falls into Burwood’s boundary meaning the one redevelopment would need to be approved by both councils The plans are in the predevelopment application stage and a final proposal is yet to be submitted to Inner West Council 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 No one can agree which council this school belongs to \\u2013 and the principal is sick of it Presbyterian Ladies\\u2019 College in Croydon sits on the boundary of two councils; the majority of its main school buildings are in Burwood It\\u2019s a headache the school has been fighting to resolve for the past decade \\u201CWhen we have applied for developments we have often had to apply to two councils This is an unreasonable impost upon any organisation,\\u201D he said has asked them to give over the rest of the school grounds and the homes that are on the school\\u2019s side of Edwin Street Burwood isn\\u2019t waiting for Inner West to come to the table \\u2013 they\\u2019re taking their proposal straight to the Office of Local Government Faker said the current boundaries are \\u201C150 years outdated\\u201D \\u201CYou\\u2019ve got a major educational institution which delivers A-grade education to the very talented young ladies they produce there,\\u201D he said \\u201CWe think it makes good planning sense it\\u2019s silly to have a school where 25 per cent of it is in a different council area.\\u201D Dr Burgis said he was grateful for Burwood Council\\u2019s \\u201Cproactive approach\\u201D The Inner West doesn\\u2019t see things the same way \\u201CIt\\u2019s not right for the boundaries of a municipality to be determined by a private school We haven\\u2019t amended our borders anywhere else and doing so here would set a very poor precedent,\\u201D Byrne said \\u201CCouncils are here to act in the public interest Part of the plans involve the demolition of tennis courts and part of the school\\u2019s aquatic centre facilities for a new sports facility \\u2013 part of which falls into Burwood\\u2019s boundary Start the day with a summary of the day\\u2019s most important and interesting stories Croydon commuters are benefiting from safer and faster journeys through the town centre with all 3 new road connections and the eastern car park now open Built as part of the new Croydon Transport Hub and Coolstore Road level crossing removal the Devon Street connection to Wicklow Avenue opened to traffic this week allowing vehicles and pedestrians to travel safely under the rail bridge The road connection has a signalised intersection at Wicklow Avenue to keep traffic flowing through the town centre and provide easy access to retail precincts either side of the rail line Traffic has already been using the new Kent Avenue to Lacey Street road connection since it opened to traffic last July and a third new road connection between Coolstore Road to Main Street opened late last year Catching the train at Croydon Station has also never been easier with 211 parking spaces opening in the eastern car park this week in addition to the 73 parking spaces that opened in the north east car park last year The now fully completed Croydon Transport Hub features a rail bridge 2 station car parks and new shared use paths Students from Croydon Primary School this week also helped crews finish landscaping the new transport precinct The grade 4 students planted 30 native species near the eastern station car park with project team members on hand to provide more information about the planting selection and project construction we’re removing 110 level crossings by 2030 South Croydon’s Premier Division women’s team were crowned premiers in 2024 whilst all other senior teams made finals – a feat they’ll look to repeat in 2025 South Croydon are looking to build on an already strong foundation to go a couple of steps further in 2025 Finishing fifth in 2024 and falling to Rowville in the Semi Final the Bulldogs showed great improvement following an 0-2 start where the side lost by a combined 110 points Head coach Brendan Allen was pleased with the progress his side showed throughout the season South Croydon has retained much of its strong core of players whilst also managing to add some big names to the list Among these is Jett Latchford (son of former club great who trades the Outer East League for the EFNL “We had a mid-year forward planning strategy meeting,” said Allen “We had a few holes we needed to fill so it was a targeted off-season of recruiting” The biggest new name to call Cheong Park home is three-time AFL premiership player Liam Shiels With over 285 appearances at the top level Coach Allen has already seen the lift that Shiels has given the side “He’s starting to really speak up at training and help a lot of the young kids Everyone lifts around someone like that on the track… everything seems to go up a notch.” The Bulldogs will look to start 2025 off on the right foot as they travel to East Ringwood Reserve to take on last season’s minor premiers After finishing second in the home-and-away season South Croydon Blue were crowned premiers of the Premier Division preventing an Eastern Devils three-peat in the Grand Final Head coach Simon Hammersley remembers the joy of the success “We had a great year and Grand Final day… it was an amazing day,” said Hammersley Named as the head coach in the 2024 Premier Division Women’s Team of the Year Hammersley has done well to retain the core talent in his side Among those committing to another season at Cheong Park is Taylah Black who reached EFNL Legend status after winning her third league Best and Fairest award “[Taylah Black] is 1 of 1 in the legend arena for the women’s game,” Hammersley said “Obviously there’s always a little bit of turnover… for the most part it’s all pretty stable” Hammersley is still set on making improvements to his South Croydon Blue side “There’s a few tweaks that we want to make with the way that we play the game so that we can keep building and keep doing things different – add some more layers to what we are doing,” Coach Hammersley said “Last year was a great chapter for the club… but obviously that chapter is now done” The Bulldogs will travel to Vermont Recreation Reserve to take on Vermont in their season opener South Croydon won both meetings last season by a combined 94 points South Croydon’s development squad also put together a strong home-and-away season in 2024 but fell short in September the Bulldogs boasted the league’s second-best offense and defence The side would ultimately fall to Heathmont by six points in Semi Final 1 There is good reason to be excited about what the side will produce in 2025 as they were one of the only teams to defeat eventual premiers Mooroolbark South Croydon Red will look to go one step further and extend their post-season push in 2025 Match Footage EFNL Board Staff Junior Committee Senior Clubs Junior Clubs Safeguarding Children & Young People Annual Reports (VIEW MAP) Email: enquiries@efnl.org.au Terms of Service  |  Privacy Policy  1) 0ms;transition:fill 200ms cubic-bezier(0.4 1) 0ms;font-size:1.5rem;}.mui-13xs5pt{width:100vw;max-width:100vw;margin-top:1px;}.mui-68tkgc{width:100vw;max-width:100vw;margin-top:1px;}.mui-1i0sejk{min-width:200px;border-radius:4px;}.mui-o2bopd{text-align:center;-webkit-flex:0 0 auto;-ms-flex:0 0 auto;flex:0 0 auto;font-size:1.5rem;padding:8px;border-radius:50%;overflow:visible;color:rgba(0 0.54);-webkit-transition:background-color 150ms cubic-bezier(0.4 1) 0ms;transition:background-color 150ms cubic-bezier(0.4 1) 0ms;padding:12px;font-size:1.75rem;}.mui-o2bopd:hover{background-color:rgba(0 0.04);}@media (hover: none){.mui-o2bopd:hover{background-color:transparent;}}.mui-o2bopd.Mui-disabled{background-color:transparent;color:rgba(28 1) 0ms;padding:12px;font-size:1.75rem;}.mui-1cqrg4y::-moz-focus-inner{border-style:none;}.mui-1cqrg4y.Mui-disabled{pointer-events:none;cursor:default;}@media print{.mui-1cqrg4y{-webkit-print-color-adjust:exact;color-adjust:exact;}}.mui-1cqrg4y:hover{background-color:rgba(0 0.04);}@media (hover: none){.mui-1cqrg4y:hover{background-color:transparent;}}.mui-1cqrg4y.Mui-disabled{background-color:transparent;color:rgba(28 28,0.38);}.mui-16y1f2l{font-family:'__Roboto_22ceb1','__Roboto_Fallback_22ceb1';font-weight:500;font-size:0.875rem;line-height:1.75;text-transform:uppercase;min-width:64px;padding:6px 16px;border-radius:4px;-webkit-transition:background-color 250ms cubic-bezier(0.4 1) 0ms,border-color 250ms cubic-bezier(0.4 1) 0ms;transition:background-color 250ms cubic-bezier(0.4 28,0.38);box-shadow:none;background-color:rgba(29 Marrickville and Croydon in the Inner West Council area have been revealed.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe state plans to add Lake Macquarie’s Cockle Creek and North Wollongong,\u0026nbsp;St Marys Metro at Penrith in April while plans for Wiley Park at Canterbury-Bankstown are due in June.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eCroydon joined the 29-station TOD precincts identified by the NSW Government when its State Environmental Planning Policy provisions were triggered on January 31 after the Inner West Council failed to meet a state deadline to provide a masterplan with equal or greater housing outcomes.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBurwood City Council took up the challenge for the section of the planned precinct under its jurisdiction the western side of Croydon.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn its submission to the Department of Planning the council detailed a “fight” to save the character of Croydon and its initial “shock” of learning of the plan for a TOD precinct in its backyard.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIts submission to the department asked for “a refined reduced-density masterplan near Croydon Station with unmet targets redistributed” elsewhere.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis would create new homes on the north side of the tracks in buildings up to 10 storeys a trainline and the cbd are in view.\",\"imageDesc\":\"Croydon was one of the first trains to leave the station and join the already 29-station strong line of TOD precincts identified by the NSW Government Lendlease’s third residential building in the Collins Wharf precinct of Victoria Harbour.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe 28-storey building at 971 Collins Street in Melbourne’s Docklands will deliver 312 homes in a mix of one two and three-bedroom apartments as well as townhouses and penthouses.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAccording to Lendlease the project has already secured more than 50 per cent in presales.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHickory is the construction contractor—it completed the precinct’s first development in 2019 and is also working on LendLease’s second tower Regatta.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFor Ancora Hickory is implementing several technical construction methods including various piling techniques and precast concrete solutions that enable a parallel-track construction program.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe building’s facade designed by architect Warren and Mahoney uses a three-stage design incorporating double-glazed glass and textured precast concrete with Reckli and brick finishes.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe structural design transitions from a solid podium base to lighter upper levels “reflecting a maritime theme” aligned with the Collins Wharf design objectives.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAncora will connect to the neighbouring Regatta development via a podium allowing resident access to shared amenities.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDesigned as an all-electric building that includes electric vehicle infrastructure the development is targeting a 5 Star Green Star certification Completion is expected in 2027.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eRegatta including build-to-rent and build-to-sell units.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cp\u003eExtensive wharf works including remediation of pre-existing wharf piles installation of raker piles and construction of the extension to Australia Walk are also part of the project.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTechnical challenges include constructing on the finger wharf and co-ordinating extensive above-wharf road reserve and public parkland works.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe Collins Wharf precinct will ultimately comprise six residential buildings of more than 1800 homes surrounded by over 5000sq m of parks and community space.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eLendlease is developing the parkland concurrently with the residential components including the extension of Australian Walk that forms part of the City of Melbourne’s Greenline project.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eLendlease executive director of development Adam Williams said Collins Wharf “is fast becoming a sought-after address .. which took just a handful of hours to emerge on Saturday night the Coalition’s failure to sway voters has come under intense scrutiny.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIts lack of policies around property that resonated with voters has been a large part of that criticism.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAmong those policies was a $5-billion infrastructure program to unlock up to 500,000 new homes was greeted with no small amount of scepticism.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe Coalition also campaigned on its previously revealed plan to allow first home buyers to draw down on their superannuation giving access to up to $50,000 to help fund mortgage deposits.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhile that proposal had won some support it got the thumbs down from many of Australia’s top economists who said the measure could prove highly inflationary among other issues.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSimilarly its plan to allow mortgage interest for first home buyers to be tax-deductible was roundly criticised for its likely inflationary and regressive effects.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIt has also been pointed out that the Coalition’s rejection of the Green’s policies around housing supply affordable housing and help for renters did it no favours.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe ALP went to the polls spruiking an extension of schemes introduced during its previous term including a $10-billion promise for its first-home buyers’ scheme to encourage 100,000 more homes.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIt also had its Help to Buy shared equity scheme under which the Government pays up to 40 per cent of the house price to point to.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIf it was these policies per se or the lack of detail and depth to the Coalition’s the nation's ready for the Albanese government to act.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhat is clear been endorsed to follow through on its policies and fix the crisis that is crippling the Australian property sector.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAs Urban Taskforce Australia chief executive\u0026nbsp;Tom\u0026nbsp;Forrest has pointed out it is time for the Federal Government to get back to work.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Housing affordability and housing supply featured large during the campaign,” Forrest said.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“The key now is for the Government to strike while the iron’s hot.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“If legislation is needed to support the delivery of Labor’s $10-billion 100,000 new homes commitment—then pass it through the parliament now and get on with it.”\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe states have made many changes to how they enable home development The Federal Government’s support of that is crucial to its success material supply assistance or any other factor that affects getting homes out of the ground.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis has been a pivotal election Then Cities for Total Fan Immersion\",\"slug\":\"billionaire-arsenal-rams-denver-nuggets-sports-anchored-precincts\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-04-30T00:00+10:00\",\"tags\":[],\"summary\":\"Why your next home might be stadium-adjacent; sports are the hook So far this year plans for precincts at Ashfield Marrickville and Croydon in the Inner West Council area have been revealed The state plans to add Lake Macquarie’s Cockle Creek and North Wollongong St Marys Metro at Penrith in April while plans for Wiley Park at Canterbury-Bankstown are due in June joined the 29-station TOD precincts identified by the NSW Government when its State Environmental Planning Policy provisions were triggered on January 31 after the Inner West Council failed to meet a state deadline to provide a masterplan with equal or greater housing outcomes In its submission to the Department of Planning the council detailed a “fight” to save the character of Croydon and its initial “shock” of learning of the plan for a TOD precinct in its backyard Its submission to the department asked for “a refined reduced-density masterplan near Croydon Station with unmet targets redistributed” elsewhere This would create new homes on the north side of the tracks in buildings up to 10 storeys less than the state target of 3249 new homes in the same area “This option does not provide the number of dwellings required by the TOD program,” the submission said “Additional dwellings will need to be provided elsewhere subject to discussion with the NSW Government.” The Inner West and Burwood councils will continue to decide on proposed developments in each locality unless a proposal uses a State Significant Development pathway NSW planning minister Paul Scully said Sydney’s inner west had always been bustling with activity and that Croydon proved an ideal strategic location for a TOD precinct “Burwood Council has suggested a planning solution that means more homes near a train station near services and the community,” Scully said “Croydon now stands ready for an exciting new chapter in its long-storied history whereby thousands of new residents will get to experience the great cosmopolitan lifestyle this suburb offers.” The NSW TOD program was first revealed in December of 2023 as the capital works to solve a dire housing undersupply Anthony Albanese believes wages for low-paid workers can rise without the need for side-by-side productivity gains after backing an above-inflation boost for three million people which is trying to retain government at the 3 May election has made a submission to the Fair Work Commission’s 2025 minimum wage review It wants the commission to deliver an “economically sustainable real wage” increase to the minimum hourly rate of $24.10 when it hands down its decision in May-June The prime minister visited a childcare centre in the eastern Melbourne suburb Croydon South in the marginal seat of Deakin held by Liberal MP Michael Sukkar Mr Albanese was asked about Reserve Bank governor Michele Bullock’s statement on Tuesday that there can’t be wage rises without productivity growth and whether that put Labor offside with the central bank There has been wages growth and productivity growth has “We want high wages and we want to get productivity up.” Opposition Leader Peter Dutton said he supported a wage rise and the work of the industrial umpire “It seems (the prime minister’s) trying to exploit his record on wages … the actual fact is real wages have gone backwards under this government,” he said Workplace Minister Murray Watt said Labor isn’t putting a percentage on its asked-for pay rise saying that was a decision for the commission “We’ve seen the Fair Work Commission award slightly higher than inflation wage rises for the lowest paid (in the past),” he told Sky News Labor is looking to sandbag seats in Victoria after Mr Albanese arrived in the key battleground state on Tuesday afternoon with more than 12 out of 38 seats potentially up for grabs The prime minister faces a challenge as voters increasingly turn away from the unpopular state Labor government Mr Albanese has sought to capitalise on the popularity of Labor premiers in Western Australia and South Australia but Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan was absent from his press conference in Melbourne While there’s attention on the battles between Labor and Liberal candidates in Melbourne’s outer suburbs the government must also contend with the Greens gunning for inner-city seats Bob Hawke’s old seat of Wills is being contested by former Victorian Greens leader Samantha Ratnam who hopes to benefit from well-off progressive voters in the electorate and large Muslim communities angry over Labor’s position on the Israel-Gaza war Mr Albanese has tried to reinforce cost-of-living relief handed out to households by his government including tax cuts and cheaper energy bills The cost of living is the most important issue for voters at this election and Mr Dutton has jumped on dissatisfaction by targeting mortgage-belt seats Hundreds of locals in Melbourne’s outer east took advantage of sunny skies on the weekend to gather and celebrate their new transport hubs in Croydon and Ringwood East The celebration follows major works to build the new Croydon Station and Ringwood East Station and to remove the dangerous and congested level crossings at Dublin Road making the Lilydale Line the first rail line to be boom gate free Festivities at each station precinct included roving musicians Spin and Win vouchers to local shops and services a sausage sizzle and children’s activities The completed Croydon Transport Hub features a rail bridge shared use paths and landscaping featuring more than 70,000 trees shrubs and grasses planted across the precinct vehicles and pedestrians have been safely separated from trains by lowering the rail line under Dublin Road while the new Ringwood East Station is now fully accessible and has more than 467 car parking spaces we are removing 110 level crossings by 2030 A suspected firebombing in Croydon North has left three businesses blackened and closed Emergency services were called to the blaze at Exeter Road’s Rocco’s Burger Cafe about 2.10am on 31 December A Victoria Police spokesperson said no one was inside at the time The spokesperson also confirmed the fire had been deemed suspicious with an arson chemist attending to investigate the cause of the blaze the Post Office next door and beauty business Day Six Retail services at the Croydon North Post Office have had to close with all parcels and PO Box Mail being diverted to the Croydon Main Street post office Temporary fencing has since been placed around the businesses with Rocco’s boarded up with timber panelling Anyone with information or who witnessed the incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or log onto www.crimestoppers.com.au Commuters will have easier access to rail and bus services with the opening of the new Croydon Station car park The station’s central car park opened this week A further 211 car parking spaces will open in the station’s east car park early next year The central car park is conveniently located between the 2 station entrances and close to the 14-bay bus interchange Crews are continuing works to complete the new road connections and shared use paths as well as planting more than 70,000 trees plants and grasses throughout the station precinct’s new landscaped open spaces The Lilydale Line is the first metropolitan Melbourne train line to be level crossing free – one year ahead of schedule Trains are now up and running on the Lilydale Line after major construction works in Ringwood East and Croydon to remove the last 2 remaining level crossings on the line and build new 2 new stations trains are running along the new 687m long rail bridge and vehicles are driving on the new Kent Avenue to Lacey Street connection The new road connections will link Croydon's retail precincts and create more options to cross the rail line commuters and traders for their patience while we delivered the biggest upgrade to the Lilydale Line since it was electrified in the 1920s The new Croydon Station is now open to passengers Passengers are now able to catch Lilydale Line trains from the new Croydon Station Station facilities available include lifts Passengers can access the station platforms from the main entrance adjacent to Wicklow Avenue and the Croydon Town Square Pedestrians are able to walk from Main Street through to Wicklow Avenue via the station concourse The new Croydon Transport Hub car parks will open in late 2024 Alternative commuter parking is available at the Devon Street multi-level car park Works will continue on the new Croydon Station and Transport Hub into spring Over the coming months we will continue working to: the new Croydon Transport Hub will feature CCTV and improved lighting lifts and stairs to access the station platforms Please click the image to zoom in, or download a copy here [JPG, 338.4 KB] More than 10,000 vehicles are now enjoying safer and less congested journeys through Croydon town centre with the new Kent Avenue to Lacey Street connection open the new road connection is in almost the same location as the old level crossing from the 1940’s Thank you to everyone who came out and celebrated this milestone and joined us to walk drive or cycle across the new road connection for the first time on Friday 5 July The milestone was commemorated with a vintage car drive-through before the road officially opened to traffic Works will continue into spring on the new Devon Street to Wicklow Avenue and Coolstore Road to Main Street road connections Croydon Station’s new bus interchange has officially opened to passengers boosting safety and improving travel connections for locals The 14-bay bus interchange, built as part of the new Croydon Transport Hub and Coolstore Road level crossing removal project is one of Melbourne’s biggest interchange facilities servicing 27 bus and school routes and with close to 3000 bus trips weekly While some bus routes transitioned across to the interchange last month all bus services are now using the new interchange facility which features a waiting room close to station toilets and myki machines Some bus routes and timetables have been updated to streamline services and better coordinate with trains at Croydon Station. Details are available on the PTV website Works to complete the station precinct are continuing with the west station car park and Parkiteer set to open this month and work continuing on building pedestrian connections and shared use paths The new premium Croydon Station is now open to passengers marking another important milestone in delivering a safe and modern new transport hub that will make it easier for locals to get to where they need to go The new fully accessible and staffed station is part of the Croydon Transport Hub and features 2 elevated platforms Works will continue into spring to complete the new Croydon Transport Hub The station precinct will feature 650m of new walking and cycling paths and more than 70,000 new trees More than 1600 people use Croydon Station daily and 72,000 passengers use the Lilydale/Belgrave line each weekday making it the second busiest rail line in the metropolitan network the Croydon Transport Hub will feature a 14-bay bus interchange with seating and shelters car parking for 284 vehicles and 10 motorcycles and 3 new road connections to reduce congestion and provide a safer way to cross the rail line Croydon Station is one of 6 new stations to be built on the Lilydale Line since 2017 as part of the commitment to make the line boom gate free by getting rid of 9 dangerous and congested level crossings More than 50 new train stations have been built across the metropolitan network as part of the Level Crossing Removal Project The Level Crossing Removal Project is removing 110 level crossings across Melbourne with 84 level crossings already gone for good Commuters will enjoy safer and easier transport connections when Croydon Station’s new bus interchange opens next month The 14-bay bus interchange will officially open on Sunday 10 November and is set to become one of Melbourne’s biggest interchange facilities The interchange is being built as part of the new Croydon Transport Hub and Coolstore Road level crossing removal which helped to make the Lilydale Line level crossing free in 2024 As well as providing passengers with a safe and easy way to connect to Croydon Station the bus interchange will offer modern facilities including a waiting room close to station toilets and myki machines To minimise disruption and safely transition services from existing bus bay locations 3438 moved to the new interchange on Sunday 20 October Bus timetables and operating hours will remain unchanged during the transition period All services will use the new bus interchange when it is operational from Sunday 10 November with changes to routes and timetables to streamline services and coordinate with trains at Croydon Station Updated bus timetable and route information will be available on the PTV website from Friday 25 October. When fully completed, the new Croydon Transport Hub will comprise the premium Croydon Station, rail bridge, bus interchange, 2 upgraded car parks with 284 car spaces, 3 new road connections, a Parkiteer and shared use paths, as well as more than 70,000 trees, plants and grasses in the station precinct’s new landscaped open spaces. Acclaimed Australian artist Donna Marcus has been selected to create a striking cast-bronze artwork that will frame the entrance to the new premium Croydon Station. The public artwork, titled Bloom, is in Marcus’s signature style of repurposing everyday household objects as modular sculptures, taking inspiration from Croydon’s natural environment and bustling multicultural community, while also paying tribute to the region’s agricultural heritage. The two works, measuring about 1.2 metres and 1.5 metres tall, each comprise 12 cone-like shapes forming large spherical forms and will be positioned in 2 planter beds near the main station entrance. The Brisbane-based artist, who has been working with aluminium kitchenware for more than 30 years, credits a pudding bowl found in Croydon’s Vinnies shop as the starting point for Bloom. Humble kitchen items such as bowls, lids, jelly moulds and egg poachers will be used to form Bloom’s conical shapes, cast in bronze to create the final sculptural works. “The smaller sculptural component represents the bud, with its tighter whorled patterns, blooming to the larger work,” Marcus said. “I was really thrilled to see the (local) op shops still had lots of aluminium pieces. It’s always so interesting to see what is discarded as communities and cultural practices change. Each piece always comes with a story. “It’s lovely to be able to memorialise the little throw-away things that have once been so important to people’s lives. The seemingly insignificant often looms large in memory. Capturing this and making it literally large in public space is an important part of this work.” While each item might be “insignificant” as a stand-alone object, Marcus said Bloom’s range of source materials reflected Croydon’s transition from its orcharding past - kitchenware used for puddings and sweets – to a more diverse community contributing a “cultural richness beyond the 1950s Anglosphere”. “Public works are very site specific. It’s very important to understand and respond to the local environment and community history,” she said. Marcus, whose public artworks can be found nationally and internationally, also drew “unexpected inspiration” from native Yellow Gumnut and Plane Tree seed pods she collected on a site visit. While the seeds’ round shape is apparent in the sculptures’ spherical shape, the contrast between native and introduced flora helped to influence Bloom’s broader exploration of “then and now”, both culturally and environmentally. “The idea is that they (the sculptures) look like they are planted, so they go from industrial forms to organic forms that act as welcoming gate posts," Marcus said. The warm tones of the cast bronze were also intended to complement the landscaping throughout the station precinct. The sculptures will be fabricated in Brisbane, before being transported to site later this year. The new premium Croydon Station opened to passengers this month, featuring two entrances and light-filled concourses, stairs and lifts to elevated platforms, toilets and a waiting room. Works will continue throughout spring to complete the new Croydon Transport Hub and landscaping, featuring more than 70,000 new trees, shrubs and grasses. Images supplied by Donna Marcus and Gallery Sally Dan-Cuthbert. Football SA regret to inform that Croydon FC and Fulham United have both officially withdrawn from the Women’s State League competition, effective immediately. Both clubs have faced significant challenges in player recruitment, retention, and overall team stability, which have led to this decision. In light of these withdrawals, Football SA has reviewed the competition format and will be adjusting the league to an 8-team structure. This will result in each team playing each other three (3) times, extending the season to 21 rounds.  The eight competing teams for the 2025 Women’s State League season are as follows: Looking ahead, Football SA remains committed to consolidating the Women’s State League for the 2025 season and will be issuing an expression of interest for new teams to join the league starting in the 2026 season and beyond. CNN and the BBC World Service which is copyright and cannot be reproduced AEST = Australian Eastern Standard Time which is 10 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) It’s been a stable offseason for Croydon as they look to continue developing in Division Two this season the Blues were able to return to the biggest stage of them all last year ultimately falling by 63 points to Boronia Rhett Jordon returns for his second season as senior coach saying that there’s been a bit more stability this offseason particularly when it comes to training grounds “We were lucky to get onto our junior oval pretty early and we’ve been able to train one night a week as well back at Croydon Oval as opposed to previous years,” Jordon said “It’s been good to set a base (at the junior ground) it’s helped in terms of consistency with blokes (and has) definitely made a difference.” It’s also been a stable offseason in terms of player movement for the Blues with the Aleixo brothers and Dermot Reynolds the only departures so far Among the inclusions to the group (so far) is Thomas Flood from Nunawading Dominic Howell from Mitcham as well as Lachlan Shaw from MPFNL club Edithvale-Aspendale Howell is set to boost the Blues forward line after a 32-goal season with Mitcham’s reserves whilst there’s also some returning faces for the Blues “We wanted to recruit a little bit but not too hard because we had our Under 19s come through and they won a grand final “There were a bunch of those who had some senior and reserves opportunities last year We want to make sure we’re building from within and not just trying to grab people from outside the club.” Among those 19s who could impact the senior group include Blake Podesta “These guys have had some really big preseasons and have played some reserves football “Being able to see them come up and impact will be positive And just getting some fitness and strength gives us options which is (also) a positive.” Some of their retained senior and reserves players have also come back fit including utility Jason Prior and Adrian Ficorilli “We’ve had some guys come back from injuries as well like Jordan Lynch he’s going to be almost like a new recruit after missing the entire year expect the first three and a half games “We had injuries in the finals series to Jai Mortimer and Josh Mutsaers They’ve missed a bit of the preseason but now they’re ready to go for Round 1 under 19s coming through as well as the return of its injured players the main goal for Jordon and his team is to return to both the finals and the Grand Final “Off the field as well we still want to develop those younger players and not just be a successful club in 2025 “It’s about continuing that development of our list for 2025 and then years to come as well success on the field and also huge development off the field.” The Blues will take on Lilydale in their opening game of the season at the Lilydale Sports Oval More homes are on the way for Sydney's Inner West with new planning controls being introduced around Croydon Station The new planning controls to be introduced this week around Croydon Station in the Inner West local government area (LGA) will provide capacity for more than 2,700 new homes over the next 15 years The Croydon Transport Oriented Development (TOD) precinct sits across two LGAs with Inner West Council to the south and east of the railway line and Burwood Council to the north and west of the station Croydon's TOD State Environmental Planning Policy (SEPP) provisions will be triggered for Inner West Council as Council did not meet the strategic planning deadline to provide their own masterplan with equal or greater housing outcomes before 31 January 2025 Burwood City Council meanwhile has taken up the Minister's challenge to produce its own detailed master planning in place of the TOD SEPP on the western side of the Croydon precinct Council's plan seeks to concentrate higher and mid-rise density development on the northern side of the rail corridor between Croydon and Burwood Town Centres while protecting existing important heritage and character areas to the southern section of Burwood North The plan recommends changes to land use zones and density within the Croydon Masterplan Investigation Area It also aims to improve the public domain by expanding open spaces and enhancing parking and active transport facilities Public consultation was undertaken by Council with feedback considered before final plans were submitted to the Department of Planning Housing and Infrastructure (DPHI) by the January deadline DPHI is now assessing Council's plans to ensure they meet the requirements of the agreement between Council and the NSW Government You can view Burwood Council's proposed plans for the Croydon TOD SEPP precinct here Inner West Council and Burwood Council will continue to assess consider and weigh up the merits of the impacts of proposed developments during the development assessment stage unless a proposal is assessed through a State Significant Development pathway Croydon's new TOD SEPP planning controls in the Inner West LGA can be viewed on the NSW Government Spatial Viewer once the changes are notified early in February Housing affordability is the single largest cost of living concern for people of NSW with the impacts being felt across the state young families or people looking to downsize later in life The TOD Program is just one part of the Minns Labor Government's efforts to confront the housing crisis by speeding up the planning system investing in social and affordable housing TOD provisions now apply to 29 stations across Greater Sydney with only 5 stations remaining to be scheduled between now and June 2025 Up to 37 locations were identified as being suitable for inclusion in the TOD SEPP program Eighteen of the station precincts were adopted on 13 May 2024 with the remaining 19 deferred for further strategic work to be rolled out between now and June 2025 Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully said: "Sydney's inner west has always been bustling with activity and these planning changes will mean more people get to enjoy its great location and connectivity "Croydon provides an ideal strategic location to leverage the benefits of Inner West living while being close to public transport and essential services in and around Croydon and Burwood "Burwood Council has suggested a planning solution that means more homes near a train station "Croydon now stands ready for an exciting new chapter in its long-storied history whereby thousands of new residents will get to experience the great cosmopolitan lifestyle this suburb offers." Member for Strathfield Jason Yat-Sen Li said: "Burwood Council's draft masterplan was the product of months of detailed consultation between the council and the community "The Masterplan represents a sound blueprint for Croydon's future It balances the urgent need for more quality homes close to transport with the community imperative to protect long-established heritage conservation areas such as the Malvern Hill Estate "The Masterplan will also aim to improve amenity by expanding open spaces "I would like to thank Burwood Council and the many residents who made their voices heard during this important process." Croydon’s Aquahub will close its pools and sauna from mid-November to March while essential maintenance works are undertaken The four month closure of these facilities will occur while the pools are retiled grouting maintenance of surrounding tiled areas is completed and maintenance and ventilation improvements of the changing areas are done Users of the pool have been advised there will be no access to the pools spa and sauna during these works and aqua programs will be relocated and/or cancelled during this time but the health club and group fitness studios will remain open throughout the works and the gymnastics program will operate as usual Maroondah Leisure has said that summer is an ideal time because its a period of the least amount of programming and the offering of swimming at the Croydon Memorial Pool will be available The confirmed dates of opening for the Memorial Pool are Saturday 16 November to Sunday 30 March Aquanation will also be available for access during the closure period Learn to Swim and Aqua Aerobics classes will be relocated to both Croydon Memorial Pool and Aquanation Other options for the Yarra Ranges include Lilydale Jack Hort Indoor Pool and Monbulk Aquatic Centre residents of Kilsyth and members of the Rebuild Our Kilsyth Pool group have expressed concern about the lack of access to other pools in the Yarra Ranges “Croydon Aquahub is closed from 18 November till late March 2025 The assumption in the YR Aquatic Strategy that everyone in the YR Urban area (40,000 people) can just go swimming at the small Aquahub is blatantly false,” a post read we have nowhere to swim this Summer that is without driving 30km to the small Yarra Junction pool or 21km to the small Monbulk pool.” More information about the Aquahub closure can be found at maroondah.vic.gov.au/Development/Developing-Maroondah/Maroondah-projects/Aquahub-retiling-project and maroondahleisure.com.au/News-Events/Venue-updates/Aquahub-retiling-project-FAQs We're removing the dangerous level crossing and roundabout at Coolstore Road, Croydon by elevating the rail line building a new Croydon Station and transport hub and creating new road links to connect Croydon's town centre With the removal of the remaining level crossings in Croydon the Lilydale Line will be Melbourne's first rail line to be boom gate free – one year ahead of schedule To safely build the new rail bridge and road connections by spring this year there will be road and lane closures in Croydon from mid April Please be aware works can sometimes take longer than expected or need to be rescheduled due to weather and other factors outside of our control Visit our interactive disruptions map to view more information on each disruption This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Some promising signs in a tough overall season for the KangaRams football program whilst its netballers brought home a premiership during the summer period Leading Goalkicker: Jacob Crowe (34 goals in 13 matches) Whilst they didn’t have it their own way this season the KangaRams men’s side certainly showed that they’re on the up This was particularly shown in their final month where they won two games (against Forest Hill and Nunawading) and would go down by a combined 12 points to finalists Whitehorse and Kilsyth They also didn’t lose a game by more than 100 points unlike previous years with their heaviest defeats coming against Scoresby and Chirnside Park by 96 points in Rounds 6 and 15 To cap off their season their reserves would go on and make the club’s second ever football grand final a sign that the squad’s depth has improved compared to previous years Ex-Bayswater midfielder Will Robinson was a standout yet again for the KangaRams His seasons saw him rewarded with both a Team of the Year appearance and a Best and Fairest award Jacob Crowe would also consistently hit the scoreboard whilst swingman Daniel Butera had an impact across the ground Both would be named in the Team of the Year which would also be Butera’s second consecutive appearance in it Tom Galway was also a solid contributor along with new recruit Andrew Condello with the latter finishing second in the KangaRams Best and Fairest Best Win: Round 19 – Croydon North MLOC 27.18.178 defeated Nunawading 5.8.38 @ Koonung Reserve The KangaRams biggest win (in terms of margin) to date in the EFNL and certainly their most impressive victory against a side who in recent history has been in a similar position to them Croydon North’s second half was a particularly brutal display kicking 18 goals and scoring 113 points to run away as 140 point victors on the road In only his second senior game Jackson Holly would bag a 10-goal haul whilst others such as Galway It’s been a slow build for the KangaRams men’s side but the signs of improvement are certainly bigger than previous years With their depth strong and some talented players on their list Croydon North will certainly look to keep it together as they have started to do so in the past few seasons If some top end talent can be brought into the club there’s certainly no telling as to where the side from Hughes Park can finish in 2025 Leading Goalkicker: Brittany Grech (5 goals in 2 matches) This year presented a fresh start for the KangaRams returning to the division in which they made a Grand Final back in 2022 new faces to the side and an inconsistent lineup it wasn’t a strong return to the Division for Croydon North After a terrific first up victory over Mitcham the KangaRams would often fall just short of achieving a second victory for the remainder of the season They came close to finding that victory in the final two rounds against finals sides Mooroolbark and South Croydon but weren’t able to get the chocolates on either occasion Lucy Nation was a consistent contributor across her nine games this year finishing in the best on seven occasions and winning the club’s best and fairest The ever reliable Lauren Van Der Westhuizen was also at her best for most of the season and would eventually be her side’s only Team of the Year member and finish runner up in the club’s B&F Caitlin Sharp’s first season in KangaRams colours was also solid alongside midfielder Jen Goldsworthy Best Win: Round 1 – Croydon North MLOC 6.5.41 defeated Mitcham @ Hughes Park This game would turn out to be the KangaRams only victory for the season against a strong Mitcham outfit Croydon North took advantage of their opportunities in front of goal compared to Mitcham and ended up winning by 15 points in front of their home fans Brittany Grech stole the show in her 200th game kicking four goals to mark the occasion with her 400th career goal There’s certainly a lot of talent on the KangaRams list however they lacked any consistency in their lineup which would hurt them eventually More depth will be key for this up and coming side as they look to be a more competitive outfit in the division they play in next year The KangaRams fielded two sides in this year’s winter netball competition along with one in the inaugural EFNL summer netball competition Croydon North’s top side competed in Division 1 this year They would go on to win four games in their first season in a new tier which would see them finish seventh in the Division Their second side would play in Division 10 finishing with just two wins and on second last on the table a game plus percentage ahead of last-placed Norwood Black The summer netball side had plenty of success in the 2023/24 season finishing as premiers of Division 1 after losing just two games in the season They would defeat Glen Waverley Hawks in the decider by 12 goals bringing home the club’s first piece of silverware in the process Croydon North fielded one veteran’s team this year in the men’s competition which ultimately fell short of making a third consecutive finals appearance It was a consistent season throughout for the KangaRams vets side picking up wins against sides below them and taking it up to eventual grand finalist Waverley Blues 2024 saw the KangaRams field an Under 9’s side after they competed in the Under 8’s in 2023 They’ll look to expand on this in 2025 as they continue setting the foundations of their junior program In a significant step toward addressing Sydney’s growing housing crisis new planning controls around Croydon Station are set to unlock space for more than 2,700 new homes over the next 15 years 31 Mar 2025 • 3m read • View Author which straddles the Inner West and Burwood local government areas has been designated a Transport Oriented Development (TOD) zone—part of the New South Wales Government’s broader push to accelerate residential development around key transit hubs The new State Environmental Planning Policy (SEPP) controls will take effect this week for the Inner West Council area following the council’s failure to submit its own housing master plan by the state’s 31 January deadline which oversees the precinct’s north-western side has opted to develop its own planning framework in place of the state-led scheme That plan calls for mid- and high-rise housing concentrated between Croydon and Burwood Town Centres while preserving established heritage zones in Burwood North Proposed changes include revisions to zoning rules alongside public domain improvements such as open space expansion Burwood Council submitted its final plans earlier this year following a public consultation period; the Department of Planning Housing and Infrastructure is now reviewing them for compliance Once the new planning controls are formally notified details for the Inner West precinct will be published on the NSW Government’s Spatial Viewer Future developments will be assessed by the respective councils unless deemed State Significant The Croydon rezoning forms part of the Minns government’s ambitious TOD Program which now applies to 29 stations across Greater Sydney The initiative aims to fast-track housing delivery and Wiley Park—are expected to be added to the program by June 2025 Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully says that “Sydney’s inner west has always been bustling with activity and these planning changes will mean more people get to enjoy its great location and connectivity “Croydon provides an ideal strategic location to leverage the benefits of Inner West living Image: https://mapcarta.com/N6553012244  Rooted, resilient, resonant: Off-grid family living amongst the rugged Australian landscape Using DecoBatten®’s latest profile on The Seaside Sanctuary Solid Nordic softwood in interior design: Sustainable solutions for joinery, flooring and wall panelling Construction of resort-style clubhouse begins at AVID’s over 50s lifestyle precinct in Fraser Coast Sign up to our newsletter for the latest industry news, products and inspiration. This is probably not the page you’re looking for All popular browsers allow zooming in and out by pressing the Ctrl (Cmd in OS X) and + or - keys Or alternatively hold down the Ctrl key and scroll up or down with the mouse 0 comments Croydon Amnesty International-Report of Year-February 2024/January 2025 It has been a busy year.  We have had three meetings with a speaker.  In February Reem Abi Hayyeh presented to us the key findings of Amnesty’s research on the Prevent strategy as laid out in the recent report “This is the Thought Police”:  The Prevent Strategy and its Chilling Effect on Human Rights.  In April Graham Bisset of Amnesty Futures explained to us the reasons for and various resolutions that Amnesty Futures were proposing to bring to the Amnesty AGM and for which they sought support.  In July a senior community officer at AIUK spoke about Amnesty’s Rainbow Network and up and coming actions initiated by the Network followed by an interesting debate on gender identity and related issues.  In October the group went to Portcullis House for a talk on human rights in Western Sahara and related issues organised by the Western Sahara Campaign and chaired by Jeremy Corbyn We had a number of stalls during the year in an attempt to attract new members We had a stall at the David Lean when the film “Twenty Days in Maripul “was screened and were invited to have a stall at the Co-op Bank in May.   We had a stall at the Jazz and Blues Festival at Ruskin House in July and campaigned against violence towards women in the context of the World Cup; to End the Occupation and the imprisonment of British nationals in Iran and Egypt In September we had stalls during Fresher’s Week at Coulsdon and Croydon colleges and had some interesting conversations.  In December we had a stall at the Croydon Central Library to promote the Write for Rights campaign.  We also had a table top sale at St Augustine’s in June to raise funds In July we had our Amnestea and bring and buy sale in Joan’s garden.  We raised £69.20 Ice and Fire theatre company (Actors for Human Rights) performed “This is who I am” preceded by an asylum mapping workshop three of us took part in the Croydon Pride march carrying “Love is a Human Right “ placards In November we held a Lindy Hop dance ably organised again by Chris.  There was a taster session and delicious Turkish food organised by Peter and friends We promoted the case of Chaima Issa in Tunisia whose freedom of movement has been compromised We raised £140 from carol singing at East Croydon station in the cold just before Christmas.   Wherever we were we had a collecting tin available emails and cards for scores of actions all over the world.  Joan attended some of the regular vigils opposite parliament and outside the US embassy demanding that Guantanamo be closed.  There were 14 releases during the year.  Peter spoke about the group at Croydon Hugh School for girls in June We had meals out at Galicia in August  and  Atesh after carol singing in December We are slowly developing our social media presence on Facebook and Instagram.  Beyond our Amnesty involvement we are all friends and do our best to be supportive of each other.  We were sorry to see Bea and Ron (who were members for decades) move to Dunbar during the year and Rosa retire They were sent cards and flowers from the group to say thank you for their contributions over many years We have attracted the involvement of several new members during the year I would like to convey my thanks to Rachel and Joan for looking after our finances.  Thanks also go to Peter for sending out emails keeping a watchful eye on group correspondence and for looking after our blog and to Ingrid and in her absence Joan for relaying Amnesty’s monthly actions to us; to Rosemary for being our press officer ; to Rosemary and Ingrid for attending regional meetings and to you all for your involvement in the group One of the cases we sent Urgent Actions for during the Year was Algerian journalist Ihsane El Kadi We were waiting to take him up as a long –term case when on 1st November he was released by the Algerian authorities from El Harrach prison following a presidential pardon to over 4,000 prisoners Ihsane El Kadi is well-known for being a critical voice against the Algerian authorities throughout his decades-long career as a prominent journalist media editor-in-chief and founding director of the independent media company Interface Media He had been arbitrarily detained since 24 December 2022 and was serving an unjust five-year prison sentence for exercising his right to freedom of the press Ihsane El Kadi shared with Amnesty International his “infinite gratitude” to those who took action in calling for his release He said that he had no doubt that the international campaign for his release influenced the authorities’ decision to pardon him due to the visibility granted by global activism Ihsane El Kadi believes the authorities improved his conditions of detention and were deterred from subjecting him to ill-treatment As a testament to the importance of global activism and solidarity Ihsane El Kadi stated that international campaigning is critical in offering hope and reassurance to detainees that the world has not forgotten their plight In a message to those still in detention for exercising their right to freedom of expression he said that his pardon serves as evidence of the impact of global calls on the Algerian authorities He stressed the need to accept “our shared humanity” because expressing solidarity and protecting rights and freedoms extends beyond borders Thank you to you all for all that you do and for providing protection and hope to some many people each year 0 comments Croydon’s new transport hub has marked another major milestone with crews lifting the final giant L-beam into place last week The bridge beams – each weighing about 120 tonnes and measuring 31 metres long – were lifted in over the weekend during a 24/7 construction blitz to remove the dangerous and congested Coolstore Road level crossing and build the premium Croydon Station The 687 metre rail bridge is made up of 88 L-beams which will weigh more than 11,000 tonnes when the works are finished and trains start running on the bridge in early July With the rail bridge foundations now in place crews will continue to stitch the beams together then lay more than 4000 sleepers and 2.4 km of track Works also continue at the new Kent Avenue/Lacey Street intersection to replace the Coolstore Road roundabout easing congestion and providing a safer way for vehicles and pedestrians to cross the rail line and trains will start running on the rail bridge in early July.  Croydon Station will open later in the month Work to complete the rest of the transport hub landscaping and the new Devon Street and Wicklow Avenue connection will continue into spring Buses are replacing trains on sections of the Lilydale and Belgrave lines until early July A former Ringwood business owner was prosecuted by a Magistrate for allowing unlicensed and unregistered plumbers to work at a property in Croydon Nigel Cawse pleaded guilty to allowing the plumbers to carry out seriously defective work at a Croydon property The Magistrate fined Cawse $12,000 without conviction for four breaches of the Building Act in relation to roof replacement work and sanitary drainage It comes after the Victorian Building Authority’s (VBA) crackdown on this illegal practice of employing or hiring unlicensed and unregistered workers VBA inspectors have visited more than 1200 building sites where 33 unregistered workers were identified with five employers also found to be involved in permitting these workers on site allowed his employees to carry out plumbing work in the prescribed class of roofing for stormwater purposes when they were not authorised to undertake any form of plumbing work who was also an unlicensed and unregistered plumber at the time which was later found to be seriously defective with a repair bill of $45,000 Cawse was the sole director of Ausbuilt Plumbing and Maintenance Group Pty Ltd before it went into voluntary liquidation in March 2021 The Magistrate told Cawse she would have imposed a fine of $20,000 and recorded a conviction if not for his guilty plea She said the fine was necessary in achieving the objective of the Building Act and the important role the VBA plays in protecting the safety and health of the community The successful prosecution comes as the VBA warns consumers of the dangers of hiring unregistered or unlicensed practitioners as part of a crackdown on the illegal practice “Unregistered practitioners are a threat to safety and can leave consumers with no course of action when their work is seriously defective,” VBA commissioner and chief executive officer Anna Cronin said Homeowners are being warned not to hire practitioners who fail to provide proof of their qualifications and credentials for any regulated plumbing work valued at over $750 and for building jobs over $10,000 Unregistered practitioners are often involved in jobs such as the installation of hot water systems gas fittings and the building of decks and pergolas which can have life threatening consequences if the work is non-compliant Digital job-sharing platforms like Airtasker Hipages and Facebook Marketplace have made it easier for unregistered practitioners to target consumers looking for a cheap option at a time when builders and plumbers are in short supply unqualified and operate outside formal regulatory frameworks leaving consumers with no course of action when something goes wrong other than a lengthy and costly fight through the courts “Consumers need to be aware of the risks they take in hiring those without the proper registration or license; if something goes wrong their only option is court,” Ms Cronin said The VBA’s statewide inspection blitz will continue over the coming months with the Authority’s own intelligence and data and public tip offs used to inform the locations The VBA is focusing on education and awareness but will not hesitate to discipline employers who allow unregistered or unlicensed practitioners to work on their sites the VBA will prosecute unregistered practitioners through the courts with potential fines of up to $99,000 for an individual and almost half a million dollars for a company go to vba.vic.gov.au/tools/find-practitioner