Month: June 2017

THE lucrative rental of short-stay “party houses” on the Mornington Peninsula will be tightly regulated if a new residents’ group gets its way. The We Live Here group is pushing for tougher rules on the letting of holiday houses over social media to hordes of party-goers who ruin neighbours’ weekends with late-night noise and alcohol-fuelled aggression. Neighbours of one Rye holiday house – rented out for a reported $800 a night several times last year – said noisy parties and inebriated partygoers were making their weekends a nightmare. The practise is expected to grow as more people flock to online…

THE often-hidden scourge of elder abuse will be highlighted on Thursday (15 June) with World Elder Abuse Awareness Day on the Mornington Peninsula. Members of PACE – the Peninsula Advisory Committee for Elders – will man stalls at Rosebud Plaza, near Coles, and at Bentons Square Shopping Centre, Mornington from 10.30am. Their theme is “We can stop Elder Abuse”. The day aims to remind residents to honour older people and uphold their right to live in safety, with dignity and respect. Many older people are sometimes mistreated by someone close to them. The abuse is any act which causes them…

A man has died following a collision in Baxter this morning. It is believed an SUV and a motorcycle collided on Fultons Road between Golf Links and Baxter-Tooradin roads just after 11.10am. The male rider of the motorcycle died at the scene. The occupants of the car, a man and woman, stopped and assisted at the scene. They have been conveyed to hospital for observation. Police are on scene and Fultons Road is closed with diversions in place. The exact circumstances surrounding the collision are yet to be determined and the investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is urged to…

HASTINGS police are looking into incidences around the town of elderly users of mobility scooters being stood over and bullied by youths. Mornington Peninsula Shire mobility scooter ambassador Fran Henke went to the police after hearing from a friend who intervened last week when a woman was being bullied by eight youths in the Ritchie’s arcade. “I wanted advice on the kind of personal alarm that mobility scooter users might carry,” Mrs Henke said. “But, coincidentally, another person at the police station was making a related inquiry so I joined in. “The man had three pages listing similar events and…

THIEVES broke into the Hastings Club, 3am, Wednesday 31 May, after unscrewing the lock on the front door and rewiring the alarm to prevent it activating. Police said three men drove up to the club in Marine Parade in a stolen black Holden wearing black clothing, gloves and balaclavas. Two of the men then forced an internal door with a jemmy bar. One was captured on CCTV and is described as being Caucasian with a stocky build. He used an angle grinder to try to cut open an ATM behind the bar. He got away with a small amount of…

A NEW database will provide the public with details about sewage being poured into the ocean, estuaries and rivers. The database developed by the Clean Ocean Foundation, which successfully campaigned to clean up sewage being pumped into the ocean at Gunnamatta, has been compiled with a $400,000 federal government grant announced by Flinders MP Greg Hunt in October 2015. Now based at Wonthaggi, the foundation’s head John Gemmill joined Mr Hunt at Gunnamatta on Friday to announce the establishment of the national outfall database, or NOD. Citizen scientists were recruited to monitor and take water samples from many of Australia’s…

ONE notable success of the Western Port Secondary College’s outreach program concerns 18-year-old Mark Pratt who left school in year 6 and never stayed for long at any secondary school.    The road to getting the Frankston teenager re-engaged with learning was a rocky one as he, and school work, had never been compatible. Mr Pratt had been through residential care and briefly attended several secondary schools up until he was 15, but anger management issues were “letting him down”, Western Port’s outreach coordinator Helen Smith said. “He had found no real purpose in life and had been in a…

THE BOMB Squad took away an “explosive device” from outside a Hastings house, 12.30pm, Sunday. Hendersons Rd was blocked off for several hours when police isolated the “smouldering object” believed to have been thrown from a car. The object was later taken away for forensic examination. Mornington Peninsula CIU detectives on Monday could not discount the theory that the package was a bunch of sparklers taped together and lit – or whether it was something more dangerous. Detective Senior Constable Shane Moodie said it was unclear why the device was placed outside a particular house. Senior Sergeant Peter Drake said…

HUNDREDS joined Saturday’s Reconciliation Walk to the Willum Warrain Association’s gathering place in Pound Rd, Hastings. Association president Peter Aldenhoven estimated that more than 300 Indigenous and non-Indigenous people participated in the march “in a spirit of hope and optimism for the future”. The walk from the foreshore ended at the gathering place with a smoking ceremony and didgeridoo performance followed by a barbecue. Saturday marked the 25th anniversary of Mabo Day, “a special day for all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples”, Mr Aldenhoven said. “This is always the last day of Reconciliation Week and honours the successful High…

PENINSULA LEAGUE SEAFORD and Pines turned on the game of the season in MPNFL Peninsula Division on Saturday. In a match that was expected to deliver so much, it didn’t disappoint, the massive crowd getting everything and more that it came for. The Tigers led by 10 points at halftime but a seven-goal third quarter to the visitors gave them the gap they were looking for to go on and win the match. The Pythons led by as much as 28 points in the final term before Seaford rallied with a couple of late goals. The final margin was 14…

NEPEAN LEAGUE SORRENTO flexed its muscles again on Saturday and in doing so highlighted once again that Red Hill is not capable of winning the 2017 Nepean Division premiership. In another really important game for the Hillmen, they simply weren’t able to match the power of the Sharks and struggled to get the ball forward of centre to kick goals. The Hillmen have now lost to Frankston, Hastings and now Sorrento, all at home. On Saturday it lost 11.18 (84) to 6.8 (44). The Red Hill defence held up OK but when the opposition has a forward line consisting of…

AFL South East has provided only two options in its recently released senior football competition review. The paper, released at 2.30 last Friday afternoon (2 June), invited all “industry stakeholders” (including member clubs, neighboring leagues, local councils and more) to consider and make comment by early July. The options provided were: A full divisional structure initially comprising three divisions with promotion/relegation between each. A partial divisional structure also comprising three divisions, with a top division then two divisions below based on geography. AFL SE General Manager John Anderson said the options “not only address the concerns raised by the majority…

SOCCER By Craig MacKenzie BAXTER’S commanding 3-0 home win over Monash Uni on Saturday has catapulted it into the State 4 South promotion race. Baxter gaffer Roy Kilner made three changes to the team which was unlucky against Harrisfield Hurricanes the previous week with Matthew Owens replacing the suspended Edin Ali, captain Frank Ntim replacing Daniel Sharratt and Alan Lipsett dropped to the bench for Daniel Disseldorp. It didn’t take long for Baxter to strike and in the 11th minute, a superb Travis Ernsdoerfer pass found Liam Kilner whose scintillating finish made it 1-0. Monash responded but found Baxter’s defence…

Mornington Peninsula street corners, bars and restaurants will come alive again over the Queen’s Birthday Weekend, 9th – 11th June 2017, with the sights and sounds of the fifth Mornington Winter Jazz and Blues Festival. The 2017 festival brings with it a host of talent and will showcase an exciting program mixing traditional and modern Jazz and Blues music performances. Come for a night, stay for the weekend, the 2017 Mornington Winter Jazz and Blues Festival has something for everyone. It’s already been five years since the Mornington Winter Jazz Festival began and the talent just gets better and better.…

WE regret to have to record that the accident which occurred to Mr J. Holley, of Mornington Junction on Tuesday of last week, through being-run over by a goods train while returning home from the Dandenong market, terminated fatally on the 31st. ult. The deceased was much respected and sincere sympathy is felt for the bereaved family. One of the sons is at present fighting with the Allies in defence of his country. *** A DONATION of £5 5s has been sent to the British Red Cross Society, by the “Wattle” Club. *** THE Australian Club will entertain 100 returned…

LAURA Pintur, 24, of Mt Eliza, has won the Victorian Young Achiever of the Year Award. She receives a $2000 flight voucher and trophy. The awards aim to acknowledge, encourage and promote the positive achievements of young people. Ms Pintur, co-founded the “What’s normal” program which aims to engage and educate young people on issues relating to pornography and its negative impacts on society. Workshops, such as “Living in a pornified culture”, aim to equip young people to be creators of culture – not just consumers. As part of the workshop, Ms Pintur spearheaded a campaign to remove Zoo magazine…

VOLUNTEER groups which play a huge role in rescuing those in distress on Port Phillip and Western Port bays are “bewildered” at being overlooked in last month’s state budget. The 26 marine search-and-rescue units in Victoria, include the Victorian flotillas of the Australian Volunteer Coast Guard, Volunteer Marine Rescue Victoria and Southern Peninsula Rescue Squad. They say they are the only emergency service providers not to receive regular government funding and are unable to work to a budget. A Coast Guard vessel is based at Safety Beach, the VMR at Mornington and the Southern Peninsula Rescue Squad at Blairgowrie. Their…

A LAWYER working in Frankston and on the Mornington Peninsula has been recognised as one of the best in the legal business in Victoria. Canda Glanville, of Maurice Blackburn lawyers, who specialises in helping road trauma victims was named Victoria’s Suburban Lawyer of the Year by the Law Institute of Victoria last month. Ms Glanville, a principal and office manager at the legal firm’s Frankston office since its 2010 opening, who sometimes also works at the firm’s Rosebud office, said the award is “very exciting and quite a surprise”. The 38-year-old lawyer, a member of the Mornington Peninsula Lawyers Association,…

MCCRAE artist and jeweller Katrina Newman is the first Australian to be selected to participate on the Canadian Wilderness Artist Residency in the Yukon Territory this July and August. Newman was chosen from 42 applicants for the trip in which she and nine other artists will paddle 735 kilometres on the Yukon River from Whitehorse to Dawson City, in sub-arctic Canada, arriving in time for the Riverside Arts Festival. Newman will exhibit her work and provide a short training course for young people at the Riverside Arts Festival in Dawson City. “I’ve always understood that to create great work or…

A LONG-AWAITED dream came true for members of Mornington Peninsula Chorale when they sang at New York’s Carnegie Hall earlier this year. About 50 members of the 100-member chorale made the trip to perform in the Sir Karl Jenkins Requiem as part of the Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY), in January. Alongside them were combined international choirs from Finland, Spain, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, UK and US. The invitation to sing came about after the chorale performed Sir Karl’s Armed Man at Frankston Arts Centre in 2015 for the Anzac Day centenary celebrations. Senior chorister Judi McKee wrote to…

By Teresa Murphy THE wild, elemental beauty of Point Nepean, on the tip of the Mornington Peninsula is an awe-inspiring experience for any visitor. For the creatively inclined, it must be particularly intense – especially if they are lucky enough to live within the landscape for a while. Balnarring Beach artist Amanda Nelson was one so fortunate early last month (May) when she was artist-in-residence at Police Point for two weeks, staying at the historic gatekeeper’s cottage. But before luxuriating in and interpreting the dramatic surrounds, her immediate reaction was rather more prosaic. “After 18 years of housework, it was…

DOCTORS need to start helping themselves as well as others. That’s the message a Frankston Hospital cardiologist hopes to spread by encouraging medical profession colleagues to show support for the all-too-often hidden sufferers of depression in their ranks. Dr Geoff Toogood hopes a “crazysocks4docs” day last Thursday (1 June) when medical colleagues wore bright and “crazy” socks will become an annual event to let doctors, nurses and anyone working in the at times highly stressful medical profession to seek help if they ever feel depressed. Dr Toogood had the idea for the crazy socks day partly from personal experience when…

USUALLY the bad news story of the breeding season, hooded plovers on the Mornington Peninsula this year have set a new record with 13 chicks taking to the air. The successful breeding season coincides with regulations which banned dogs at all times from beaches within Mornington Peninsula National Park, the plovers’ main nesting area. Elsewhere, storms battered beaches, wiping out hundreds of nests in Victoria and South Australia leading to the lowest breeding success for many species over the past 10 years. At this time last year just two hooded plover chicks had managed to survive. One nest at Gunnamatta…

THE death of David Cassai in Rye on New Year’s Eve 2012 was the catalyst for the installation of street CCTV cameras last week. Flinders MP Greg Hunt met with community leaders on Friday 19 May to announce that the federal government had provided $200,000 for six CCTV cameras covering the foreshore and shopping precinct. “That fatal one-punch hit took the life of an innocent young man and sent a ripple-effect through an entire community,” he said. “The installation of CCTVs will assist in reducing anti-social behaviour, deterring would-be offenders and helping people to feel safe.” Mr Cassai’s mother Caterina…

THE state government has adopted new planning rules that open the way for three-storey houses in towns across the Mornington Peninsula. Previously protected by restrictive planning overlays, the shire’s planning policy is now likely to be overruled by state laws. Council officers – without reference to council – will be able to issue permits for developments worth up to $250,000 in green wedge zones, $500,000 in commercial areas and $1 million in industrial areas. The mayor Cr Bev Colomb last week issued a statement which said the council “has expressed concern” at the changes and wants to meet with Planning…

A WEEK-LONG walk starting on World Environment Day (Monday 5 June) is promoting the retention of wildlife habitats in Frankston and across the Mornington Peninsula. The Great Mornington Peninsula Bush Walk and Habitat Corridor, hosted by the Australian Wildlife Protection Council, began at the Pines Flora and Fauna Reserve, Frankston and will continue to Mornington Peninsula National Park at Gunnamatta on Saturday 9 June. Tuesday’s walk is from Baxter Park, Frankston-Flinders Rd, to Mt Martha. On Wednesday, walkers start at The Briars, Mt Martha, and continue on to Dromana. On Thursday they will start from Hillview community reserve, Boundary Rd,…

A 31-year-old woman has been charged after her engine blew out during a pursuit in Melbourne’s south early this morning. Somerville Highway Patrol members detected a silver Mitsubishi without number plates allegedly travelling at 125km/h in an 80km/h zone along Frankston-Cranbourne Road in Langwarrin just after midnight. The vehicle sped up when police attempted to pull it over on Peninsula Link, reaching speeds of up to 180km/h. It was too much for her hatchback’s engine, which conked out on the side of Frankston-Flinders Road in Baxter where the driver and her three passengers were apprehended by police. A search of…