Day: June 26, 2017

NEPEAN LEAGUE SORRENTO coach Nick Jewell has scoffed at suggestions that the competitive nature of the 2017 Nepean Division season was over after his side handed out an almost 100-point thrashing to Frankston Bombers on Saturday. Frankston Bombers came into the game ranked second on the ladder, only behind Sorrento, however the home team made the opposition look as though they were miles off the pace as they proceeded to belt them. The one-sided demolition prompted keyboard warriors around the peninsula to declare the season was finished. One person listening to the match on RPP FM sent through an SMS…

PENINSULA LEAGUE BONBEACH stands alone at the top of the MPNFL Peninsula Division ladder after handing out a 12 goal hiding to Langwarrin. The Sharks have been in sensational form in the past eight weeks and have knocked over both of the 2016 grand finalists, YCW and Mt Eliza. There is no question that the race for the 2017 title is well and truly on. Edithvale-Aspendale has now emerged as a genuine contender too after leading all day to beat Frankston YCW. The sixth-placed Eagles are on six wins, locked together with Mt Eliza, who currently hold down fifth place…

SOCCER By Craig MacKenzie NICK Theodore has an impeccable sense of timing. With Skye United’s promotion push under serious threat from bottom side Dingley Stars, Theodore came off the bench in the 78th minute and scored twice in the final six minutes of normal time to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. Skye’s 4-3 come-from-behind win at home on Saturday gives it hope that it can beat Brandon Park in the race for second spot in State 3 South-East but it will have to perform at a far higher standard to achieve its aim. Skye dominated in the air…

ON Monday last three schoolboys (James and Cyril Hodgkinson and William Walker) when crossing the railway line, near the local goods sheds, at Frankston, found a purse containing a diamond ring and 16s 7d in cash. The boys at once proceeded to the police station and handed their “find” over to Constable Ryan. Later on in the day, Mr Thomas, a local railway employee, reported the loss of his purse and contents, and received his property back intact. Mr Thomas stated his intention of rewarding the boys for their commendable honesty. *** TROOPER C. Paynter, who was in Frankston on…

A NEW era of “cooperation” between the state government and councils across Melbourne’s suburbs has been heralded with the formation of six metropolitan partnerships by the government. The groups are “a new platform for cooperative engagement between governments, business and communities” according to Labor Suburban Development Minister Lily D’Ambrosio. A Southern Partnership representing Kingston, Frankston, Mornington Peninsula Shire, Casey, Dandenong and Greater Dandenong councils appointed Dr Elizabeth Deveny as chair this month. Dr Deveny is CEO of the South Eastern Melbourne Primary Health Network. South East Local Learning and Employment Network CEO Andrew Simmons has been appointed deputy chair. Council…

THE proposed $280,000 car park to ease Mt Eliza Primary School drop-offs has upset nearby residents. They say their main concerns over the Canadian Bay Rd-Nepean Highway site are safety, increases in traffic when a nursing home is built opposite, and the “destruction of a beautiful park area which is characteristic of Mt Eliza”. Traffic is often chaotic in the area during morning and afternoon peaks, with parents parking on roadsides while dropping off and picking up pupils. The residents say they met with the mayor, councillors and shire staff at the proposed site recently to discuss potential issues and…

MORNINGTON netballers have celebrated the opening of the seven Elsie Dorrington Reserve netball courts, following the recent completion of court upgrades and lighting. The project was jointly funded by the federal government ($500,000), state government ($100,000), Mornington Peninsula Shire Council ($363,568), and Mornington Netball Association ($50,000). The mayor Cr Bev Colomb said the competition standard lighting would aid night games. “It will grow the number of events that can be hosted on the reserve,” she said. “I’m pleased to see this upgrade finally complete and I am looking forward to seeing the increase in competitive sports in the region from…

SLEEPING out in the cold is a tough ask even for one night – let alone on a regular basis. But it’s a common plight on the Mornington Peninsula for many people without jobs or on low incomes – and one being made worse by the scarcity of affordable rental properties and the closure of several traditionally cheap and accessible caravan parks. Mt Martha-based Fusion Australia – an organisation which works with the homeless – estimates up to 2000 people sleep “rough”, or in their cars, on the peninsula every night. To help them, it is running its third Sleep…

THE skies are blue for Mornington model aircraft flyer Daniel Arapakis who takes off for Sweden next month to compete in his second world championships. The 16-year-old started flying model aircraft only four years ago at Western Port Model Aero Club, Crib Point. In 2015, as a 14-year-old, he flew at the world pylon racing championships in the Czech Republic and won a third place and bronze medal – the youngest pilot ever to do so. Now, two years on, Daniel has multiple wins and placings in pylon racing events which are held around the country. And, according to dad…

DOG walkers at McCrae proved the social aspects of their regular beach outings by getting together on 10 June to pressure Mornington Peninsula into loosening the laws on keeping their pets on a leash. Bill Chalkley said unique winter restrictions at McCrae were the “bones of the issue”. “Since it was established in November 2008 the McCrae beach off-leash dog exercise area has had winter time restrictions – no off-leash exercise is permitted outside the daylight saving period after 9am or before 5pm daily,” he said. “An identical off-leash dog exercise area east of the Rosebud jetty has no such…

CFA crews worked desperately to prevent a B-double truck’s huge liquefied petroleum gas tanks exploding after a fatal collision in Tyabb on Thursday night. Police are investigating why a black Mercedes sedan travelling south on Dandenong-Hastings Rd at 8.15pm crossed onto the wrong side of the road and ran head-on into the tanker. Both vehicles caught fire, but luckily it did not extend to the 20 tonnes of LPG on board the tanker. The driver of the Mercedes, a 49-year-old Hastings man, died at the scene while the driver of the tanker escaped with minor injuries. CFA District 8 operations…

THE Department of Environment Land Water and Planning (DELWP) is about to begin designing a rock seawall to provide “long term protection” to the foreshore and beach at Portsea. The department says other works will improve access to the beach east of the seawall. The decision to replace the existing sandbag seawall with a rock seawall follows the completion of an independent options assessment by consulting firm Advisian. Cost of the project is put at $3 million, well below the $20.42m estimate for the “permanent solution” option contained in the Advisian report. “The erosion at Portsea front beach is a…

The who’s who of the peninsula gathered at Sorrento on Friday 23 June to channel their inner “Torvill and Dean” at the launch of Sorrento’s winter pop-up, Skating at Sorrento. An ice skating rink rivalling that of Times Square and Paris has popped-up on Sorrento Foreshore from 23 June to 16 July. The rink, measuring 25m x 9m, is set by the picturesque bay between The Baths and Rotunda on Sorrento foreshore, with ice skaters able to enjoy the views while ice skating, day or evening, rain or shine. The Skating at Sorrento Ice Rink is a partnership between Sorrento…

THE state Labor government’s planning department has no interest in protecting the Mornington Peninsula from overdevelopment, says RMIT planning specialist Professor Michael Buxton. Peninsula residents will have to fight hard to protect the shire from overdevelopment and will have to involve themselves in the future governance of the region as well as put electoral pressure on the government, he told a meeting of more than 300 residents at Hastings last Thursday night. The meeting had been called to explain recent changes in state government planning laws that will allow developers to build three-storey houses up to 11 metres high in…

ST JOSEPHS Catholic School won Sorrento Bowls Club’s third annual Primary School Challenge last week with 17 shots up. Runner-up was Red Hill Consolidated School with 16 shots up. About 100 years 5 and 6 pupils from eight peninsula schools showed their skills at lawn bowls. That was double the number of previous years, the club’s Judith Mordech said. Participating schools with imaginative team names included Sorrento (Strikers, Thunder, Superstars and Sharks), Tootgarook (Yellow, Green and Frogs), Rosebud (Rockets, Rabbits & Rascals), Our Lady of Fatima, Rosebud (Fatima Falcons, Fatima Fury, Fatima Flames), Red Hill Consolidated (Rockets, Renegades and Rebels),…