Police in Victoria say they were generally pleased with the behaviour of New Year’s revellers, but still made dozens of arrests.
More than 30 people were arrested for various incidents, including assaults, sexual assaults, traffic offences and robbery.
There was a significant police presence in Melbourne’s CBD as well as in popular areas such as the St Kilda and Geelong foreshores.
Police conducted more than 3,000 metal detector wand searches and seized 26 weapons.
Assistant Commissioner Mick Grainger said most people obeyed the rules at News Year’s Eve events.
“We also saw great crowd behaviour at suburban and regional community celebrations, with people taking responsibility for their own behaviour and looking out for their friends,” he said.
“There were only a small number of people who did the wrong thing, but they were dealt with swiftly by police, so the atmosphere was in no way spoiled.”
Four people were caught drink driving and 15 people were found to be driving while drug affected.
Police are investigating a house fire on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula that happened shortly after fireworks were set off outside.
Emergency services were called to a house in Alma Street, Tootgarook, just after midnight.
A 57-year-old woman was rescued from the house by a member of the public and was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Police said it’s believed fireworks were set off in the street just before the fire, which is being treated as suspicious.
A woman was also injured in a fireworks incident in Altona.
Geelong Police arrested a man after a woman was found with serious injuries in Grovedale early on Monday morning.
Emergency services were called after a member of the public found the woman on the nature strip about 3:15am.
Police said a man entered the woman’s house and assaulted her before stealing her car and fleeing the scene.
The woman escaped the property and was later taken to hospital.
It’s alleged the man, 20, of no fixed address, crashed the stolen car into a garage in Hamlyn Heights and was subsequently arrested.
Police are also investigating a glassing incident in Melbourne’s CBD.
A man aged in his 40s was taken to hospital with serious injuries after he was glassed in Flinders Street about 11:15pm.
A 37-year-old man has been arrested.
(ABC)
