McCrae landslide update - 21 March 2025

Published on 21 March 2025

Statement from Mayor Cr Anthony Marsh

Our dedicated response to the McCrae landslide continues, focusing on:

getting the remaining eight properties safely back in their homes, where possible
investigating the causes of the 14 January landslide
identifying necessary works to make the area safe again.

Community safety is, and will always be, our highest priority. To ensure this, we have a team of expert geotechnical engineers and a highly experienced Municipal Building Surveyor (MBS) working with us.

We are guided by their expert technical investigations and advice, and bound by determinations made by the MBS, which are made under Victorian Building Authority regulations.

From the data and information we have so far, there are too many risk factors, including the potential for another landslide, to allow people to live in the evacuation zone. We do not have enough information to determine when it will be safe for residents to return.

We deeply empathise with residents from the eight impacted properties who remain unable to return to their homes – the ongoing uncertainty is undoubtedly taking a toll. This is a complex and evolving situation.

While the investigations continue, Council is doing everything that we can to get answers, support the community and share the information that we have.

Council has set up a designated team to focus on the McCrae landslide. We are actively engaging with community members through weekly community meetings and regular phone and email correspondence, and we have also recently met one-on-one with each family affected to discuss tailored plans for mitigating risks to their property.

Council continues to share as much information as possible with affected residents, including weekly updates and data from comprehensive monitoring systems installed throughout the landslide area.

As investigations continue, we don’t have the full picture yet—more data and analysis are required. We are committed to sharing as much information as possible as soon as we can.

We remain committed to transparency and welcome the state government’s recent announcement that Renée Enbom KC will lead the Board of Inquiry. We will fully engage with the Inquiry and trust it will provide definitive answers for our community and Council.

I want to assure residents that we are doing our utmost to get them back into their properties and get to the bottom of what happened.

We anticipate Council will spend up to $3 million on our emergency response this financial year. We remain hopeful of receiving the requested financial or technical assistance from the state government.