An Australian-first ‘smart’ street light is being rolled out at Woodlea.
The smart street lights include video surveillance, with footage beamed in real-time to a central location via wi-fi technology.
The new street lighting is part of a Smart Community project, launched last Wednesday, that focuses on “smart learning, smart safety and smart wellbeing”.
Woodlea project director Matt Dean said 25 smart street lights would eventually be installed in public places across the estate, at a cost of about $6000. Money, Mr Dean said, that had been very well spent.
“There won’t be any privacy issues because it’s only catching footage in public places, parks, sporting facilities,” Mr Dean said.
“What’s common practice is that these facilities are monitored by body corporates or security, and this is the next level for our residents to know they’re safe.”
The lights have been developed in partnership with Victoria Police and Melton council, with the possibility that smart street lights could one day be rolled out across the municipality.
Leading senior constable Jo Mutsaerts said police had worked with estate architects and residents on crime prevention techniques.
She said smart street lights would not stop all crimes, but may be a “missing link”.
“It will quite often be able to give us the connection of an offence taking place and the additional evidence we might require for prosecution.”
At the launch of the Smart Community project, Premier Daniel Andrews said the street lights initiative was “very promising”.
“The notion of deploying and employing the best technology – that’s a fantastic step forward,” Mr Andrews said.
