EMG News Monday 24th November 2025 | |
A word from our President
See below for a summary of a busy month, our emergency meeting about the Yarra Park Draft Master Plan, changes in the committee, and more.
Cheers for now Greg B | |
| |
Christmas at the Library Saturday 6th December from 1000 to 1400
We urgently need volunteers to setup / cook / serve / packup from 1400 phone Deb 0439 316 494 or email | |
East Melbourne Christmas PicnicSunday 14th December from 1200 to 1500 We are grateful to the new Archbishop and the Anglican Church for allowing us to use the gardens at Bishops Court.
Volunteers wanted EMG and EMNN are seeking volunteers to assist with the event to: set up/pack down; assist stallholder set up; sell raffle tickets; work on the 'welcome' table or the cake stall. A special call out to anyone who is willing to bake cakes/biscuits to sell on the day. If you can help out in any way, we'd love to hear from you. Please contact: Deborah or Ann-Maree to register your availability to volunteer or Jenny to register interest in cake baking. Deborah: deborah.browne@bigpond.com Mobile: 0439316494; Ann-Maree: emnn3002@gmail.com; Mobile: 0417173818. or Jenny: owenjenn@gmail.com Mobile: 0431 100 402 | |
Monday 22nd December 1800 to 2000 at Tipplers Booking details soon. | |
Invitation to attend the ‘Melbourne Police Service Area – Victoria Police 2025 Neighbourhood Policing Forum’. Talk with police about what is important in your community. Date: 04 December 2025 Time: 6:00p.m-9:00p.m (Doors Open 5:45p.m) Location: Melbourne Town Hall – 130 Swanston St Melbourne. Run by a Victoria Police panel involving members from Investigations and Response, Tasking and Coordination, Family Violence Investigation Unit, Highway Patrol, and Proactive Policing Units. Questions will be taken from the audience throughout the event. The forum will explore a range of topics including - Current crime trends and crime prevention
- Young people
- Family violence
- Road policing
- Drugs and drug related crime
Registration is a must Registration | |
| |
EMNN Lunch at Geppetto
Wednesday 12th November was the day for highly successful lunch at Geppetto’s. We booked for 16 and expanded to 28 attending. A big thank-you to Anne Graham for coordinating. 
| |
Emergency Community Meeting Draft Yarra Park Master Plan 2025
Big changes may be coming to Yarra Park. The park is crown land managed by the MCC (Melbourne Cricket Club). A new draft proposal has been circulated for comment by the MCC called the Yarra Park Strategic Master Plan 2025. It proposes a planning framework for projects within Yarra Park that is to affect the coming 10-15 years. An emergency meeting was conducted by the EMG at the library on Wednesday the 12th of November to explain the process and obtain the community’s feedback. There was a real buzz as Josephine Baillieu, Rupert Myer, Luke Martin and Jason Romney outlined the proposal and potential concerns.
A central one was that the proposal to “activate" the park for events (such as the Footy, Cricket and Marathon Festivals) and also at other times when the park is in "non-event” mode, ignored traditional users of Yarra Park such as the communities of Richmond and East Melbourne.
The EMG is following up on Key messages coming out of the discussion such as: - the impact on the park of potentially larger scale and more frequent major events (whereas Yarra Park should really remain first and foremost a park);
- moves to switch grassland to another, non-grass “surface treatment” as more of paddocks (such as 17 and 20) are used for purposes such as special needs parking;
- underuse of alternative venues such as the Tennis Centre, Birrarung Mar or space underneath the MCG, that could take pressure off Yarra Park;
- moves to relax the need for permits that help protect the park;
- new permanent underground power into the paddocks that could enable big Moomba-style amusement rides;
- lack of prompt and sufficiently comprehensive rubbish collection;
- and lack of sufficient event traffic management (such as blocking off Jolimont Terrace).
| |
| |
Tristan has stepped down from his role as treasurer of the EMG.
We have been fortunate to have the services of such a professional and diligent treasurer who has provided outstanding work for the EMG.
In addition to the important day to day work of a treasurer, Tristan implemented improvements to our financial operations: a move to the Bendigo Community Bank, Xero accounting software, and the Square for electronic payments. All done with a quiet, and may I say, youthful, efficiency.
Tristan and his family - Zoe and Pippa -remain community members of the EMG.
Tristan, a most sincere thanks for all you have done. | |
Jason's family have been long time EMG members and residents of Hotham Street. We welcome Jason Romney to the EMG Committee. | |
Heritage and Planning
The 7 days hearing before 2 VCAT Members concluded on 15th October. We still await a decision.
VCAT Compulsory Conference - 86-94 Jolimont St. The EMG and local residents attended the VCAT compulsory conference (mediation) on Monday 17th November over the application by Nuvolink for a roof top function centre operating 7 days per week until 1am for 200 people.
Members will be aware that the Police Association at 70 Jolimont St. were successful in their recent application for their rooftop function centre.
EMG put a proposal to the applicants solicitor for an 11pm finish time indoors, 10pm outdoors and a limit of 100 people.
This was rejected by the applicant.
A 5 day hearing to determine the matter is now scheduled for end of January.
For further information please contact Greg Bisinella - president@emg.org.au | |
East Melbourne Heritage Review
The East Melbourne Heritage Review and proposed Planning Scheme Amendments C484 and C485 moves to the next step following the Future Melbourne Committee Meeting. You can access the meeting notes and watch a recording of the 11 November meeting. The next step is the Minister for Planning considers the request from the City of Melbourne to apply interim heritage controls through Amendment C484 and to authorise the City of Melbourne to pursue permanent heritage controls through Amendment C485. After authorisation, you’ll be able to have your say on the review during the public exhibition period. The review is part of the City of Melbourne’s commitment to identifying and protecting the city’s heritage. See what we heard on the postcard wall and memory map. | |
Melbourne Heritage Restoration Fund
This unique program aims to support landowners or occupiers who wish to restore their heritage properties. More details here | |
| |
| |
