Greater Dandenong Council has set up a “hot spot team” to remove a “prolific” spree of illegally-installed election signs including a Greens candidate whose corflutes were found nailed onto trees The issue was also brought to light at a council meeting on Monday 28 April by Labor councillor Lana Formoso She had asked council to conduct a “sweep” particularly of council parks reserves and trees to remove “unsolicited materials” Cr Formoso also noted “some pretty horrific material” such as “extremely disgusting” banners targeting a candidate This was presumably a reference to homophobic banners on 11 April which were removed and being investigated by Victoria Police Council’s chief executive Jacqui Weatherill said council had sent correspondence to all the candidates on the issue and dispatched a “hot-spot team” to remove corflutes from council-owned property “We’ve had quite a few reports from various people about signs in inappropriate locations “We’ve sent out correspondence to all the candidates but many of them are also on private land or state government land so we’ve contacted Vic Roads and others to remove a lot of them.” She says the council is managing the “topical issue” as best as they can “They’re very prolific at the moment It’s hard to keep up with the volume.” who is on leave from her Greater Dandenong councillor duties said she hadn’t been aware of her corflutes being nailed into trees on Stud Road Dandenong North – which were a “one-off mistake” “We had someone go hunt for it and remove it but if I just assumed that anything that was out there was attached (not nailed) and that’s what we do – so we must have just had a very zealous volunteer and soon as we were aware we’d put it down.” Garad who is endorsed by Muslim Votes Matter said some of her older volunteers don’t speak English very well but they’re kind enough and do their best don’t put them on public places and nail anything “Sometimes it’s hard to sort of control what they do.” She says they’re being “very careful” and mentioned two corflutes “accidentally” put on a bridge which were taken down as soon as they knew about it Early voting for the federal election will begin next week providing an easy opportunity for many to miss the line on election day early voting will begin on Tuesday 22 April and run until Friday 2 May centres will be open from 8.30 am – 5.30 pm centres will be open from 9am – 4pm and from 8.30 am – 6pm on Friday 2 May Wheels were put belatedly in motion for a pedestrian crossing at a notorious blackspot on Stud Road the State Government announced funding for a traffic-light-controlled crossing after years of lobbying by Greater Dandenong Council Public uproar escalated after a two-year-old boy from Dandenong North was fatally injured when struck by a car in December 2023 He had been returning home with his father after visiting the stadium’s playground He was the second pedestrian killed at the blackspot in the past six years Then-mayor Lana Formoso was on scene as an SES volunteer in the aftermath of the latest tragedy She emotionally called on the Government to take belated action “This was preventable – if it was built when it was supposed to be,” she said at the time “A signalised pedestrian crossing was shovel-ready since 2019 We’ve been getting the run-around – the (Roads) Minister keeps saying there isn’t enough money.” regularly bolt across the road to access the popular Dandenong Stadium The nearest pedestrian crossing is 850 metres away at the Heatherton Road lights with the eastern side of Stud Road largely without a footpath It means many attempt crossing unsafely or instead drive across rather than taking a detour of about 1.7 kilometres VicRoads pledged to install pedestrian lights and review the speed limit after a pedestrian in her 50s was fatally struck while crossing to a nearby bus stop There had been a “cluster of collisions” in the same location plus further ones in the “general vicinity” on Stud Road state coroner John Cain reported on 13 November However there was no pedestrian crossing or traffic light Drivers leaving the stadium are required to give way to traffic the State Government reduced the limit to 60 km/h as an interim step it announced $16.5 million funding over three years for three road projects including a signalised crossing at Stud and McFees roads Cr Formoso welcomed the funding but lamented that the Government’s “sense of urgency is sadly still missing” “We understand that the funding in Year One is to finalise the design our officers are most willing to work with the department to finalise the project and we’re very close to having it shovel-ready ourselves.” Judge Cain recommended a pedestrian crossing and/or traffic lights at a slightly different intersection – at the road in and out of Dandenong Stadium “This would allow safe passage for pedestrians leaving the Stadium to reach the other side of Stud Road,” he stated Greater Dandenong Council is taking legal action against an alleged long-term hoarder in Dandenong North for the first time after reportedly years of complaints from residents “What is happening?” a long-suffering neighbour at Prospect Hill Crescent demanded at a council-meeting public question time on 10 December He said the “known hoarder” had seven unregistered cars in the street and five unregistered trailers stacked about “seven foot high” with rubbish on the nature strip but little action had been taken in the past 10 years “Every time we make inquiries with the council “The gentleman is now filming people walking up and down the street He’s becoming a menace to the neighbourhood.” Greater Dandenong city futures executive director Sanjay Manivasagasivam said the council was “working through a process” to “try to clear that property and those vehicles” This included seeking a court order to take action as well as “working closely” with Victoria Police Chief executive Jacqui Weatherill said it was the first time the council had taken court action on the matter That type of action is court-endorsed and court-ordered Star Journal reported on neighbours complaining about authorities’ lack of action on the street’s sprawling “junkyard” They described up to five trailers on the nature strip packed to the top a ute with a trailer full of “rubbish” parked out in front of three properties and piles of junk laid out on the nature strip behind items piled to the roof as well as unmaintained tall trees a tall grey wooden fence blocking any glimpse of the house a heavily chain-locked gate and “Warning 24 Hour Video Surveillance NO Trespassing” signs shoplifting and stealing from vehicles headlined a soaring Greater Dandenong crime rate – up 11 per cent in 2024 according to the latest official Crime Statistics Agency data Stealing from vehicles was the chief offence with more than 2900 in 12 months – up 20 per cent It has been identified as the fastest growing and most common crime across the state by Victoria Police The most common thefts were number plates and power tools police declared Casey and Greater Dandenong as an “epicentre” for number plate thefts – and advised owners to install anti-theft number plate screws with criminals reportedly identifying a technological vulnerability in some cars Children breaking into homes to steal cars was also a factor nearly 1200 vehicles were reported stolen in 2024 – up 27 per cent Police advise vulnerable car-owners to install an on-board diagnostic port lock toprevents an offender connecting a reprogramming device to vehicles Also up were family violence order breaches (1625 offences arson (48 per cent) and criminal damage (16 per cent) Child offenders aged 10-17 were up 10 per cent and 18-24 year olds up 17 per cent The highest rise was in the 30-34 year old category (up 34 per cent) “We completely understand the community concerns around young offenders breaking into homes and putting other people at risk on our roads,” police deputy-commissioner Bob Hill said “Be assured that police are arresting the state’s worst young offenders again and again – youth gang members child car thieves and underage burglars were arrested 3,400 times last year as part of Operation Alliance and Operation Trinity.” Dep Comm Hill said police welcomed the State Government’s stronger bail laws criminal offences were up in Dandenong (up 20 per cent) Keysborough (9 per cent) and Dandenong North (4.7 per cent) While reported crime dropped in Springvale (down 0.4 per cent) and Noble Park (7 per cent) Home aggravated burglaries were also down 6 per cent Greater Dandenong mayor Lana Formoso’s family is set to contest several wards at the Greater Dandenong Council election Cr Formoso will re-contest her Noble Park North seat her husband Daniel Formoso will oppose Dandenong North Ward incumbent councillor Bob Milkovic and her brother Sasha Jankovic will run in Keysborough South Ward while Daniel is a former member still holding “Labor values” The move was a “spontaneous” and “very last-minute” decision after seeing the lack of candidates running in the election I asked Daniel why don’t you run in this ward “We didn’t see a lot of people putting their hand up Cr Formoso said that her family members were “extremely motivated” to run for council after being “inspired” by her own “fantastic” work for Noble Park North “They’ve seen how impactful I’ve been as one person Imagine what more people with the same values can achieve a horticulturalist and landscaper who has volunteered at Lyndale soccer club Silverton Cricket Club and Mulgrave Cricket Club said he wanted improved parks including Lois Twohig Reserve Cr Formoso said Jankovic was born and raised in Dandenong a soccer prodigy who is affiliated with Springvale White Eagles and their church in Keysborough Daniel wanted to take a “leaf out of Lana’s book” in running in their home ward “You couldn’t have more of an impressive ambassador,” he says Council meeting arguments looked like a “school classroom” at times “Everyone should be on the same page – if (Lana and I are) both elected combined we’d have better outcomes,” Daniel said When asked how other councillors might feel Cr Formoso said the “dynamic duo” would alternate attending in person at council meetings The other would stay home and attend online She believes a spouse team would be a first for Greater Dandenong “We want to see some changes in Dandenong North “I noticed there has been some neglect there and needed some advocacy like the Stud Road crossing.” She proudly looks at the line markings for a long-awaited signalized pedestrian crossing at Stud Road and McFees Road she was at the forefront of lobbying for urgent action after the tragic death of a two-year-old boy on Stud Road last December state funding was belatedly announced for the ‘shovel-ready’ project The project will include flattening the undulating Stud Road surface as well as a council funded footpath from the crossing to Dandenong Stadium Dandenong North independent Cr Milkovic said “Lana did her bit” as well as lobbying from Dandenong MP Gabrielle Williams and Greater Dandenong Council we had no control over that state project.” He questioned why the Formoso clan wanted to “cover the council” “I’d be a little concerned having three of 11 councillors belonging to the same family “I expected the Labor party would be up against me “I’m not sure how the residents will respond – they’ll wonder is this good for us or not?” Love Agravante – who is a member of Milkovic’s real estate firm – is running against Cr Formoso in Noble Park North Ward Milkovic said he’d “tremendously” enjoyed his term as councillor He was proud of the start of the Lois Twohig Reserve upgrade masterplan a well-received upgrade to the active Brady Road shopping strip and improvements to Tirhatuan Park “I’ve delivered what the residents were asking for “You don’t need to spend copious money on research and consultation from outside companies apply yourself and push to get our share of the pie.” Milkovic says most of the resident requests are “everyday stuff” like rubbish collection “I’m truly blessed that my residents are easy-going and are not after anything overly political – like signing nuclear disarmament treaties Cr Milkovic will be opposed by not only Daniel Formoso but other Labor-leaning candidates Branka Tomic and Rhonda Tannous “I think it’s important to have an independent presence on council We need people to represent the residents.” Tomic is a marriage celebrant and aged care worker bakery at Dandenong Market and ran for council in 2016 said she wanted to be the “voice of the community” An emotional yet an exciting throwback to Dandenong North Primary School’s 70 years of existence was held on Friday 18 October school’s council president Ann Scott were among the morning assembly at the recently-built Mackay Gymnasium each contributing their memories at the school with a special board and memorabilia including school photos students’ workbooks to newspaper reports and albums marking each of the school’s decades One of the first students of DNPS – which opened in 1954 – Greta Jungwirth remembered the school as far from our imaginations today Six classrooms standing “in a paddock” with a pool “where boys collected tadpoles” when they didn’t play marbles She remembers traveling to the army huts and having the “huge sports ground” to themselves as young students “There was no fence between us and the highway that didn’t worry us and nothing happened.” Tanya Saraikin remembered the circus that came to school for a week Mrs Mackay was thankful they were Mrs Sarakikin’s only memories commenting that one “can’t imagine the mess the elephants and camels made.” Mrs Saraikin went on to teach at DNPS and left the school in 2017 Paul Hilton has been with the school for the past 27 years DNPS has a proud history not just of high academic results or sports achievements but also making good citizens for our community courtesy and cooperation (4C’s) is what our school is built on and that message came through today “I’m proud of the school we are and the opportunity we give students in life to succeeded through education we provide.” Mr Mackay showed the “rectangular” oval for students’ play and the “pretend horse” students used to climb on Mr and Ms Mackay had been at DNPS for 39 years and 36 years respectively their teaching careers have spanned 60 years and 45 years Despite retiring in 2022 Mr Mackay walked in “like a rockstar” to celebrate the school’s anniversary and was faced with overjoyed students who were eager to hug him and not let go Geoff Verey – a past student from 1956-’59 – shared that the house colours (Verey Lead and Keys) were all named by the school founders who fought to have it built Mr Verey’s father was the head of the committee “There was only Dandenong East and West and the population was growing here in Dandenong North and they fought saying we needed a school where our kids could go Mrs Marsh and Keys was the driving force to get it going.” was part of the working committee for the school “It’s fantastic (to be back) and see a lot of the old faces and names I haven’t seen in a long time,” Mr Fielder said the hard work of the parents in the earlier days was highlighted as crucial for the next generations of the school “While (DNPS’s) legacy is about education it’s much more than that “We heard the school was made by the community for the community.” From its six classrooms that borrowed dusters and chalks from other schools 35 classes from Prep onwards and modern playground facilities A person was hospitalised after a car rolled over in a multi-vehicle collision on the Monash Freeway in Dandenong North With the car overturned in the middle lanes four of the five inbound lanes were closed from about 12.20pm on Wednesday 19 March Ambulance Victoria transported one patient to hospital by road A ute and a truck carrying a digger appeared to be also involved in the crash Victoria Police said the cause was being investigated Suburbs: Noble Park North and parts of Dandenong North and Springvale Sitting councillor: Lana Formoso (Australian Labor Party) How long have you lived in Greater Dandenong: Born and raised and now raising my 2 sons here business/employer name: Teacher at Dandenong High School Councillor since 2020 and Mayor of the City of Greater Dandenong since November 2023 Three most important issues for your ward: Sports facilities/grounds access for all especially children and females (Masterplans Barry Powell/Lyndale United Football Club) Road safety especially around schools and ensuring the Stud Road signalised crossing is delivered Continuing to ensure more parks and playgrounds are delivered and upgraded in the ward to be able to enjoy open space areas Continue to work on improving tree canopy coverage throughout the ward and the entire municipality for the health and well being of our community Describe your involvement in the local community: I have been an elected Councillor since 2020 Deputy Mayor in 2022 and then Mayor since November 2023 It has been a great honour and privilege to serve the community I live I believe I have achieved some wonderful outcomes for my community I am an SES volunteer for the City of Greater Dandenong unit I have been involved in numerous sporting clubs and organisations I have been a fierce advocate and ambassador for Monash Children’s Hospital and My Room Children’s Cancer charity since my son’s Leukemia diagnosis in 2022 I believe my first term as your local representative has been outstanding and I wish to continue to work tirelessly for my ward and the entire municipality I am deeply concerned that our community is the least active community in all of Australia I need to ensure that those statistics improve dramatically to ensure the healthy and well being of our community and future generations I will also continue to advocate for our refugees and asylum seekers MPs or ex-MPs have assisted or advised your campaign Using my experience and knowledge as a councillor for the past 4 years I have previously been inspired to run for council after watching former Councillor and Mayor Roz Blades AM and all of the incredible work she has done in our city for decades The only people I believe to be genuine candidates wanted to draw attention to the number of cases of Scarlet Fever in Springvale The channels in Prince’s-St Virginia-St and Warwick-Ave are in a most insanitary condition Drainage from Warwick-Ave discharges near the fence of the Springvale State School I would strongly recommend that the council give this matter prompt attention Dr Taylor had visited and said the drainage urgently needed putting right particularly as there is an epidemic of scarlet fever and diphtheria in this district at present – referred to North Riding members Plans for Dandenong Council’s big recreational complex on Mills Reserve Council said the complex would be named the W.G Wright Recreational Centre as a tribute to the City Engineer It is expected that the Minister for Sport will assist Council with the financing of the project indoor heated swimming pool about 50 metres by 15 metres with all facilities and fronting Heatherton Road Just south of Heatherton Road there will be a learner’s pool 25 metres by 15 metres Demolition of burnt furniture store to begin The burnt out shell of a former furniture store in Lonsdale Street has been described as an “eyesore” by residents and shopkeepers who want the high profile site cleaned Greater Dandenong Council purchased the land near the entrance to Palm Plaza at auction last September for $1.4million and since then it has sat untouched said $200,000 would be spent on the tidy up and the demolition would start this week – “the site will be converted to usable green space by May.” Former Casey mayor Sam Aziz has fired a broadside at a state shadow cabinet member whilst resigning from the Liberal Party who is facing serious corruption allegations in the state IBAC Operation Sandon inquiry stated opposition local government spokesperson Tim Smith was “riding the wave of media-driven crucifixion.” In November IBAC heard that Cr Aziz and Cr Geoff Ablett allegedly received hundreds of thousands of dollars from property developer John Woodman for favourable planning decisions Mr Smith responded on Twitter that “I’ve never been attacked from Cairo before but I am genuinely delighted that Aziz has resigned from the Liberal Party Whilst he’s at it he should resign from Casey Council Let’s hope he has the ticker to return to Melbourne to answer serious questions from the anti-corruption commission.” Compiled by Dandenong & District Historical Society This is probably not the page you’re looking for City of Greater Dandenong – 67,601 votes returned (79.9 per cent) Progressive count – group B votes (received after 25 October) are still to be counted Isabella DO (Greens) 3135 (48.6 per cent) Alexandra BRYANT (ALP) 1118 (17.3 per cent) Sasha JANKOVIC (ALP) 648 (10 per cent) Geraldine GONSALVEZ 533 (8.2 per cent) Sinan AKKURT (ALP) 490 (7.7 per cent) Reinaldo PINCHEIRA (ALP) 154 (2.4 per cent) Rhonda GARAD (Greens) 1756 (35.6 per cent) Zahra HAYDAR BIG (ALP) 1059 (21.5 per cent) Pradeep HEWAVITHARANA (ALP) 542 (11 per cent) Rahima RIZAO 1669 (36.3 per cent) * Lana FORMOSO (ALP) 3450 (56.4 per cent) Will BILLINGS 1803 (29.5 per cent) Love AGRAVANTE 459 (7.5 per cent) Karl RATHNAYAKE 401 (6.6 per cent) Informal 148 * Sean O’REILLY (ALP) 2644 (46.8 per cent) Angela HOLL 1948 (34.4 per cent) Huong DINH 1064 (18.8 per cent) Informal 129 Alice Phuong LE (ALP) 1486 (24.1 per cent) Minh LE 1467 (23.8 per cent) Meng BUNLAY (ALP) 1448 (23.5 per cent) Brian DALTON 867 (14.1 per cent) Hor TRUONG 536 (8.7 per cent) Sean STEBBINGS (Socialist) 368 (6 per cent) Informal 130 *Loi TRUONG (ALP) 2181 (35 per cent) Thayhorn YIM 1205 (19.3 per cent) Andy TRAN 1062 (17 per cent) Yen THAI 636 (10.2 per cent) Malab HEM 596 (9.6 per cent) Lin SOK 561 (9 per cent) Informal 216 a pair of opposing Greater Dandenong councillors have been separately slammed for their work expense claims An anonymous Facebook account has targeted sitting independent councillor Bob Milkovic’s expense report from 2022-‘23 former councillor Maria Sampey has openly campaigned against Labor-member mayor Lana Formoso who had defeated Sampey in a previous election Among her issues was Formoso’s $8500-plus expenses claim in 2023-’24 The freshly-created ‘TimB’ account posted on the Springvale Community Noticeboard Facebook group emphasising the almost $4000 vehicle/mileage claim of the sitting Dandenong North ward councillor Bob Milkovic his total expense claim for the financial year was more than $10,000 training and conferences and taxi/train fares The post made on Thursday 10 October warning residents to be ‘vigilant when voting this election” accusing the incumbent councillor of “taking a vacation at ratepayers’ expense.” Many took to comment on the post voicing their opinion Councillor Bob Milkovic who was unaware of the post when contacted by Star Journal said people are free to use social media however they like “I’m not even going to guess who it is and couldn’t care less everything that we do is out there for public scrutiny All are expenses travel whatever is all documented and available for everyone to see “I don’t get involved in these games where I claim something I just run a campaign tell them (residents) what I want to do and that’s it Incumbent councillor Sean O’Reilly says this was an attempt to “throw him (Milkovic) off.” “They must know enough about council reports to have a printed copy of a councillor expense report “These are available on the website but the one in the photo seemed to have different format “Even though the election commissioner has asked candidates to lift their standards but I’m afraid it doesn’t appear to have happened.” O’Reilly posted a comment saying expenses claims were checked by the council governance department The TimB account was only created on Thursday 9 October “That is further leading to someone’s got a definite intent to smear a councillor using a fake Facebook account,” O’Reilly said it’s virtually impossible because anybody can register a fake account and there’s no identity verifications to prove who it was.” O’Reilly says this election is no better than the last one as far as “spreading rumours and fake news.” the ‘TimB’ account was added as an additional profile to another account but with separate feeds The person behind the account went as far as to upload a printed photo of Milkovic’s Facebook post from 2022 in Wollongong NSW The photo portrays Milkovic with Rade Stefanovic the Ambassador for Australia and New Zealand Sampey in a mail-out to Noble Park North Ward residents has criticised sitting mayor Formoso for topping the 2023-’24 travel expenses – the year after the Milkovic report “Whilst we are working hard paying our bills Lana was the councillor who has racked up the highest expenses in addition to her large $134,954 salary and her fully maintained council vehicle which we pick up the tab for “She has flown to Canberra multiple times this year and attended Gala Dinners and events that we all had to pay for.” Citing the ward meanwhile “falling into disrepair” Sampey urged voters to support “strong independent local candidates” Will Billings and Love Agravante Formoso’s $8500-plus expenses bill included training and conferences She told Star Journal that her expenses were fueled by attending several events each day as mayor as well as taking part in leadership and development training “which every councillor is entitled to do” Formoso – whose husband Daniel Formoso is standing against Milkovic in this month’s election – said Milkovic’s vehicle/mileage bill “didn’t fit the pub test” Most councillors didn’t claim vehicle/mileage because it was “part of the role” Formoso reimbursed the council for a trip to Canberra after an “administrative error” Crs Formoso and Milkovic flew to Canberra for a Statehood Day of Serbia reception at the Canberra Hyatt on 27 February As required by the council’s travel policy the mayor approved Cr Milkovic’s travel and accommodation expenses – about $1400 However the mayor’s costs did not receive prior approval from chief executive Jacqui Weatherill – which is also required under the council’s protocol Cr Formoso subsequently reimbursed the council for the entire trip’s cost A State Coroner investigating the death of a toddler on Stud Road Dandenong North has recommended safer pedestrian access at the notorious black-spot The two-year-old boy from Dandenong North was fatally injured when struck by a car after visiting a playground at Dandenong Stadium with his father on 17 December 2023 the father crossed Stud Road’s south-bound lanes alerting the dad to the child’s hat having fallen onto the road He placed his son down on the road’s median strip told him to stay there and ran back to collect the hat His child initially ran out onto the road after his dad The boy then took a few steps back towards the median strip when he was struck by a Ford F250 dual-cab utility with a front metal bull-bar the State Government reduced the limit to 60 km/h although note that the car that struck (the boy) was estimated to be travelling at 40 km/h well below either speed limit,” Judge Cain stated the State Government announced funding for an upgrade of the nearby intersection of Stud and McFees roads including signalisation and a pedestrian crossing The Coroner noted that police cleared the dual-cab driver of any criminal offences “(The driver) would not have been able to see particularly considering his small stature and his height in comparison to the vehicle’s bonnet.” The driver had immediately stopped after the crash and called triple-0 After Office of Public Prosecutions advice police opted not to charge the boy’s father with criminal negligence It was not in the public interest or so far short of the reasonable person test Greater Dandenong Council and Cr Lana Formoso have campaigned strongly for a safe pedestrian crossing at the black-spot A ninth person has been charged over the alleged shooting of a Dandenong man in Frankston North this month A 22-year-old Seaford man was arrested in Melbourne’s CBD just after midday on Wednesday 21 November Armed Crime Squad detectives charged him with aggravated home invasion violent disorder and two counts of criminal damage The man was expected to appear at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court that day A 59-year-old Frankston North woman was also arrested by police last night She was interviewed and released pending further enquiries The activity follows a public appeal for information by police on Tuesday 19 November as part of their investigation into a linked home invasion and non-fatal shooting A 36-year-old man from Dandenong was shot during what police will allege was an altercation with a group of people at a park on Armata Crescent about 7.15pm on Monday The victim was taken to hospital where he remains with life altering injuries Eight people were previously charged with a range of offences in relation to these incidents A 28-year-old Cranbourne North woman was arrested and released pending further enquiries A newborn baby is fighting for its life after being found allegedly abandoned under a carport in Melbourne's south-east overnight hours after it was born. Police said the boy was discovered outside the home on Gladstone Rd in Dandenong North about 2.40am on Friday. The infant's mother, a 25-year-old woman, was taken to hospital where officers said she remained under police guard. Housemates of the 25-year-old woman told Nine News on Friday morning they didn't know she was pregnant. 'We just woke up and there was an incident and we had to call triple-0, and they came and helped us,' they said 'We are happy that the baby is okay, and we are still praying for her and the baby. 'We are ready to support her when she gets out of hospital.' The housemate told Nine the new mother was a lovely woman who worked in aged care. The circumstances surrounding the incident are under still investigation. Major terror attack 'was just HOURS away' before it was foiled by the special forces and police:... Victim of acid attack 'plotted by his ex-partner who teamed up with a gang' dies in hospital six... We are trapped in unsellable newbuild homes after a £52m dual carriageway was built on our... Horror as $4.5M influencer-laden yacht SINKS off Miami... after glam women made a rookie maritime... Pub is forced to pay family £75,000 after wrongly accusing them of 'dine and dash' over £150... How Meghan's biggest cheerleader brokered Harry's disastrous BBC interview - three months after... Woman dead and three others including a child injured after car ploughed into pedestrians: Man, 49,... 'It's a rather giant f*** you.' Royal insider's furious reaction to Meghan's Instagram salvo as... Woman who was missing for more than 60 years is found 'alive and well' decades after vanishing... American tourist suffers horrific fate while attempting to capture selfie at Rome's Colosseum The towns being ruined by day-tripper invasions. Selfie-loving tourists cause traffic hell and the... How can I see the Red Arrows' iconic flypast? Map reveals when and where planes will be visible over... Hamas hostage, 23, 'raped by personal trainer influencer in her own home after being released' King, Queen, William and Kate honour selfless devotion of Britain's wartime heroes as they lead... Husband of British mother, 65, who was knifed to death in French village says her affair is a... M&S cyber attack could take 'months' to fully recover from as 'paranoid' staff resort to sleeping in... Bold claim after baby allegedly abandoned in carportCommenting on this article has endedNewest{{#isModerationStatus}}{{moderationStatus}} Click to open navigationMonday 5 May 2025Click to open navigationLocal news: The baby boy was found unconscious in the driveway of a home on Gladstone Rd in Dandenong North about 2.40am on Friday Paramedics took the infant to hospital in a critical condition but police say his condition has slightly improved Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today The boy’s 25-year-old mother was also taken to hospital, where she remains under police guard. It’s believed the baby was born overnight at the property. Police have taped off an area near where the baby was found. Credit: 7NEWSPolcie at the scene. Credit: AAP Her housemates, who have only known her for several weeks, said they were unaware of her pregnancy. “We didn’t know she was pregnant because we’ve only known her for three weeks, and we do back-to-back shifts, so we don’t get to see each other,” one woman, who lives with the 25-year-old mother, told 7NEWS. “We are happy that the baby is OK, and we are still praying for her and the baby.” Police said the circumstances surrounding the incident are under investigation. Anyone with any information has been urged to contact Crime Stoppers. Man killed, another fighting for life in collision in Victoria0 min read Stream free on Businessman to fight claims he assaulted supermarket owner with wheel of cheese0 min read Driver injured in major truck and freight train crash0 min read Beachgoers brave danger to save stranded great white1 min read Worker seriously injured as leg trapped in machinery used to cut hay bales2 min read Westpac shares slip amid profit dip, volatile outlook2 min read Accused cop killer says Taser made him lose control2 min read Two young men killed in crash identified as rising stars1 min read Top HeadlinesDog owner bitten ‘where no man would ever want’ in park attack1 min read A person is being transported to the Dandenong Hospital by road after a multi-vehicle collision on the Monash Freeway in Dandenong North Four of the five inbound lanes of the Monash Freeway is now re-opened after an earlier collision Ambulance Victoria arrived at the scene in Dandenong North at around 12.20pm Victoria Police say the cause is being investigated only one far right lane was open with speed set at 40km/h Terrified residents have been rocked by a series of violent attacks from apartment tenants but say authorities are seemingly powerless to act a unit on Stud Road Dandenong has been home to constant fighting loud music and drug-dealing by large groups Its broken windows are boarded over with wood a neighbouring landlord ‘Sam’ says he was pushed over and punched after he filmed two arguing males He says he was chased across Stud Road by a man armed with a cleaver and a hammer While in the afternoon of Saturday 21 September a couple were allegedly followed by a woman to their neighbouring unit the woman smashed five of the unit’s windows with a brick and a plank of wood One of the victims ‘Tofeek’ says he and his wife don’t feel safe but couldn’t afford to move out but feels that the law is “protecting the criminal and not the innocent people” he says safety is getting “worse and worse” He’s seeing aggressive beggars “smashing” cars when drivers won’t give them money Sam says that the unit’s occupants have hurled bottles over the fence and shattering next-door apartments’ windows It’s no longer safe for children to play outside He’s installed a $12,000 electric gate on his property to protect his “scared to death” tenants But despite numerous calls to Dandenong police Greater Dandenong Council and the site’s owners corporation “It doesn’t make sense to me that the council the owner corporation and the police cannot do anything to get rid of those people Greater Dandenong chief executive Jacqui Weatherill said the council was “deeply concerned” by the situation but had “limited powers” “We are very concerned about the impact of this kind of antisocial behaviour on neighbours “Officers from Council have been out to visit and assess the situation “We’re always deeply concerned if people don’t feel safe in their neighbourhoods “Threats and violence are criminal matters I’ve personally spoken to Victoria Police on this matter and ensured our local senior officers are aware of these ongoing issues.” The council had advised neighbours how to compile evidence for noise complaints and spoken of “other legal processes noting that they are not usually quick and may not resolve the situation” “We encourage Owners Corporations and landlords to take prompt action where they can Council will continue to do what we can to respond to residents’ concerns.” Star Journal was told of a possible Dandenong North address for the unit’s landlord The neglected site was strewn with rubbish had boarded-up windows and was missing a side door A resident there denied he was the Stud Road unit’s landlord – claiming he instead owned a property on the Eyre Peninsula South Australia as part of a soldier settlement scheme Victoria Police says it’s investigating both incidents Any information to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or crimestoppers.com.au Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time A baby boy is in hospital after being discovered with life-threatening injuries outside a home in Melbourne’s south-east Victoria Police detectives are investigating after the newborn was found outside a property on Gladstone Road Dandenong North about 2.40am on Friday and taken to hospital in a critical condition The baby’s condition has since been updated to stable a spokeswoman from Monash Children’s Hospital said just before 1.30pm on Friday A 25-year-old woman at the home was also taken to hospital where she remained under police guard on Friday morning Her housemates told 9News they did not know she was pregnant “We are happy that the baby is okay and we’re still praying for her and the baby,” one said “We are more than ready to support her when she gets out of hospital.” Police at the home where a critically injured newborn baby was discovered in Gladstone Road A police spokeswoman said the circumstances surrounding the incident were under investigation had a “sold” sign stuck on the front and was cordoned off with police tape as detectives congregated in the driveway about midday on Friday said they were both home all night but did not hear or see anything untoward They expressed alarm over the incident and said they believed the current occupants of the home were a couple aged in their 50s or 60s Carmela Fato and grandson Carlos Pereyra speak to reporters after an injured baby was found at the home opposite.Credit: Cassandra Morgan The pair said they had never seen anyone matching the hospitalised woman’s description at the house “It’s very surprising for something like this to happen Fato described the people who lived in the house as quiet neighbours who kept to themselves “I [didn’t] hear [nor] see nothing – not just now with what happened,” he said Traffic cones were laid out on the road by police encouraging drivers to slow down as they passed Forensic police were examining a light timber set of drawers and taking photos of a stain on a windowsill The house is next to a medical clinic and there is a childcare centre three doors down on the opposite side of the road said the first staff member of the morning arrived about 6.50am and saw police vehicles outside the home Police urged anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers Our Breaking News Alert will notify you of significant breaking news when it happens. Get it here A baby boy is in hospital after being discovered with life-threatening injuries outside a home in Melbourne\\u2019s south-east The baby\\u2019s condition has since been updated to stable a spokeswoman from Monash Children\\u2019s Hospital said just before 1.30pm on Friday \\u201CWe are happy that the baby is okay and we\\u2019re still praying for her and the baby,\\u201D one said \\u201CWe are more than ready to support her when she gets out of hospital.\\u201D had a \\u201Csold\\u201D sign stuck on the front and was cordoned off with police tape as detectives congregated in the driveway about midday on Friday The pair said they had never seen anyone matching the hospitalised woman\\u2019s description at the house \\u201CI\\u2019m shocked,\\u201D Pereyra said \\u201CIt\\u2019s very surprising for something like this to happen \\u201CI [didn\\u2019t] hear [nor] see nothing \\u2013 not just now with what happened,\\u201D he said Police urged anyone with information to contact Our Breaking News Alert will notify you of significant breaking news when it happens Police detectives are investigating a suspicious fire that gutted a gym in Noble Park North overnight as well as possible links to a spate of other commercial fires Emergency services were alerted to the building fire at the corner of Overseas Drive and Princes Highway about 11pm on Tuesday 13 August finding the 1500-square-metre building fully engulfed in fire “Firefighters were unable to conduct a primary search of the building however all occupants were accounted for,’ an FRV spokesperson said “Crews prepared to attack the fire internally and set up arial appliances to black out hot spots.” The fire was declared under control by 12.50am Emergency Vic had issued an alert message about visible smoke in the area Victoria Police has put a crime scene guard in place while investigating the crime scene the fire is being treated as suspicious,” a Victoria Police spokesperson said The spate of recent suspicious fires include a factory on Healey Road There was also a suspicious ram-raid fire that damaged three shops on Heyington Crescent “Investigators will look at any possible links to other recent fires,” the police spokesperson said Any information on the fires to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or crimestoppersvic.com.au A young mother accused of abandoning her unconscious newborn baby in the driveway of a home has been charged by child abuse detectives The baby was discovered in a critical condition on the driveway of a home in Dandenong North in Melbourne's southeast at 2.40am on Friday has been charged with endangering life and recklessly causing injury by detectives from the Dandenong Sexual Offences and Child Abuse She has been bailed to face Dandenong Magistrates Court on December 5 The baby remains in hospital but his condition is said to have improved It comes after shocked housemates of the young mother revealed on Friday they didn't know she had been pregnant 'We didn't know she was pregnant because we've only known her for three weeks so we don't get to see each other,' one said 'We just woke up and there was an incident and we had to call triple-zero and we are still praying for her and the baby The housemate added the mother was a 'lovely woman' who worked in aged care A single-storey home that appeared to have been recently sold was surrounded by police tape on Friday as officers visited the scene Major terror attack 'was just HOURS away' before it was foiled by the special forces and police:.. 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M&S cyber attack could take 'months' to fully recover from as 'paranoid' staff resort to sleeping in.. sold under the hammer on Saturday for $1.450m Melbourne home hunters hoping to negotiate a bargain should head west as new data shows homes that fail at auction are the most likely to linger on the market PropTrack analysis revealed that two weeks after a home falls short under the hammer virtually none had sold within the next fortnight in suburbs like Point Cook But buyers looking in Melbourne’s east or the inner-western suburb of Kensington might need help finding languishing listings RELATED: House in southeast suburb’s most popular estate for sale Aesop founder trying to move on from Brunswick market Melbourne’s most undervalued suburbs to target now research reveals that 69.2 per cent of homes passed in at auction sell two weeks after the event — the highest number in Melbourne PropTrack senior economist Paul Ryan stated that broadly the data shows buyers might face competition for homes that had struggled under the hammer in the east and southeast Blackburn follows Kensington with 58.8 per cent of passed-in homes sold within the fortnight “If you’re at an auction and you’re the top bidder you have considerable power to negotiate,” said Mr was one of the top sales for the weekend and sold under the hammer for $2.64m “But buyers need to know that homes passing in can see sellers readjusting their price as an auction effectively demonstrates where the market is.” Kensington tops the post-auction clearance rate list with 69.2 per cent of homes selling up to two weeks post-auction Local agents say it could also be Melbourne’s most-affordable inner-city suburb 12 bidders registered for the auction held at 12 Yellowstone Close Rowville which sold for $1.581m Nelson Alexander Flemington principal Jayson Watts expressed his thrill at the suburb’s post-auction clearance rate and could see reasons for the high clearance rate “I can’t think of an area in Melbourne with three stations in proximity and a great lifestyle so close to the CBD,” Mr Watts said “FY23 was one of the worst markets I’ve seen in 20 years When the media reported a potential rate cut this year talk of a potential rise impacted confidence “The Melbourne market is sitting dormant right now We need a couple of months of favourable commentary and strong government policy I feel we are on the cusp of a housing boom.” the best-performing suburbs after the auction were in Melbourne’s east Woodards Blackburn auctioneer Cameron Way described auctions as a way for vendors unfamiliar with the market to gauge where things stand “Ten days ago, we had an auction at 7 Ventura St, Ashburton for a lovely townhouse on its own title,” Mr Way said A block of units at 1-8/24 Walsh Street Ormond sold to a couple as investment security for their children’s future but they were still waiting for them to bid – we made an opening vendor bid at $1.4m and passed it in we received two written offers and exchanged contracts – neither party was at the auction,” but confirmed the home sold within its advertised $1.4m-$1.54m price guide He also advised buyers in the area that expecting a bargain had proven a mistake for many and it was better to proceed with purchasing a home most Melbourne homes that tested the market sold A three-bedroom, one-bathroom home at 26 Robinson St, Clayton Ray White Clayton auctioneer and principal Michael Renzella said the result exceeded expectations and compared to the surrounding southeast suburbs like Mt Waverley and Oakleigh Clayton was still very affordable and attractive to buyers “Clayton is being put on the map; we’ve got great transport options hospitals and of course the under construction suburban rail loop station,” Mr Renzella said “Although the market is very strong in our area our office itself has around a 95 per cent clearance rate – I can definitely sense some hesitation from buyers “A lot of people are trying to gauge what’s happening in the market how long are rates going to be like this for.” Source: PropTrack (Figures are indicative of clearance rate two weeks after auction date) 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: Melbourne home price growth revealed: 306 suburbs where values rose | PropTrack Why King Charles III is listed as buyer of luxury Billionaires’ Row condo Victorian estate boasts lion sculptures, equine-themed fountain, wine cellar and stained glass 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. Three shops and two cars caught ablaze in a suspicious ram-raid fire in Noble Park North Victoria Police believe a stolen car was driven into the commercial building and set alight about 2am on Friday 19 July The car was allegedly stolen from Mulgrave on the same night FRV crews had responded to multiple Triple-0 calls finding three single-fronted shops and two cars on fire Twenty-four firefighters employed five pumpers and an aerial unit in an “aggressive attack” on the fire bringing it under control in about 30 minutes The car was rammed inside the music studio and set ablaze causing damages to the office space owned by the music studio landowner and the churro and pizza shop The office space is said to contain crucial business documents 35 years worth of paperworks all turned into piles of ashes in the charred and hollow building Hassan lives just a block down from the shopping strip that comprises a milk bar fish and chips and Don Fernando’s Churros and Pizza “We heard a bang followed by the smell of the smoke We heard individuals run down the street screaming at about 1.50am “I was awake studying for a test which is today (Friday 19 July) Once we saw the lights and heard the sirens we were prompted outside and found the businesses were on fire Thankfully the FRV distinguished it pretty quickly but the damage is done nevertheless.” Theo Andasi has lived in the neighbourhood for the past 15 years and says this is the worst he’s seen “You get robberies but nothing as bad as this The neighbourhood stood on the side to watch on at the scene from a distance as they sent their apologies to Fernando Cianciarulo owner of the Churros and Pizza shop “He’s super distressed,” Hassan said “At this time it is not believed to be linked to any other arson incidents,” a police spokesperson stated CCTV or dashcam footage to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or crimestoppersvic.com.au A GoFundMe page has been created by Mr Cianciarulo for contributions to continue to provide ‘the best’ pizza and churros to the community gofundme.com/f/help-save-argentinian-pizza-shop-from-arson-attack Dandenong North Primary School has been crowned No.1 for NAPLAN results in the state 16 out of the state’s top-20 improved performers in literacy and numeracy are government schools including DNPS Keysborough Secondary College and Lyndale Greens Primary School Independent schools Killester College in Springvale and Haileybury College in Keysborough also made the list Dandenong North Primary principal Paul Hilton is extremely proud of the whole school community “These results are about everyone from our Prep teachers right through to Grade 6 including English as an Additional Language (EAL) our intervention and enrichment programs along with specialist staff admin staff and most importantly our students and their families.” Greater Dandenong is ranked as the second most disadvantaged municipality in Victoria on the Commonwealth Government Index of Relative Socio-economic Disadvantage (IRSD) Released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) it’s based on 2016 Census findings for income levels “I know the importance of being literate and numerate in Australian society – therefore what matters most is that our students are achieving in these two areas so that they have the best opportunities in life,“ Mr Hilton said “The importance of these results for the future of our students is what I am most thankful for.” DNPS is the only school in the state where students in all year levels made progress well above average every year the test was conducted from 2019 to 2022 across reading “We analyse data to assess areas of challenge for children and to celebrate the growth and improvement made by students at each year level This data then forms the basis for our next steps in individual student learning,” Mr Hilton said Killester College in Springvale also made it to top 20 with 90 per cent of students progressing well above the average City of Greater Dandenong is listed in the top eight most welcoming city for refugees in Australia according to the ‘Settlement Cities’ report by Edmund Rice Centre Greater Dandenong welcomes around 2,700 newly arrived people many of which are refugees and people seeking asylum In this case DNPS is made up of many pupils with migrants and refugee background and the school supports their students through programs such as EAL “The implementation of enrichment and intervention classes including the three phase EAL program means that our children are both supported and challenged to achieve,” Mr Hilton said The school also has supported parents through their Afghan Mothers Group for more than 10 years “From the school’s perspective we’ve tried to work hard on trying to educate the mums so they’re able to help their children with learning and understand what they’re doing our EAL teachers and of course the parents that have been with us over the years Mr Hilton said he’s looking forward to continue the great work begun by his predecessors and mentors “We will continue to implement what we know works best while continuing to evaluate and refer to research-based practices in order for us to maintain our top spot in Victoria.” The completion of the Mackay Gymnasium is scheduled for completion early in term two this year education program director at the Centre for Independent Studies told The Age government schools routinely and at times perform better than non-government schools “State schools do really well and unfortunately that gets sometimes buried in simplistic analysis But when you compare similarly advantaged schools I think public schools on the whole can be really proud of their efforts.” Seven guns have been seized during a police raid in Dandenong North on Tuesday 7 November Southern Divisional Response Unit officers arrested a 37-year-old Dandenong North man at the Purely Drive property about 10.30am a rifle scope and drugs from a storage unit in Vermont South – prohibited person possessing firearms – possessing prohibited weapon without exemption – trafficking a commercial quantity of ecstasy – deal property suspected of being proceeds of crime He was to appear at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court that day The state’s planning tribunal has halted a plan to partially demolish a century-old former farmstead and its mature garden and trees in Dandenong North Applicant Gavin Keane had appealed against Greater Dandenong Council’s rejection of his eight townhouse proposal on the ‘Ferring’ property at 82-88 Carlton Road The site is covered by a heritage overlay – which aims to conserve and enhance a place of natural or cultural significance The Edwardian-period timber-clad house and outbuildings with high-pitched gable end roofs and verandahs as well as the trees are cited in the council’s heritage study Ferring was said to have symbolic links to the area’s farming history gradually taken over by suburbia Its prominent residents included Lady Doris Mary Luxton and former Melbourne City Council mayor William Luxton The grounds – once comparable to other farms between 10 and 50 acres – had since been subdivided to 4276 square metres VCAT senior member Bill Sibonis stated the proposal would “not conserve or enhance the heritage place” It would have partially demolished the weatherboard dwelling and garage About half of Ferring was “unsalvageable” due to damage from a 2015 fire and vandalism the developer’s heritage consultant argued What would be retained was the original homestead’s form as of 1920 – four rooms and a central hall Demolition would be confined to the “most severely damaged” part as well as the later additions which had “no heritage value” the applicant’s heritage consultant argued Sibonis agreed with the council that the planned townhouses’ impact on the garden “substantially erodes their setting” “The siting of the proposed dwellings proximate to the heritage buildings unacceptably erodes the setting of these existing structures and impacts unacceptably on the property’s heritage significance as remnant of area’s farming origins.” The applicant proposed to remove the tallest trees were a pair of cypress trees up to 30 metres high – which were said to be a high risk during storms The council argued for a more appropriate replacement species to re-establish the site’s tree canopies Sibonis said a permit was required to remove any of the trees due to the heritage overlay All citybound lanes on a major freeway in Melbourne have been closed following a serious crash. The collision occurred just before 7am on Wednesday on the Monash Freeway in Dandenong North.  Traffic has been banked up for kilometres to the South Gippsland Freeway as commuters head to work, with all citybound lanes closed between the exit to EastLink Road and Wellington Road. Motorists have been told to expect delays of about 50 minutes, with commuters urged to use the Princes Highway or Wellington Road instead.  It's not known if anyone was injured in the collision.  Crash closes all citybound lanes on one of Melbourne's major freewaysCommenting on this article has endedNewest{{#isModerationStatus}}{{moderationStatus}} Police are hunting a sex attacker after an “opportunistic” assault on a female jogger on Dandenong Creek Trail last month Sexual Crimes Squad detectives opened an information caravan in Dandenong North on 14 February as part of the investigation They have released footage of a man they are hoping to identify The victim was allegedly attacked while running along the trail near Outlook Drive just north of Mercer Court She was running in a southerly direction on the trail when she first saw the stranger on a bicycle After turning around shortly after to start running north the same man allegedly approached her from behind and threw her to the ground The man lay on top of her and attempted to remove her clothing however the woman screamed and successfully fought him off He jumped on his bike and took off south towards Tirhatuan Park CCTV footage showed him covering his face with his T-shirt along a nearby street Detective Senior Sergeant Glyn Woolley of the Sexual Crimes Squad said it appeared to be a random “We have no reason at this stage to believe the attack was targeted nor have we found any similar incidents occurring in this area over the past few months “This is a concerning attack on a woman who was simply going for a run through her local park “She has been exceptionally brave and managed to fight him off before contacting police They’ve gone about their normal daily exercise and been attacked by a stranger.” The alleged attacker is described as being possibly in his late teens or early 20s of a thin build and with an olive complexion potentially of Indian or sub-continental appearance Det Sen Sgt Woolley said detectives had canvassed a significant amount of CCTV in the area Local police had also patrolled the park to attempt to find the man in recent weeks It is concerning and that’s why we’re making an appeal to the public in case his behaviour does escalate.” Any information to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or www.crimestoppersvic.com.au DANDENONG North has notched its second million-dollar sale after a tightly-held house busted its reserve at auction Four bidders eagerly competed for the keys of 15 Surrey Rd according to SoldBy Auctions auctioneer Andy Lee which sold for $1.075 million under the hammer – $25,000 beyond the reserve price “Who would have though that the $1 million belt would stretch that far already,” Mr Lee said Bidding opened strongly at $900,000 before quickly climbing to $970,000 “You could tell there was some hesitation among the bidders as it reached $1 million,” he said “Things got a bit stuck when it reached $1.01 million but it ended selling under the hammer in about 25 minutes.” RELATED: No ceiling or walls, but Toorak house still smashes reserve by $1M Sea Lake house could be Australia’s cheapest at $19,000 15 Surrey Rd, Dandenong North has been owned by the one family for more than 40 years Mr Reid said the home was one of the original properties built in the popular Rosewood Downs Estate “It was quite a significant home in the estate and had been owned by the one family for over 40 years,” he said “It was architect-designed and custom-built and was owned by the doctor who looked after residents of the estate.” He added a couple who intended to renovate the property were the winning bidders RELATED: Unusual Hastings home combines Art Deco with modern medieval Ivanhoe’s pigeon club snapped up by conversion lovers for a hefty premium 29-31 Surrey Rd, Dandenong North The seven-figure sale is just the second to occur in the suburb Just up the road, 29-31 Surrey Rd was snapped up for $1.08 million in September 15 might have been just shy of a record-breaking figure with the 1408sq m block reaping about $763 a square metre CoreLogic revealed Dandenong North’s median house price grew 12.6 per cent to $620,500 across the 12 months to December SUBURB PROFILE: Dandenong North MORE: 20k for a home? Get into Victoria’s property market with the cheapest home in Australia No ceiling or walls, but Toorak house still smashes reserve by $1M Noble Park North among top performers as median swellsDavid Aidone For just over Greater Dandenong’s new median house price you could have bought the four-bedroom home at 3 Ellerslie Court ALMOST one in every two houses sold across the Greater Dandenong area in the past year was excluded from first-home buyer assistance A surge in the region’s median house price revealed in the data from CoreLogic’s February Market Trends report showed prices rose 15.1 per cent in the 12 months to November The median house price now sits at $598,000 The figure is just $2000 short of the $600,000 threshold for first-home buyer assistance from the government The rise was the second highest recorded in metropolitan Melbourne over the 12 month period It equated to a $78,500 lift in the median house price which covers sought after suburbs of Richmond and Fitzroy Great Dandenong’s strong performance means there are now no longer any suburbs with a median below $500,000 Noble Park North’s median house price swelled by $72,000 to $554,000 while in Dandenong a 10.7 per cent rise produced a new figure of $520,000 Dandenong North was the strongest performer of the three growing from $475,000 to $550,000 — a 15.7 per cent lift 10 Warbla St, Dandenong North sold for Dandenong North’s new median house price of $550,000 The three bedroom home was positioned on 680sq m SEE SUBURB PROFILES: Dandenong, Dandenong North, Noble Park North Harcourts Dandenong director Daniel Farrugia said despite the rise homesellers were not finding it difficult to stay within the region Mr Farrugia added those who were selling tended to want to move further out to areas such as Drouin where they could buy a home on a larger block He explained the price growth could be attributed to homebuyers being priced out of suburbs closer to Melbourne’s CBD Mr Farrugia noted that Dandenong North’s strong growth was its increasing popularity among first-home buyers “They’re choosing it over suburbs such as Rowville and Mulgrave,” Mr Farrugia said “It’s largely an owner-occupier demographic that lives there.” Mr Farrugia added while there was a slight increase in developer activity near central hubs such as Dandenong he would not attribute it to broader price growth A 13-year-old boy has been charged over the alleged sexual assault of a woman on the Dandenong Creek Trail in January. Detectives from the Sexual Crimes Squad charged the Rowville boy on the morning of Sunday 3 March. He is accused of stalking, assault with intent to sexual assault, false imprisonment and sexual assault. The boy appeared before an out of sessions court hearing, where he was bailed to appear at a children’s court at a later date. Police allege the 28-year-old female victim was running along the trail, near Outlook Drive just north of Mercer Court in Dandenong North, on 31 January when she was sexually assaulted. She managed to fight off the offender who fled the scene on his bike, police say. 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) with drug and firearm offences after police were reportedly shot at in Dandenong North this week But investigators are still hunting for an alleged gunman described as a "danger to the community" Stud Road residents in Dandenong North were evacuated from their homes on Tuesday following a dramatic incident that began when police tried to stop a car at about 9am so police returned to a nearby property on Stud Road where the car had earlier been seen Heavily-armed police outside the Dandenong North property on Tuesday.Credit: Courtesy of Nine News When the officers approached the property two men ran off towards a block of units The men were entering the block of units when one of them allegedly fired at the officers It's understood a number of guns were later found in a vehicle parked nearby On Wednesday detectives charged a 31-year-old man "of no fixed address" with being a prohibited person possessing a firearm three counts possessing a drug of dependence possessing a prohibited weapon and possessing a controlled weapon A 30-year-old Clayton South woman was charged with two counts of possessing a drug of dependence one count of theft of a motor vehicle and one count of dealing in the proceeds of crime Police outside the Dandenong property on Tuesday.Credit: Courtesy of Nine News A 43-year-old Dandenong North man was also charged with breaching his bail conditions The investigation into the incident is still ongoing On Tuesday Victoria Police Inspector Mark Langhorn labelled the alleged actions of the still unaccounted for gunman as "pretty callous and pretty dangerous" one of those offenders is still outstanding we don't know who he is," Inspector Langhorn said he has a propensity to shoot at police so he is danger to the community." Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 described as a \\\"danger to the community\\\" It's understood a number of guns were later found in a vehicle parked nearby On Wednesday detectives charged a 31-year-old man \\\"of no fixed address\\\" with being a prohibited person possessing a firearm On Tuesday Victoria Police Inspector Mark Langhorn labelled the alleged actions of the still unaccounted for gunman as \\\"pretty callous and pretty dangerous\\\" we don't know who he is,\\\" Inspector Langhorn said he has a propensity to shoot at police so he is danger to the community.\\\" Police are investigating a suspicious fire that gutted a house in Dandenong North on Sunday morning A Country Fire Authority spokesman said emergency services were called to Neasham Drive at 2.48am after a passer-by raised the alarm He said the single-storey brick house was "fully involved" when fire crews arrived The spokesman said a balmy overnight low of 19 degrees and strong winds heightened the risk of the fire spreading to neighbouring houses Image by Patrick HerveCredit: Patrick Herve "There were embers attacking them because of the strong winds so crews had exposure lines [lines of water] to safeguard those houses," he said Six fire trucks from Dandenong CFA with about 20 firefighters had the blaze under control in about 40 minutes Police spokeswoman Creina O'Grady said the fire was being treated as suspicious "A police guard will remain at the address until later in the morning when an arson chemist will examine the scene," she said Anyone with information about the fire is urged to contact Crime Stoppers of 1800 333 000 He said the single-storey brick house was \\\"fully involved\\\" when fire crews arrived \\\"There were embers attacking them because of the strong winds so crews had exposure lines [lines of water] to safeguard those houses,\\\" he said Police spokeswoman Creina O'Grady said the fire was being treated as suspicious \\\"A police guard will remain at the address until later in the morning when an arson chemist will examine the scene,\\\" she said