From safety forums to black tie galas

While Melburnians typically go to ground in the middle of winter, jetting off to sunnier shores or chasing fresh powder, the East Melbourne Group (EMG) has remained very active within the local community and across wider issues.

With the recent theft – and now thankful return – of the East Melbourne Store’s iconic 1970s ice-cream cones, community safety and the noticeably rising crime rates in our local area have been top of mind.

In response, the EMG will be facilitating a community safety forum on Monday, August 25, 6.30pm at the East Melbourne Library. Held in conjunction with the Victoria Police, the City of Melbourne and the Melbourne Cricket Club, the community safety forum is your chance to have your say about the very real, very present, and very concerning safety and crime issues.

Representatives from Victoria Police and MCC will be in attendance, as will City of Melbourne director of city safety security and amenity Dean Robertson.

Residents of East Melbourne and our neighbours in Fitzroy, Carlton, the CBD and Richmond are welcome to attend and lend their voice to the discussion, because without collective effort, positive impact and change for good can’t happen.

It's not all doom and gloom in East Melbourne! On Bastille Day, local favourite wine and cocktail bar, Life’s Too Short, was full of joie de vivre. The cosy bar, located in the Tribeca complex in a cosy bluestone slice of Melbourne’s brewing heritage, hosted a sold-out three-course French menu with matching French wines.

For those who may have walked past Life’s too Short on their journey past Tribeca, it’s worth stopping in for their delicious tapas and top-notch Negroni.

With the spring eventing season on the horizon, Deb Brown and the EMG social committee have been working away to once again bring the annual EMG fundraising Gala dinner to life. 2024’s fantastic dinner at the Alexandra Club was a tough act to follow, and 2025 will not disappoint. Held this year at the Jack Ryder Room at the Melbourne Cricket Club, tickets are on sale now via TryBooking.

With just 80 seats available for one of the highlight events in the local community calendar, it’s time to gather your friends, family and neighbours and book a table to celebrate everything that makes East Melbourne so special – community, comradery, and a collective commitment to containing to make Melbourne one of the most liveable cities in the world. •