šŸŸ  Meet Box Hill's oldest resident

Also including: March's events, live music and kid-friendly attractions

Author

Matthew Sims
March 04, 2026

ā±ļø The 116th edition of our newsletter is a seven-minute read.

Hi there šŸ‘‹ 

Matthew Sims here, your reporter at the Eastern Melburnian.

šŸ˜“ After two weeks of leave seeing family in Dubai, Iā€™m back ā€” refreshed and ready to continue reporting on the issues which matter most to you ā€” our readers.

šŸ‡®šŸ‡· The shocking images and reports coming out of the Middle East hit even closer to home ā€” considering I was in the region less than 24 hours before the attacks started. If you have any loved ones near the conflict, I hope they stay safe and, like everyone, I hope a peaceful resolution can be found soon.

šŸ“ŗ While I was away, the Eastern Melburnian kept chugging away, with highlights including a chat with Box Hillā€™s oldest resident, our coverage of Box Hillā€™s Chinese New Year celebrations and the history of Mount Dandenong's TV towers.

In recent news: As part of a review to find $4 billion in government savings, the State Government is currently debating a new bill which would make changes to the Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission. This commission oversees feedback and complaints to the stateā€™s mental health services.

šŸ˜” The move has attracted significant pushback from a group of key Victorian mental health organisations. Theyā€™ve sent a joint letter requesting the government scrap the changes.

šŸ“ž I spoke with Mental Health Foundation Australia chief executive Vasan Srinivasan, who told me the organisation was struggling to continue to run its South Yarra psychology hub, which supports more than 2,000 people per year with sessions at $30 for 50 minutes.

Elsewhere:

šŸ”„ After the widespread power outage hit Melbourneā€™s east in January, Iā€™ve been wanting to look further into how the network copes with periods of high demand ā€” and how locals are buying up more batteries to have a backup power source.

šŸ” If youā€™re a homeowner within the broader eastern suburbs of Melbourne who has recently bought a battery for your home or has experienced more prevalent power outages lately, Iā€™m keen to speak with you.

šŸ’Œ Please reach out to me by simply replying to this email or contacting me via [email protected]

Finally:

Check out our ultimate lists of events, live gigs and kid-friendly attractions across Melbourneā€™s eastern suburbs for March.

Today weā€™re covering:

  • More than a dozen mental health support organisations have opposed the State Governmentā€™s proposed changes to the Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission; and

  • Consultation now open on the State Governmentā€™s proposed housing, jobs and services hubs.

ā€œThe system is struggling and Parliament is not willing to contribute. The bill is not going to change anything.ā€

Mental Health Foundation Australia chief executive Vasan Srinivasan said there needed to be more on-the-ground support provided to local mental health support networks instead of further legislative changes.

WHATā€™S ON THIS WEEK šŸŽŸļø

šŸ“° THIS WEEKā€™S HEADLINES

Australian health organisations are concerned the quality of Victoriaā€™s mental health services could be on the chopping block as the government looks for $4 billion in savings.

More than a dozen organisations have signed an open letter to the Victorian government opposing changes to the Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission (MHWC), which oversees feedback and complaints to the stateā€™s mental health services.

As part of a review to find $4 billion in government savings, a bill has been put before parliament that will cut the number of commissioners from four to one and remove the requirement that its leadership include people who have been impacted by mental illness.

The bill will also remove the ability for the commission to access information about the 2021 Royal Commission recommendations.

The Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission commenced operating as an independent authority in September 2023.

The establishment of the commission was a key recommendation of the 2021 Royal Commission into Victoria's Mental Health System.

A jointly signed letter from leading Victorian mental health organisations and advocacy groups pushed back against the proposed changes.

Amongst the organisations that signed the letter were: The Victorian Mental Illness Awareness Council, Tandem, the Self Help Addiction Resource Centre, the Health and Community Services Union, Mind Australia, the National Mental Health Consumer Alliance, Each, and Youth Support + Advocacy Service.

Mental Health Foundation Australia (MHFA) has operated the Wellness Hub Psychology Clinic in South Yarra since 2021, now supporting more than 2,000 people per year with sessions at $30 for 50 minutes.

However, MHFA chief executive Vasan Srinivasan said the organisation received little support from the government ā€“ $98,000 towards its annual budget of about $500,000.

ā€œWe beg and borrow every day,ā€ Srinivasan told the Eastern Melburnian.

It's looking like Victoria may need to house 10 million more people over the next 25 years. The State Governmentā€™s solution to this: towers up to 16 storeys tall.

Blackburn, in Melbourne's east, has been marked as one of the most suitable locations to help the Whitehorse LGA host more than 76,500 new houses by 2051, more than double the number of existing homes in the area.

Part of the solution: Activity centres ā€“ the State Government's new approach to urban development.

Activity centres are areas marked by the State Government as suitable areas to deliver more jobs, housing and other services. Primarily, that means new developments and industry.

The second round of public consultation on the draft plans on areas across Melbourne is now open until March 22.

While parts of Blackburn are marked as suitable to be developed up to 16 storeys, areas around train stations further east along the Lilydale/Belgrave line ā€“ Mitcham and Nunawading ā€“ will be limited to 12 storeys.

In the area closest to the main hub, building applications that are within planning rules will essentially be fast-tracked through councils and the State Government.

This will mean councils wonā€™t be able to knock back proposals if they meet certain criteria ā€“ and locals wonā€™t be able to appeal the decision at the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal.

DID YOU SEE? šŸ‘€

The secret to a long and happy life

Contributor Thomas Spencer chatted with his 107-year-old great-nan Coral Isaacs to hear about her life.

Watch the video below.

Instagram Post

How to make the most of the sun in Melbourneā€™s eastern suburbs

You donā€™t need a coastal road trip or a weekend away to make the most of the remaining sun. Check out contributor Natasha Richardsā€™ guide to the local leafy trails, lakes and suburban street strips of Melbourneā€™s east.

How to make the most of the sun in Melbourneā€™s eastern suburbs

You donā€™t need a coastal road trip or a weekend away to make the most of the remaining sun. Check out the leafy trails, lakes and suburban street strips of Melbourneā€™s east.

Thanks for reading this mid-week newsletter and weā€™ll be back on Friday to shine a spotlight on the under-reported issues in our patch, so stay tuned.

Cheers,

Matthew