🟠 What do locals think of multi-level housing?

Also including: Is temporary fencing at Lilydale's White Dog Hotel enough to keep locals safe?

Author

Matthew Sims
November 07, 2025

⏱️ The 91st edition of our newsletter is a seven-minute read.

Hi there 👋 

Matthew Sims here, your reporter at the Eastern Melburnian.

I’ve been channelling my inner Bob Ross recently by starting to attend an adult art class. The catch is I haven’t done anything artistic since primary school when drawing stick figures was considered acceptable. Here’s the results from my first class. I’ll let you know how I go this weekend.

🗞️ In terms of recent news across the east, I took a look at the housing problem in Ringwood.

With a number of local councils — including Manningham and Whitehorse — airing their concerns with new planning regulations that would allow mid-rise developments from four to six storeys to be fast-tracked, I wanted to see what these developments may look like.

💰 What came across my desk was a two-lot development in Ringwood, which was on the market for $5 million to $5.5 million. Quickly looking at the houses, it’s hard to see where the agents got this figure, but then you see that it is for a builder or developer to construct 13 three-storey terrace homes on the land.

👷 This is all well and good for the developers who rock up, build and then sit back and reap the benefits. But what does it mean for locals?

📰 In other news, a reader reached out to me asking me to take a look at what is being proposed at the Wyreena Community Arts Centre. I wanted to start by shining a light on how Wyreena came to be.

👂I want to hear more from locals about what they love about Wyreena and what they think about changes coming at the centre and intend to follow up on this story soon. 📫 Shoot me an email via [email protected]

🗞️ Here’s what else the Eastern Melburnian has been up to:

A report from the Grattan Institute found allowing for more multi-level developments near capital cities would cut rents by $1,800 a year and see the median price for a home drop by up to $100,000.

The one thing you gotta know ↑

WHAT’S ON THIS WEEK 🎟️

📰 THIS WEEK’S HEADLINES

A new skyline is on the horizon for Ringwood as townhouse and mid-rise developments are fast-tracked, with new builds erupting where brick homes once lay.

A kick to development in the region comes off the back of new State Government regulations that have allowed for three-storey builds to be approved with limited restrictions.

Other regulations proposed by the state government would roll out the red carpet for permit approvals for projects up to six storeys.

The State Government’s Townhouse and Low-Rise Code came into effect in March, allowing planning approvals for townhouses and apartments up to three storeys to be fast-tracked.

While councils were required to notify neighbours about a proposal, the right for an appeal at VCAT was removed.

The State Government is also consulting on new standards for mid-rise residential developments between four and six storeys, with Whitehorse and Manningham councils critical of the proposal.

The Grattan Institute released a report this week proposing three-storey homes be permitted on all residential land in capital cities and developments up to six storeys near transit hubs – a move it argued would cut rents by $1,800 a year and cut $100,000 off the median price for a home.

Lead author Brendan Coates said the country needed a “housing policy revolution”.

The report found about 87 percent of all residential land within 30 kilometres of the centre of Melbourne was zoned for housing of three storeys or fewer.

Last month, two lots in Ringwood’s Metropolitan Activity Centre (MAC) went on the market – a total of 1,754 square metres.

With its inclusion in an Activity Centre Zone, these properties require no third party notice, decision or review rights for the permit application – essentially fast-tracking approval without oversight from neighbours.

The lots at 13 Larissa Avenue and 14 Bardia Street consist of a house with three bedrooms and three units with a total of seven bedrooms and three bathrooms.

Promoted as prime investment potential, the asking price of $5 - $5.5 million is reflected in the pre-approval of plans to demolish the existing homes and develop thirteen 3-bedroom tri-level terraces homes, each with a double secured car space.

Alicia Swanson, who recently gave birth and has been looking for property to buy with her husband, said she would be supportive of low to mid-rise developments if it was affordable for the average prospective buyer.

Swanson said construction and more residents would make parking and congestion on Bardia Street worse. “If they've got more than one car, it's just going to be a nightmare,” said Swanson.

Kristy, who recently bought a unit on Bardia Street, told the Eastern Melburnian the speed of developments being approved and built was “concerning”.

Other residents said they were concerned about the Ringwood Activity Centre Plan, which outlined plans for developments up to 20 storeys tall closer to the Eastland Shopping Centre.

Independent Ringwood MP Will Fowles told the Eastern Melburnian he supported the new reforms, saying low-rise and mid-rise apartments would create “much-needed housing options”.

Hotham MP Federal Minister for Housing Clare O’Neil has endorsed delivering more housing supply as a solution for a number of years, recently saying the main answer to Australia’s housing challenges was to “build, build, build”.

According to projections from consultant Informed Decisions (ID), Ringwood’s population is set to jump by 38.91 percent over the next 20 years – the largest out of any Maroondah suburb.

How do Ringwood’s locals feel about upcoming proposed three-to-six storey developments?

Ringwood’s population is set to increase by more than a third over the next 20 years – but are buildings up to six storeys the answer?

The face of one of Croydon’s most valuable assets, the arts centre known as “Wyreena” has changed a number of times over the last 100 years.

Cherry orchard, family home designed by the architects behind one of Melbourne’s most iconic buildings, residence for nuns, and now a community arts centre: the building is a bit of an institution in the area.

But what do we know about this more than 100-year-old piece of history?

Covering 1.5 hectares, Wyreena Community Arts Centre is currently owned and operated by Maroondah Council and sits within its Heritage Overlay.

From mid-September to late October, Maroondah Council sought tenders for the redevelopment of the Conservatory Cafe, with the budget estimated between $1 million and $1.5 million.

Find out the full story in the article below.

A home among the trees: The tale of how Wyreena became Croydon's art hub

In the mid-1970s this magnet for creatives was saved from a developer's wrecking ball by local activists.

SEEN THIS WEEK 🤓

White Dog fenced off, locals not satisfied

I last reported on the White Dog Hotel in Lilydale in mid-August, when a Yarra Ranges Council spokesperson told me council staff were discussing measures to make the facade safe for locals with the owner.

It appears this temporary fence installed could be a solution. However, there appears to be no work started in fixing the damage to the front of the building.

Creator of the Friends of the The White Dog (Dukes Saloon) Facebook group Rob Hall told the Eastern Melburnian he was “very concerned” about the future of the building.

“With the speed at which the whole front is degrading, I feel demolition by neglect is pretty much on track,” said Hall. “It's a disgrace that it's gotten so far.”

Extra events, attractions and happenings

It’s inevitable some local events drop through the cracks during my search for our What’s On guides. However, thanks to some very helpful readers, here are some of the events we forgot.

St Peter’s Market

Friday afternoon’s events includes sheep shearing demonstrations with Saturday’s attractions including a children’s petting zoo, musical performances and a range of goods and produce for sale, including jam, cakes, craft creations, books, jewellery, plants and seedlings.

When: Friday November 14, 1-5pm and Saturday November 14, 9am to 1.30pm

Where: St Peter’s Anglican Church, 1038 Whitehorse Road, Box Hill

Mooroolbark Community Garden Market

Held on the last Sunday of the month, this month’s theme will be “Countdown to Xmas”.

When: Sunday November 30, 9am-1pm

Where: 8 Station Street, Mooroolbark

Thanks for catching up with us this week at the Eastern Melburnian. We hope you enjoyed this issue, and we’d love to hear your thoughts. We’ll be back next week to shine a spotlight on the under-reported issues in our patch, so stay tuned!

Cheers,

Matthew and the Eastern Melburnian team