Public notice: Eastland Shopping Centre, Ringwood - Friday 2 October, 2026

Declaration of Designated Area under section 10D of the Control of Weapons Act

The Assistant Commissioner, Eastern Region, acting as a delegate of the Chief Commissioner of Police, has declared under section 10D(1)(a) of the Control of Weapons Act 1990 (Act), the below location as a designated area.

Designated Area

The area that is declared to be a designated area is all public places within and around Eastland Shopping Centre (including carparks), Ringwood, being the area bordered by (and inclusive of):

• the intersection of Ringwood Bypass and Warrandyte Road, south to the intersection of Warrandyte Road and Maroondah Hwy
• west to the intersection of Maroondah Hwy and Ringwood Street
• north to the intersection of Ringwood Street and Ringwood Bypass
• east to the Intersection of Ringwood Bypass and Warrandyte Road.

See below map.

Victoria Police powers in designated areas

Police officers and protective services officers (PSOs) are empowered to stop and search a person and anything in the possession or control of the person, or a vehicle, for weapons under the Act. This may include:

• a search via electronic device
• a search of the contents of pockets/bags
• an outer search, or
• a strip search.

Police officers and PSOs are able to seize any item reasonably suspected of being a weapon. Police officers may also require a person who is subject to a strip search to disclose their identity.

A police officer may also exercise their power under the Act to direct a person to leave the designated area if:

• the person refuses to remove a face covering and the police officer reasonably believes they are wearing the face covering primarily to conceal their identity or protect themselves from crowd control substances, or
• the police officer reasonably believes that the person intends to engage in conduct that would constitute an affray or violent disorder under section 195H and section 195I of the Crimes Act 1958 respectively.

It is an offence under the Act to obstruct or hinder a police officer or PSO in the exercise of a power to stop and search a person or vehicle or to fail to comply with a direction to leave the designated area without a reasonable excuse.