Matt Wood - Banyule City Councillor

14/10/2026

Another disappointing day for 10 Buckingham Drive.

Today, the old Banyule Theatre is being boarded up. I only found out after a concerned local resident contacted me.

For two years, I’ve worked hard to get the State Government talking about the future of this site. Unfortunately, despite those efforts, we’ve achieved nothing meaningful. The building remains abandoned and derelict, approaching nine years of neglect.

I’m frustrated. I’m disappointed by the lack of engagement from the current landowner, and I know many locals share those feelings.

Banyule deserves better than an abandoned building left to deteriorate year after year. We need a conversation about a practical future for this site, not another year of inaction.

If you want your voice heard, I encourage you to contact our local State Member for Ivanhoe, Anthony Carbines MP, and ask what comes next for 10 Buckingham Drive.

I won’t give up advocating for a better outcome. But I’ll be honest, this is proving incredibly difficult.

Our community deserves answers.

11/10/2026

CELEBRATING

50 years at Winston Hills Pre School.

Saturday 17 October at 2pm.

Eventbrite https://share.google/xctwHITWC9TJ0tsmo

10/10/2026

Touring North Eastern Horse and Pony Club today!

A hidden gem in our great city. ❤️
What a magnificent community.

Check out their program for anyone to get involved:

Riders Without Horses | North Eastern Horse https://share.google/I3W1RSiJ0An5HMUFt

11/09/2026

10 Buckingham Drive Heidelberg - Update.

Let me know your thoughts in the comments.

08/09/2026

🚛 TIME FOR A COMMITMENT.

NO MORE SILENCE

Today I was at State Parliament to witness the tabling of the community petition, calling for full-time truck controls on our local NE roads.

Thank you to Anthony Carbines MP for sponsoring and tabling the petition, and thank you to every resident who signed it.

Thank you to the team behind Resolve Rosanna Road for advocating for the NE community.

Now the question is simple:

Will it be business as usual with thousands of through-trucks continuing to use our local roads?

Or will the Government actually deliver on the promise of removing 15,000 trucks a day from our NE community?

Either way, residents deserve to know where every candidate stands.

I acknowledge and thank Nina Crawley - Greens Candidate for Ivanhoe, Busbridge (greens for Eltham) and Melissa Murphy-Webster Independent-Bundoora for publicly supporting stronger truck controls on the NE arterial roads.

This should not be about party politics.
. . .

Every candidate.

👉 Step out from behind the party curtain and tell the Banyule, Nillumbik, and Manningham Community where you stand.

The $26 billion North East Link is being built. Now we need a commitment that it will actually deliver the benefits our community was promised.

No more ambiguity. No more assumptions. Time for a commitment.

Colin Brooks
Vicki Ward
Oscar Lopez
Paul Byrnes
Chris Parr
Nina Laitala
Michelle Kennedy
Anthony Carbines MP Ivanhoe

Tick Tock.... 🗳

01/09/2026

This is an important matter. Worthy of proper conversation. Please consider supporting this initiative. Thanks to the great work of Friends of Banyule.

‼️A Call to Action ‼️

Please sign and share our petition to State Parliament for North East Link to deliver the wildlife crossing as approved in the Project Urban Design & Landscape at Banyule Creek, Lower Plenty Rd, Yallambie is now live!

Please sign at
https://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/get-involved/petitions/install-underground-wildlife-crossing-along-banyule-creek-at-yallambie

Petition Closes this Friday 4th Sept

Image: Kangaroos at Banyule Flats Reserve, courtesy Banyule City Council

18/08/2026

🚨 LAST CHANCE TO HAVE YOUR SAY — PETITION CLOSES 31 AUGUST 🚨

The State Election is coming.
This is our last opportunity to demand a clear commitment from every candidate, from every side of politics, on what happens to trucks when North East Link opens.

The message is simple:
We expect full-time, permanent truck controls across the north-east arterial network.

📍 Rosanna rd
📍 Greensborough hwy
📍 Lwr Plenty Rd
📍 Waiora rd
📍 Waterdale rd
📍 Para rd
📍 St Helena rd
📍 Bolton st
📍 Karingal dr
📍 Ryans rd
📍 Wattletree rd

Why now?

👉 The $26 billion North East Link is being built to transform north-east freight movement.
👉 Yet there is currently no guarantee that the estimated 15,000 trucks a day will actually be removed from our local roads.
👉 We cannot spend $26 billion and simply hope trucks choose to use it.

This is about making sure North East Link delivers the benefit our communities have been promised - safer roads, less noise, cleaner air and fewer through-trucks.

The petition closes 31 August.
Please sign it. Share it. Send it to your neighbours. Share to community groups.

SIGN THE PETITION HERE →
https://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/get-involved/petitions/truck-bans-in-melbournes-north-east/

We have one chance to get this right. Let's make our voice impossible to ignore.

And to every State election candidate in Ivanhoe, Bundoora and Eltham: tell us where you stand.

🗳 Anthony Carbines MP
🗳 Nina Crawley - Greens Candidate for Ivanhoe
🗳 Oscar Lopez - Liberal for Ivanhoe
🗳 Colin Brooks MP
🗳 Melissa Murphy-Webster Independent-Bundoora
🗳 Chris Parr - Liberal for Bundoora
🗳 Nina Laitala Greens for Bundoora
🗳 Vicki Ward MP for Eltham
🗳 Rachel Busbridge - Greens for Eltham
🗳 Paul Byrnes - Liberal for Eltham

Banyule City Council
Nillumbik Shire Council
Manningham Council

Take a look at some other petitions related to causes you care about. There are many passionate individuals just like you who are working towards positive change. Signing more petitions and sharing them with your friends and family can help bring attention to important issues and create lasting impa...

01/08/2026

🚛 A $26 Billion Promise... Or a Missed Opportunity?

Did you know there is currently NO guarantee that up to 15,000 trucks a day will be removed from our local roads when the North East Link opens, as promised?

Without permanent truck controls, through-trucks will continue using our NE arterial Roads.

That's not good enough.

We're calling on the State Government to introduce permanent truck controls so the North East Link delivers what our community was promised.

We need your help.

✅ Sign the .
✅ Share this post.
✅ Ask your local State Candidates from all sides to publicly support permanent truck controls before the election.

The Petition here: https://share.google/ufsxnbZXPl8h20Rcf

This is our opportunity to secure:

- Safer roads
- Less traffic
- Cleaner air
- Quieter neighbourhoods

If we don't act now, we could spend $26 billion and still have thousands of trucks travelling through our community every day.

Please sign the petition today. Every signature strengthens our voice.

21/07/2026

🌳 National Tree Planting Day.

In our magnificent backyard here in Banyule.

This Sunday With the Warringal Conservation Society

See you there!

Matt

We are excited to announce that we will be the host of the National Tree day planting for our Banyule area on Sunday July 26th in conjunction with the Banyule City Council.
We hope you can join us in the West paddock of the Banyule Flats Conservation Reserve anytime between 10am till 12noon.

Everything provided. Everyone Welcome - Bring the whole family.
The site is an easy 5 minute walk from Somerset drive car park or the Plymouth st/Buckingham Drive park entrance.
We hope to see you there.

Everyone is very welcome to stay for a cuppa, a sausage, a vegetarian sausage and/or some cake.
If you have any questions please feel free to contact me, Rob Granter WCS Planting coordinator 0417 542723
The site has been prepared by Warwick Senior Ranger of the BCC Bush crew and his team and its ready to receive close to 500 indigenous trees & shrubs

07/07/2026

This today...

Our Banyule arterial roads are not built for heavy freight. Imperative we have adequate truck controls - enforced, from day one of North East Link opening.

Keep up the effort Resolve Rosanna Road. Thank you on behalf of all Banyule residents.