Public notice: Waurn Ponds Shopping Centre Precinct, Waurn Ponds - Wednesday 30 September 2026

Declaration of Designated Area under section 10D of the Control of Weapons Act 1990

The Assistant Commissioner, Western 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 the Waurn Ponds shopping centre precinct, Waurn Ponds Hotel precinct, and Waurn Ponds Skate Park, Waurn Ponds, being the area bordered by (and inclusive of):

• intersection of Princes Highway Service Road and entrance to car park on western side of Waurn Ponds Hotel, south along fence line to beginning of parkland north of Waurn Ponds Creek
• west and south along boundary of parkland to walking track, west of Waurn Ponds Creek
• east along walking track, cross footbridge over Waurn Ponds Creek to intersection of north/south walking track, adjacent to 34 Chenin Mews
• north and east along walking track, to intersection of the walking track to Rossack Drive
• east and north from intersection of Rossack Drive and the walking track, to intersection of the walking track and Waurn Ponds Foot Bridge, north of Pioneer Road
• north-west from Waurn Ponds Foot Bridge to south-eastern edge of the Waurn Ponds skate park parkland
• north along the road on the eastern side of Waurn Ponds skate park parkland
• west along the northern boundary of Waurn Ponds skate park parkland to pedestrian traffic light crossing from Pioneer Road
• north-west along footpath to intersection of Pioneer Road and Princes Highway
• south-west to intersection of Princes Highway Service Road and western entrance of Waurn Ponds Hotel car park.

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.