| Friday 12 June 2026 |
Issue #5 |
Frankston City, VIC |
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FREE · INDEPENDENT · WEEKLY
Your neighbourhood, honestly told — every Friday morning
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📬 A note from the editor — Issue #5
G'day Frankston,
This week's big story has been a while coming. Rough sleeping in Frankston is at a four-year high, and this week Frankston City Mayor Cr Sue Baker and CEO Tennille Bradley announced they're joining the Vinnies CEO Sleepout on Thursday night — spending a night on cardboard to raise money and turn up the pressure on the state government for funding. It's an easy thing for leaders to talk about homelessness. It's a different thing to sleep rough for it. Good on them.
There's a busy week of safety news too — a man is in hospital with critical injuries after a late-night assault on Charon Court, three people have been charged over a home invasion spree, and there's a rash of car thefts across Carrum and Seaford worth knowing about. Details in the Safety section.
On a better note: tonight DJ Noiz hits the Pelly Bar at 8pm, tomorrow the Frankston Waterfront lights up for the free Fire Festival from 4pm, and Sunday afternoon Sean Harvey plays a free acoustic set at the Brewhouse. Frankston in winter isn't bad at all.
This week we also land in Carrum Downs for the Suburb Spotlight — a place that gets lumped in with everywhere else but is worth knowing on its own terms.
Five issues in. Thanks for being here.
— Topher, Editor · The Frankston Local
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🏘 Community & Housing
Mayor and CEO to Sleep Rough — and Frankston Is Still Waiting on the State
Frankston City Mayor Cr Sue Baker and CEO Tennille Bradley will spend next Thursday night sleeping on cardboard as part of the national Vinnies CEO Sleepout — and their decision to take part is not just symbolic. It comes as Frankston City Council continues to push the state government for funding to address what is now the worst rough sleeping figure the city has seen in four years.
In April, the Frankston Zero initiative — a collaborative program led by Council and Launch Housing alongside a range of local support partners — recorded 54 people sleeping rough in the municipality in a single month. That's the highest count since the program began tracking in earnest. The local system has the coordination, the partnerships, and the data. What it doesn't have is enough housing to place people into. That requires state money.
Council's position is straightforward: it can't build housing, but it can advocate loudly for the funding that would allow its partners to do so. The sleepout is part of that advocacy — one night of discomfort to make a sustained public argument that the state needs to act before rough sleeping numbers climb higher.
If you want to back them, you can donate to their Vinnies sleepout fundraising pages. Every dollar raised supports Vinnies homelessness services nationally. The sleepout itself is Thursday 18 June. (frankston.vic.gov.au · ceosleepout.org.au)
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⚖️ Crime & Courts
Three Charged Over Frankston Home Invasion Spree
Three people — including a 14-year-old boy — have been charged after Victoria Police linked a series of aggravated home invasions in Frankston to a wider investigation involving a stolen vehicle, weapons charges and an alleged police pursuit in Hastings. An 18-year-old Frankston man faces charges including home invasion, armed robbery and arson. A 22-year-old man of no fixed address faces multiple home invasion charges. All were remanded to appear at Melbourne Magistrates' Court. (Mirage News · STPL News)
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🚐 Local Business
Your New Food Van Neighbours — 11 Sites Live Across the City
Frankston City Council's expanded food van program kicked off on 1 June with a solid lineup of operators now trading seven days a week across 11 locations. Highlights include Laughing Lark Mobile Café at Ballam Park and new site Carrum Downs Recreation Reserve, Crepe Delices and the IceCream Man at Ballam Park Site 2, Little Olly's at Olivers Hill Boat Ramp, Captn Brew and Fresh & Fuel also at Olivers Hill, Harmony Place at Overport Park, Rolling Mugshot at Riviera Carpark Inlet in Seaford, and Coffee on Q at Lloyd Park in Langwarrin. Lease agreements are still being finalised — operating times may change. (frankston.vic.gov.au)
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| Fri 12 Jun |
DJ Noiz — The Remix King 🎧
Pelly Bar, Frankston · 8:00pm · Ticketed · Australian Tour 2026, supported by DJ Retep. Tonight. (pierbandroom.com.au)
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| Sat 13 Jun |
🔥 Frankston Winter Fire Festival
Frankston Waterfront · 4:00pm–8:30pm · FREE · Fire pits, live music, roaming entertainment and the lighting of a feature fire sculpture after dark. Rug up, bring the family. Note: main Waterfront car park is closed — take the train or park at the Arts Centre or Civic Centre. (imaginefrankston.com.au)
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| Sun 14 Jun |
The Sunday Set — Sean Harvey 🎵
Frankston Brewhouse, 10 New St · 1:00pm–4:00pm · Free · Live acoustic session. Grab a beer and wind down the weekend. (frankstonbrewhouse.com.au)
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| Wed 18 Jun |
Men as Role Models — Men's Health Week Dinner 🧔
Hotel Lona, Frankston · 6:30pm–9:00pm · $95 per person · Hosted by Frankston Business Chamber with The Business of Smiles. Includes charcuterie, main meal, two drink tokens and an interactive program on men's health and connection. Limited seats — book early. (frankston.vic.gov.au)
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| Thu 18 Jun |
Vinnies CEO Sleepout — Mayor & CEO Participating ❄️
Mayor Cr Sue Baker and CEO Tennille Bradley spend the night on cardboard to raise money for Vinnies homelessness services and push for state action on rough sleeping in Frankston. Donate to support their fundraising. (ceosleepout.org.au)
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📍 This Week: Carrum Downs
People outside Frankston City tend to lump Carrum Downs in with everywhere else on the peninsula, but residents will tell you it has its own distinct character. It's a working suburb — mostly residential, built out from the 1970s onwards, and home to a solid community that doesn't always make the headlines for good reasons but has more going for it than it gets credit for.
Carrum Downs Recreation Reserve has just become one of the new food van hubs under Council's expanded program, with Laughing Lark Mobile Café's second van now trading at the Wedge Road car park seven days a week. The reserve itself — home to Carrum Downs Football Club and the Falcons — has been the subject of a long-running Council upgrade project, with improved facilities completed over the past two years.
The suburb also borders Seaford Wetlands — one of the best birdwatching spots in the region, and one most people drive straight past. If you haven't walked it in winter, it's worth the 45 minutes.
Like most of Frankston City's outer suburbs, Carrum Downs has no direct public transport link to the Frankston CBD — a problem this newsletter has been flagging since Issue #1. The 897 bus gets you to Seaford Station, but it's not a fast trip. If you're a Carrum Downs local and want to tell us what you think Council or the state government should prioritise for your suburb, send us a note.
Previously: Frankston North (#1) · Frankston South (#2) · Seaford (#3)
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Frankston Safety — Week of 12 June 2026
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🔴 Two Men Charged with Attempted Murder — Charon Court
A 37-year-old Frankston man remains in hospital with critical injuries following an assault at a Charon Court address on Sunday 7 June at about 11pm. A physical altercation between three men occurred outside the residence before two men fled on foot. Following a search warrant executed on Wednesday, detectives seized hatchets, an imitation firearm, knives and a baseball bat from a Frankston address. A 43-year-old man of no fixed address was charged with attempted murder and stalking. A 52-year-old man of no fixed address was charged with attempted murder. Both appeared at Melbourne Magistrates' Court on Wednesday 10 June. Parties are understood to be known to each other.
Source: Victoria Police media release, 10 June 2026. (police.vic.gov.au)
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🔴 Three Charged — Home Invasion Spree
Three people — including a 14-year-old — have been charged after police linked a series of aggravated home invasions in Frankston to a wider investigation involving a stolen vehicle, weapons offences, and an alleged police evasion in Hastings. An 18-year-old Frankston man and a 22-year-old of no fixed address were among those charged and remanded to court.
Source: STPL News, 8 June 2026. (stplnews.com.au)
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🚗 Vehicle Thefts — Carrum & Seaford
Two vehicle thefts have been reported to the Frankston Community Crime Group this week. A Subaru Outback 2021 (registration BQO882) was stolen from outside the Beach Bar in Carrum overnight Monday 8 June into Tuesday 9 June. A separate CCTV clip shared by a Seaford resident shows a vehicle being taken from a residential property at 1:51am on Tuesday 9 June.
If you have information on either theft, contact Victoria Police on 131 444 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. Lock your car, and consider whether your home security cameras cover your driveway and street access.
Source: Frankston Community Crime Group Facebook, 9 June 2026. Community reports.
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| Council Watch — Decisions Decoded |
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Watch
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Rough sleeping at a four-year high — Council presses state for funding. With 54 people sleeping rough in April, Frankston City Council is maintaining pressure on the state government through the Frankston Zero partnership with Launch Housing. The Mayor and CEO's sleepout participation this Thursday is part of that public advocacy. No funding commitment from the state government as yet. (frankston.vic.gov.au) |
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Watch
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Two new 2026/27 DEAP events — names still not public. At the 1 June council meeting, $165,000 was approved for two new destination events at the Frankston Foreshore and McCombs Reserve next year. The event names remain confidential. We'll report them as soon as they're released. (Source: 1 June 2026 Council Agenda, Item 12.3) |
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Watch
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Frankston City First — still no candidate responses. Five issues in, and not one state election candidate has publicly committed to Council's $19M Frankston City First ask. The November 2026 Victorian election is now under five months away. We'll keep tracking. (frankston.vic.gov.au) |
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Community Food Feature — Issue #5: Sikh Volunteers Australia
Free meals every week in Frankston and Frankston North — no questions asked. Sikh Volunteers Australia runs free food van services across the peninsula seven days a week, and two of those runs land right here in Frankston City.
Every Wednesday lunchtime, the van is in Frankston North at Mahogany Avenue from 12:30pm–1:00pm. On Wednesday evenings, it's at Frankston Young Street Car Park (next to Tasman Meat) from 5:30pm–6:00pm. Both are weekly. Both are free.
Frankston North: Mahogany Ave · Wed 12:30pm–1:00pm · Frankston CBD: Young St Car Park · Wed 5:30pm–6:00pm
Each issue we spotlight one of the organisations quietly keeping Frankston fed. Know one we should feature? [email protected]
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| 🏉 |
Dolphins next home game: Friday 19 June. The Phins are on a bye this week, but they're back at Kinetic Stadium next Friday night hosting Collingwood in VFL Round 13 — kick-off 7:35pm, gates from 6pm. Get the scarf out. (intix.com.au) |
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Think Local Month is live all June. Frankston City Council is running its annual campaign to encourage spending within the municipality. Workshops, events and resources for local businesses throughout the month. (frankston.vic.gov.au) |
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📣 This section belongs to you.
Every week, this space is reserved for one Frankston local with something worth saying.
What's something happening in your street or suburb that you reckon deserves more attention? Hit reply. Tell me where you live and what's bugging you — or what's going well. I read every single one.
Keep it real, keep it local, and tell us your suburb. The best responses run here, unedited, with your name and suburb attached. We're not looking for polish — we're looking for honesty.
Send your voice → [email protected]
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"Got stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic. Normally does my head in — but when it's on Olivers Hill, I didn't mind it at all. It was such a beautiful day, I could've sat there another ten minutes easily."
— Lara, Frankston South
That's the Olivers Hill effect — one of the best accidental viewpoints in Victoria, and half the time you're stuck there for free. There are worse places to be delayed.
Got a moment that could only happen in Frankston? Send it to [email protected]
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— 😄 Joke of the Week —
What did the sand say when the tide came in?
Long time, no sea! 🌊
— Katie, Frankston · Got one? Send it to [email protected] — best ones get published with full credit.
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Supported by a local Frankston business
Ready Now Build
Don't let flatpack ruin your weekend.
Furniture, home gyms, sheds, kids' play equipment, shelving and more — fully assembled, fast, and local. Winter's the season for getting the house sorted. No job too small.
Get a quote → [email protected]
From $50 · Frankston & surrounds · No job too small
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That's Issue #5 done. A big week in Frankston — some of it grim, some of it good, all of it worth knowing about.
If you know something worth writing about — a safety issue, a local doing something great, or a problem in your street that keeps getting ignored — click here. That's how the best local journalism starts.
And if you haven't already — forward this to one Frankston local who'd get something out of it. No algorithm, no ad budget. Just word of mouth.
See you Friday. ☀️
— Topher · The Frankston Local
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The Frankston Local
Written independently by a Frankston local, for Frankston locals.
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frankstonlocal.au · Frankston City VIC 3199
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