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Regional Victorian house prices rise
Regional Victorian house prices rose over the year as Melbourne declined, with affordability and investor demand supporting several smaller markets.
Victoria signs school funding deal
Victoria and the Commonwealth have signed a long-term school funding deal. Principals and the education union welcome certainty but warn about the wait.
NAB to cut 2,500 jobs
NAB plans to cut up to 2,500 roles, with up to 1,500 going before the end of 2026, as the bank reduces corporate functions and spending on external contractors.
Victorian pools restrict smart glasses
Councils are restricting camera-equipped glasses at pools and recreation centres, while disability advocates call for access needs to be protected.
Victorian Labor pledges $30 weekly public transport cap
Labor promises a two-year weekly fare cap if re-elected, with a lower concession limit. Transport users welcome savings as business raises funding concerns.
Victoria funds 20 extra children’s emergency treatment spaces
A $66 million staffing commitment will support expanded emergency care from December, with more nurses and a new procedure room for minor treatments.
Victoria lifts bird flu housing order for poultry
Poultry confinement rules end across Melbourne and southern Victoria, but owners are urged to keep protecting flocks from wild birds as H5 bird flu persists.
Victorian Coalition matches free abortion pledge
Both major parties promise to cover abortion care costs if elected, while Labor also proposes changes to the medical abortion window and regional access.
Bass Coast short-stay owners oppose registration fee increase
Holiday home owners want Bass Coast council to rethink higher registration fees, while the council says the charges cover the local costs of short-stay rentals.
Phillip Island seeks post-MotoGP tourism support
Businesses and tourism leaders want support for year-round visitation as Phillip Island prepares for its final MotoGP and a broader economic transition.
Victorian brolgas face genetic risk as wetlands shrink
Researchers identify a distinct Victorian brolga population vulnerable to losing genetic diversity, while wetland restoration offers signs of recovery.
South Melbourne beats Melbourne Victory to win Australia Cup
South Melbourne wins its first Australia Cup after a late equaliser and a penalty shootout, becoming the first NPL club to lift the trophy.
Melbourne artist Fiona O’Byrne wins Lester Prize
Fiona O’Byrne wins the $50,000 portraiture award for Luci, now, a painting of her daughter. Judges praise its tenderness and naturalness.
Gippsland aftershocks prompt earthquake preparedness drills
Aftershocks in Gippsland have renewed earthquake safety advice. Schools, workplaces and community groups are urged to practise ahead of the 15 October ShakeOut.
Melton council explores partnership for two new train stations
Melton council will explore partnerships for Thornhill Park and Mount Atkinson stations. The talks do not commit funding or guarantee either project will proceed.
Victorian Greens propose public supermarkets to cut grocery bills
The Greens propose a $350 million trial of 10 public supermarkets across Victoria, promising cheaper essentials. Economists warn of implementation challenges.
Melbourne named world’s friendliest city in readers’ poll
Melbourne leads Condé Nast Traveller’s reader-voted rankings with a score of 98.52, ahead of Porto and Seoul. Perth also makes the top ten.
Commuters call for better buses in Melbourne’s growing west
Commuters want better bus connections as parking fills in Melbourne’s west. Official timetables set out the services already running to the new station.
Twelve Apostles bookings open ahead of visitor centre launch
Visitors must book ahead from 16 October as the new centre opens. Entry remains free until April 2027, according to the ABC.
Victorian Coalition pledges new youth mental health services
The Coalition pledged Parkville facility planning and a workforce fund if elected. Psychiatrists welcomed its focus but warned against restarting reform.
Matt Jefferies Entertainment: The Lilydale Husband-and-Wife Duo Behind Melbourne's Mirror Booths, 360 Videos and Dry-Ice First Dances
Based in Lilydale and working from the Yarra Valley to the MCG, Matt and his wife Keiz pair DJ sets with mirror and 360 booths, a GlamBot and 'dancing on a cloud' dry ice for weddings and brands including L'Oréal and Coles — a Victorian ABIA finalist every year since 2019, by their own count.
From Vows to Vibes: Celebrations by Sheereen Packages Celebrant, MC and Dance Floor Into One Melbourne Wedding Booking
An authorised marriage celebrant and MC with a 5.0 rating across 40 ABIA reviews, Sheereen's top package adds a DJ, a five-hour open-air photo booth, four sparkulars, low-lying fog and an audio guestbook — so the couple, in her words, just has to enjoy the day.
Melbourne Airport opens new pick-up and drop-off zones
Drivers now use Naarm Way to reach the new passenger zones for Terminals 1, 2 and 3, with extra staff and mobility assistance available.
Melbourne Auction Volumes Fall 45.6 Per Cent as National Clearance Rate Hits Three-Month Low
Melbourne held 670 auctions last week, down 45.6 per cent on a year ago, as the national preliminary clearance rate fell to 48.2 per cent, a three-month low.
Liberals Pledge to Halve Victoria's Surgery Waitlist as Labor Walks Back Its Own Land Tax Changes
The Coalition would fund 25,000 extra private-hospital surgeries a year by winding up Breakthrough Victoria — while the Carroll government scraps the land tax change that pulled in 250,000 more Victorians, paid for partly by delaying level crossing removals.
Mortgage Stress Victoria Pauses New Clients as Demand Doubles and Rates Sit at a 15-Year High
The free service says more than half its clients are employed — and Narre Warren, Cranbourne, Roxburgh Park, Pakenham and Ballarat have Victoria's highest counts of households with more going out than coming in.
From 1983 Deer Farm to Award-Winning Eco-Retreat: Yarra Valley Estate's 120 Acres at Dixons Creek
The family-run venue about an hour from Melbourne pairs 48 ensuite rooms and eight event spaces with a 300-plant Edible Forest that feeds its kitchens — plus two Premier's Sustainability Awards and certified carbon-neutral status.
Labor Pledges $80 Million Upfield Line Study as Level Crossing Removals Slip to 2033
The Carroll government says the northern-suburbs line will be duplicated by 2033 if it is re-elected — but the premier stopped short of guaranteeing funding, and eight level crossing removals are pushed back seven years.
Victoria Is Considering 'Emergency Extractions' of Its Rarest Birds as H5 Spreads Into Breeding Season
Nearly 100 species are on the at-risk list — black swans among them, and a brolga population of about 1,000 — as the state weighs pulling wild birds into captivity alongside the parrots and honeyeaters already held.
Pubs Open Till 3am, Dogs Allowed Inside: Labor's Pitch to Victoria's Drinkers
Under the pledge, venues get an automatic right to trade past 1am, liquor licence waits drop from 11 weeks to six, and publicans — not the Food Act — decide whether your dog comes in.