The Melbourne Snap⚡- Wednesday 22 January
Debate around how Melbourne should mark Australia Day, father found dead in playground, the least livable property to rent in the city and free cooking classes with MasterChef champ.
G’day and welcome back to The Melbourne Snap. If you’re new here this newsletter aims to get you up-to-speed on what’s happening in the city in one minute(ish). No pop-up ads, no paywalls, no noise. Just news. I hope you enjoy it. Now on to Wednesday’s edition.
🇦🇺 Debate about what Melbourne should do for Australia Day is in full flow with Indigenous groups calling for a day of protest and others vociferously defending the day.
➡️The First People’s Assembly of Victoria joined with several other community groups for a media event encouraging the public not to celebrate 26 January and to sign the Not A Date To Celebrate petition to the Prime Minister. - First Peoples' Assembly of Victoria
➡️Former tennis player and Victorian deputy Liberal Party leader Sam Groth has called for Tennis Australia to conduct a "full Australia Day ceremony" at Melbourne Park on January 26, which coincides with the Australian Open men's final. - Eleanor Wilson, Nine News
➡️Melbourne's Australia Day Parade, which ran until former premier Dan Andrews cancelled it during the Covid period, is not slated to return in 2025. There is still a program of events planned, which includes food and music at Fed Square, and can be viewed here.
🌦️Wednesday weather
Crime Watch
This section is dedicated to crime news. Scroll on if you want to skip to lighter news.
⚫ A father-of-two whose body was found at a playground in Melbourne’s far south-west has been identified as Indian migrant Anmoral Bajwa. The 36-year-old was found dead in a park near Elementary Rd, Mambourin about 7:30am on Tuesday. It is believed Mr Bajwa met with an associate, who he had previously helped out financially, at the park on Monday night. - Molly Magennis, 7 News
➡️ Last night a fundraiser was set up for Mr Bajwa’s family: his wife and two daughters aged six and three. - You can visit the GoFundMe page here
👊Cops are investigating the brawl and assault at a local swimming pool in Narre Warren on Sunday which left a 19-year-old lifeguard with several injuries. The group of up to eight offenders fled the scene and were last spotted heading along Overland Drive toward Fountain Gate Shopping Centre in the south easter-suburb. - Victoria Police
🏛️Dozens of protesters accused of violent clashes with police outside a controversial weapons exhibition have vowed to fight their charges. Twenty-nine people faced Melbourne Magistrates Court yesterday charged over three days of protests at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre in September 2024. Tara Coselto, AAP
🚧A person has died in a crash in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs. A vehicle crashed into a tree on Clegg Road, Mount Evelyn around 3:50am yesterday. - Victoria Police
⚠️At the time of writing Hallam Road was closed northbound just after Ormond Road, Hampton Park, due to a collision at Kooyong Close. Drivers are urged to consider the South Gippsland Highway or Cranbourne Road this morning. - VicTraffic
❓ If you have a community event, news, announcement or new business you want to share, please fill in this form here. If it’s suitable it’ll go in the noticeboard section.
🏚️This ramshackle home, which was listed yesterday, could be in the running for the least liveable property to rent in Melbourne right now. The property on Dwight Street, Collingwood is on the market for $270 a week. The inner-city three-bedroom house is to be used for storage purposes only the ad says. - realestate.com.au
✈️Melbourne Airport, experiencing record-breaking passenger numbers, is set to expand its international terminal in a $50 million project. Upgrades include larger check-in and baggage areas, new airline lounges, retail outlets, and additional gates, with construction planned to start in mid-2025. - Jake Nelson, Australian Aviation
➡️Let’s hope that improves services for arrivals. This week a giant discussion on Reddit was launched titled: “Arriving internationally at Melbourne Airport has to be one of the worst experiences you can have here.” The post received over 3,000 upvotes, which is usually a sign of agreement - Reddit
👨🍳MasterChef champion Diana Chan is offering a free cooking class to celebrate Lunar New Year. The February 4 masterclass kicks off at 6:30pm in Balwyn, north-east Melbourne, and is free for those who register. - More details here
🐈A young kitten was reportedly stuck in a stormwater drain pipe in St Albans yesterday. Locals reported finding the little creature in a drain in front of Padley Park, outside 68 Vincent Avenue in the north-western suburb. It’s claimed firefighters attended but after many attempts, the kitten is still stuck inside.
➡️Residents played cat noises to try to soothe the animal but an appeal to the wider community on Facebook went out last night. - Brimbank Community
🐖Protesters left bodies of piglets on the steps of the Victorian state government offices yesterday in a bid to draw attention to pig welfare. - Aisling Brennan, news.com.au
➡️Over the weekend dozens of activists visited 20 Victorian piggeries, documented conditions and collected the bodies of dead piglets who had lost their lives at each facility. - Farm Transparency Project [Note: The linked video contains distressing footage]
🎧The Warehouse Project, a legendary fixture of the Manchester rave scene, is set to return to Australia in 2025 with events in Melbourne on April 25, following its successful debut Down Under in 2024. - Warehouse Project/Instagram
🏛️Melbourne Museum's late-night Nocturnal series returns monthly on Thursdays, featuring exhibitions, music, food, drinks, and themed activities, with upcoming events on February 13, March 6, and April 10. - Nicole de Souza, Secret Melbourne
🗣️Melbourne will host the Women Deliver Conference 2026, one of the world's largest gender equality events, bringing over 6,500 advocates and leaders from 170 countries to Australia for the first time. - Vic Gov
👶🏻Victoria's newborn bloodspot screening program will now test for galactosaemia, a rare genetic disorder, bringing the total conditions screened to 32. The state government announced yesterday the plan aims to ensure early diagnosis and treatment for better health outcomes. - Vic Gov
🌲Volunteers caring for the historic Ngargee Tree near St Kilda Junction have been told by Parks Victoria to avoid the site due to safety concerns caused by a rough sleeping encampment. - This Week In St Kilda
📢Community Noticeboard📢
📌”CHARITY SOCCER MATCH! Join us for an exciting local football showdown for a great cause! Date: Saturday, February 8th. Doors Open: 6 PM. Kick-off: 7 PM Location: IYU Reserve, 35 Henry Road, Pakenham. Pakenham United Coaches VS Pakenham United Referees. All proceeds supporting Have A Little Hope.” - More Details
Get your news, event, gathering, new business or community update here. Fill in this form.
🦘And finally…A young kangaroo in Rosebud, Mornington Peninsula, was safely rescued by charity Vets For Compassion and Wildlife Victoria after seeking refuge in a backyard following a dog attack. The distressed roo was tranquilised, patched up and released back into the bush, happy and healthy. - Vets For Compassion
Thank you for reading edition 46 of The Melbourne Snap. If you missed yesterday’s edition you can read it again here. This newsletter is 100% independent and free for all. It’s written in the early hours every weekday morning after I finish my day job (which is actually a night job). If you enjoy it please spread the word. Thank you, see you tomorrow.