By Mikayla van Loon
Bringing the Mooroolbark community spirit and local environment indoors was the concept for a recent photo competition.
Hosted by Mooroolbark Police Station the competition asked photographers and happy snappers to capture and submit something that represented the local community, the Yarra Valley or the Dandenong Ranges.
Awarding three locals on Wednesday 24 July, the works have been displayed in the foyer of the once stark station, bringing life, colour and connection to the entryway.
Jason East, a photographer known for his drone work of key landmarks, was awarded first prize for his shot of the iconic roundabouts, or five ways, in the centre of the town.
The secondary decals were submitted by Emerald photographer Tracy Dasler who captured the Yarra Valley from a hot air balloon and fellow local Michelle Barry who caught the light through the trees as a smoky haze fell across The Basin.
Eastern Region Assistant Commissioner Russell Barrett said the idea stemmed from wanting to create a more welcoming backdrop for people entering the station so they feel like “we are part of them and they are part of us”.
Comparing this concept to something like a children’s colouring contest, AC Barrett said it was all about connection.
“You feel connected just by the presence of something that connects you to this location,” he said.
“It’s about making people who live in our community who come to us in a moment in time when perhaps they need our help, which isn’t something they do every day, feel more comfortable and more connected while they’re waiting for a service or while they’re in our presence.”
Acting Senior Sergeant Luke Schroder said often it’s the “small differences that have a huge impact” to soften the harshness of a police station.
For Mr East, submitting a photo of the Mooroolbark’s centrepiece seemed only natural and capturing the image was something he’d always wanted to do.
“I’ve wanted to see what the roundabouts looked like with a drone for ages because I’ve lived here for 20 plus years,” he said.
“It generated so much interest because all the local Mooroolbarkians and Croydonians had such a mixed response of emotions to those roundabouts.
“I hope they never get rid of these roundabouts like they have in Montrose, I think it just makes part of Mooroolbark but if I do then [the decal] just becomes part of history.”
Ms Barry said for her photograph it was actually just by chance that she was driving along The Basin-Olinda Road when, she believes, planned burns were going on around her and happened to stop to capture the image.
The beautiful light now fills the doorway into the police reception area.
Deciding from a large catalogue of photographs, Ms Dasler said she elected to go for something from the Valley and what better view than from a hot air balloon at sunrise.
“It wasn’t foggy that particular morning but I just loved the glow of it. Every time you go over the Yarra Ranges it always looks different. Just like being on the ground, it always looks different,” she said.
“We started on a back road in Yarra Glen and then we came over the top so you’re looking straight to the city. So it was pretty spectacular to be able to see the city because normally when it’s foggy you can’t see anything.”
From roughly 100 submissions, the staff at Mooroolbark Police Station were the selection committee, choosing the images that connected with them the most, which Acting Senior Sgt Schroder said just happened to be the three elements of the Yarra Ranges – urban, valley and Dandenongs.
AC Barrett said every station in his region is looking to do something similar to make the entryways more inviting but complemented Mooroolbark’s effort as being “by far the best he’s seen”.
Acting Senior Sergeant Cal Cunningham said this was just one initiative of Mooroolbark’s officers to build stronger relationships with the community and to have that interconnection.
From Coffee with a Cop to inviting a local school to do the next lot of artwork, there’s more to keep an eye on at Mooroolbark Police Station.
