Major change for dry zones in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs

A century-old tradition has come to an end in some of Melbourne’s wealthiest suburbs, sparking an “angry and devastated” response.

Contentious “dry zones’’ that have prohibited alcohol being publicly served in some of Melbourne’s most conservative suburbs have been abolished.

Residents in parts of wealthy suburbs such as Camberwell, Glen Iris and Box Hill have for years been asked to go to the polls to give operators of cafes, restaurants and bars the right to apply for a liquor licence.

But changes to Victorian laws during the week repealed the rules that harp back to 1920s anti-alcohol movements.

Instead, anyone wanting to serve alcohol in the former dry areas will be bound by the same rules, regulations and processes as anyone, anywhere in Victoria.

The Palace Hotel on Camberwell’s Burke Rd is one of the area’s only pubs.

Lifelong Camberwell resident and planning activist Mary Drost said she was shocked and “very angry’’ about the change.

“It’s been a much safer place this area being dry, let me tell you,’’ she said.

“The community will not be very happy because it’s made it a safer place to be.

“When I go to areas where there is alcohol being consumed so easily, for a woman on your own it’s not safe on the street.’’

The dry zones, also covering parts of Ashburton, Canterbury, Balwyn, Mont Albert and Surrey Hills, have long been divisive.

Premier Daniel Andrews labelled them “archaic” and vowed to scrap them in 2018 and Australian Hotels Association Victorian chief Paddy O’Sullivan has said they were “developed by wowsers’’.

But Mrs Drost said she was “angry and devastated’’ they had been abolished.

“How dare they do this to our area and I’m quite sure nobody here knows anything about it,’’ she said.

“It’s been snuck through purposely because they didn’t want all of us screaming out about it.’

The Liquor Control Reform Amendment Act 2021, gazetted last week, said the repeal “removes the ability of local residents to vote on a proposed liquor licence application in those designated areas.

“It will bring the licence application process in those dry areas into line with the application process applying throughout the rest of the State,’’ it said.

“The abolition will reduce red tape as well as reducing the burden on taxpayers who fund licence polling in the dry areas.’’

Boroondara Council mayor Garry Thompson accused the state government of removing “democratic rights from our residents, in favour of empowering pubs and clubs’’.

“While supporting the ability of cafes and family restaurants to serve alcohol within designated hours, the City of Boroondara maintains a strong opposition to changes to the ‘Dry Area’ requirements,’’ he said.

It estimated $500,000 of taxpayer money had been spent on at least 56 dry area polls since 2004.

The dry zones were bounded by Burke Rd in the west, Middleborough Rd in the east, Koonung Creek in the north and Gardiners Creek, Warrigal Rd and Riversdale Rd in the south.