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Greater Dandenong's Independent Weekly
The Dandenong Local
Issue #4 · Wednesday 17 June 2026 · Free
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📬 From the Editor
G'day, and welcome to Issue #4.
This week the big story is concrete — literally. Stage one of the Capital Alliance precinct on Thomas Street has its planning permit, and central Dandenong is about to look different. We're talking apartments, cafés, childcare, and a serious injection into the Little India precinct. The Mason Street car park is also closing soon, so if that's your go-to spot, read on.
As you read this, more than 1,500 council workers are walking off the job across eight Melbourne councils — including ours. Libraries may be closed today, and some other services disrupted. The dispute has been running for months with zero wage offers from council. We cover it below.
This week we're also in Keysborough — a suburb that's quietly become one of the most interesting in the LGA, and one that doesn't get nearly enough airtime. Plus: Refugee Week, the World Cup in Harmony Square, and a joke from Daisy in Noble Park that will make you never look at a studio apartment the same way again.
— Topher, Editor · The Dandenong Local
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📰 This Week's Big Story
🏗 Development
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Central Dandenong just got a $600 million green light. Here's what's coming — and what's going.
Stage one of the Capital Alliance precinct at 139–157 Thomas Street has received planning approval, marking the most significant single development milestone in central Dandenong in years. The approval covers the first stage of a $600 million long-term investment by Capital Alliance to transform a central block of the CBD — and it's moving faster than you might expect.
The approved stage includes new apartments — providing housing close to public transport and services — along with shops, cafés, and food venues. The design includes dedicated spaces to support and complement the Little India precinct. A childcare centre is also part of the package. Demolition works are imminent. Nearby businesses and residents will be notified directly about timing, and the Mason Street car park is set to close as a result.
Once complete, the full precinct is projected to create around 2,600 construction jobs and support up to 5,000 ongoing jobs, alongside hundreds of new homes and significant economic activity for the region. Greater Dandenong Mayor Councillor Sophie Tan called it a milestone with "far reaching positive impacts on our community, economy, housing, businesses and job seekers."
This development builds on more than $700 million already invested in Central Dandenong through the Victorian Government's Revitalising Central Dandenong program — a program that's been running for over a decade and is now starting to show in the streetscape.
The question now is timing, construction disruption, and whether the promised activation of the Little India precinct delivers for existing traders. Watch this space — we will. Full details at centraldandenong.com and greaterdandenong.vic.gov.au
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⚒ Also This Week — Council Workers Walk Out
The strike is on. And some services won't be there today.
More than 1,500 council workers across eight Melbourne councils — including Greater Dandenong — are on strike today as part of the Australian Services Union's ongoing wage dispute. This is the second major full-day stoppage; the first was on 5 May, when Dandenong Library closed for the day.
Workers are seeking a 10 per cent pay rise in the first year to recover wages they say have fallen 7.3 per cent in real terms since 2021. The average council worker earns about $70,000. Despite months of multi-employer bargaining, not one of the eight councils involved has put a single wage offer on the table. The ASU's acting branch secretary Zoe Edwards said the second strike is "being done because we haven't received a single wage offer from any of these eight councils."
The council has acknowledged the right to strike and said it will minimise disruption "where possible." Based on the May 5 precedent, libraries, parks maintenance, street cleaning, parking enforcement, and customer service are the most likely to be affected. Waste collection for households was unaffected in April but may vary today.
The dispute sits against the backdrop of the state government's 2.75 per cent rate cap, which councils say limits their ability to fund wages. The ASU says that's passing the buck. The 2026–27 budget adoption is on 29 June — and this dispute is very much still live. Read the full story here.
💸 Also This Week — Gallery Costs Balloon
The Dandenong New Art gallery now costs $15.7 million. It started at $4 million.
The full cost of the Dandenong New Art (DNA) gallery was publicly revealed for the first time at an 18 May council meeting: $15.7 million — nearly four times the original $4 million budget set in 2017. It was supposed to open in 2021. It's now targeting 2028.
Councillor Sean O'Reilly has called for options to repurpose, defer or suspend the project, saying several councillors are no longer convinced it should be a "top priority" in central Dandenong. The 2026–27 draft budget includes $6 million to progress the work. The final call on the budget — and, implicitly, the DNA — comes on 29 June. Read the full story here.
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📅 What's On This Week
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FIFA World Cup — Live on the Big Screen
Harmony Square, Dandenong · 24/7 · Free · Alcohol-free zone
The SBS World Cup telecast — including Socceroos matches — is screening around the clock on the big screen in Harmony Square. BYO picnic, blankets, folding chairs. Family-friendly, alcohol-free. Also showing at Springvale Community Hub (non-Socceroos games). Final: Sunday 19 July. More info here.
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Australian Eagles Show — 50 Years of Hotel California
Drum Theatre · 226 Lonsdale St, Dandenong · 7:30pm
A full night of Eagles classics — Hotel California, Desperado, Take It Easy — live on the Drum stage. Tickets and details at drum.greaterdandenong.vic.gov.au
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Springvale Winter Fest 2026 ❄️
Buckingham Avenue, Springvale · 11am · Free
Winter food, rides, live entertainment and community fun in the heart of Springvale. One of the best free days out in the LGA — and a great excuse to try something on Buckingham Avenue you haven't eaten before. greaterdandenong.vic.gov.au
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GROW Mental Wellbeing Support Group 🧠
34 King St, Dandenong · Every Monday · 10:30am–12:30pm · Free · No referral needed
A weekly peer-support group for anyone dealing with depression, anxiety, grief, or other mental health challenges. Run by members, not professionals — warm, structured, and genuinely helpful. Just turn up. greaterdandenong.vic.gov.au
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Trivia Tuesday 🎯
Dandenong Workers Sports Club · 7pm · Free entry · Rolling $25 jackpot
Every Tuesday night in the bistro. Great for families — kids eat free from 5pm with every main meal. Test your knowledge, enjoy the drink specials, and take a crack at the rolling jackpot. workers.net.au
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South Sudanese Community Lunch 🍽️
Third Place at YSAS Dandenong · 12pm–4pm · Free · Tickets going fast
A community gathering lunch hosted at YSAS Dandenong — a great chance to connect with the local South Sudanese community and share a meal. Free to attend but moving quickly — grab your spot. eventbrite.com.au
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Council Meeting — 2026–27 Budget Adoption 🏛
Dandenong Civic Centre · 225 Lonsdale St · 7pm · Public welcome
The night council locks in $105 million in spending and your rates for the year ahead. Public can attend or watch the Urban Screen in Harmony Square. We'll have the full story in Issue #5. greaterdandenong.vic.gov.au
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🚆 No planned disruptions on the Cranbourne or Pakenham lines this week. Note: due to today's strike action, some council-operated facilities may have altered hours. Check greaterdandenong.vic.gov.au before heading out. ptv.vic.gov.au
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🔎 Suburb Spotlight
Keysborough
Postcode 3173 · 27km SE of Melbourne CBD · Pop. ~30,000
Keysborough is one of Greater Dandenong's largest and most geographically varied suburbs — and also one of its most quietly underrated. At 21.8 square kilometres, it's split into three distinct zones: an older residential north bordering Noble Park and Springvale South, a newer estate-heavy middle section that's been growing since the 2000s, and a southern fringe that still holds working market gardens and semi-rural land stretching to Mordialloc Creek.
The suburb was named after the Keys family, who settled the area after 1878. It was known as Noble Park South until 1978, which tells you something about how recently its own identity came into focus. Today that identity is unmistakably multicultural: at the 2021 census, more than half the population was born overseas. Vietnamese (8.6%), Cambodian (8.5%), Indian (6.6%), Chinese (5.1%) and Sri Lankan (3.8%) communities are the most represented, alongside Greek, Turkish, and Mauritian heritage. At least 60 per cent of residents speak a language other than English at home — Vietnamese, Khmer, Mandarin, Cantonese, and Sinhalese all appear in the top ten.
Its faith infrastructure tells the same story: a gurudwara, a Turkish mosque, a Croatian Catholic church, and an Eastern Orthodox church all exist within the suburb's boundaries. There are also more schools per square kilometre than you might expect — Haileybury College, Lighthouse Christian College, Sirius College, Mount Hira College, Keysborough Secondary College, and four primary schools, including Keysborough Gardens Primary, which only opened in 2020.
The social heart of the suburb these days is the Keysborough Community Hub — a newer facility combining a library, lounge areas, and multipurpose spaces. Parkmore Shopping Centre anchors the retail strip. Tatterson Park, with its giant themed playground, is the outdoor drawcard. About 90 per cent of dwellings are separate houses; only 18.7 per cent of residents are renters — a noticeably lower rental rate than much of the LGA, reflecting a suburb of families who own rather than move on.
What's changing: new housing estates continue to push into the south, and the Keysborough Community Hub's draft master plan is expected to go to community consultation in 2026. The suburb's two councillors — Cr Isabella Do (Keysborough South Ward) and Cr Melinda Yim (Keysborough Ward) — both have active capital works programmes in progress. The conversation about what Keysborough becomes as it fills out is just beginning.
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🛡 Safety Update
Springvale: Syringe dispenser moved — but community says it's not enough
A needle and syringe vending machine on Buckingham Avenue, Springvale has been relocated — about 20 metres, from the front of the Monash Health community facility to the side of the building. The machine operates 24 hours a day and has been the source of sustained concern from local businesses, school communities and residents, who report needles being discarded on footpaths, in shopping centre car parks, and on school grounds near St Joseph's Primary School.
Monash Health says the site has daily security checks and appropriate sharps disposal bins in place. The Victorian Alcohol and Drug Association (VAADA) has defended the program's public health purpose, noting demand for needle exchange services has grown significantly across the state. Councillor Sean O'Reilly has called for more NSP units to be distributed across surrounding suburbs, arguing Springvale is carrying a disproportionate catchment.
If you find a discarded needle: Do not pick it up with bare hands. Council provides sharps disposal bins at various public locations. Report a hazardous needle via Greater Dandenong City Council on 8571 1000.
If you or someone you know uses injecting equipment: always use a clean needle. Free sterile equipment is available through the Needle and Syringe Program. For support with drug use, call the DirectLine on 1800 888 236 — 24 hours, confidential. Read the full story here.
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⚡ Quick Bites
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🌍 Refugee Week is on — and the mayor has something to say. This week is Refugee Week nationally (theme: "A Million Stories"), and Greater Dandenong Mayor Councillor Sophie Tan has taken a direct stance against the rising tide of anti-migrant rhetoric in the national political debate. She and other local leaders have publicly come to the defence of the region's diversity and multiculturalism — pointing out that Greater Dandenong has proudly been a Refugee Welcome Zone since 2002. A recent AMES Australia survey of 35 community leaders found refugee and migrant communities are reporting rising anxiety from the political climate. The mayor's response is worth reading. Read it here.
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🗑️ Council voted Monday night to push back on the purple bin. At its meeting on 15 June, Greater Dandenong City Council voted to defer the state-mandated $3.6 million rollout of glass-recycling kerbside bins, joining a campaign of more than 30 councils pushing back on the mandate. The decision means ratepayers won't see the cost — estimated at $16 per household per year — on their 2027–28 rate notices, at least for now. Council also recommended deferring the 'opt-out' model for FOGO bins, saving another $500,000. The state government's legislation still requires the glass service by 1 July 2027 — council faces a potential $97,700 fine if it doesn't comply. Watch this one. Full details here.
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✈️ Eight council representatives are heading to Canberra — at a cost of around $25,000. Mayor Sophie Tan and five councillors, along with two council officers, will attend the National General Assembly of Local Government (23–25 June). The conference brings together local government leaders to advocate for federal funding, policy reform and partnerships with ministers and MPs. Mayor Tan is attending a day early for advocacy meetings with federal MPs as part of the Greater South East Melbourne (GSEM) group. Council says the trip is a "worthwhile investment." Others may have questions. Read the full story here.
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🚂 The upper house has ordered the release of all documents related to the Cranbourne line extension to Clyde. A motion passed last week with Labor support, ordering the government to release all available records related to the proposed train line extension. The Cranbourne line serves our end of Melbourne and any extension south would be significant for commuters in and around Greater Dandenong. Whether the documents shed light on the timeline, funding or route remains to be seen — but the vote to release them is a step toward accountability on a project that's been talked about for years without much visible movement. Read the full story here.
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🛍️ Free food and clothing in Dandenong North — no questions asked. We Care Community Services has been quietly helping families and individuals in Greater Dandenong since 1997. Through their Community Shed at 307 Gladstone Road, Dandenong North, they give away free food and clothing every Friday from 10am. They assist asylum seekers and refugees alongside the broader community, and in the past year helped around 2,800 people. If you or someone you know could use a hand, the door is open. wecare.services
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🗣 Resident Voice
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"My kids rely on Dandenong Library for their schoolwork. When the strike happened in May, we had no notice and turned up to a locked door. I understand the workers need fair pay — they absolutely do — but families like ours are caught in the middle. How long can this go on for?"
— Abdul, Dandenong
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Abdul's question is a fair one. The dispute has no end in sight — zero wage offers have been made by any of the eight councils involved. Library closures, disrupted waste collection, and reduced park maintenance are the community's cost of that impasse. Got something on your mind? Drop us a line at [email protected]
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😄 Joke of the Week
"I attended a rental inspection for a studio apartment on the weekend. The agent called it 'cosy and intimate.'
That's real estate speak for 'you can brush your teeth while flipping a pancake from bed.'"
— Daisy, Noble Park
Got a good one? Send it to [email protected]
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🌏 Only in Dandenong
TRUE STORY
"Fifty-three nations. One square. No drama."
On a winter's evening in Harmony Square, something quietly extraordinary has been happening. The big screen is showing the FIFA World Cup — live, around the clock, free. And people are showing up.
Not one type of person. Everyone. Families with folding chairs and thermoses of tea. Groups in scarves cheering for countries whose flags most bystanders couldn't name. Kids who'd never watched a game sitting riveted next to old men who'd watched their whole lives. The conversation bouncing between half a dozen languages without anyone noticing. People sharing food from their bags with strangers sitting next to them.
Greater Dandenong speaks more than 150 languages. On any given matchnight in Harmony Square, you'd be forgiven for thinking most of them were represented. A town that sometimes gets talked about as a problem is just... watching football together, enjoying winter, and being a community.
The screen runs until 19 July. More on the World Cup screenings here.
Got an Only in Dandenong moment? Send it to [email protected]
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✍️ Until Next Week
Thanks for reading Issue #4. A big week — development news, a live strike, Refugee Week, and a suburb that deserves more than it gets in the conversation about Greater Dandenong.
The one to watch: budget adoption on Monday 29 June. That's when the numbers become official. We'll be across every line item.
If you know someone who'd find this useful, forward it on. It costs nothing and means a lot.
See you next Wednesday. ☀️
— Topher · The Dandenong Local
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© 2026 The Dandenong Local · Independent & Free
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[email protected] ·
[email protected]
Greater Dandenong's Independent Weekly · Published every Wednesday 8am
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