By Shamsiya Hussainpoor
The Monbulk and District Community Working Group (MADCOW) has been a pillar of support in ensuring the safety and sustainability of Monbulk.
The not-for-profit organisation, has been dedicated in promoting community development through events, projects, and practical activities – among the many initiatives they’ve championed is the town’s CCTV camera system, which plays a crucial role in keeping Monbulk safe.
As part of Star Mail’s ‘Capturing the Yarra Ranges’ investigation, reporters have discovered that Monbulk is one of the towns leading the way with a functional CCTV system.
The CCTV cameras in Monbulk were initially set up by the now-defunct Monbulk Business Network (MBN), which successfully lobbied for federal funding and secured contributions from local traders.
These funds were used not only to install the cameras but also to maintain and repair them for the first five years. However, when the business network folded, the responsibility of managing the CCTV maintenance fell to MADCOW, which continues to oversee the upkeep of the system.
MADCOW Co-President, Aimee te Boekhorst said since the traders folded, the funds are now managed by MADCOW to support the CCTV maintenance in Monbulk.
“These funds are used for the maintenance and fixing of any damaged cameras. The Monbulk township funds all management and upkeep of the cameras, and our traders have been an incredible support in funding to ensure that we have cameras for the safety of our community,” she said.
According to Ms te Boekhorst, all cameras in Monbulk’s Main Street are currently functional and have proven to be a valuable asset, both for the community and the local police.
She said that privacy is a top priority, with cameras only capturing footage of public spaces and feeding back to the Monbulk Police Station for safety purposes.
Mooroolbark Police, Sergeant Cal Cunningham praised Monbulk for its efforts in maintaining the CCTV system but acknowledged the challenges faced by other communities in keeping up with maintenance costs.
“While township and trader groups have done their best to keep the systems up-to-date on behalf of the community, it has been a big ask of them,” Sgt Cunningham said.
He pointed out that while communities like Monbulk have managed to contribute to the fund, others, such as Mooroolbark, struggle with funding.
“Some of these other township groups, like the Mooroolbark traders group, just don’t have the money and aren’t able to generate enough to afford maintenance on the level that’s required,” he said.
The burden of maintaining the CCTV system has been a challenge for smaller groups with limited resources, but Monbulk’s collective effort to ensure the cameras remain in good working condition continues to be an example of community resilience.
Despite the financial struggles, the importance of the CCTV system in enhancing public safety remains undeniable.
