Emerald and surrounding Hills communities came together on Tuesday 29 April for a pivotal meeting aimed at reviving and expanding Neighbourhood Watch in the area.
About 50 people filled the Hills Hub for the community meeting, with one shared goal – making their neighbourhoods safer. The push comes amid growing concerns about thefts, break-ins, and feeling secure at home.
Emerald News publisher and president of the Emerald Village Association (EVA), Peter Maloney has been helping drive the revival.
“I’ve been ram-raided myself, at the business I worked at and I’ve seen the impact these incidents have,” Mr Maloney said.
“Even if it’s not as full-on as what’s happening down in places like Pakenham, there’s still enough going on here to make people stop and say, ‘Hang on, this isn’t right.’”
Originally focused on just the ‘Corridor’ towns – Emerald, Cockatoo and Gembrook – the group quickly decided to widen its scope after hearing from locals from Menzies Creek and Upper Beaconsfield.
“People at the meeting from those areas asked, ‘Why can’t we be part of it too?’” Mr Maloney said.
“And we thought – fair enough! We’re all part of the same community, really.”
Neighbourhood Watch Victoria joined the meeting online, and the energy in the room was electric.
“It was amazing,” Mr Maloney said.
“We had police there, community groups, individual residents, everyone just rolling up their sleeves and having a proper go at figuring out how we can make a difference.”
A strong committee is already forming, with around 15 core members on board, plus backing from local police, councillors, and other community reps.
“The support has been fantastic. Now we’re getting into the nitty-gritty – setting things up formally, planning events, applying for grants if we need to. The big thing is just keeping the momentum going,” he said.
The next key step is an official online meeting with Neighbourhood Watch Victoria, scheduled for Tuesday, 13 May, at 6.30pm at the Hills Hub. That session will help finalise the group’s setup and give them access to support and resources from the state body.
For Mr Maloney, it’s not just about preventing crime – it’s about bringing people together.
“At the end of the day, it’s about looking out for each other,” he said.
“Things like locking your car, getting to know your neighbours, reporting things properly, it’s all simple stuff, but it makes a big difference.”
He also hopes the group can run events where people learn practical tips, like how to secure their car wheels or keep their bikes safe.
“We’ll start with small things like that, and just build from there,” he said.
“We’ve got a great team, and now we want the rest of the community to come on board.”
The Emerald News has thrown its full support behind the project, even running a QR code on the front page of its latest edition so people can join in with just a quick scan.
“We want as many people as possible across the Hills to join in,” he said.
“Once you’re in, you’re part of it. This is something the whole community can own.”
And in a time when negative news dominates the headlines, Mr Maloney believes Neighbourhood Watch can be a much-needed positive force.
“You look at what’s happening in some parts of Melbourne and think, we don’t want that here. And with Neighbourhood Watch, we don’t have to just sit around worrying – we can actually do something about it,” he said.
