DON Prout moved to Tyabb when he completed his electrical apprenticeship at the age of 21. For the past 66 years he has conducted his business as an electrician in the district, although these days he is “more-or-less” retired. Over the decades he has been involved in a variety of community activities with Rotary being a special interest. This is Don’s story. Earlier Prouts Don’s knowledge of his grandfather, Samuel Prout, is limited other than he spent some time in South Africa where he managed a gold mine. He was a keen musician as evidenced by the photograph of the…
Day: January 27, 2016
SEARCH and rescue police on Friday night recovered the body of a 64-year-old Hastings man who went missing off Hastings pier that morning. Police rushed to the scene after receiving reports of an abandoned wheelchair. They set up a shelter at the end of the pier while divers searched for a body. Hastings Yacht Club is assisting police with its CCTV footage. There are no suspicious circumstances. Police are preparing a report for the coroner. For support and information about suicide prevention, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467. First published in…
A TRAWLING expedition by fisheries officers on land and sea netted 144 anglers breaking such rules as catching too many fish, using too many lines and keeping undersized catches. Despite the number of anglers booked, Fisheries Victoria says its Operation Billit found “the vast majority” of anglers in Western Port and Port Phillip “are doing so legally”. The operation was targeting snapper anglers but caught one angler with too many calamari and another with abalone. “We inspected 2100 recreational anglers on the water and at the boat ramps, we detected a total of 144 offenders were detected,” Fisheries Victoria’s Bob…
A MAN, 27, drowned at Gunnamatta beach, Sunday, while swimming with friends about 500 metres west of the area patrolled by lifesavers. The Taiwanese national, of Box Hill, got into trouble after being caught in a rip and pulled off a sandbank at 1.20pm. His two friends alerted lifesavers, who ran back along the beach. One swam out to the boy and brought him ashore. The lifesavers performed CPR until Ambulance Victoria crews arrived to take over, but he could not be revived and died at the scene. A report will be prepared for the coroner. Gunnamatta club captain Patrick…
A GUARD of honour was the focus of hundreds of mourners for businessman Murray Gomm at Somerville Football Oval, Monday. The cortege did a lap of the oval – with the 40-strong guard popping cans of beer to toast the man whose family built the Somerville hotel and ran it for many years. Ted Bull, of Ted Bull Funerals, said Mr Gomm oversaw the hotel’s smorgasbord which was “the best meal in town with queues out the door”. Mr Gomm, 60, had been in good health until being diagnosed with colorectal cancer in December 2014. Wife of 30 years, Leanne,…
HYDROGEN sulphide gas levels in Merricks Creek are being monitored daily to avoid danger to campers and beachgoers. Melbourne Water gave the monitoring equipment to the camping ground to measure the gas levels – which cause a strong odour – but, so far, the results are “well below levels that would trigger a response”. The move comes as Balnarring Beach Community Association president David Gill warns that “dangerous hydrogen sulphide and methane gases from Merricks Creek are being monitored daily and closure of our camping reserves is a possibility. “However authorities have not, to our knowledge, warned local residents of…