Parliament of Victoria | Legislative Council | Adjournment
28th of August, 2025
David ETTERSHANK (Western Metropolitan Region):
[Speech incorporated into Hansard]
The Solomon Heights subdivision in Sunshine North has been described by former mayor Bruce Lancashire as ‘Melbourne’s worst example of urban blight.’
It certainly is a mess.
The estate is approximately 32 hectares, with 433 privately owned lots, that have remained undeveloped and unserviced since the subdivision was rezoned back in the 1920s.
One of the issues holding up the long overdue development is the presence of rare grasslands containing federally protected critically endangered species of fauna and flora on the estate. This includes the spiny rice flower, of which only 465 remain. But sadly, these are being pushed to extinction through sheer neglect.
A 2016 proposal to protect these remnant native sites called for a conservation zone to be established at the northern end of the estate so that the southern end could be developed. This would create an unfair situation for the northern landowners as those on the southern side could still retain their land interests and profit from future developments. It needs a large-scale solution that is equitable for all landowners.
Brimbank is the council responsible for the area but has ruled out buying the land for environmental protections.
The council would like to see a process whereby the state government steps in with a plan for the whole area, including plans for equitable distribution of profits from sale of the land.
So the action I seek is for the Minister for Planning to meet with representatives of Brimbank council and the Grassy Plains Network to finally begin the planning process for Solomon Heights.
Written Answer
Received: 29 September 2025
Hon. Sonya Kilkenny MP
(Attorney-General, Minister for Planning)
thank the Member for Western Metropolitan Region for the question.
Solomon Heights is identified as regionally significant industrial land in the Melbourne Industrial and Commercial Land Use Plan and forms part of the employment and innovation area surrounding the Sunshine Priority Precinct. The area has limited infrastructure and road access and contains critically endangered flora and fauna species. Planning controls restrict the use and development of the land until these matters can be resolved.
As the local planning authority, Brimbank City Council is responsible for leading the strategic planning of this area. I will consider any planning scheme amendment the council puts forward which addresses the future environmental, infrastructure and land use planning for Solomon Heights.
[ENDS]
