Local stories, community first — Melbourne and beyond.
A unique land formation in central Victoria, the Pink Cliffs at Heathcote, is facing damage from tourists seeking the perfect photo opportunity on social media. Despite warnings, visitors are ignoring signs and barriers, prompting concerns about the site's fragile geology.
A 45-year-old man has gone on trial in the Victorian Supreme Court for allegedly murdering his friend with a machete in Melbourne's west. Christopher Reyes Gonzaga is accused of hacking Gregory Tan to death in an empty home in Deer Park in 2024.
Victoria Police has admitted that the care provided to a dying man in a suburban holding cell fell short of standards, and has apologized for the failures that led to his death. John Makai, 58, died from a brain injury after spending hours unconscious in a holding cell at Broadmeadows Police Station.
A 53-year-old man from Longwarry has been jailed for messaging teenage boys online and offering them money and vapes in exchange for child sex abuse material. Dean Jason Milley, who has a criminal history dating back to 1994, was sentenced on Commonwealth and Victorian charges in the Latrobe Valley County Court.
Essendon has poached former Sydney premiership coach John Longmire as their new general manager of performance. Longmire departs Sydney after 25 years to reunite with his former assistant, new Bombers coach Mark McVeigh.
Fremantle's AFLW team has secured a win over Adelaide, lifting them into the top eight. In other games, Collingwood broke through for its first win of the season against GWS, while the Swans defeated the Lions and Gold Coast beat St Kilda.
The Dockers' viral celebration, Wharfie Time, backfired in the AFL grand final, leaving the team and fans heartbroken. The unique tradition, which involves dimming the stadium lights and playing AC/DC's 'Hells Bells', was meant to energize the crowd and inspire the team to victory.
The government has promised to invest $80 million in a study to duplicate the Upfield Line, but will delay the removal of level crossings on the line by seven years. The project aims to improve the reliability of rail services to Melbourne's north, but has been criticized by the Coalition and the Greens.
Victoria's crime rate has dropped by 3.8 per cent in the past year, but the issue remains a critical concern for the government with a state election looming. The decline suggests that crime may be beginning to plateau, but whether Victorians feel safer is a separate question.
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