🚆 Transport

The Frankston Line Just Got Its Biggest Upgrade in Years — Here's What Changed on Thursday

The new elevated Mordialloc Station opened to passengers on Thursday 21 May — after a three-week construction blitz that had buses replacing trains between Cheltenham and Frankston. Two level crossings that have caused decades of congestion are now permanently gone: McDonald Street in Mordialloc and Station Street in Aspendale. (Victoria's Big Build)

For Frankston Line commuters, this matters. The boom gates at those two crossings were down for more than a third of the morning peak — causing daily bottlenecks on the roads and contributing to train delays down the whole line. With the new elevated rail bridges in place, that's gone. The station itself is a proper upgrade: lifts, new waiting room, toilets, entrances at both ends, and a 1km shared walking and cycling path through the new precinct.

There's a catch: the Frankston Line is still running to an altered timetable until mid-2026, a hangover from the single-line running that's been in place since last August. If you're heading into the city, it's worth checking before you travel. And the Seaford Station car park closures continue until mid-July. The Frankston Line has a long road to boom gate free — 2029 is the target for the full line — but Thursday was a real step.

One more thing worth noting: the Frankston Line returned to the City Loop in February 2026, meaning direct services to Flinders Street again. Check transport.vic.gov.au to see what your journey looks like now.

🚆 Frankston Line update: Normal services resumed Thursday 21 May after three weeks of bus replacements. New Mordialloc Station now open. Altered timetable still in place until mid-2026 — check transport.vic.gov.au before you travel. Seaford Station car park closures continue to mid-July.

🔎 This Week: Frankston South

The Suburb That Knows What It Has — and Is Starting to Wonder What's Coming

Frankston South is one of those suburbs that doesn't ask for much attention and largely doesn't get it. Established, leafy, close to the beach and the Olivers Hill lookout — it knows its own value. The residents who've lived here for twenty years didn't move here by accident. They came for the Peninsula access, the relative quiet, and the kind of streets where you actually know your neighbours.

But the Planning Victoria rezoning work — which allows three to six storey developments within 800 metres of activity centres — is raising real questions for suburbs like this. Parts of Frankston South sit close enough to the CBD boundary to be in the conversation. Nobody's knocking down character houses tomorrow, but the planning framework is shifting underneath people's feet, and it's worth paying attention to.

There's also the question of what Frankston South is missing: there's not much of a local commercial strip. Residents tend to drive to Frankston CBD for everything, which is fine until the traffic or parking isn't. A local café culture that actually stuck would change the feel of the suburb considerably.

If you live in Frankston South and want to share what you think the suburb needs — or what you want to protect — hit reply. We want to hear from you.

⚠ Frankston Safety — Week of 17–23 May 2026

› Missing person appeal: Frankston Police are asking for public help to locate Xavier, a 13-year-old last seen in Frankston South on 15 May. He is described as 162cm tall with auburn hair and may be in the Moe, Morwell, Korumburra, Yarragon or Traralgon areas. If you have information, contact Frankston Police Station directly on 9784 5555. (Source: Eyewatch – Frankston Police Service Area, 15 May.)

› Operation Pulse continues: Victoria Police and Protective Services Officers are maintaining daily patrols at Bayside Shopping Centre Frankston as part of Operation Pulse, which runs until at least the end of 2026. Enhanced search powers remain in place at the centre under a Designated Place declaration until 30 June. Over 1,000 arrests and 2,000-plus charges statewide since the operation launched in December — almost half for retail theft. (Victoria Police)

› Ongoing reminder: Property crime remains Frankston's most common offence type — theft from vehicles and residential burglary. Station precinct and car parks are consistent hotspots after dark. Lock your car, secure your garage.

› For the latest Victoria Police appeals and incidents visit police.vic.gov.au/news and search "Frankston." Or follow Eyewatch – Frankston Police Service Area on Facebook.

This section belongs to you. We want your voice in it.

We asked in Issue #1: What's the one thing you wish council actually paid attention to in your street or suburb? A few of you have replied — thank you. We'll be featuring the best responses from next issue. If you haven't sent yours yet, just hit reply. Tell us your suburb and your issue. We read every single one, and the best responses make it into print here. No editing your opinion, no sanitising. Just real Frankston people, honestly.

TRUE STORY

"They asked the kids to draw what Mordialloc meant to them. Every second drawing was a seagull stealing someone's chips."

As part of the Mordialloc Level Crossing Removal Project, the Big Build team teamed up with Mordialloc Beach Primary School to create a community mural for the fence alongside the rail line. Students from every year level were invited to paint or draw something that represents Mordialloc. The results are now on permanent display near the station.

What did the kids draw? The water tower. The palm trees. The beach. And — according to the Big Build's own description — "many, many different drawings of seagulls snatching hot chips." Not one or two. Many, many. The project team wrote it up proudly, seemingly without irony. The new elevated Mordialloc Station opened on Thursday, and on the fence next to it, dozens of school children have immortalised in paint the defining experience of eating near the bay in this part of the world: the chips are never safe. (Victoria's Big Build)

Had a moment that could only happen in Frankston? Send it to [email protected] — we'll run the best one each week.

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