Month: January 2017

SPLENDID scenery, soft sand, lapping water and – mostly – friendly locals have made Dromana an ideal regular holiday destination for Arcto. The Australian fur seal, aged about seven, is back for perhaps his fourth annual visit to the foreshore. He uses it as a base to search for fish and crustaceans, often at night, and returns in the early morning to rest. Curious onlookers are being urged to stay away as the 250kg adult bull, like all seals, is protected under the Wildlife Act. Authorised officer Abbey Smith, of the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, said sightseers…

SMOKING rates in Frankston and on the Mornington Peninsula are significantly higher than the state average – statistics Peninsula Health and local schools are out to improve. “Most people in our community would agree that no one wants their kids to smoke,” Kristen Young, health promotion practitioner at Peninsula Health, said. “But, for an issue with so much support, the score card on tobacco use within our local community is quite dismal.” The service is collaborating with Mornington Peninsula Shire youth services and Frankston Mornington Peninsula Primary Care Partnership to create the Smokescreen Project. It was launched last year at…

IN an amazing start to the year, three Rosebud Country Club players in the women’s competition scored holes-in-one on the same hole on the same day. Members Jan Brown, Narelle Colahan and guest Suzanne Lynch all “aced” the 14th hole on the club’s south course, Tuesday 10 January. “Holes-in-one on the golf course are rare, with the club seeing maybe a handful each year,” marketing and membership manager Nicole Grace said. “The probability of a hole-in-one for the average player is about 12,500:1. The chances of two people scoring an ace on the same hole on the same day are…

GAS prices for Mornington Peninsula households are likely to drop between $40 and $185 a year from next year as network charges fall 11 per cent. This surprising revelation comes as most gas consumers fear increases as a result of soaring exports from the North-West Shelf and Galilee Basin projects in Western Australia and Queensland. But, for about 650,000 households and small businesses in Victoria and around Albury, NSW – including 150,000-180,000 on the peninsula and in Gippsland – the reverse is expected to be the case. This follows Australian Gas Networks (AGN) submitting to the Australian Energy Regulator its…

A CAR given to pioneering women aviator Amelia Earhart will be in Mornington next month as part of the RACV Great Australian Rally. The front wheel drive supercharged Cord was a present from Earhart’s husband, George Putnam, who had it painted in her favourite colour, “Eleanor blue”, named after her friend Eleanor Roosevelt, the wife of the long serving United States’ president, Franklin D Roosevelt. The Cord’s owner, Terry Dowel of Beaconsfield, will exhibit his car at the rally which raises money for research by the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre. Earhart was the first woman to fly across the Atlantic…

PLANS to fast track the rezoning and sale of Melbourne Water-owned land in Rosebud has infuriated residents and raised fears that the land grab will impact the future of Mt Eliza land that is now a haven for wildlife. The water authority has moved to rezone for development four of its “surplus” Melbourne sites, including the 5.6 hectare site in Jetty Rd, Rosebud, under the state government’s Fast Track Government Land Service. The land service was established in 2015 to correct planning scheme “anomalies” and provide for the fast-tracked rezoning of “surplus” government land. Residents are angry that Mornington Peninsula…

BLAIRGOWRIE nursing student Molly Moore is still a year away from qualifying, but the 22-year-old hopes her proactive approach to healthcare will reduce death and disease in third world environments. After going on a study tour to Thailand last year with Deakin University, the former Rosebud Secondary College student decided that one of the simplest ways to prevent illness in poor communities was to teach better hygiene practices. She has now developed a hygiene education program and will go to the Tanzanian township of Arusha with two friends in February to volunteer at the Tengeru district hospital, and deliver the…

SOCCER By Craig MacKenzie PLAYERS from Italy, Switzerland and England could play crucial roles in Peninsula Strikers’ assault on the State 2 South-East championship. Italian defensive midfielder Leandro Parrella, 29, and Swiss central defender Raphael Stulz, 23, arrived in Melbourne last week. The Italian ace has an impressive CV having spent 11 years at Vicenza Calcio in Serie B. He started in the club’s academy squad and eventually served a two-year apprenticeship before advancing to the senior squad. Parrella spent two seasons playing with the under 21s and reserves before joining fourth-tier outfit Mezzocorona and helping it win promotion to…

A DAY of fun in the water at Point Leo for up to 150 people with disabilities was called off on Saturday because of sharks. It was feared sharks would be attracted to the beach by a rotting whale carcass washed up on the beach at nearby Shoreham on Wednesday. The committee of the Disabled Surfers Association Mornington Peninsula changed the year’s first event from surfing to a barbecue – although the shark threat did not deter surfers enjoying the first swell in Western Port since the New Year. DSA Mornington Peninsula president Ashley Gardner said the event’s cancellation followed…

THE overwhelming stench of urine and cigarettes greeted Mt Martha resident Peta Donaldson and her eight-year-old daughter when they visited the Pillars after a heatwave weekend’s crush of young visitors had departed. “The weather was calm, with not a breath of wind, yet the Pillars literally smelt like a hideous concoction of a public toilet and an oversized filthy ashtray,” she said last week. “Thousands of cigarettes were left on the cliff. Wafts of urine hit us in the face as we climbed the coastline. So strong was the stench my daughter dry wretched – not ideal for a supposedly…

By Ben Triandafillou THE Mornington Peninsula Junior Football League under-16 Boys and Youth Girls interleague teams will be playing the Northern Tasmanian Junior Football Association’s interleague teams in the first annual representative match over the Labour Day weekend in March. The MPJFL will be visiting Launceston for the beginning of what they hope to be a fantastic partnership with the NTJFA and a significant opportunity for the representative teams. The signing of an “In Principal” agreement between the two associations allows the MPJFL in conjunction with the NTJFA to conduct an annual representative match beginning in 2017. This interstate partnership…

PROVINCIAL MORNINGTON Peninsula Cricket Association Provincial heavyweights Baxter and Peninsula Old Boys flexed their muscles in the first game of the new year on Saturday. Baxter star Dale Irving snared 3/0 as his side took 4/0 against Long Island to easily win by eight wickets, while Peninsula Old Boys rolled Langwarrin for less than 100 to easily steamroll their fellow top four opponent. Long Island is just a shadow of its past glory days and they were no match for Baxter. Batting first after winning the toss, the Islanders scrambled to 8/116 with skipper Aaron Paxton top scoring with 35.…

SUB-DISTRICT THE MPCA Sub-District competition hotted up even further on Saturday after the round seven one-day matches were played. It was already a tight competition, however, after the completion of the round, just one game separates third placed Tyabb from second-bottom Carrum Downs. Hastings and Ballam Park are now as safe as houses in the top four after the top two teams recorded wins against Skye and Balnarring respectively. Tyabb was the big mover with a win against Dromana. The Yabbies won the toss and batted first and made 175 in their 40 overs, losing just five wickets along the…

DISTRICT THE Mornington Peninsula Cricket Association District competition launched the new year in exciting fashion on Saturday. With some very important one-day games taking place, where top sides were pitted against those outside of the top bracket, the results could really shape the season. What the result did do was further tighten up the gap between third place and eighth place. Wins to Red Hill and Mt Martha further entrenched them into the top bracket, however, losses to Delacombe Park and Flinders really threw the season wide open again. Rosebud set Delacombe Park just 140 runs for victory after skipper…

The Sphere Peninsula Short Film Fest is Victoria’s largest public short film screening and will be held for the sixth year running in Rosebud from Friday 3 February to Sunday 5 February 2017. Promising filmmakers will showcase their work in front of a panel of luminaries who will award individuals in a total of nine film categories including best film, best cinematography, best director and best screenplay. This year’s judging panel includes, Nicole da Silva (Wentworth, Doctor Doctor), Lachy Hulme (The Matrix, Offspring), Myf Warhurst (Spicks and Specks, Double J), Sigrid Thornton (SeaChange, Wentworth) Gyton Grantley (Underbelly, House Husbands) and…

LOST Stolen or Strayed.–Spotted cow, branded HG, on rump, near calving. –H. GAMBLE, Frankston. *** AMONGST the last of casualties published is the name of Pte E. J. Vagg, of Carrum, who is reported as seriously ill. *** OUR readers are reminded of Brody and Mason’s high class Poultry Sale, on Wednesday next.–See advertisement. *** THE dance, held on Scturday night last, in aid of the “Wattles” Club Returned Soldier’s Fund, passed off successfully, and was most enjoyable. *** THE monthly meeting of the Seaford branch of the Red Cross Society was held in the hall on Wednesday after noon.…

UPDATE 16 January 2017, 10.30am: Three brothers missing from Mornington since yesterday evening have been located this morning. The boys were located safe and well at South Warf about 10am. Police are currently making enquiries regarding their return home. Investigators would like to thank the public and media for their assistance. Source: Victoria Police News Police are appealing for public assistance to help locate three missing children from Mornington. Jai Masters, Beau Masters, and Chase Masters, aged nine, 10 and 12 respectively, were last seen in Meridian Way, Mornington about 7.15pm on Sunday 15 January. Police and family have concerns…

Police are appealing for public assistance to help locate missing 15-year-old Amelia Sawyer. Amelia was last seen leaving her Hastings address on 3 January. She is described as having a slim build with long brown hair and brown eyes. Police and Amelia’s family have concerns for her welfare due to her age and the length of time she has been missing. Investigators have released an image of Amelia in the hope someone recognises her and can provide information regarding her current whereabouts. Amelia is known to frequent the Frankston and Springvale areas. Anyone with information about Amelia is urged to…

IT seems humans are not the only species that has an appetite for takeaway fast food. It seems feral cats and foxes are especially drawn to menu items at KFC in Hastings, although there’s a good chance that their first meal from the outlet is also their last. The role that KFC Hastings has in controlling pest animals has been uncovered along with a list of credit card expenses by Parks Victoria staff which also includes meals at the Portsea Hotel and several expensive restaurants elsewhere in the state – but presumably not for consumption by animals. Parks staff went…

UP to three number plates are stolen from cars on the Mornington Peninsula every week by people planning to commit crimes and steal petrol, according to police. The number plate thefts has prompted police to urge car owners to change to one-way, anti-theft number plate screws, and keep cars in garages where possible. Detective Senior Sergeant Alan Paxton from Mornington Peninsula CIU said two to three number plates are stolen from cars on the peninsula weekly, and was a major concern for police and car owners. “It is a major inconvenience for car owners, as they can’t drive the car…

A STOLEN car that sped from a booze bus in Western Port Highway, Somerville, two weeks before Christmas was found burnt out in Crib Point on the weekend. The red 1996 BMW sedan was taken from outside a house in Fulton Rd, Mt Eliza, on 10 December. The car was seen at a police roadside breath testing point in Somerville eight days later but, after initially pulling over when motioned by police to stop, the driver sped up and drove off erratically. Detective Senior Sergeant Alan Paxton from Mornington Peninsula CIU said the driver grabbed the hand of the police…

BLUESCOPE Steel is expanding, with work started on upgrading and restarting a metal coating line controversially closed in 2011 and more than 200 positions shed as part of a restructure. The upgrade has already boosted employment at the Western Port site, with BlueScope confirming that the “recruitment process” was being finalised, with more than 100 new jobs created in the past year. At the time of the 2011 closure, BlueScope was being hammered by a strong Australian dollar, rising iron ore and coking coal prices, weakening demand and competition from cheaper Chinese steel. But BlueScope spokeswoman Jill Gregory told The News on…

THE Disabled Surfers Association Mornington Peninsula will be holding its first event for 2017 at Point Leo on Saturday (14 January). As with past events the organisers expect hundreds of volunteers will be on hand to help more than 100 people with disabilities enjoy a day at the beach and in the surf. A new hoist-sling will be trialled to make it easier and more comfortable when transferring surfers from their wheelchairs. The DSAMP has also worked over the past year with Mornington Peninsula Shire and Mt Martha Lifesaving Club to provide matting at Mt Martha beach which allows wheelchair…

A STUNNING artistic depiction of Western Port’s maritime past is turning heads at Hastings. It took renowned Mornington Peninsula artist Simon White two weeks to complete the High St mural, but months to research the region’s rich history, speak to key characters and plan how best to tell the tale in images. The seven images tell the region’s fascinating narrative from 1860 to today, and reveal Mr White’s passion for connecting with history through art. “As we all rushed around preparing for Christmas and all the festivities, we have been intrigued as we watched a magnificent mural being painted in…

THE bus service between Rosebud and Monash University’s Peninsula campus in Frankston has been handed another lifeline after the state government stepped in to extend a trial until June 2017. The service connecting Rosebud with Monash has had a precarious existence, starting as the PenBus service in 2012 when the federal government provided $1.5 million to Mornington Peninsula Shire for a three-year trial. When the funding ended in 2015, students were left stranded until a new partnership between the state government, Mornington Peninsula Shire and Monash University saw the route 887 service reprised for 12 months in time for the…

A GROUP of Frankston and Mornington Peninsula residents are making a difference to the lives of leprosy sufferers around the globe, and are inviting others to join the cause. The Peninsula Leprosy Mission Support Group, a group of 12 people from around the peninsula, has raised more than $12,500 this year, beating its target and fully funding four projects in India, Papua New Guinea, Timor Leste and Nepal. Hastings member Don Johnston, who joined the group in 2008, said he was moved to tears when he and fellow members travelled to Nepal and saw the suffering and social rejection of…

THOUSANDS of people flocked to the Rye pier on Friday (6 January) to join in the Blessing of the Waters celebration, and to escape the 33-degree heat in the cool waters of Port Phillip. The ceremony is held every year at Rye by followers of the Greek Orthodox faith to celebrate Epiphany Day and the baptism of Jesus. Divers of different ages and energy levels dived off the pier after a wooden cross was blessed by the Very Reverand Elefterios Tatsis before being tossed into the bay. Stelios Kardas, 37, from Melbourne, was first to the cross this year. Participants…

HAPPY New Year to everyone involved in MPCA cricket. No doubt everyone has had a sensational break and are looking forward to an exciting back end of the 2016-17 season. There is little doubt that there is plenty of excitement and challenges for clubs in every grade across all divisions. There are just two one-day matches and three two-day games left in the season, kicking off this Saturday with a one-day match to launch the New Year. Provincial In Provincial, the fight for a spot in the top four is well and truly on with six teams with realistic chances…

SOCCER By Craig MacKenzie PRE-SEASON preparations for the 25 March kick-off to the 2017 league season go into overdrive this month. The highlight is the annual Steve Wallace Cup on Saturday 28 January, which will again be hosted by Mornington at its Dallas Brook’s Park headquarters. The event commemorates the life of local soccer icon Stephen William Wallace who was 54 years old when he died on 19 July 2011 and was a former Langwarrin player, coach, president, life member, club council representative and Bayside League referee. The charity event is a showcase for the local game and always draws…

BATHERS are warned to be cautious while bathing at present as there are a number of sharks about. Mr E. McComb captured one measuring 9 feet 4 inches in length at the Pier in the beginning of the week. *** REV. E. Tonkin will conduct both services at the Frankston Methodist Church on Sunday next, and will also preach at Langwarrin in the afternoon. Visitors are heartily welcomed. *** A GRAND concert and dance will be given in the Frankston Mechanics’ Hall on Saturday, 20th January, by the Essendon City Concert Band Entertainers, vocalists and instrumentalists. The programme is a…