The Greek Australian community in Melbourne, Victoria has united in strong opposition to a controversial decision by Yarra City Council to remove a longstanding front gate at Alphington Grammar School, warning the move will jeopardise child safety and waste more than $400,000 of public money.
At the centre of the dispute is a secure gate on Old Heidelberg Road, which has formed the school’s main entrance for decades and provides access to nearby Darebin Creek. It is a gate that has long been considered essential by school staff and families for managing safety and access — particularly given Alphington Grammar’s repeated clashes with Council over developments that could impact students.
In 2023, the school formally objected to the approval of a nearby mental health facility, citing concerns over traffic, pedestrian safety, and the lack of consultation by Council. These concerns echo in the current controversy, as parents and the school community once again feel sidelined in decisions affecting their children’s safety.
The latest proposal, which was first ordered by Council in October 2021 and will now progress as part of Yarra City Council’s 2025–2026 budget approved on Tuesday, 17 June 2025, allocates $403,000 for road works on Old Heidelberg Road.
These works include removing the existing gate and entry structure, constructing a pedestrian crossing, and resurfacing the road. However, there is no costing transparency for the gate demolition or plans for a new playground proposed on the site.
The removal of the gate has been criticised as unnecessary, with parents noting that public access to Darebin Creek is already available 24 hours a day. They argue the real issue is access to the bike path, which remains blocked by a separate VicRoads fence — making the proposal effectively a road to nowhere. It would also dangerously expose children to through traffic within school grounds.
“Children between three and 10 years old are crossing from one side of the road to the other, and the only thing protecting them is that fence,” one parent told The Herald Sun.
Yarra City Mayor Stephen Jolly said he was “very comfortable” with the decision made by the previous council and stated that councillors had the right to overturn past decisions, but he would not be moving to change it.
“You should lobby the nine councillors… before the September deadline,” he said.
In response, the school community has launched a strong advocacy campaign, including an online petition that has already attracted more than 3,000 signatures. Social media posts led by Alphington Grammar parents directly call out the Council, describing the move as “impractical and irresponsible.”
“As parents, we send our children to school with the belief they will be safe. This decision rips that confidence away. It’s heartbreaking to think that a child may need to be injured – or worse – before the council will acknowledge what a reckless mistake this is,” the ‘Keep Kids Safe at AGS’ community wrote on Instagram.
School Principal Dr Vivianne Nikou also expressed her disappointment in a statement to The Greek Herald.
“It is extremely disappointing that Yarra Council is prepared to spend over $400,000 on no foreseeable benefit for the general public, students and school community,” Dr Nikou said.
Parents are also highly critical of the Council’s comparison of Alphington Grammar to other schools with campuses separated by roads, labelling the view as overly simplistic.
“Council claims that student safety is solely the school’s responsibility… This view is called simplistic, as it ignores Council’s shared duty to ensure public safety,” parents wrote.
There are also broader safety concerns. No formal risk assessments have been disclosed, and parents say they have not been properly consulted.
“Teachers would be left to manage traffic control — outside their expertise and role. These gaps highlight a serious lack of planning within the $400,000 budget,” a post from the community states.
The removal would also expose a playground at the end of a dead-end street to increased traffic risks, with no provisions for bollards, fencing, or a crossing guard.
“Ultimately, this is about the universal right to safety for all children and the duty of Council to act transparently and in the best interest of its community,” the parents’ group stated.
As Council prepares to proceed with the works in September this year, parents at Alphington Grammar continue to urge common sense and safety to take precedence over a plan many see as both high-cost and high-risk.
