FRANKSTON and the Mornington Peninsula have quietly seen a rise in junior rock climbing talent. A Carrum Downs indoor climbing gym at Bayside Rock Climbing has become a base camp for state and national rock climbers with juniors as young as six-years-old taking to the main stage to represent their state. With over 100 competitors taking part at the recent Victorian State Lead Climbing Titles (roped climbing) in Brunswick, the gym managed to take out three of the top four spots in the youth D category for climbers born after 2006. The gold medal was won by 11-year-old Kai Robertson,…
Day: February 26, 2018
SOCCER GOALSCORING legend David Greening led Somerville Eagles to a nailbiting FFA Cup upset over Balmoral at Somerville Secondary College on Saturday. The man dubbed “The Green Machine” scored in the 18th minute of extra time to give Somerville a 3-2 win over its more fancied State 4 opponent after scores were deadlocked at 2-2 after normal time. Balmoral started brightly and took the lead in the 26th minute with a decent strike from the edge of the box by Enver Malkic but Somerville levelled in the 35th minute via a long-range wind-assisted free kick from Greening which sailed over…
SUB-DISTRICT By Mr & Mrs IT Gully BALLAM Park is staring down the barrel of an outright defeat against Tootgarook in MPCA Sub District cricket. The Knights batted first and lost their first six batsmen for less than fifteen runs between them. Shannon Roberts proved to be the saviour for the Knights with 23. Stephen Brain was clearly the Frog’s best bowler capturing 6/27 off 17 overs. Tootgarook then went to town and in 27 overs rattled together 7/127, Tim Symons top scoring with 43 and Travis French hitting 42. The Knights faced the final 16 overs of the day…
PENINSULA By Mr & Mrs IT Gully SOMERVILLE is just 34 runs short of victory against Red Hill in MPCA Peninsula cricket after 16 wickets fell on the opening day. The Eagles will resume this week at 6/65 chasing down Red Hill’s first innings total of 98. Red Hill skipper Simon Dart was the only notable performer scoring 44. Delacombe Park appears to be in the box seat against Pines on their home turf needing a further 151 runs for victory with 9 wickets in hand. Pines batted first on Saturday with Ashley Hupe top scoring with 47 while Lai…
DISTRICT By Mr & Mrs IT Gully HEATHERHILL has placed itself in a commanding position against Mt Martha in MPCA District cricket. The Hills bowled out the Reds for 180 in the 68th over. It should have been a lot less given the Red’s skipper Rhys Whitling scored 46 at the bottom of the innings. Brett Maxwell was the pick of the Hills bowlers with 3/28. In reply, Heatherhill faced the final 12 overs of the day and opener Steven O’Donnell blasted the attack scoring a quick fire 40 to have the Hills 0/46 at stumps. Hastings needs six wickets…
PROVINCIAL By Mr & Mrs IT Gully IT is going to be an enthralling second week of cricket at Langwarrin’s Lloyd Park this Saturday as the home team attempts to defend its measly total of 135. Baxter’s Dale Irving and Ben Brittain tore through the Kanga’s top order at one stage having them reeling at 2/2. Jake Prosser (23) Trav Campbell (51) and Taylor Smith (22) helped the Kangas get to their final total. They lasted just 66.4 overs. Yohan Maddege bowled 20.4 overs for Baxter and finished with the outstanding figures of 4/41. Baxter faced the final 13 overs…
ANDY and Terry’s treehouse just keeps on growing. With yet another 13 levels, it’s now got a Scribbletorium, a high-security potato chip storage facility (guarded by one very angry duck!) and even an open-air movie theatre. Speaking of movies, our friends are going to be famous! The legendary Mr Big Shot has arrived to make a Hollywood blockbuster! But when his first step is to fire Andy and replace him with a monkey – well, a gibbon named Mel Gibbon – the battle is on. Will the Treehouse Blockbuster ever get made? Who will win the battle of Andy and…
THIS evening a welcome home will be accorded Corporal F. McDonald D.C.M. and Gunner H. Upton, (who have been invalided back from the front) at the Langwarrin Hall. At the same time a presentation will be given Trooper G. Knox on the occasion of his departure to the scene of action. *** MAJOR Conder, Camp Commandant, Langwarrin, returned to camp last week, after a well deserved holiday, extending over eighteen days. This is the only change the Major has enjoyed during his residence in Langwarrin. In two years and one month he has not been absent for a single night…
FRANKSTON train station was a honeypot for politicians on both sides of the political spectrum last Monday (19 February). The Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull turned up at the station about half an hour after Victorian Transport Minister Jacinta Allan dropped by to announce the awarding of a tender as part of the Labor state government’s $63 million station precinct redevelopment project. Mr Turnbull, accompanied by Dunkley Liberal MP Chris Crewther, travelled to the station flanked by a prime ministerial security detail. Most people walking past on the streets of Frankston seemed non-plussed by Mr Turnbull’s declaration that he was there…
LARGE numbers of baby King George whiting have been recorded in fisheries surveys of Port Phillip for the second consecutive year. Victorian Fisheries Authority ceo Travis Dowling said anglers could expect “sensational fishing” from 2019 to 2021 when the juvenile whiting detected in 2016 and 2017 will have grown to a catchable size. The large number of juvenile whiting in Port Phillip are also seen as a pointer to what anglers can expect in Western Port. “Scientists have conducted annual surveys of small juvenile whiting in the bay’s seagrass beds since 1998 to help forecast the abundance of stocks and…
DR SAM Johnson grew up surfing on the Mornington Peninsula, and now a position training as a young doctor at Frankston Hospital means he may be able to rekindle his passion for the sport. The 25-year-old is excited to be back on the peninsula to complete his graduate year in medical training after spending the past few years studying at Melbourne University. “I used to surf heaps before medicine, then it went on the back burner, but, hopefully, now I’m back down here I’ll be able to go more whenever I’m not working,” Dr Johnson said. As well as being…
THERE is no better way to invest in future generations of sailors and get as many members enjoying sailing than to get them into Pacer yachts like those at Mornington Yacht Club. The club launched six Pacers on 16 February, bought by club members. The preferred equipment for school and youth team racing, Pacers are a two person centreboard dinghy with three sails: main, jib and spinnaker, however the spinnaker is not used during racing. The boats are distinctive with their blue sailcloth, with three racing boats having the standard blue jibs and the other three having white jibs as…
AN “oversight” committee has been formed to ensure “community ownership” of control and infrastructure of a power company aiming to halve electricity bills on the Mornington Peninsula within six years. The People Power Company Mornington (PPCM) is holding a series of public meetings to gauge support for its plan to “fund, build and own together, a renewable plus storage, private electricity company to serve the needs of all ratepayers within the shire”. “In standing up to promote a genuine community opportunity, we have been bowled over by how rigorously the community drills us on critical and important details of the…
A TRIATHLON based at Mt Martha aiming to attract up to 1000 athletes plus their supporters this weekend will clash with the long-established Clean-Up Australia Day effort along the foreshore. Organisers of the four-year-old Sufferfest triathlon – previously held in November – have applied for a permit from Mornington Peninsula Shire to stage the event on 3-4 March, with the new date allowing them to take advantage of more stable weather patterns in autumn. But, in a late development on Friday – and despite planning for the event being well advanced with courses mapped, dates locked in, entries received and…
MEMBERS of the Peninsula Chamber Musicians start their From Baroque to Beethoven series of concerts at All Saints Anglican Church, Rosebud on Saturday 3 March. The group will repeat the concert featuring Vivaldi’s Double Cello Concerto, Bach’s 5th Brandenburg Concerto and Beethoven’s 4th Symphony the next day (Sunday 4 March) at the Peninsula Community Theatre, Mornington. The group will be joined by soloist David Macfarlane on harpsichord for what is generally recognised as the first keyboard concerto written. The group’s winter concert will include internationally acclaimed pianist Caroline Almonte playing Mozart’s 22nd Piano Concerto. The performance will also include Borodin’s…
MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire has established its own legal services team. Its search for team members now includes a job for an “in-house planning and building lawyer”. The shire’s advertisement says the role is “rare” and the successful applicant will join a legal services team that aims to integrate a “best practice local government legal department comprising the functions of legal, risk, insurance and claims across the shire’s operations”. The appointee will report to David Carrington, the shire’s “corporate counsel, legal counsel – planning” and provide legal opinions and advice on building and planning activities; drafting court documents and VCAT and…
PREPARATION for the prestigious Bocuse d’Or cooking competition is underway for Michael Cole, current head chef at Georgie Bass Cafe and Cookery in Flinders. Cole was selected last year as the Australian representative in the international cooking competition, which will see him fly to China in May. He has now begun his training for the Asia-Pacific section of the competition with fellow chef, Laura Skvor. “We had a meeting in Melbourne a few weeks ago about our training program for the Bocuse d’Or, so Laura and I have already started training for that, we’ve been training for a while now.…
CLEAN Up Australia Day is on Sunday 4 March. Last year 42 clean-up sites were registered across the Mornington Peninsula and about 40 cubic metres of waste was collected. Those wanting to join in this year can register a site or join a clean-up site online. Each registered site will be provided with a Clean Up Australia Day Kit, including registration papers, posters, bags, one sharp container, warning sign and litter report. Volunteers will need to provide their own gloves as well as sunscreen, suitable clothing and footwear. Schools and businesses can get involved in Business Clean Up Australia Day…
Mornington Peninsula Shire is being accused of ignoring the business case for an alternative “more sensible” 25-metre pool at Rosebud. Retired businessman Colin Watson says building a 50-metre pool will be a waste of shire money while Mornington Peninsula Ratepayers’ Association secretary Dr Alan Nelsen sees a larger pool as being “over the top”. Shoreham Community Association says money being earmarked for the larger pool are jeopardising its entire 2018-19 budget submissions. Mr Watson, a Portsea resident, said the business case supporting a 25-metre pool by consultants GHD Pty Ltd “could not be clearer that a 50-metre pool would be…