Locals fed up with crime and empty shops
Jonathon Kelly faced no crime in his first seven years in Windsor, but his car was stolen and his home was broken into twice in the last 12 months.
She moved to inner Melbourne for its liveliness but is so worried about how the place has changed since then that she worries about the safety of her son as he returns home from football practice.
“When I was growing up in Sydney, we would go into Melbourne to come to Chapel Street to shop,” Kelly said.
“The irony is that 20 years later I live here now and no one comes to Chapel Street in Melbourne.”
Kelly was among about 100 people who gathered outside Prahran City Hall on Saturday for the event, which was promoted as a rally to “take back” society in Prahran, Windsor and South Yarra.
Crime, feeling unsafe at night, retailers’ struggles, Stonnington Council’s debts and concerns about people using drugs in public places were topics raised by speakers; Controversial parking changes brought applause.
Tim Morffew, owner of the Thurston and Howell boutique, said many retailers had reached breaking point but were trying to keep the area alive.
“Once Melbourne’s premier shopping street, the social cohesion of what was once Melbourne’s premier shopping street has been completely eroded over the last three years,” Morffew said.
“My staff and clients are regularly forced to engage in aggressive, unpredictable and antisocial behavior.”
South Yarra resident Felipe Strahovsky said it was important not to distract from real life, but he also worried about the safety of his three children and said many people felt they could not use public space in the same way they used to.
“I don’t want my kids to fall or get hit near syringes [into] “There are bottles on the streets,” Strahovsky said.
Rally co-organiser Gary Mann said many locals were fed up with the “downward spiral” of the area over the last decade and called on authorities, particularly the council, to be more creative with solutions to regenerate the area.
He said adding more greenery, adding more pop-ups to vacant stores, repairing broken footpaths and tightening liquor laws would go a long way, but he didn’t have all the answers.
Fellow organizer Natalie Doherty said she didn’t feel safe in Prahran, even at seven in the morning.
“I will always see at least one person yelling at me like crazy. I walk over vomit, poop. I see syringes on the trail,” he said.
But Windsor resident Judy Gold, who did not attend the rally, was more optimistic.
He had noticed more rough sleepers but said it was a much bigger problem than Stonnington. He said it was still a great place to raise a family and that Chapel Street had always had its ups and downs.
“They always had problems,” he said. “There has always been noise, crime and litter on Chapel Street, so I don’t think this comes as a surprise to anyone who lives here.”
At the end of January, 15.3 per cent of shops on Chapel Street were empty. The vacancy rate in nearby St Kilda retail precinct Fitzroy Street was 10.1 per cent at the beginning of January, while in Acland Street it was just 6.7 per cent.
Stonnington Council chief executive Dale Dickson said the mayor had offered to meet with the rally organisers, but had received no response. He said the state government, not the council, was responsible for many of the problems that arose.
He said the new parking fees are comparable to fees in other municipalities. He said a review of Chapel Street lighting had been commissioned and an extra 825 hours had been spent cleaning the area by late 2025.
“There are some false statements” [rally] “The poster being circulated is greatly exaggerated, including the council’s $100 million debt,” Dickson said.
“Stonnington’s estimated actual debt at the end of 2025-26 of $73.9 million is well below our borrowing limit and remains manageable.”
He said municipal officers had increased joint patrols with police and the council had invested in Prahran police station CCTV and supported outreach services.
Total crime incidents in Stonnington increased by 6.5 per cent in 2025 compared to 2024. According to crime statistics data, theft from motor vehicles was the most common crime.
Street-level data is not publicly available but police said crime on Chapel Street fell 7.5 per cent during that period, also indicating a 12 per cent drop in retail, serious and violent crime.
Police said 17 people were arrested on Chapel Street on Friday and Saturday nights this year as part of Operation Safe Night.
A Victorian government spokesman said there was more work to be done to keep the community safe, but said the crackdown on crime included bail changes and “adult term for violent offenses” laws.
“There are more police on duty in Victoria than anywhere else in Australia and we support the chief commissioner’s plan to get more officers off desks and onto the streets,” the spokesman said.
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Rachael Ward is a journalist on The Age’s City team. Contact her at rachael.ward@theage.com.auConnect via email.
