‘Someone will get killed’: Brawls, hoons spark safety concerns on Chapel St

Violent brawls, reckless hoons and defecating punters have driven residents and business owners of Melbourne’s iconic Chapel Street precinct to breaking point.

Brawls, hoons and punters defe­cating in the heart of Chapel St’s night-life precinct have driven Prahran residents to breaking point.

Stonnington locals plan to lodge formal complaints against the council with the Victorian Ombudsman over what they have described as a waste of ratepayers’ money spent on cleaning up damage caused by clubgoers in Prahran, South Yarra and Windsor on Friday and Saturday nights.

Safety concerns are growing over vehicles speeding through the street’s 40km/h speed limit, particularly during busy periods when more pedestrians are nearby.

Residents who have filmed violent fights and reportedly witnessed a man wielding a machete have told the Sunday Herald Sun they fear it is only a matter of time before someone is “seriously hurt”.

A driver seen speeding and hooning in Chapel St's nightclub and bar precinct. Picture: TikTok

Prahran resident and business owner Alexandra ­Petrovic-Defteros said other instances such as public drug-taking and drug-affected anti-social behaviour were “totally out of control”.

“It’s just getting filthy and grotty, and becoming a real ghetto,” Ms Petrovic-Defteros said.

“Someone will get killed down here.

“It’s (speeding) a continual issue, day in and day out.”

Fights and dangerous driving have become a social media spectacle, with punters sharing footage of brawls, speeding vehicles and people who appear to be drug-­affected wandering on to busy roads including Chapel St.

In March, a driver hit a tree in front of Prahran High School on High St.

Ms Petrovic-Defteros, one of the residents planning to file a complaint about Stonnington Council, said she had witnessed people urinating and defecating on private property located near bars and nightclubs.

“This happens frequently. It’s just disgusting,” she said.

Residents fear the reckless driving could harm residents and pedestrians. Picture: TikTok

Locals remain concerned about hoons during busy periods. Picture: TikTok

Broken glass, rubbish and abandoned items remained a concern for permanent residents.

Another resident, who wished not to be named, said he chose to live in Prahran due to its buzzing restaurant and bar scene, but residential backstreets, including his own, were a hotspot for racers and hoons.

“They are doing 140 km/h down there,” he said.

“We need more cops walking the beat.”

Residents have called on Stonnington Council and Victoria Police to boost efforts to stamp out anti-social behaviour to allow the area’s popular night-life to thrive safely.

A Victoria Police spokesman said police regularly targeted public disorder on Chapel St and in the Port Phillip and Stonnington areas through Operation Safenight.

“Maintaining community safety and public order along Chapel Street is a major priority for local police, with significant levels of frontline resources allocated to the area,” he said.

“Operation Achilles, which targets hoon driving, is also run on an ongoing basis at local level throughout Stonnington and Port Phillip.”

Two men could be seen fighting one another on Chapel St in recent days. Picture: Instagram

When asked about residents’ plans to file complaints to the Ombudsman, a City of Stonnington spokeswoman said they could raise concerns on the council’s website.

“The City of Stonnington liaises with Victoria Police in relation to resident concerns and, where appropriate, seeks increased patrols or the deployment of a CCTV trailer to deter unwanted behaviour,” she said.

The council cleans the Chapel St precinct daily, removing potential trip hazards and abandoned items.