Neighbourhood Watch hits ground running with Camp Safe

THE Bellarine’s newly formed Neighbourhood Watch has staged its first major community event, bringing together police, Bellarine Bayside and volunteers in Portarlington.

The Camp Safe pop-up, held at the Portarlington Holiday Park last week, was focused on bike and e-scooter safety and theft prevention and marked the first initiative delivered under the Neighbourhood Watch Bellarine umbrella since the group launched in November last year.

The event saw members of bSafe, Bellarine Bayside, Bellarine police and the Bellarine Community Support Register working side by side to engage with campers and visitors, offering practical advice and simple measures to help secure high-value items during the busy summer period.

Visitors were able to speak directly with local police about crime prevention and road safety, while one-way screws designed to help secure vehicle number plates were also available for purchase.

Bellarine MP Alison Marchant congratulated Neighbourhood Watch Bellarine on a successful first project and thanked everyone involved for their commitment to “making the Bellarine an even safer place to live and visit”.

“It is great to see our Bellarine community coming together to keep locals and visitors safe,” she said.

“Initiatives like Camp Safe show the strength of collaboration between police, community groups and volunteers, and the positive impact it can have on crime prevention and community awareness.”

Bellarine Bayside chief executive Scott Crabtree said the pop-up event provided a valuable opportunity to share safety information and hear directly from campers.

“I am really pleased to have Neighbourhood Watch and Victoria Police support our inaugural safety information pop-up at Portarlington Holiday Park, focusing on e-scooters and securing valuables,” he said.

“It was a great opportunity to listen to campers’ experiences, discuss current actions and ensure everyone can have a safe and enjoyable holiday.”

With summer bringing a sharp increase in population across the Bellarine, Neighbourhood Watch Bellarine is urging residents and visitors to take extra care with their belongings.

Advice includes locking bikes and scooters with quality D-locks, securing them to immovable objects, storing valuables indoors where possible, and avoiding leaving high-value items unattended overnight at campsites or holiday accommodation.

Neighbourhood Watch Bellarine said further safety engagement events would be rolled out across the peninsula in coming months.