Latest articles by Sean Car
“Tip the balance for good”: residents sound alarm over final Yarra Park Master Plan
The future of Yarra Park is again under scrutiny, with the East Melbourne Group preparing to hold an emergency meeting over fears the final master plan for the park will tip the balance too far towards commercial and event use.
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Discoteca Italiana brings Italian buzz to Melbourne Museum
Melbourne Museum will be transformed into a one-night-only Italian nightlife experience on Saturday, June 6, as Discoteca Italiana brings music, food, dancing and after-hours exhibition access to Carlton.
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La Mama to launch three-month season of bold new works
La Mama Theatre will launch one of its most anticipated annual programs on June 2, with EXPLORATIONS returning for a three-month season of brand-new works-in-progress.
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Academy students take flight with Mary Poppins production
Students from the Academy of Mary Immaculate in Fitzroy have brought a touch of magic to the stage with their production of Mary Poppins, which began on May 20.
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Royal Exhibition Building marks 125 years since birth of federal parliament
Australia’s democratic story returned to one of its most symbolic stages earlier this month, as national and state leaders gathered at Carlton’s Royal Exhibition Building to mark 125 years since the opening of the nation’s first federal parliament.
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Council backs St Nicholas Church redevelopment in East Melbourne
The City of Melbourne has approved a long-running planning application for St Nicholas Antiochian Orthodox Church in East Melbourne, giving the green light to a heritage-sensitive redevelopment.
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Potter Museum announces major exhibition exploring the art and meaning of the gum tree
The Potter Museum of Art has announced a major new exhibition that will explore one of Australia’s most enduring and complex symbols: the gum tree.
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Calls grow for a master plan to guide Lygon Street’s next chapter
The idea of a long-term master plan for Lygon St is gaining momentum, with traders, residents and civic leaders increasingly converging around the view that Carlton’s most iconic strip needs a coordinated strategy to secure its future.
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La Mama lines up two sharp and funny May shows with STUCK and GAG REFLEX
La Mama is set for a lively and darkly funny May, with two new productions bringing very different kinds of comedy to its Carlton stages.
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University Square upgrade a centrepiece of council’s new Garden City push
A major second stage upgrade of University Square in Carlton is set to be one of the headline local green space investments in the City of Melbourne’s draft 2026-27 budget, as the council prepares to pitch more than $26 million for new and improved parks across the municipality.
Read MoreYarra Park master plan nears finish line as residents push back on “commercial creep”
A new long-term master plan for Yarra Park is understood to be close to finalisation, setting up what could become one of the most consequential planning updates for East Melbourne’s best-known public space in more than a decade.
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Sky rail proposal over Park St moves forward, but Royal Park concerns deepen
Plans to elevate the Upfield rail line over Park St at the northern edge of Royal Park are progressing, with some local residents viewing the emerging design as having limited impact on nearby homes.
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Seven charged over Zelda D’Aprano statue vandalism in Carlton
Seven women have been charged over the alleged defacing of the Zelda D’Aprano statue outside Victorian Trades Hall in Carlton earlier this month.
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Cyclists protest Yarra’s Elizabeth St bike lane downgrade in Richmond
Cycling advocates and local residents gathered on Elizabeth St in Richmond on Sunday, March 15 to protest the City of Yarra’s decision to narrow the street’s protected bike lanes, warning the move will make one of inner Melbourne’s key east-west cycling links less safe.
Read MoreSky rail proposal over Park St moves forward with limited impact on Royal Park
Plans to elevate the Upfield rail line over Park St at the northern edge of Royal Park are progressing, with early design work suggesting relatively limited impacts for nearby Parkville residents
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Degrowth festival to debut in Carlton with focus on community and climate resilience
A new grassroots festival focused on sustainability, simple living and community resilience is coming to Carlton this month, with organisers inviting Melburnians to gather for a day of talks, workshops, music and practical skills sharing at Curtain Square.
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La Mama to stage Australian premiere of dark comedy in April
La Mama will present the Australian premiere of Spare a Thought for Jana Wendt next month, bringing Nicola Watson’s Patrick White shortlisted play to Melbourne audiences for a limited season in Carlton.
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Defence audit flags Carlton training depot for sale as local housing push gathers pace
A modest Defence site in the heart of Carlton could soon become one of the most closely-watched parcels of land in the inner city, after the Commonwealth confirmed it is earmarked for divestment under a nationwide defence estate audit.
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East Melbourne Group claims victory at VCAT as Hotham St proposal refused
A contentious apartment proposal for Hotham St in East Melbourne has been knocked back by the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT), in a decision handed down late last year that marked a significant win for the East Melbourne Group and neighbouring residents.
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Parkville heritage review moves to panel after mixed submissions
A long-running review of heritage protections across Parkville has moved a step closer to completion, with councillors voting unanimously on February 17 to endorse post-exhibition changes and refer unresolved matters to an independent planning panel.
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