By Shamsiya Hussainpoor
Emerald residents are calling for stronger action to address ongoing issues with hooning and graffiti, which, although not widespread, are causing significant disruption to the community.
President of the Emerald Village Association (EVA), Peter Maloney said that while these problems stem from a small group of individuals, their impact is still being widely felt across the area.
“These people are a minority, but they’re known to the police. They cause disruption, and we want to make sure that our area stays safe for everyone,” Mr Maloney said.
“When these incidents happen, we need to draw attention to them and push for action to prevent them in the future.”
One of the areas most affected by hooning is around Kilvington Drive, Heroes Avenue, and Kings Road.
Local resident and chief executive officer of Fernlea Community Care, Sarah Cole said the noise is a regular disturbance, especially on weekends.
“Most weekends, we are kept awake listening to the hooning. I’m sure other residents are too,” she said.
Shane Miller, from Security Response, has been keeping a close eye on the problem.
He said that hooning is typically carried out by a group of young individuals from the surrounding areas, including Clematis and Cockatoo.
“They target places like the roundabout outside the Paradise Hotel and Kilvington Drive,” Mr Miller said.
“The police even set up a camera to catch the offenders, but it was vandalised with graffiti. Three days after it was removed, the hoons were back, causing trouble again.”
Mr Miller has been proactive in gathering evidence and working with police to address the issue.
“We’ve got good footage from our cameras, and we’ve identified some of the individuals involved, but unfortunately, even though the police know who they are, they haven’t been arrested,” he said.
Vice-President of EVA, Ray Spencer agreed with Mr Miller on the importance of quick responses.
“Cameras can be helpful, but it’s also vital that the police act quickly when these incidents happen. If they know what’s going on, they can get up here faster,” he said.
Despite the challenges, there is a renewed sense of determination to make Emerald a safer place.
Mr Maloney said the efforts to revive the Neighbourhood Watch program aim to establish a “security shield” around the area to help protect the community.
“We’re planning to meet with the police and council to discuss how we can make this a reality, once we have it up and running, it will help us stay alert to any outside threats,” he said.
Mr Maloney praised Cardinia Shire Council for its quick response whenever graffiti has been reported.
“I made one call to the council about graffiti on the toilets outside the hub, and the next day it was gone,” he said.
While progress is being made, the community continues to call for greater resources and support.
“We need more police and better CCTV coverage, and when something happens, we need immediate responses, not just a report for the next day,” Mr Miller said.
With the combined efforts of residents, the EVA, and local authorities, Emerald locals are hopeful that the issues of hooning and graffiti can be addressed, allowing the town to remain a peaceful and safe place for everyone.
