This is probably not the page you’re looking for New Tullamarine coach Zack Carey is setting the foundations for a new era at the club with a strong focus on culture and professionalism heading into the Essendon District Football League division 1 season it’s been a lot about culture – bringing in the right people,” Carey said “We probably had some people there that were bringing the culture down a little bit the last few years so it’s been a matter of bringing in not just good footballers but good people People that want to be here for the right reasons to help the club get to where we want to get to which eventually is the premier division.” Tullamarine narrowly missed finals last season the club is determined to take the next step “The aim is absolutely to play finals this year,” he said so the biggest challenge has been getting to know the competition It’s renowned to be one of the most competitive leagues and it’s very close – any team on their day can win It’s going to be a really tight race for finals and probably both ends of the ladder will be really close.” Recruitment has been a major focus for Tullamarine with a strong influx of talent from the premier division “We’ve brought in a few guys from premier division footy which has been really good–blokes from Strathmore and other clubs,” Carey said We have brought in a good 15-odd blokes to the club all of whom are going to be in the mix to play senior footy.” A professional approach has been a key pillar of Carey’s early tenure I had a real desire for professionalism and having a really strong pre-season to get fit trying to bring that A-grade mentality,” he said “The boys have had a really tough fitness campaign which was really good for team building and fitness coming up with our values and things like that We also had three really challenging practice matches against good opposition to see where we are at.” Tullamarine will kick off their 2025 campaign with a twilight game on Saturday April 5 playing Moonee Valley at their new clubrooms–an exciting milestone for the club as they aim to make their mark on the competition this season Essendon Football Club and Fujitsu General Australia has come together to support the Tullamarine Sporting Club gifting them $10,000 to aid in their recovery from a challenging period along with Fujitsu General Australia's State Manager for VIC/TAS made a surprise visit to the Tullamarine Sporting Club Tullamarine Sporting Club were the lucky winners of $10,000 all thanks to the Essendon Football Club and Fujitsu located within Melbourne’s Northwest Corridor has faced significant hardships over the past few years The $10,000 donation will go directly towards the construction of new clubrooms and will play a crucial role in helping the club survive and continue its operations Tullamarine Sporting Club President Peter Labbad expressed his gratitude and highlighted how the club has persevered despite the challenges This generous contribution is a testament to the strong partnership between Essendon Football Club and Fujitsu General Australia who are celebrating 10 years of collaboration Their commitment to supporting grassroots football and local communities shines through in this meaningful act of giving The Tullamarine Sporting Club can now look forward to a brighter future thanks to the continued support of EFC and Fujitsu Read the key individual stats from Thursday night’s close win North Melbourne pip Dons by 10 points at Windy Hill Jordan Ridley and Jade Gresham will all miss against Sydney We acknowledge the Wurundjeri Woiwurrung people of the Kulin Nation as the Custodians on whose Country we are based We acknowledge their ongoing connection to Country and pay respect to their Elders We extend that acknowledgement and respect to all First Nations peoples throughout Australia The 2025 season is just around the corner so EDFL Media will be previewing each club heading into Round One we chat to Tullamarine coach Zack Carey who provides some insights on their 2025 campaign "Obviously with a new coaching group and a number of new players coming into the club it has been about building the connection between everyone and building a professional and enjoyable environment." "Our focus with recruiting was to bring in guys who were great people not just good footballers and we have definitely achieved that "Our existing Tulla players have really embraced the changes at the club and are really looking forward to the new era at Tullamarine the boys have all come together well and are really excited about the year ahead." "I'm really excited about the continued development of some of our younger guys who have had great pre-seasons including Austin Warden and Sal Melilli "I think some of our Under 18s have real potential and will get opportunities throughout the season "Some of our existing Tulla leaders have really impressed me Among these have been Fletcher Smith with his leadership "A number of our recruits I think can have a major impact on the competition." we want to be playing finals footy come seasons end is to be a well-respected side that is really hard to play against We also want to continue to help develop our junior program to grow from within and be an enjoyable place to be around." The entire committee as they have had a really hard last three years with no social rooms They have done a great job to keep the club going." the man's a beast (Vista won't like this answer!) Player most likely to become a coach one day Unsure which one as I can't tell them apart We can never be too high or too low about how things are going Who’s one opposition player you’d love on your side What match are you most looking forward to in 2025 and why Andrew Hicks (Western Whalers AFL Masters) Stephen McCallum (Laurimar) Luke Rowland (Parkside) It's a new era for Tullamarine with their social rooms finally available for use as new coach Zack Carey takes over from Dave Connell with a suite of new players It wasn't the season Tulla wanted in 2024 as they enter 2025 looking to rejoin the finals action There's been a large list turnover of senior players with talent in and out You'd expect them to be competitive and give themselves a chance of playing for a finals spot but there will be plenty of competition in a deep division Ladder Prediction: In the logjam outside of finals Melbourne Tullamarine Airport has launched a first-of-its-kind full-motion immersive digital walkway Measuring the same length as an Airbus A350 the state-of-the-art floor-to-ceiling installation stretches 66m in length and is 2.25m high it will welcome international passengers arriving at Melbourne Airport Australia’s largest 24-hour international gateway Key launch advertisers include Commonwealth Bank and Vodafone The digital immersive wall is set before Duty-Free offering brands an opportunity to engage global audiences via the new creative platform “The sheer size of the digital immersive experience at Melbourne Airport makes this the perfect canvas for brands to create a positive first impression with international visitors and Aussies returning home,” oOh!media chief revenue and growth officer The launch of the immersive wall is the latest oOh innovation at Melbourne’s Tullamarine Airport one of the largest airport billboards in the Southern Hemisphere greeting travellers heading to and departing from the airport on the busy Tullamarine Freeway along with Qantas Inflight entertainment and onboard Wi-Fi Credit: 7NEWSTravellers around Australia are dealing with the consequences as Melbourne’s main airport falls victim to a thick blanket of fog hovering over the Victorian capital The entire city has been impacted with drivers and commuters asked to slow down and be aware however the flow on effect from delayed flights into and out of Tullamarine Airport for Qantas and Virgin customers is being realised as the morning peak builds The fog has caused cancellations of at least 29 flights and delays continue to blow out Get the first look at the digital newspaper curated daily stories and breaking headlines delivered to your inbox Get the NewsletterBy continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.Travellers are being advised to check with their airlines for the latest updates Latest EditionEdition Edition 5 May 20255 May 2025All-powerful Anthony Albanese says give me some R.E.S.P.E.C.T 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) The first stage of Melbourne Airport Rail will soon be underway Major changes to the rail network around Sunshine Station will enable a rail line to the airport and pave the way for electrification to Melton by creating a Sunshine Station Superhub The Victorian Government will also deliver a new modern Albion Station featuring an accessible concourse with lifts and stairs Early works for Melbourne Airport Rail are complete This includes the utilities relocation program involving telecommunications Melbourne Airport Rail will connect Melbourne Airport to Victoria’s regional and metropolitan train network Trains will run from Melbourne Airport through to Sunshine Station then into the Metro Tunnel and the heart of the CBD before continuing on to the Cranbourne and Pakenham lines This project will connect people from the airport to where they need to go – be that work home or Victoria’s key tourism destinations – via a rail service for the first time Melbourne Airport Rail (SRL Airport) forms a key part of Suburban Rail Loop – the new orbital rail line between Cheltenham and Werribee No matter which train line you use, you'll be able to easily catch public transport to the airport Stay updated about Victoria’s Big Build with the key announcements and milestones. Moonee Valley has been awarded the points from its season opener with Tullamarine after the opening round Essendon District Football League clash was called off. The two teams were facing off in a twilight match, when the game was stopped for a serious injury to a Moonee Valley player in the third quarter. The match was then called off due to that injury. A league spokesperson said a player report has arose from the incident which led to the injury. Moonee Valley was leading 7.7 (49)-7.6 (46) and with the match in the second half, will get the points. Anthony Liberatore and Shaun McKernan were the Demons best up until that stage. Both Craigieburn and Roxburgh Park had tough starts to the division 1 season, losing to St Albans and Taylors Lakes respectively. The Saints led all day against Craigieburn and were able to extend the lead in each quarter to come away with an 13.12 (90)-9.2 (56) win. Harry Albon kicked three goals for the Eagles and was named their best alongside JaI Robinson. Roxburgh Park proved no match for Taylors Lakes. The newly promoted Lions fired to come away with a 17.17 (119)-7.6 (48) win against the Magpies. Cooper McPharlane played a lone hand up forward for the Magpies with five goals. Scott Poynter was named their best. In premier division, Greenvale suffered a first up loss to Strathmore. All the damage was done in the first half, with the Mores leading by 43 points at half time. The Jets won the second half with seven goals to four, but it wasn’t enough as they lost 12.12 (84)-8.10 (58). Liam Podhajski, Patrick Baccari and Benjamin Speight were named the Jets best. Meanwhile in division 2, Westmeadows had a shock loss against Coburg Districts. After trailing early the Tigers were able to reduce the margin to four points at the main break. The Lions were able to control the second half to run away with a 14.15 (99)-9.8 (62) win. Nathan Sparks, Nick Mathewes and Hugo Jenkins were named the Tigers best. Watch 1m 59sPolice say a car drove into a Tullamarine factory's premises and left shortly after it was allegedly set alight. Here is everything you need to know about Melbourne Airport, also known as the Tullamarine Airport, Victoria’s main domestic and international airport and the second busiest in Australia. Melbourne Airport (MEL) is in Tullamarine, 20km northwest of Melbourne’s CBD, has four terminals with a total of 56 gates serving millions of travellers yearly. The airport parking facility offers drive up and pre-booked rates. While the airport is open, all terminal close from after midnight until 5:30am. Travellers with domestic transfers following an international arrival after midnight must exit immigration and collect their luggage. There is no in-terminal or short stay transit hotel and food options are limited as only a 24hour McDonald’s is open. Many travellers choose to wait at the Qantas Domestic Departure Hall (Terminal 1) as it is well lit with patrolling security guards. For those needing to leave the airport after midnight, Skybus operates from the bays just outside the terminal 24/7 with ticket kiosks near the queue lines. All articles from our websiteThe digital version of Today's PaperBreaking news alerts direct to your inboxAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueThe Melbourne Tullamarine Airport is the main airport serving the city of Melbourne and the largest airport in Victoria It opened in 1970 to replace Essendon Airport which was simply too small to accommodate large jets like the Boeing 707 The airport was surrounded by housing and couldn't expand to accommodate Melbourne's growing passenger traffic Tullamarine Airport has grown in size and importance to become the second busiest airport in Australia when it comes to passenger traffic With so much to learn about this long-operating airport let's dive into some of the facts and stats that reveal just how busy it is it might help to compare it to Victoria's second-largest airport handles around 900,000 passengers per year All other regional airports serve far fewer passengers making Melbourne Tullamarine exceptional in its superiority over the region When looking at freight figures, Melbourne Tullamarine is in a league of its own. The airport leads the nation for Australian exports, with over 40% of the country's air freight exports passing through the airport This equates to $1.8 billion worth of locally-made produce that is flown out of the airport to foreign markets Melbourne Tullamarine Airport began with the government's 1959 acquisition of 5,300 hectares in Tullamarine The location offered proximity to the city and low development costs making it a clear standout among the locations considered The original layout of Melbourne Airport featured three connected terminals designed to accommodate eight Boeing 707 aircraft Initial upgrades in 1973 prepared the airport for larger jets like the Boeing 747 and terminals have been consistently expanded over the decades enhanced its capacity with 20 aerobridge-equipped gates and facilities for Airbus A380 operations If you're looking at arranging a charter jet from Melbourne then you have several options to choose from all with competitive pricing and varying levels of luxury A range of fixed-base operators have locations at the airport The cost of a private charter from Melbourne Tullamarine depends on the type of aircraft but you can expect a small four-seat turboprop to cost around $1,000 per hour The rate steadily increases with the size of the aircraft up to long-range jets Private flights can be scheduled months in advance or as quickly as 24 hours before departure You don't need a ticket for a private flight as you'll receive an email itinerary from the charter company and you'll skip all of the queues and bag checks that you'd expect from flying commercially you'd still need to show some form of identification to board from a busy and public airport unless you're flying from an entirely private airfield Melbourne Airport has 68 gates across four terminals and handles a mix of domestic including a 276-room Parkroyal Hotel integrated into the terminal precinct and expanded short- and long-term parking facilities With over 1.7 million passengers, Singapore retains its crown as Melbourne's busiest international route The 11.6% increase in passenger volume highlights its role as a critical transit hub for Australians heading to Europe highlighting the deep ties between Australia and New Zealand Perhaps the most surprising story is Hong Kong's dramatic resurgence the route saw a staggering 116.9% increase to 604,001 passengers carried primarily by Cathay Pacific and Qantas This recovery signifies Hong Kong's appeal as a business and cultural hub The reopening of Chinese borders also sparked an aviation boom Passenger volumes in Guangzhou skyrocketed 356.3% to 350,195 These routes symbolize the reawakening of business ties and tourism between China and Australia that had long been considered dormant the Sydney-Melbourne corridor dominates domestic travel This route remains the backbone of Australian air travel connecting two of the country's largest cities for business and leisure alike In spite of all this continued success, the minds behind Melbourne Tullamarine Airport have so much more to give to make this the most successful airport in the Australasian continent. A third runway has been approved, and the airport plans to expand its retail space. In the airport's Master Plan it's forecasted that Tullamarine will be servicing up to 83 million passengers annually by 2046 While almost half of the airport's revenue currently comes from aviation expanding into retail and leisure is part of its plans to diversify its income streams This diversification includes plans for a new precinct close to the airport with new commercial tenants like Topgolf and URBNSURF planning to be part of a premium entertainment and recreation destination It's clear to see the sheer importance of Melbourne Tullamarine Airport and its influence on the region's economy With the airport set for continual expansion over the coming decades and the city itself expected to grow exponentially the sky's the limit for this hub of Australian aviation We care about the protection of your data. Read our Privacy Policy Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time Melbourne Airport’s owners are preparing to fight for an underground rail station on the site after a federal government report found it should not be built below ground unless the operators could show it made commercial sense The mediator appointed by the Commonwealth to intervene in the dispute between the airport and the Victorian government handed a report with three key recommendations to federal Transport Minister Catherine King this month An artist’s impression of a proposed above-ground station at Melbourne Airport Both sides are at odds over how a railway station at Tullamarine should be built with the airport asking that it go underground while the state pushes for a more cost-effective elevated option King said the report recommended the underground option should not be considered by state and federal governments and that if the airport’s owners wished to pursue this idea they should provide a comprehensive business case for consideration “The report recommended against further Commonwealth and state consideration of an underground option at this time,” King said in a statement “Should [the Melbourne Airport operators] wish to progress with the option of an underground station it recommended that they produce a suitable and comprehensive business case so that key stakeholders can examine the proposal in detail.” Federal Transport Minister Catherine King.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen King has sent the report to the Victorian government and the airport operators and encouraged them to work constructively on solutions A business case was completed for the $10 to $13 billion project in 2022 which included consideration of both options Both levels of government chose the above-ground station because they said it would cost $1 billion less and be quicker to build The airport has argued the underground station would better provide for the airport’s growth. The stalemate has been blamed for the project being delayed where it was forecast to be at least four years late The report also recommended refreshed modelling on the capacity of the Tullamarine Freeway which will be led by the federal Transport Department Scales also called for both levels of government to push ahead with upgrades at Sunshine Station to turn it into a major transport hub “The Commonwealth will commence discussions with the Victorian government on the proposal to upgrade capacity at Sunshine Station with funding to be formally considered once costs and scope are finalised,” King said A Melbourne Airport spokesperson said an underground station was the “right solution for the traveller the airport and the city” and flagged further analysis could be prepared as part of planning for Tullamarine’s growth in passengers “Melbourne Airport was working in good faith with the Victorian government on its preferred above ground station until it abandoned negotiations in April 2023 and referred the project to the Federal Infrastructure Review,” they said An artist’s image of the kind of underground rail terminal Melbourne Airport would like to build.Credit: Melbourne Airport “We look forward to working with the Commonwealth and state governments to leverage existing business cases that resulted in world-class underground stations “That is work we are prepared to revisit in anticipation of an approval of Melbourne Airport’s third runway.” Victorian Transport Infrastructure Minister Danny Pearson said the state government would work with the Commonwealth on the recommendations “The report makes clear what we have said from the start – Melbourne Airport’s demand for an underground station does not stack up,” he said take almost two years longer to deliver and cost taxpayers billions more.” Federal opposition transport spokeswoman Bridget McKenzie called on the Albanese government to release the full report because questions remained about whether the process was a true mediation mediators do not usually make findings or produce reports and instead focus on encouraging discussions between two sides The Commonwealth has at times referred to Scales as a “negotiator” instead “Federal Labor has failed to stand up to the premier for the much-needed airport link against the discredited Suburban Rail Loop,” McKenzie said Federal opposition transport spokeswoman Bridget McKenzie.Credit: Peter Rae This month, The Age revealed that Scales had also been a consultant for the state-run Suburban Rail Loop Authority He declared this work and both the federal and state governments insisted there was no conflict of interest because Airport Rail was managed by a different government agency Get the day’s breaking news, entertainment ideas and a long read to enjoy. Sign up to receive our Evening Edition newsletter here. Melbourne Airport\\u2019s owners are preparing to fight for an underground rail station on the site after a federal government report found it should not be built below ground unless the operators could show it made commercial sense The mediator appointed by the Commonwealth to intervene in the and that if the airport\\u2019s owners wished to pursue this idea \\u201CThe report recommended against further Commonwealth and state consideration of an underground option at this time,\\u201D King said in a statement \\u201CShould [the Melbourne Airport operators] wish to progress with the option of an underground station so that key stakeholders can examine the proposal in detail.\\u201D The airport has argued the underground station would better provide for the airport\\u2019s growth \\u201CThe Commonwealth will commence discussions with the Victorian government on the proposal to upgrade capacity at Sunshine Station with funding to be formally considered once costs and scope are finalised,\\u201D King said A Melbourne Airport spokesperson said an underground station was the \\u201Cright solution for the traveller the airport and the city\\u201D and flagged further analysis could be prepared as part of planning for Tullamarine\\u2019s growth in passengers \\u201CMelbourne Airport was working in good faith with the Victorian government on its preferred above ground station until it abandoned negotiations in April 2023 and referred the project to the Federal Infrastructure Review,\\u201D they said \\u201CWe look forward to working with the Commonwealth and state governments to leverage existing business cases that resulted in world-class underground stations \\u201CThat is work we are prepared to revisit in anticipation of an approval of Melbourne Airport\\u2019s third runway.\\u201D \\u201CThe report makes clear what we have said from the start \\u2013 Melbourne Airport\\u2019s demand for an underground station does not stack up,\\u201D he said take almost two years longer to deliver and cost taxpayers billions more.\\u201D The Commonwealth has at times referred to Scales as a \\u201Cnegotiator\\u201D instead \\u201CFederal Labor has failed to stand up to the premier for the much-needed airport link against the discredited Suburban Rail Loop,\\u201D McKenzie said that Scales had also been a consultant for the state-run Suburban Rail Loop Authority entertainment ideas and a long read to enjoy As the first five-star green building at Melbourne airport and custom built to support the influenza vaccine production for adjacent CSL Seqirus manufacturing site through just-in-time services It boasts impressive operational capabilities cold chain as well as frozen and ultra-low frozen product storage which could handle a wide range of sensitive healthcare products with the utmost precision and care Toll Group Australia partnered with Jungheinrich to provide a holistic tailor-made warehouse solution that addresses their specific requirements while offering highest flexibility This solution offers 9,000+ pallet storage locations integrating key features such as selective pallet racking mesh decks for order picking along with a layout to suit cool room and freezers “Jungheinrich’s expertise in providing one-stop-shop warehousing solutions which include both racking systems and forklifts has helped us deliver a high-performance facility that supports our operations We are very impressed by Jungheinrich’s project management allowing for a progressive handover which enabled us to meet a hard deadline for a TGA (Therapeutic Goods Administration) inspection,” says Michael Lawrence By understanding Toll’s specific requirements factoring in both their immediate needs and future scalability requirements we leveraged our trusted ISO processes and expertise and delivered a safe and high-quality warehouse solution for Toll that is compliant to AS 4084-2023 and other stringent international standards,” said Axel Knigge Managing Director of Jungheinrich Australia & New Zealand which enables Toll to adapt to potential changes in product mix and volume – a common challenge in third-party logistics (3PL) environments The facility also incorporates fire baffle systems to meet recommended safety standards for storing healthcare products Jungheinrich’s racking solution enables Toll to maximise their storage density and optimise material flow within their warehouse New Tullamarine coach Zack Carey jumped at the opportunity to step into a senior coaching role Carey has been appointed the Essendon District Football League division 1 club’s coach for the 2025 season He takes over from David Connell who decided it was time to leave the club “I’ve been coaching for 10 years in the EDFL,” he said “Obviously I’ve known a lot about Tullamarine and they’ve always been a proud club “For them to give me an opportunity for my first senior role But I’m really excited to take it on and take the challenge head first.” After a number of different roles in his 10 years of coaching Carey said he felt the time was right to step into a senior coaching role He had been at Strathmore for a number of years and coached the reserves side to a grand final this year “I’ve been at Strathmore my whole life and sort of coached right up from some junior stuff to senior thirds to being a senior assistant coach with success in all of them “It was my time to be a senior coach and probably not the time to do that at Strathmore so I needed to move on to get that opportunity “When the Tullamarine one came along it was a good opportunity a good fit and something I jumped at straight away.” Carey said he knows the competition pretty well and spent two years coaching with a mate in division 1 a few years ago He said a lot of players pass through the grades so there’s a lot of familiar faces have been invaluable to get information from,” he said “It’s going to be a lot of fun and hopefully we can go pretty well.” The Demons have missed finals the past two years after being in the mix for a number of years before that Carey said the club is a really proud club that has had its challenges in recent years “We’re really excited to go together and move forward together “We’re really pushing towards playing finals next year and the sky’s the limit really “We want to build that culture on and off the field There’s no rest for Carey between season’s with his appointment announced just days after he finished his season with Strathmore The new signings have started for the Demons Weightman kicked 24 goals in four games for Taylors Lakes this year in division 2 before doing his ACL “I had a couple of meetings and I dealt with his cousin [Kyle Weightman] at Strathmore “When I got to know Ben he really suits what I’m about He’s going to come on as a forward line coach as well.” Carey said they would hopefully have a few more signings the next few weeks contacting a number of people in his network He said they would also look at development of the younger guys and the current list they have.” Men in white vans are behind what police are treating as a spate of child kidnapping attempts across Melbourne sparking increased security around schools amid fears of copycat incidents Police Acting Superintendent Paul Cripps said police had boosted school patrols and warned the Education Department about safety risks after four recent suspected abduction attempts which were not thought to be linked but all involved white vans The van police believe was involved in a kidnapping attempt in Blackburn on November 18 “It’s a scary situation for any child to be involved in and it’s scary for the parents,” Cripps said on Thursday and we’ve had so many reports in such a short period of time.” The first incident was in Melbourne’s east on November 18 when a “dirty-looking” man driving a white van approached an 11-year-old boy walking home from school along Halley Street Police were told the man used an “inviting tone” to tell the boy his mother had asked him to take her son home The boy declined the offer and the man drove away A digital image of a man police would like to speak to.Credit: Victoria Police Detective Acting Sergeant Joanne Morrison later said it was a timely reminder for parents and carers to have conversations with their children about stranger danger “The child was determined that he had his key that he knew the plan was his mother had told him to walk home from school and that’s exactly what he did,” Morrison said said her son came home and locked all their doors before he told his parents about the incident “I hate to think what would happen if he’d gone with him I think it would be a very different story,” she said at a press conference in late November a man driving a white van approached a 14-year-old girl in Melbourne’s north-west about 5.45pm on November 27 when the man slowed and asked her to get in the van a 15-year-old girl was walking along Saxon Street was approached by a man driving a white van The man asked her to get in his vehicle but the teenager ran to nearby shops a man in a white van in Melbourne’s outer east approached a 10-year-old boy about 8.30am in Landscape Drive “There is the potential that there are copycat attacks,” Cripps said at a press conference on Thursday That’s why we’ve increased our patrols around schools.” Police believed the incidents were unrelated because the vans appeared to be different and the victims gave different descriptions of the men who approached them we are looking for four different suspects,” Cripps said He said all four incidents involved men approaching in a friendly manner and in effect asking if they could give the children a lift home Cripps did not rule out the possibility that the incidents had an innocent explanation but said detectives assumed they were all abduction attempts “Until we speak to suspects and find out what their intent is we always treat these [as having] malicious intent,” he said “Any enticing of children into vehicles by unknown people is very We’ve got lots of experienced detectives working on this to try and establish who these people are and the reasons for this happening.” a psychologist and chief executive of support service Act for Kids said the involvement of white vans in all four incidents would stick in families’ minds Theincidents served as a reminder to parents and carers that they should have open conversations with their children about personal safety – not just about stranger danger given children were at most risk of harm from people they knew “If you’re calm and clear and have conversations with kids all the time about those things then they know what to do in those situations,” Lines said “[Those] young people were obviously very clear about how to keep themselves safe and did a great job and told someone afterwards.” Lines said abductions were still rare and encouraged parents to not appear fearful when they talk to their children about the recent incidents Our Breaking News Alert will notify you of significant breaking news when it happens. Get it here \\u201CIt\\u2019s a scary situation for any child to be involved in and it\\u2019s scary for the parents,\\u201D Cripps said on Thursday \\u201CWe\\u2019re not sure why it\\u2019s concentrated and we\\u2019ve had so many reports in such a short period of time.\\u201D The first incident was in Melbourne\\u2019s east on November 18 when a \\u201Cdirty-looking\\u201D man driving a white van approached an 11-year-old boy walking home from school along Halley Street Police were told the man used an \\u201Cinviting tone\\u201D to tell the boy his mother had asked him to take her son home \\u201CThe child was determined that he had his key and that\\u2019s exactly what he did,\\u201D Morrison said \\u201CHe wasn\\u2019t tricked by the male \\u201CI hate to think what would happen if he\\u2019d gone with him I think it would be a very different story,\\u201D she said at a press conference in late November a man driving a white van approached a 14-year-old girl in Melbourne\\u2019s north-west about 5.45pm on November 27 a man in a white van in Melbourne\\u2019s outer east approached a 10-year-old boy about 8.30am in Landscape Drive \\u201CThere is the potential that there are copycat attacks,\\u201D Cripps said at a press conference on Thursday \\u201CThey seem to be happening near schools That\\u2019s why we\\u2019ve increased our patrols around schools.\\u201D we are looking for four different suspects,\\u201D Cripps said \\u201CUntil we speak to suspects and find out what their intent is we always treat these [as having] malicious intent,\\u201D he said \\u201CAny enticing of children into vehicles by unknown people is very We\\u2019ve got lots of experienced detectives working on this to try and establish who these people are and the reasons for this happening.\\u201D said the involvement of white vans in all four incidents would stick in families\\u2019 minds Theincidents served as a reminder to parents and carers that they should have open conversations with their children about personal safety \\u2013 not just about stranger danger \\u201CIf you\\u2019re calm and clear and have conversations with kids all the time about those things then they know what to do in those situations,\\u201D Lines said \\u201C[Those] young people were obviously very clear about how to keep themselves safe and did a great job and told someone afterwards.\\u201D Our Breaking News Alert will notify you of significant breaking news when it happens Support independent journalism, starting from less than $2 a week. By continuing, you agree to our Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy It looks like your email isn't registered yet—let’s get you set up We've sent a code to the below email.  Desperate to shore up their fading support in Melbourne the federal and Victorian governments are — as widely anticipated — now throwing money at infrastructure in the city’s western suburbs the prime minister himself announced $3.3 billion in new funding for roads and rail in Melbourne bridge and signalling improvements to enable future upgrades to service Melbourne’s north and west” as well as start work on the electrification of the Melton Line to the outer western fringes of the city There’ll be a “Suburban Road Blitz” (capitalised though two of the projects are in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs But the biggest investment is $2 billion to redevelop Sunshine Railway Station in the western suburbs “as part of our commitment to build the Melbourne Airport Rail” have promised $5 billion in Commonwealth funding for a rail link to Tullamarine The project has been on-again-off-again because of fights between the Victorian government and Tullamarine’s owner which wanted a ludicrously expensive underground station We’re now told this brawl is over and the station will be above ground Yesterday’s announcement brings the Commonwealth contribution to $7 billion for a project initially estimated to cost $10 billion — which based on the standard blowout in infrastructure construction costs means the final sum will be more likely $12-13 billion Sounds wonderful for anyone who has paid the exorbitant taxi fare into Melbourne or enjoyed the delights of the Skybus service (sadly no longer featuring ads for Dracula’s Cabaret restaurant) In 2022, Infrastructure Australia undertook a detailed independent look at the business case and concluded it would cost $11.3-11.6 billion at completion but even the Victorian government’s own study found it would generate only limited net economic benefits Using a discount rate of 7% (the rate of return on the spending used to calculate its present value — Infrastructure Australia and most treasuries and finance departments use 7%) the rail line would have a benefit-cost ratio (BCR) of just 0.5 meaning in overall terms Victorians would be losing 50 cents for every dollar spent Counting more nebulous “wider economic benefits” from the project To try to improve the business case, the Victorian government instead opted for a discount rate of just 4% (a trick it has also pulled with the Suburban Rail Loop while the Coalition used it for the appalling Inland Rail project When wider economic benefits were factored in you could employ a higher discount rate reflecting a higher interest rate environment the BCR even with wider economic benefits falls to 0.4 And in case you think Infrastructure Australia has got its sums wrong, the Victorian Auditor-General forensically scrutinised the Victorian government’s case for the project and found it full of holes leading it to conclude the government had made up its mind without anything like a decent business case No matter how much you fiddle with the numbers a rail line to Tullamarine doesn’t add up as a smart investment Yet the Commonwealth has opted to fund the bulk of the project to shore up its position ahead of a tight election The actual investment announced by Anthony Albanese yesterday focuses on Sunshine Station, which will be the switching point for the link to the airport. How about the business case for that? There isn’t one. It was added to Infrastructure Australia’s list of projects in 2022 and remains at the first stage of the assessment process as an “early stage proposal” Last September, federal Labor gave Victorians $63 million to do the detailed design work for the project That work must have been done awful quickly for the federal government to examine the final investment proposal and costings and figure it was worth throwing $2 billion at it just handed Victorians $2 billion for an uncosted unplanned development that will connect to a rail line doomed to waste taxpayers’ money The only net benefit being sought here is a political one Have something to say about this article? Write to us at letters@crikey.com.au. Please include your full name to be considered for publication in Crikey’s Your Say We reserve the right to edit for length and clarity. A significant factory fire on Barrie road, Tullamarine, has been contained, though the incident remains under investigation. The blaze started when a car was driven into the building and set alight. Ambulance Victoria and more than 80 firefighters were called to the factory at 3.22am. The fire engulfed a two-storey tilt factory building with no occupants at the time. Nearby gas outlets and power lines were also made safe as part of the operation. Residents are being warned of significant smoke within 2km of the scene. Local residents are also being urged to avoid the area as it is anticipated to have major impacts on local traffic. By 5.02am the fire was declared under control. The incident is being treated as suspicious, with Fire Rescue Victoria assisting Victoria Police. Play Duration: 49 minutes 42 seconds49m Presented by New Zealand-born cattleman Paul McVerry has been surrounded by animals his whole life, and not just in cattle pens or in sheep yards. Paul has accompanied thoroughbred horses on weeks-long ship journeys across the Pacific ocean. He's been stuck with prized bulls in the back of a truck going the wrong way down Broadway in New York City. After being with animals on land-bound vehicles and sea-faring vessels, eventually Paul thought, "Cows can fly."  In the 1970s, thousands of cattle were being slaughtered in Victoria and southern New South Wales because of ongoing drought. At the same time, the dairy industry in India was struggling due to generations of inbreeding. Paul saw an opportunity to solve both problems, and loaded the world's first ever airborne cattle onto a stretch D68 at Tullamarine Airport, bound for Chennai. Paul McVerry was the mastermind behind the world's first airborne cattle. He flew with 215 cows from Melbourne to India, where he met Mother Teresa and transformed the country's dairy industry.(Supplied) trains and mouth musicPublished: 11h agoMon 5 May 2025 at 1:00am Download the ABC listen app to hear more of your favourite podcasts We’ve undertaken planning to investigate a potential future upgrade to the Bulla Road Interchange (Tullamarine Freeway) Planning investigated potential solutions to improve traffic flow and travel times for road users travelling on off and over the Tullamarine Freeway in Melbourne’s inner northern suburbs View a larger version of the map (PDF, 141.7 KB) social studies and environmental investigations This helped understand environmental and social impacts and confirm scope and costs of different options We’ve completed our development work and a Business Case has been completed The Business Case is a comprehensive document that provides a detailed examination of the potential future road upgrade to help inform government decision-making From November to December 2021, we asked for community and business feedback on a potential upgrade to Bulla Road Interchange via Engage Victoria Thank you to everyone who took the time to provide feedback Your feedback helped us understand how people are currently using the interchange as well as views on access Feedback was considered in our planning and helped us understand how people currently using the road For information on what we heard, please read our consultation report (PDF, 2.5 MB). If you have a question or want to learn more about the Bulla Road Interchange Upgrade, please contact the Department of Transport and Planning on 133778 Currently no recent news for this project. See all Victoria's Big Build news Sign up to receive email and SMS updates for this project A three-way feud delaying Melbourne’s airport rail has been put to bed after the airport and the state and federal governments on Thursday signed a document agreeing to push the project forward A steering committee of senior officials from each organisation will be set up under a memorandum of understanding that agrees all sides will work together and finalise how construction on the delayed project can finally get under way Federal Infrastructure Minister Catherine King signed the document at Tullamarine on Thursday morning alongside Victorian Transport Infrastructure Minister Gabrielle Williams and Melbourne Airport chief executive Lorie Argus originally expected to open by 2029 but delayed by at least four years has taken a “big step forward” with the signing of the agreement “Many Victorians have spent a lifetime hearing of a rail link to the airport and today we are telling them that we will work together in good faith to get it done,” King said which is why we brought in an independent mediator why we’ve been acting on his recommendations and why we’re investing to make it happen “Melbourne Airport Rail Link will enhance the resilience and reliability of the transport network better connecting Melbourne’s growing population to where they live Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told ABC Radio Melbourne that the construction of Melbourne’s controversial airport rail link was “a done deal” “We’re delivering $7 billion for the whole project It’s something that I’m committed to,” he said Although the agreement does not put a completion date on the rail line it comes after Albanese last month committed an extra $2 billion to the project – for upgrades to Sunshine station – to accelerate development Victorian Transport Infrastructure Minister Gabrielle Williams (left) federal Infrastructure Minister Catherine King and Melbourne Airport chief Lorie Argus.Credit: Wayne Taylor Victoria also agreed to bring forward $2 billion of the funding it had committed and Premier Jacinta Allan said the announcement would allow a fresh look at resetting the construction timeline Details over whether the airport would be entitled to compensation had not been resolved as of last month and major works packages outside the Sunshine upgrades are yet to be awarded the premier said there were still commercial matters the airport wanted to discuss and there was now a formal process for discussions to be held with the federal government that we finally have a framework where the federal government are going to work through the issues that have been raised by the airport about how the project is delivered within the airport footprint itself,” she said An artist’s impression of the third runway at Melbourne Airport “We want to get on and deliver this project.” the Allan government delayed the project by at least four years to 2033 and blamed a stalemate with the airport over whether a new station would be built above or below ground King appointed a mediator to resolve the dispute and the airport later agreed to the above-ground option Argus said the memorandum of understanding formalised this compromise “Airport rail will increase the transport options for our passengers and staff and we are pleased to work with the Australian and Victorian governments to progress this project for Melbourne,” she said Williams said the airport rail project would pave the way for faster journeys across the state “We are getting on with delivering the first stage of Melbourne Airport Rail regional and suburban tracks between West Footscray and Albion to make space for this important new rail link,” she said The additional $2 billion from the Commonwealth takes the total committed funding for the project to $12 billion It has been costed between $10 billion and $13 billion Federal opposition transport spokeswoman Bridget McKenzie said the announcement showed no progress had been made on the project since last year’s mediation process “Today we find out it has taken almost a year for the three parties to sign a memorandum agreeing to ‘work together’ and to establish a committee,” she said “The government needs to explain to the people of Melbourne why there has been no progress over all those months.” 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 A three-way feud delaying Melbourne\\u2019s airport rail has been put to bed after the airport and the state and federal governments on Thursday signed a document agreeing to push the project forward has taken a \\u201Cbig step forward\\u201D with the signing of the agreement \\u201CMany Victorians have spent a lifetime hearing of a rail link to the airport and today we are telling them that we will work together in good faith to get it done,\\u201D King said \\u201CWe want to keep this project moving why we\\u2019ve been acting on his recommendations and why we\\u2019re investing to make it happen \\u201CMelbourne Airport Rail Link will enhance the resilience and reliability of the transport network better connecting Melbourne\\u2019s growing population to where they live Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told ABC Radio Melbourne that the construction of Melbourne\\u2019s controversial airport rail link was \\u201Ca done deal\\u201D \\u201CWe\\u2019re delivering $7 billion for the whole project It\\u2019s something that I\\u2019m committed to,\\u201D he said it comes after Albanese last month committed an extra $2 billion to the project \\u2013 for upgrades to Sunshine station \\u2013 to accelerate development are going to work through the issues that have been raised by the airport about how the project is delivered within the airport footprint itself,\\u201D she said \\u201CWe want to get on and deliver this project.\\u201D \\u201CAirport rail will increase the transport options for our passengers and staff and we are pleased to work with the Australian and Victorian governments to progress this project for Melbourne,\\u201D she said \\u201CWe are getting on with delivering the first stage of Melbourne Airport Rail regional and suburban tracks between West Footscray and Albion to make space for this important new rail link,\\u201D she said Federal opposition transport spokeswoman Bridget McKenzie said the announcement showed no progress had been made on the project since last year\\u2019s mediation process \\u201CToday we find out it has taken almost a year for the three parties to sign a memorandum agreeing to \\u2018work together\\u2019 and to establish a committee,\\u201D she said \\u201CThe government needs to explain to the people of Melbourne why there has been no progress over all those months.\\u201D Start the day with a summary of the day\\u2019s most important and interesting stories Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon The best of Melbourne straight to your inbox We help you navigate a myriad of possibilities Sign up for our newsletter for the best of the city By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from Time Out about news Sign up for our email to enjoy Melbourne without spending a thing (as well as some options when you’re feeling flush) Our newsletter hand-delivers the best bits to your inbox Sign up to unlock our digital magazines and also receive the latest news By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from Time Out about news, events, offers and partner promotions. Melbourne If you've bemoaned the fact that inner-city Melbourne doesn't have proper surfing beaches Head along to Australia's first inland surf park located within spitting distance of Melbourne Airport in Tullamarine.  This inland wave pool is the first full-sized surfing lagoon to use Wavegarden technology let us explain: the pool uses technology to create long two-metre-high ocean-like surfing waves every hour.   The two-hectare surfing lagoon has areas customisable for all ages and abilities – so if you're not Layne Beachley just yet The modular wave generator means that there can be different kinds of waves in different sections of the pool. Beginners can attend surfing lessons in the whitewash with friendly and talented surfing coaches while the pros can stick to the back with consistent waves above two metres tall.  you can lounge around on one of Urbnsurf's day beds inside one of their beach-style cabanas or even on the landscaped areas. A café-restaurant by Three Blue Ducks has opened to accommodate your post-surf hunger Thanks for subscribing! Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon! twitterinstagrampinterestAbout us Contact us Melbourne drivers were warned to reduce their speed on Tuesday morning as a thick fog settled over the city with Tullamarine Airport forced to cancel dozens of flights A thick fog has blanketed Melbourne causing chaos for drivers as multiple roads close due to collisions while travellers at Melbourne Airport face widespread delays and cancellations The Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) issued an alert in the early hours of Tuesday morning warning drivers in the western and northern suburbs to slow down on the roads “Reduced visibility in fog will make road conditions dangerous during Tuesday morning in the Northern and Western suburbs,” the alert read The State Emergency Service advised that motorists should reduce speed maintain a greater distance between cars and turn on their headlights The fog settled in on Monday night and persisted into Tuesday forcing Melbourne’s Tullamarine Airport into low visibility operations on Monday evening.  Unreal vibes in Melbourne. Wrapped in fog or a dream? Never seen the skyline like this before! #Docklands #EerieBeauty #Melbourne pic.twitter.com/vTu6tlYPMy The state's main airport was then forced to cancel 29 domestic flights on Tuesday morning nine with Jetstar and seven with Qantas.  Travellers were faced with 20 to 40 minute delays in the domestic and international terminals “Heavy fog is continuing to impact operations at Melbourne Airport this morning,” a Melbourne Airport spokesperson said “Passengers are advised to check with their airline for updates on individual flights.” Several roads across the city were closed on Tuesday morning due to cars colliding The right lane inbound on the Monash Freeway between Clyde Road and the Princes Highway was closed due to a crash Croydon South were also blocked at the Dorset Road intersection The Bureau cancelled its road weather alert for Melbourne at about 10.20am as conditions improved Airport’s chief executive Lorie Argus says it will adopt the state government’s preferred above-ground station Melbourne Airport has agreed to a “compromise” and will back down on its demand for an underground railway station as it hopes to bring forward the project’s completion date to 2030 But the premier, Jacinta Allan, poured cold water on the prospect of having the project finished by then, saying the airport can’t expect the station to be built within six years, after her government delayed it by four years announced it would adopt the state government’s preferred above-ground station proposal “Victorians have waited long enough for an airport rail line We will work with the Victorian government to deliver their preferred above-ground station at the airport so the rail line can become reality,” Argus said “While Melbourne airport has consistently advocated for an underground station we are prepared to compromise on our position to ensure we have more transport options in place for the millions of new passengers that will visit Victoria and the airport precinct’s expanding workforce.” Sign up for Guardian Australia’s free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup Speaking on ABC Radio National, Argus was hopeful the state government would finish the station in time to line up with the airport’s third runway opening, which she said was estimated to bring 45 million travellers to the airport each year. This was despite the government’s announcement in May that the project would be delayed by at least four years to 2033, due to the standoff with the airport operator. “If we can pick up the pen quickly and get it built, I’d love to see it in place – if not at the same time, [then] just after our runway by 2030,” Argus said. “But we recognise that might not be realistic, we need to let the state work that through. But we will not be difficult. We will work with them to have this built as quickly as possible.” Read moreAllan welcomed the airport’s change of heart but said it would not be possible to meet that timeline “Their position has only changed in the last 24 hours and that does not wash away the four years of delay caused by their previous insistence that it be an underground station that costs time and money,” she said She said the government was yet to conduct early works as a result of the impasse and foreshadowed further negotiations between the federal government and Melbourne Airport to discuss compensation for land the state and federal government each committed $5bn to the Melbourne airport rail But the project has stalled over the state’s insistence it would not finance the more expensive underground option demanded by the airport In an attempt to settle the argument between the Victorian government and Melbourne airport’s owner and operator the federal government appointed a mediator In his report to the Albanese government last month mediator Neil Scales “recommended against further commonwealth and state consideration of an underground option at this time” Scales wrote that the airport could produce a “comprehensive business case” so governments “can examine the proposal in detail” if they are to be convinced to fund the more expensive option he recommended that the federal and Victorian governments proceed with initial construction works on the rail line These include “no regrets” work at Sunshine station that could be built Argus said another business case would take up to two years to complete and the airport “can’t afford to wait” any longer “Victorians have had enough of this topic and we’re certainly all a little bit tired of talking about it,” she said issued an eight-word statement welcoming Melbourne airport’s change of heart The opposition transport infrastructure spokesperson said: “The time for excuses and delays is over – Labor must get on with building Melbourne Airport Rail.” Victorian transport minister Edward Meagher delivered a clear message about the need for a rail line to Melbourne’s new international airport The airport at Tullamarine was set to open in 1970 and predicted to welcome almost 3 million passengers annually by 1980 Meagher argued that made a rail line essential and the Bolte government passed a bill allowing it to acquire land for a rail link via Glenroy that would provide 20-minute train journeys to the city The site of the proposed train station at Melbourne Airport.Credit: Chris Hopkins “If we are to attempt to move all of this by freeway it will be so bogged down we will have to build another freeway besides this one,” he said The Tullamarine Freeway has swollen from four lanes to 11 at its widest planned and promised by governments for decades – is nowhere to be seen This week the Melbourne Airport Rail project appears to have inched closer to reality after the airport’s private operator relinquished demands for an underground station rather than the state government’s preference for a cheaper above-ground design Premier Jacinta Allan and her ministers had painted the station dispute as a fundamental stumbling block and accused the airport of trying to kill the project to protect car parking revenue But the state Labor government’s commitment to the project must also be questioned It was the state that abruptly halted work on Airport Rail in May last year purportedly due to the Albanese government’s infrastructure spending review and pushed the opening date back to at least 2033 And now that the station dispute is settled Allan is pointing to new hurdles: on Monday she said a compensation claim from the airport to use the land for the station must be resolved The state and Commonwealth also need to find another $3 billion to cover the $13 billion construction bill on top of the $5 billion they each already committed With Victoria’s debt already the highest in the nation and projected to rise from $135.9 billion this year to $187.8 billion by mid-2028 the reality is that the state has every motivation to push back its share of the spending Funding cuts that have sent front-line health services scrambling may only be the start as Allan and Treasurer Tim Pallas make tough decisions about what Victoria can and can’t afford The Age believes it is a mistake to leave Airport Rail in limbo as other major projects steam ahead Victorians learnt the cost of the giant toll road project had blown out by another $10 billion – almost as much as Airport Rail’s entire $13 billion budget – and is now expected to cost $26 billion And the unassailable enormous gorilla in this mix is Labor’s flagship Suburban Rail Loop East First budgeted at $34.5 billion three years ago the eventual cost of the underground train line from Cheltenham to Box Hill is unclear SRL East’s own funding shortfall – Victoria wants at least another $9.6 billion from the Commonwealth – hasn’t stopped it pushing ahead while tempering expectations on Monday about Airport Rail work resuming Allan announced the state had selected a preferred bidder for a second tunnelling contract for SRL East Communities in Melbourne’s west and north-west As well as benefiting thousands of local airport workers the Airport Rail project would build a new station at Keilor East and significantly redevelop Sunshine station Sunshine would be an 11-minute train ride from the airport and the government has previously said its proximity would attract much-needed private investment and turn the area into an economic and employment hub for Melbourne’s west communities there will suffer as increasing airport-bound traffic clogs their roads and makes it even harder for them to drive to jobs in other parts of the city Melbourne Airport wants to open a third runway by 2030 increasing noise pollution for communities who would benefit from the rail line that is now on the go-slow If there’s one thing the history of Melbourne’s airport train line tells us Each year that passes is an opportunity to find another reason not to build it Whenever a train line to the airport opens Get a weekly wrap of views that will challenge, champion and inform your own. Sign up for our Opinion newsletter Victorian transport minister Edward Meagher delivered a clear message about the need for a rail line to Melbourne\\u2019s new international airport \\u201CIf we are to attempt to move all of this by freeway it will be so bogged down we will have to build another freeway besides this one,\\u201D he said that\\u2019s precisely how it has turned out planned and promised by governments for decades \\u2013 is nowhere to be seen after the airport\\u2019s private operator relinquished demands for an underground station rather than the state government\\u2019s preference for a cheaper above-ground design But the state Labor government\\u2019s commitment to the project must also be questioned purportedly due to the Albanese government\\u2019s infrastructure spending review With Victoria\\u2019s debt already the highest in the nation and projected to rise from $135.9 billion this year to $187.8 billion by mid-2028 Funding cuts that have sent front-line health services scrambling may only be the start as Allan and Treasurer Tim Pallas make tough decisions about what Victoria can and can\\u2019t afford Victorians learnt the cost of the giant toll road project had blown out by another $10 billion \\u2013 almost as much as Airport Rail\\u2019s entire $13 billion budget \\u2013 and is now expected to cost $26 billion And the unassailable enormous gorilla in this mix is Labor\\u2019s flagship Suburban Rail Loop East SRL East\\u2019s own funding shortfall \\u2013 Victoria wants at least another $9.6 billion from the Commonwealth \\u2013 hasn\\u2019t stopped it pushing ahead Communities in Melbourne\\u2019s west and north-west and the government has previously said its proximity would attract much-needed private investment and turn the area into an economic and employment hub for Melbourne\\u2019s west If there\\u2019s one thing the history of Melbourne\\u2019s airport train line tells us Get a weekly wrap of views that will challenge You can now click/tap WATCH to start the live stream You can now click/tap LISTEN to start the live stream You can now click/tap LATEST NEWS to start the live stream A Melbourne Airport spokesperson has described the current international arrivals terminal as “not fit for purpose” as delays continue to escalate Some passengers faced up to a two hour wait to collect their bags at Tullamarine on Thursday with the airport blaming renovations and baggage handler shortages as reasons for the delay Melbourne Airport’s Andrew Lund conceded the experience was far from ideal but said work was well underway to fix the problem moving forward Click PLAY to hear Andrew Lund’s update from Melbourne Airport “Our international arrivals area is very busy,” Mr Lund told 3AW Drive and that’s why we’re working on a fairly major plan to expand the international terminal.” Melbourne Airport has backed down from its demand for an underground station for the airport rail link ending a stalemate with the Victorian government and clearing the path for the overdue project to proceed The state government has insisted building a station above ground in Tullamarine would be cheaper and faster and accused the airport of deliberately trying to sink the project while the airport had argued that an underground station would future-proof the connection But Melbourne Airport has decided to compromise to get the rail link done An artist’s impression of the above-ground station at Melbourne Airport.Credit: Melbourne Airport The Allan government, blaming the stand-off with the airport, delayed the project in May by at least four years to 2033 Melbourne Airport is now hopeful the project could be ready by 2030 The declaration appears to end the impasse that has put the rail link in doubt for more than a year and leaves the government with no further reason to delay compensation to the airport for the acquisition of the land could become a sticking point The airport expects to receive redress for the use of part of its land leased from the federal government and which would be acquired by the state Chief executive Lorie Argus told The Age she hoped this could be easily resolved “We are genuinely empathetic to the challenges that the state is facing So we want to do that as cost effectively as possible We’re definitely not going to be difficult in this process,” Argus told The Age on Sunday “We’re going to be really pragmatic and realistic about expectations on the station on our side and we understand the position they’re in from a cost perspective getting us back on track also means the funding needs to recommence.” Melbourne Airport had accused the government of abandoning negotiations in April last year Melbourne Airport said it would compromise to pursue the above-ground option.Credit: Melbourne Airport The state government referred the project to a Commonwealth review of infrastructure projects around the country, delaying work and angering MPs in the north-west Federal Transport Minister Catherine King ultimately ruled it should go ahead The federal and state governments have each committed $5 billion to the project A business case for the $10 billion to $13 billion project in 2022 considered both above- and below-ground stations Melbourne Airport just last month pledged to continue its fight for an underground station after mediator Neil Scales who was appointed by the federal government recommended the station should not be built below ground unless the operators could show it made commercial sense Victorian Transport Infrastructure Minister Danny Pearson has said a below-ground station would cost billions more He has blamed the delays on the airport for pursuing the underground station “We’ve spent three years trying to reach an agreement with the airport and we’ve been blocked and frustrated at every step of the way by the airport because of its fixation on a below-ground solution,” Pearson told reporters on Friday The airport still prefers an underground station but said it had compromised to support growth when a third runway awaiting a final sign-off from the Commonwealth About 45 million passengers a year are expected to fly through the airport by then Argus said the Scales report had found traffic congestion was worse than the business case predicted in 2022 making the case for the project even stronger “So our view now is we need a public transport link and we don’t really want to find ourselves a couple of years down the road still debating our end move on and make sure it can be delivered.” About 18,000 workers also commute to the airport Delays to the rail link have become a sore point for Labor in the western suburbs because of a perception the government has prioritised major infrastructure projects in the east which rebranded the airport rail link “SRL Airport” at the 2022 election has locked in major works contracts for the $35 billion first leg of the Suburban Rail Loop in the east Transport Workers Union state secretary Mem Suleyman said the airport’s thousands of workers needed affordable and efficient ways to get to work “We reminded the airport of this obligation recently and are pleased to see the corporation has agreed to stop standing in the way of this critical infrastructure,” he said “This is a major project that will provide more jobs With the airport’s commitment to cooperate and the billions being invested by governments we must now get straight on the tools and in the trucks to build the rail link.” whose community will receive a railway station in Keilor East as part of the project issued a one sentence statement Deputy Premier Ben Carroll in May declared it was time to get the rail link done and that he would not leave parliament until the promised Keilor East station in his electorate of Niddrie was delivered he announced the government had secured the land for that station “to fix a 100-year access gap” for residents in the north-west without trains The state government is yet to respond to the airport’s compromise The Age was restricted from contacting third parties The Morning Edition newsletter is our guide to the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up here \\u201CWe are genuinely empathetic to the challenges that the state is facing We\\u2019re definitely not going to be difficult in this process,\\u201D Argus told The Age on Sunday \\u201CWe\\u2019re going to be really pragmatic and realistic about expectations on the station on our side and we understand the position they\\u2019re in from a cost perspective getting us back on track also means the funding needs to recommence.\\u201D The state government of infrastructure projects around the country The federal and state governments have to the project Melbourne Airport just last month pledged to continue its after mediator Neil Scales \\u201CWe\\u2019ve spent three years trying to reach an agreement with the airport and we\\u2019ve been blocked and frustrated at every step of the way by the airport because of its fixation on a below-ground solution,\\u201D Pearson told reporters on Friday \\u201CSo our view now is we need a public transport link and we don\\u2019t really want to find ourselves a couple of years down the road still debating our end move on and make sure it can be delivered.\\u201D Delays to the rail link have become a because of a perception the government has prioritised major infrastructure projects in the east which rebranded the airport rail link \\u201CSRL Airport\\u201D at the 2022 election Transport Workers Union state secretary Mem Suleyman said the airport\\u2019s thousands of workers needed affordable and efficient ways to get to work \\u201CWe reminded the airport of this obligation recently and are pleased to see the corporation has agreed to stop standing in the way of this critical infrastructure,\\u201D he said \\u201CThis is a major project that will provide more jobs With the airport\\u2019s commitment to cooperate and the billions being invested by governments we must now get straight on the tools and in the trucks to build the rail link.\\u201D let\\u2019s get on with it,\\u201D he said he announced the government had secured the land for that station \\u201Cto fix a 100-year access gap\\u201D for residents in the north-west without trains The state government is yet to respond to the airport\\u2019s compromise The Morning Edition newsletter is our guide to the day\\u2019s most important and interesting stories Craigieburn made it two on the trot with a 17-point win over Tullamarine on Nena and Pasadena EDFL Match of the Day Craigieburn coach Shane Jacobs joined the crew with player of the game Harry Albon Check out EDFL Podcasts in your browser or listen below MAB has revealed its latest business park offering Haystone – located in the coveted Tullamarine precinct north of Melbourne’s CBD and situated just minutes from Melbourne Airport offering unrivalled visibility from a constant stream of national and international visitors With a capital investment of +$500 million and estimated end of value of $1 billion Haystone is set to launch in the third quarter of 2024 and forms part of MAB’s growing industrial portfolio of 21* business parks including the $8 billion Greater Avalon future development set to be Victoria’s largest business park The 38 hectare site will offer industrial lots for sale sized from 1,300m2 up to three hectares in one of the last remaining opportunities to secure prime industrial land within the Tullamarine precinct Haystone will offer businesses the opportunity to purchase or pre-lease bespoke turn-key warehouses and manufacturing facilities As part of the development plan MAB will deliver a state-of-the-art stormwater bio retention system and expand the Moonee Ponds Creek Reserve with the creation of a new 3.57 hectare open space reserve providing greater amenity for workers and the local community while protecting and enhancing the local environment MAB General Manager Commercial and Industrial said Haystone will provide a significant amount of state and regional employment land in a highly constrained industrial market adjacent to Melbourne Airport while creating jobs and local business opportunities “Haystone will deliver a high-quality master-planned location for business and provides a new gateway to Melbourne located in the heart of the Tullamarine precinct and within minutes’ drive from Melbourne Airport Our vision is to deliver a sustainable employment precinct with over 800 new jobs to be created.” “Haystone business park will provide an extremely rare opportunity for prospective owner occupiers and speculative developers to purchase freehold development land in one of Victoria’s most tightly held industrial and logistics precincts With a total of 3.33% of freehold industrial land undeveloped within the Tullamarine precinct we anticipate strong levels of interest in the forthcoming opportunity” Mr Eramo added “Unlocking industrial land in Melbourne’s North Less than 2.8% of Industrial land under 1 hectare remains undeveloped in Tullamarine and Westmeadows compared to 12.9% across Melbourne’s Industrial North The forthcoming land release in Tullamarine is likely the last opportunity promising long-term value appreciation due to these fundamentals.” For more information visit: haystone.com.au *MAB industrial portfolio includes completed and future pipeline Jacqui Felgate says “something has to give” after she was sent worrying vision of a motorist being tailgated by a truck on the Tullamarine Freeway The 3AW Drive host says trucking licenses are too easily attainable calling for more to be done to try and curb the growing issue Click PLAY to hear Jacqui Felgate’s full thoughts on the trucking incident  “This is an incredibly dangerous situation … something has to give here,” she said on 3AW then rung into 3AW Drive and defended the conduct of truck drivers “The truck drivers are generally a gold class group of me,” Mr Fox said Click PLAY to hear Lindsay Fox’s FULL conversation with Jacqui Felgate Residents in Melbourne’s north west are demanding the federal government sound proof their homes ahead of a third runway being added to the city’s major airport Melburnians living under the flightpath of a new runway at Tullamarine airport have called for the government to compensate them for the ‘24/7 nightmares’ it will create for residents Federal Transport Minister Catherine King this week signed off on a new 3000m runway to be built parallel and west of the Melbourne Airport’s existing north-south runway which already creates noise pollution over suburbs like Keilor and Sunshine North One Keilor local said the federal government should pay for soundproofing insulation and double-glazed windows to be added to the homes in areas near the airport ahead of an expected increase in air traffic noise RELATED: Aussie cities break 10-year curse with big housing change Melbourne Lord Mayor wants stamp duty cut for city ‘Breaking point’: Renters turning lounge rooms into bedrooms It comes despite real estate experts revealing they believed there was no risk of homes losing value as a result of the new runway Another suburb resident said the addition of a third runway would only lead to significant harm to the health and wellbeing of Melbourne’s western suburbs’ communities “Increasing levels of noise from much expanded airfreight and passenger services will make 24/7 nightmares for residents “The health impacts of regularly increasing levels of noise are well known yet no curfew to give communities a break has been introduced.” A render of Melbourne Airport’s approved third runway The local questioned how the “commercially-driven Melbourne Airport” could be trusted to monitor community health and wellbeing in an unbiased way “The conditions applying to this decision need serious upgrading,” she said “The community is going to come out in force to make sure the future of children and families and also our native wildlife is protected.” But despite outrage from communities surrounding the airport property experts and local real estate agents told The Herald Sun they believe increased air traffic from the third runway wouldn’t affect property prices What Melbourne Airport’s approved third runway would look like Barry Plant Keilor East partner Paul Filippone said Keilor already enjoyed airport noise and home prices hadn’t been impacted “I think people just start to realise it’s just progress; people make learned decisions either which way,” Mr Filippone said “I don’t believe it’s going to have any impact.” Buyer’s advocate Cate Bakos said homeowners that lived in suburbs like Tullamarine or Keilor Park knew when they purchased property there that they’d be dealing with aircraft noise and the airport’s impact was already well-ingrained for residents She added that the third runway was a “big positive” for Melbourne 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: Where you can buy a home with $50 Ex-Cadbury-Schweppes HQ has $60m+ price tag Hacks Aussies can use to get $500k in 10 years 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. Airport operator says it will fight for more costly underground option despite expert report’s findings The long-promised train to Melbourne airport appears to have hit yet another snag, after the prolonged and bitter standoff between Victoria and the airport that has delayed the line for years intensified, despite government-imposed mediation. The train project – which would be funded by the federal and state governments – has stalled over the state’s insistence it would only finance a cheaper above-ground train station instead of the costlier underground option demanded by the airport. In an attempt to settle the argument between the Victorian government and Melbourne airport’s owner and operator, Australia Pacific Airports Melbourne, the federal government appointed a mediator to determine a path forward on the project. Read moreIn his report delivered to the Albanese government the mediator appointed to settle the long-running dispute “recommended against further commonwealth and state consideration of an underground option at this time” a Melbourne airport spokesperson said it would continue to fight for the underground station Scales’ report did recommend leaving the door open to the underground station option if the airport’s owners still “wish to progress” with it The report leaves the ball in the airport’s court to produce a “comprehensive business case” so governments “can examine the proposal in detail” if they are to be convinced to fund the more expensive option Scales recommended that the federal and Victorian governments proceed with initial construction works on the rail line These include “no regrets” work at Sunshine station that could be built regardless of whether the airport station is above or below ground The report said the works at Sunshine would “capitalise on the early works already completed for the Melbourne Airport Rail Link” before the project stalled Instead of committing to commissioning a new business case to convince the governments the airport spokesperson said it would “leverage existing business cases that resulted in world class underground stations “We remain consistent in our view that an underground station at the airport is the right solution for the traveller the airport and the city,” the spokesperson said They said the airport would revisit such work in anticipation of approval of its third runway – itself a jab at the federal transport minister, Catherine King, over the long-overdue decision on the new runway that industry figures have been eagerly awaiting. Read moreThe airport also noted it had been working “in good faith” with the Victorian government on an above-ground station “until it abandoned negotiations in April 2023 and referred the project to the Federal Infrastructure Review” – a move insiders suggested the government took so it could delay the construction costs of the project to improve its budget position. The Victorian government announced at least a four-year delay to the airport rail link project in its May budget. In response to the mediator’s recommendations, Victoria’s transport infrastructure minister, Danny Pearson, said the report vindicated the government’s view that the airport’s “demand for an underground station does not stack up”. Read more“It will involve greater disruption take almost two years longer to deliver and cost taxpayers billions more,” Pearson said The Transport Workers’ Union Victorian branch – which represents thousands of workers who have to commute to the airport each day – welcomed the recommendation for the above ground station and called on Melbourne Airport “to stop being obstructionists so works can urgently commence” Melbourne airport and the Victorian government have been at loggerheads over a rail link to the Tullamarine airport – a project first proposed in the 1960s – for years Despite the state and federal governments each committing $5bn to the rail line in 2020, they had been unable to reach an agreement with the airport’s private operators over its demand for the more expensive underground station In May, Victoria’s treasurer, Tim Pallas, threatened to consider instead building a train station at the Avalon airport The Victorian government had rejected a 2019 offer to invest $7bn in an underground airport station and express tracks from Sunshine But the government said that proposal would have been a “terrible deal” for Victorian commuters and taxpayers Melbourne is considered the most populous city in the developed world without a rail link to its main airport with travellers to the city of 5 million residents forced to rely on buses Melbourne Airport wants to turn disused land it owns on Melbourne’s fringe into a sprawling entertainment and shopping precinct with a golf driving range The airport hopes the 32-hectare site, to be called Elite Park, will become a major tourist drawcard and expand the growing list of commercial uses on airport land that are unrelated to aviation, including surf park Urbnsurf, AFL club Essendon’s training base and the Hanrob pet hotel a proposed $475 million development on Melbourne Airport land estimates it would cost $475 million and nine years to develop Elite Park which would support 2140 jobs in areas such as retail and hospitality once finished The project would require federal government approval as it would be on Commonwealth-owned land and involve the clearing of critically endangered grassland Work would begin next year if the proposal is approved and the first tenants would move in by the end of 2026 one year after the delayed Melbourne Airport rail line is currently scheduled to open APAM’s release of its major development plan for Elite Park comes two weeks after the Albanese government approved long-held plans for a third runway at Melbourne Airport the airport is preparing for further major expansion in coming decades including potentially building a fourth runway and a major freight terminal The Elite Park site occupies 32 hectares of undeveloped land between the Tullamarine Freeway and Airport Drive “Elite Park is designed to be a destination for work and leisure to strengthen Melbourne Airport as a transport gateway with a strong economic presence,” the plan says “The land is currently vacant and underutilised The site’s greenfield status and large site area means there are few impediments to development providing opportunity to attract large and/or unique anchor tenancies.” Topgolf is eyeing its first Melbourne location US-based golf driving-range chain Topgolf is expected to open its first Melbourne centre there The airport said it was encouraged by the runaway commercial success of Urbnsurf which drew 332,000 visitors in 2023 and was one of the state’s 10 most-visited attractions “Urbnsurf has demonstrated that Melbourne Airport can be an attractive destination for visitors and tourists in its own right,” it said The airport estimates the precinct would deliver $246 million a year in economic benefits Inland surf park Urbnsurf has pioneered the development of tourist drawcards at Melbourne Airport.Credit: Scott McNaughton chair of the Maribyrnong River and Waterways Association said the airport needed to be sure the development would not affect groundwater or lead to increased pollution and run-off into local creeks “I lament the loss of all open ground because all our creeks in the west are groundwater-dependent When we don’t get the base flow from groundwater Westmeadows resident Russell Nilsson lives near the airport and has campaigned against the development of a former landfill buffer zone that is opposite the proposed Elite Park site That campaign ended in defeat last year after Victorian Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny intervened and approved the development proposal Nilsson said Elite Park was a more appropriate location for development “I think a driving range would be suitable use for the area,” he said Melbourne Airport wants to turn disused land it owns on Melbourne\\u2019s fringe into a sprawling entertainment and shopping precinct with a golf driving range will become a major tourist drawcard and expand the growing list of commercial uses on airport land that are unrelated to aviation AFL club Essendon\\u2019s training base and the APAM\\u2019s release of its major development plan for Elite Park comes two weeks after the Albanese government approved long-held plans for a \\u201CElite Park is designed to be a destination for work and leisure to strengthen Melbourne Airport as a transport gateway with a strong economic presence,\\u201D the plan says \\u201CThe land is currently vacant and underutilised The site\\u2019s greenfield status and large site area means there are few impediments to development providing opportunity to attract large and/or unique anchor tenancies.\\u201D which drew 332,000 visitors in 2023 and was one of the state\\u2019s 10 most-visited attractions \\u201CUrbnsurf has demonstrated that Melbourne Airport can be an attractive destination for visitors and tourists in its own right,\\u201D it said \\u201CI lament the loss of all open ground because all our creeks in the west are groundwater-dependent When we don\\u2019t get the base flow from groundwater \\u201CI think a driving range would be suitable use for the area,\\u201D he said Hundreds of Uber and taxi vehicles idled outside Terminal 4 of Melbourne’s Tullamarine Airport on 20 September with a group of a few dozen striking Uber drivers at the rank exit waving down other drivers to recruit them to their strike A few of them tussle with airport security while others explain to other drivers the importance of the strike You wouldn’t know it based on the near-total media blackout they’ve been subject to but these workers have spent the last four weeks going head-to-head with the biggest rideshare company in the world Uber raked in US$1.1 billion in profits last year and according to a technology industry source quoted in the Australian Financial Review the Australian market is the “crown jewel” for the global gig economy company So how does this billion-dollar behemoth treat the drivers whose gruelling and often unsafe work is the source of all their wealth You get a sense of it by talking to Zahir (not his real name) who has been driving for Uber for nearly 10 years He told me that earlier this year drivers found out through an email from the company and reports in the media that Uber would be reducing fares for customers by up to 5 percent Uber says this is because demand has dropped as a result of the cost-of-living crisis but drivers at the picket claimed that the company’s real concern is with lowering the bar before it has to negotiate minimum standards for the industry as part of Labor’s 2023 Closing Loopholes Act All of this was done with zero consultation with the drivers who Zahir reports were kept in the dark on what the changes would mean for them Zahir reports that trips that used to earn him $50 dropped to around $35 Clearly more than the 5 percent Uber had knocked off the fare price Drivers already struggling with the high cost of living are now being crushed by 20-30 percent pay cuts Zahir describes it as “trying to strangulate us when we’re already hardly breathing” Zahir also said that the reduced or “grandfathered” cut that Uber takes from him and other experienced drivers with Uber now taking the same giant 27.5 percent cut from everyone “Uber is a multimillion-dollar company,” Zahir says Surely they can provide that discount [to passengers]—but not off the driver’s backs.” These changes build on Uber’s carefully designed and deeply unjust relationship with their workers Uber has operated on the premise that its “driver partners” are independent contractors This allows the company to dodge whatever limited protections workers are usually afforded by industrial relations laws is that “Uber provides drivers with nothing insurance and maintenance all have to come from the driver’s pocket.” When asked if Uber offers any cover for drivers in case of injury or otherwise Zahir told me that the company provides none “They have insurance to cover their own ass but that’s about it” he says The recent pay cuts have pushed drivers over the edge Their demands include weekend and holiday rates and that Uber reduce its commission from 27.5 percent to 15 percent The determination and solidarity among workers collectively fighting for their rights is always a sight to behold, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen a picket as inspiring as the one organised by these drivers. To say the odds are stacked against them is an understatement. Uber has a long track record, documented by The Guardian’s Uber files investigation of using its obscene wealth and political muscle to flaunt laws and punish opponents Airport management wants the striking drivers gone and regularly sends security to monitor and harass them The media have given them barely a mention The Labor government has kept silent about Uber’s dirty tactics despite the move undermining the small pay rises resulting from their Closing Loopholes Act The drivers are also fighting against the atomisation that results from Uber’s “driver partner” system Zahir explained how this is often reflected in drivers’ behaviour towards each other which he said can be competitive and even aggressive Staring down this mountain of obstacles at Tullamarine is maybe a few dozen drivers a box of samosas and custom shirts with messages like “drivers protest for better pay” One picks up a megaphone and gives a short and impassioned speech about their right to protest “But I am a member of the Transport Workers Union and we are requesting that other drivers join too.” The TWU is the largest union covering ride-share drivers but it has so far not supported the strike What the drivers lack in funds and institutional backing they make up for in determination and a strategy to expand their ranks The picket stops cars exiting the ride-share rank and two or three strikers explain to drivers why they should join them Another driver says that on their first strike day four weeks ago he noticed that among the drivers participating “unity has increased” This growing solidarity in a normally atomised industry is evident in my chat with Joseph The taxi drivers are traditionally hostile to the ride-share drivers whose lower fares deprive them of customers “Sometimes we wait 45 minutes to an hour just to pick up a rider The burgeoning unity and determination of the drivers is an example of how workers can overcome all sorts of divisions and challenges in their collective struggle for dignity on the job And it’s not just Uber that are getting away with punishing workers while raking in billions Big business has made record-breaking profits in the last few years while workers’ wages have lagged well behind inflation The fight that these Uber drivers are waging is one that we all have a stake in Come to the Terminal 2 ride-share rank at Melbourne Airport at 3pm on Thursday 26 September to show your solidarity.