By Mikayla van Loon
More than a decade ago, the first of a network of CCTV cameras were promised to keep the community safe and deter crime in the Yarra Ranges.
The funding, brought to the table as an election promise by former Casey MP Tony Smith across three election periods, helped townships install and connect cameras from Healesville to Belgrave.
Initially overseen by the Yarra Valley’s community safety group, Centre Safe Committee Incorporated, it shifted to the Yarra Ranges Safety Camera Network as the project expanded.
Yarra Ranges Crime Prevention Officer Leading Senior Constable Luke Egginton said the Network is a not-for-profit group, with a committee member appointed to represent each site.
“The committee comprises a representative from each of the project sites,” he said.
“The network committee is responsible for insurance and maintenance of each site. At each site buildings are identified for installation of cameras and associated equipment.”
Since the final funding was received in 2019, the Star Mail has heard stories from township groups, police and community advocates of what has now become a dilapidated, disconnected and in many cases, unusable system or not in the areas now being targeted by offenders.
As the Star Mail embarks on this campaign to understand the role of CCTV in the Yarra Ranges, the current state of these cameras and moving to get these back in action, the appropriate starting point seems to be where it all began.
In the lead up to a change over of government in 2013, Mr Smith pledged that a Tony Abbott-Coalition government would fund the installation of security cameras in both Yarra Junction and Healesville.
A $50,000 grant ended up providing seven CCTV cameras for Yarra Junction, which were installed in September 2015 and set the tone for the next six years.
At the time, the high definition fixed cameras in Yarra Junction had a 24-hour live feed to the police station with a minimum of 30-day recorded storage.
The push for cameras in Yarra Junction came after one cafe was broken into five times in a row in a short period of time and Hair Impressions salon was also the target of a break-in.
Former Crime Prevention Officer Leading Senior Constable Linda Hancock told the Mail at the time that the cameras would improve the crime prevention capabilities of the local police force.
“These cameras will help us build a wider evidence base and streamline police processes,” she said.
The funding secured also allowed for a $100,000 network of cameras in Healesville, and $100,000 for upgrading and extending Lilydale’s existing camera network.
The Lilydale CCTV system was one of the first in the Yarra Ranges, and the outdated cameras were in desperate need of improvement.
“We saw a 70 per cent reduction in crime at Lilydale station after we first installed the cameras there,” LSC Hancock said.
By the time the 2016 election rolled around, the CCTV network expansion was front and centre.
On 13 June 2016, Mr Smith pledged $420,000 in funding for new security cameras in Yarra Glen, Woori Yallock, Mount Evelyn, Monbulk and Mooroolbark, to be delivered if the Coalition was re-elected in July.
Delivered through the Coalition’s Safer Communities Fund, maintenance was to be paid for by community groups, whether a township action group or traders group.
In places like Woori Yallock, the cameras were to be maintained by the dissolved Woori Yallock Township Action Group (WYTAG), who welcomed the investment in keeping the town safe.
“The fact that we have a relatively low crime rate isn’t something we should take for granted – it’s something we’ve got to keep working on and try to keep it at that,” WYTAG member Rick Shaw said in 2016.
Places like Woori Yallock, being a connector to Pakenham and the south east and to the northern parts of the state, were not included in the program for its high crime rates but instead to remain steady in low crime.
“These are major intersections, connecting other large townships that have cameras, and this forms part of that wider network we’re trying to achieve,” LSC Hancock said.
“It’s not a crime hotspot – yes, crime happens, but it’s a sense of community feeling of safety.
“We’ve actually got no investigative tools – it’s a long process at the moment with no cameras.”
Over in Yarra Glen, the pledge of $90,000 to install a network of cameras, which would feed into both Lilydale and Yarra Glen’s police stations, was to be managed by the Yarra Glen Chamber of Commerce.
Then chamber president Alex Lagerwey said the cameras would help police investigate crimes, like the theft of dozens of shrubs from the town centre upgrades in Bell Street.
“It’s a fantastic additional tool to aid crime deterrence and detection, not just for tourists, but all visitors and residents of the town, as well,” Mr Lagerwey said.
The town was also the scene of larger crimes, with an ATM stolen from the United Petroleum service station and, on another occasion, bakery staff robbed at gunpoint.
The remaining funding allocated Mooroolbark $135,000; Monbulk $75,000; and Mount Evelyn $75,000.
“It is about keeping our community strong and safe and ensuring business confidence,” Monbulk Business Network’s John Coleman said in 2016.
“We are always interested in attracting new businesses to our town and that means keeping our town really safe.”
Once re-elected, Mr Smith told the Mail the cameras already installed had brought great feedback from the community.
“I’ve had many conversations with local residents and the business community about the need for CCTVs to combat crime in their communities,” he said.
“Whether it is theft, graffiti, assault or other serious matters, this will help police to bring offenders to justice.
“The network in Lilydale, Yarra Junction and Healesville has proven to be effective in combating and deterring crime.”
The cameras in Monbulk and Belgrave were installed in September and October of 2018.
Come the 2019 election, Mr Smith committed more than $6.3 million to his electorate during the election campaign.
Included in this was further funding for the CCTV network, with $92,174 for security cameras in Seville; $125,000 to finish the Warburton CCTV project; $74,721 for cameras in Millgrove; $113,532 for Montrose; and $125,000 to extend the Monbulk CCTV security camera network to provide greater coverage of the Monbulk Recreation Reserve.
