By VICTORIA STONE-MEADOWS
YARRA Junction has had a security upgrade with the installation of seven new CCTV cameras around the town, thanks to a federally funded initiative.
The cameras were promised by Casey MP Tony Smith during the last Federal Election, and have been delivered under an agreement with Yarra Valley community safety oversight group, Centre Safe Committee Incorporated.
There were only five cameras originally earmarked for Yarra Junction under the Federal Government supplied $50,000.
“It’s great to deliver to the community and deliver more than we originally thought,” Mr Smith said.
The high definition fixed cameras in Yarra Junction have a 24- hour live feed to the police station with a minimum of 30-day recorded storage.
Under the agreement for the funding, Victoria Police have decided on the location of the cameras, and it will be the responsibility of the Centre Safe Committee to maintain them.
The Centre Safe Committee with the help of O’Shannessy ward councillor Jim Child were the driving force behind acquiring the funding for the CCTV cameras.
“The State Budget doesn’t allow for things like this,” Cr Child said.
“Tony’s funding has been a wonderful tool for improving the safety of Yarra Junction.”
Yarra Junction saw an upsurge in crime recently with a spate of robberies, graffiti and damage to the town.
One cafe was broken into five times in a row in a short period of time and Hair Impressions salon was also the target of a break-in.
Leading Senior Constable Crime Prevention Officer Linda Hancock said the cameras would improve the crime prevention capabilities of the local police force.
“These cameras will help us build a wider evidence base and streamline police processes,” she said.
The funding secured also allows for a $100,000 network of cameras in Healesville, and $100,000 for upgrading and extending Lilydale’s existing camera network.
The Lilydale CCTV system was one of the first in the Yarra Ranges, and the outdated cameras were in desperate need of improvement.
“The technology became outdated and grew so fast,” Ms Hancock said.
“We saw a 70 per cent reduction in crime at Lilydale station after we first installed the cameras there.”
Healesville is now the final town to receive CCTV cameras under this funding, but there is no clear timeline for when they will be installed.
“We have had to revisit plans for CCTV in Healesville because of power line and building mounting permissions,” Ms Hancock said.
Ms Hancock also noted that once the cameras had been installed, there was always room for moving them or growing the network of cameras in the future.
“The Yarra Ranges is expanding and people are moving out to these more rural areas,” she said.
“Once we have a network established, we can always expand on it”
Local traders have welcomed the cameras into Yarra Junction with Sam Failla of Sam Failla’s Quality Meats saying the cameras will be great for the community.
“I feel much more secure as a trader,” he said.
