The Melbourne Snap⚡- Tuesday 8 July
Erin Patterson found guilty, superstar singer returning to Melbourne, popular bakery gets second location and Fitzroy Street's $100m + transformation project.
G’day and welcome back to The Melbourne Snap. Have things been a little too crimey lately? There have been three massive stories one after the other: childcare abuse scandal, the synagogue firebombing and now the conclusion of the Erin Patterson verdict. Some readers always read the crime section, some always skip it. That’s fine - the newsletter is designed so you can read it how you like.
The Melbourne Snap aims to make local news clearer and more accessible. It’s built on trusted reporting, fact-checked when needed, and I try my hardest to keep it free of spin or partisanship (very tricky in this polarised world!). If there’s something you’d like to see done differently, let me know.
🍄Although outside of Greater Melbourne’s limits, today’s first story from regional Victoria has captured international attention. Erin Patterson was found guilty on all charges in the mushroom murder trial.
➡️ Patterson had denied murdering three relatives and attempting to kill a fourth by serving death cap mushroom-laced beef Wellingtons at a July 2023 lunch in Leongatha.
➡️ Incredibly, Patterson has now been accused of plotting to poison six fellow inmates at Dame Phyllis Frost Centre, according to a prison report cited by Outlaw Media and Herald Sun. - Outlaw Media
➡️ There is still a possibility that she could appeal the court decision.
🌦️ Tuesday weather
🎤 Scottish singer Lewis Capaldi returns to Melbourne for one night only at Rod Laver Arena on Friday 12 December, marking his first Australian shows in five years. - Lewis Capaldi (Instagram)
🧑🏫 Victoria is moving to close a loophole allowing WA-trained teachers with only one year of study to work in local classrooms. - Grant McArthur, Kieran Rooney, The Age
🎮 Expressions of interest are now open for Melbourne International Games Week 2025 (4–12 Oct), a major celebration of games, tech and creativity. - Vic Gov
🥐 Popular Carlton North bakery Calle has opened a second location in Northcote, bringing its viral croissant wheels, new gooey cinnamon scrolls and European-style sandwiches to 229 High Street - callebakery (Instagram)
🎶 Bar Selecta, a 10-seat Japanese-inspired listening bar, has now opened on Glenferrie Road, Hawthorn. - barselecta.au
🏗️ Fitzroy Street, St Kilda is set for a $100m+ transformation, with four major developments reshaping the St Kilda strip from Grey Street to the Esplanade over the next 18 months. - TWiSK
🏴 The Melbourne Tartan Festival runs until 28 July, celebrating Scottish music, dance and culture with events across the city. - Melbourne Tartan Festival
📚 Preston Library now offers extended hours from 1 July, letting members use the space without staff from 8pm–10pm weekdays, 4pm–10pm Saturdays, 5pm–10pm Sundays. - Darebin Council
🚗 Wildlife advocates are calling for urgent safety upgrades on Wellington Road in Rowville, south-east Melbourne, citing daily animal deaths and risks to motorists. - Vets For Compassion (Facebook)
📌 Community Noticeboard
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📌 “The Finders Keepers Design Market returns to the Royal Exhibition Building, Carlton from Friday 11 to Sunday 13 July, featuring over 270 stallholders, food, drinks, live music and artisan wares.” - More details
Crime Watch
This section is dedicated to crime news. Scroll on to the final section if you’d rather skip it.
🕍 Premier Jacinta Allan visited East Melbourne’s Albert Street synagogue after Friday night’s alleged arson attack, vowing support for the Jewish community and proposing an anti-hate task force. - Vic Gov
➡️A group behind the No Police at Protests movement claimed responsibility for targeting Melbourne’s Minzon restaurant, citing its links to an Israeli businessman.
➡️ Victoria’s police chief has ordered a review into the response to Friday’s Miznon restaurant attack after officers were told not to engage with protesters. - Chip Le Grand, Rachel Eddie, The Age
➡️ Meanwhile, The Jewish Council of Australia has warned against the Australian government “weaponising an act of antisemitism to stifle legitimate protest.” - Jewish Counci (Instagram)
➡️ None of the three incidents at the weekend (the third was vandalisation of a Greensborough business) have been linked.
Two of you got in touch about the above incidents which I also reported yesterday’s Snap. Feedback is always appreciated. I’ll always try my best to report these stories as neutrally as I can.
📚 🚔 A 43-year-old man has been charged with 30 offences after police uncovered a secret stash of drugs and weapons behind a false bookshelf in his Prahran home - Victoria Police
🎸 Melbourne music legend Joe Camilleri says he’s “depressed” after returning home to find nine of his guitars stolen from his Kyneton home. - ABC Melbourne
🏍️ A 21-year-old Berwick man has been charged after allegedly hitting 200km/h while fleeing police through Melbourne’s southeast. - Victoria Police
And finally…
🍼 Victoria’s most “underrated” natural gem has been named. Thunder Point Coastal Reserve near Warrnambool topped a new list of the state’s best-kept secret road trip spots, beating out Woolshed Falls and Hanging Rock. - Melissa Woodley, Time Out
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