Australia Post keen to move back into Croydon North store after alleged arson attack

Maroondah Council has not given the okay for any work to be carried out in repairing or rebuilding after fire tore through three businesses late last year.

Author

Matthew Sims
June 23, 2025

Croydon North residents are eagerly waiting on updates on the future of the corner of Exeter Road, after an arson attack damaged three separate businesses late last year.

At about 2am on December 31 last year, Rocco’s Burger Cafe was the target of an alleged arson attack, with the Croydon North Licensed Post Office next door and the Day Six beauty salon above also severely damaged.

Post office remains closed

After the closure of the Croydon North location, customers have had to move their services and custom to the Croydon Hills LPO, Chirnside Park LPO and Croydon Post Shop within a three-kilometre radius.

An Australia Post spokesperson said the Croydon North licensee was waiting for an update on when it would be safe to move back in and fix the damage.

“Australia Post thanks the community for their understanding while the Croydon North Post Office remains temporarily closed, following a significant fire in December last year,” the spokesperson said.

“Our licensee is a tenant in the impacted building, and his current plans are to re-open the post office at these premises as soon as it is safe to do so.”

The fire did not come at a helpful time for the eastern suburbs. At least 14 post office branches have closed across Victoria since 2023, including Burwood, Mitcham, Westfield Knox and Box Hill.

Australia Post closed its Box Hill Central location in May 2023, leaving the area without a post office for the first time since 1861.

The closure of the Mitcham location followed in August of 2023, closing its doors almost 140 years after Mitcham’s first post office opened in June 1884 and the heritage-protected building was built in 1924.

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People charged after fire

In February, police charged a 20-year-old man from Taylors Lakes with criminal damage by fire, theft of a car and burglary.

He will appear at Melbourne Magistrates Court on Tuesday July 15.

Police also charged a 16-year-old boy from the Melton area with criminal damage by fire, theft of a car and burglary, with the boy set to face a Children’s Court at a later date.

Police also interviewed a 17-year-old from the Melton area and a 18-year-old from Bacchus Marsh, but released them pending further enquiries.

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Salon team moving to new space

The team behind Day Six Aesthetics was devastated to see the damage sustained from the fire, with most of the damage being smoke damage from the floor below.

In footage shared to their Instagram page, you can see floors blackened from smoke and their windows shattered open.

The team has since turned the negative news into a positive, with makeup artist Shelby Engel and her team renovating a space at 3/30-32 McAdam Square in Croydon Hills.

No action on rebuild

The landlord who owns the building which housed Rocco’s and Day Six, Vinit Abbott, told the Eastern Melburnian there had been no action since Maroondah Council sent in their inspection team.

“Everything is in a bit of a state of nothing much happening,” he said.