Council will continue upgrading inefficient street lights with LED lighting, with most lights in the region to be swapped over by the end of the year.
In 2023, Council replaced 69 per cent of remaining inefficient street lights in the municipality to energy-efficient LED lights, as part of a project to reduce emissions and energy use, and ensure street lights are better maintained.
Many of the old street lights in the area are mercury vapour, high-pressure sodium or compact fluorescent lights, which use significant amounts of energy and have shorter life spans compared to LED lighting.
Yarra Ranges Mayor, Cr Sophie Todorov, said this project would mean less spend on streetlight maintenance, better lighting, and reduced energy use.
"Street lights use an incredible amount of energy when you look at how large the Yarra Ranges is – our 2500 square kilometres has countless lights for pedestrians and road users alike," she said.
"Though we moved our street lighting energy contract to 100 per cent renewable energy in 2021, we want to make sure we're doing everything we can to get the most out of our infrastructure.
"By swapping to LEDs, areas will be better lit for safety and visibility, the maintenance needs will be lower with the significantly longer lifespan of the lights, and we'll use dramatically less energy, saving us money in the long-run.
"Amenity for humans and animals has been considered here, with shielding to be installed on lights to reduce light impact in wildlife-sensitive areas, particularly in the Dandenong Ranges."
These works have been funded by AusNet, who provided $474,885 to swap over street lights between 2021-26.
These works are part of Council's Liveable Climate Plan, a document outlining how Council will reach net zero emissions by 2040, and 100 per cent renewable energy use by 2030.
