Author: Cameron McCullough

Victoria Police is today announcing a $1 million reward as part of the investigation into the death of Janita McNaughton on Western Port Bay in 1983. Janita, then 23 years old, was on board a boat along with four other people on 27 December 1983. About 5pm, Janita was shot in the head and subsequently died as a result of her injuries in hospital later that evening. Police were told the gun belonged to one of the other passengers, who was trying to shoot a floating beer can in the water when the gun was dropped to the boat deck,…

LAST Tuesday afternoon, Frankston was thrown into a frenzy of excitement, when it became known that a most diabolical attempt at outrage had been made upon a little girl of ten years. The State school boys were playing a cricket match in the Park, and when the school was dismissed for the day, the other children ran down to the park to see the game. The Head Teacher (Mr Jennings) was umpiring at the time, and a little girl dashed impetuously to him and said, “A strange man has dragged one of the girls into the scrub and she is…

The General Manager of the AFL South East Region, John Anderson, has announced his imminent retirement today with the release of the following statement: *** To the AFL South East community, It is with a degree of sadness, but also with some anticipation that I advise that this Friday 6 March will be my final day at AFL South East. I advised the Commission prior to Christmas that I was looking to enter part-time retirement. As a result, AFL Victoria will be restructuring the region, with the appointment of a new Head of South East Victoria to be announced shortly.…

To the Editor Sir, Your article on the above matter in your issue of 6th inst. might have been ignored as beneath notice if it had not contained statements some of which were untrue and others very unfair comment. You infer that the stoppage of the work on the Friday night referred to might have been obviated if we had taken the trouble to order coal in time. Every effort was made to obtain the coal, but it was refused by the Coal Board. A further request was made on the preceding Wednesday, and again refused, and the writer left…

ON Monday, the 16th inst., his Excellency Sir Ronald Munro Ferguson, Governor-General, accompanied by the following gentlemen, paid a visit of inspection to the Frankston plantations: Capt. Duncan Hughes, aide-de-camp; Mr. Owen Jones, chairman of the Victorian Forest Commission; Mr. A. D. Hardy, president, Field Naturalists’ Club; Mr. J. Johnstone, Chief Supt.; and Mr. P. R. H. St. John, head gardener of the Melbourne Botanical Gardens. The vice-regal party was met by the superintendent, Mr. W. L. Hartland, and for three hours worked its way through the thick undergrowth amongst the pines, despite a shade temperature of 106 and fierce…

Major Collision Investigation Unit detectives are investigating after a car struck a tree in Hastings last night. The car was travelling along Hendersons Road when it hit a tree near Tuerong Place shortly before 8pm. The male passenger sustained life-threatening injuries and was airlifted to hospital. The female driver was taken to a local hospital with minor injuries. Detectives are investigating to determine the cause of the crash. Any witnesses or anyone with dash cam footage is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au

A Peninsula Aero Club instructor and student were among four people killed in an aircraft collision near Mangalore this morning. Emergency services were called to two separate crash scenes east of the Mangalore airfield about 11.25am. It is believed two aircraft have collided mid-air before crashing. Two occupants in each aircraft died at the scenes. The Civil Aviation Safety Authority and the Australian Transport Safety Bureau attended the scene and police are currently investigating and will prepare a report for the Coroner. The Peninsula Aero Club have put out the following statement: “With deep sorrow we advise there has been…

A SAD fatality took place on Sunday last, the victim being Mr Angus Sharkey, who was visiting at “Beachleigh,” the residence of Mrs Forster, Mornington Road. Deceased was riding on the road in the vicinity of the Mornington racecourse, when he was thrown from his horse, and falling on his head, received such injuries as to cause death to ensue very shortly after. Deceased, who was 21 years of age, was a returned soldier. The funeral took place on Tuesday, the interment taking place in the Frankston cemetery with military honors. The coffin was mounted on a gun-carriage and a…

THE Frankston Gas Works (its registered name is longer, more imposing, and includes some reference to electric light) failed to show any sign of animation last Friday night. In the past “The Works” have been afflicted with varied and numerous ailments – some serious, others merely superficial – but all more or less affecting the efficiency of the light supply – particularly the electric light. Whatever may be the deficiencies at “The Works” there is certainly no lack of imagination in framing excuses for their numerous shortcomings. Reckless opossum in sportive mood have been blamed for intercepting electric current while…

Police are appealing for public assistance to help locate missing 88-year-old woman Maria Jacob. Maria was last seen leaving her home in Safety Beach about 11am today. She was expected to go for a short walk but has not returned home. It is believed she may have boarded a bus. Police and family hold concerns for her welfare as she has dementia. Maria is about 170cm tall, with a slim build and has white silver hair. Police have released an image of Maria in the hope that someone recognises her and can provide information regarding her current whereabouts. She was…

Homicide detectives have charged a man following the death of a woman at Seaford yesterday afternoon. Police were called to Whitby Way where the woman was found with stab wounds about 4.40pm. Paramedics worked on the woman, aged in her 40s, however she died at the scene. A 44-year-old Seaford man has been charged with murder. He has been remanded in custody to appear at the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court later this morning.

Police are currently on scene investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of a woman in Seaford this afternoon. Emergency services were called to Whitby Way where a woman was found with stab wounds about 4.40pm. Paramedics worked on the woman aged in her 40s, however she died at the scene. A 44-year-old man was arrested at the scene and is in custody. Homicide Squad detectives are investigating. Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or log onto www.crimestoppersvic.com.au.

FRANKSTON was en fete today, when the people of the district were given the opportunity to meet General Sir William Birdwood, as he passed through the town en route for “Marathon” where he is spending a quiet day as the guest of Brigd General Grimwade. The day was perfect, and the streets, gaily decorated with gum boughs and bunting, presented a beautiful picture. The Frankston brass band played several pleasing items. The school children turned out, en masse, and altogether over 1000 persons assembled around the impromptu dais erected at the end of the Bay Street gardens. The popular General…

THE death of Lynella Jane Nichol –  the six-year-old daughter of Mrs. L. Nichol, of Royal Parade, Royal Park – who was knocked and down and killed by a motor car at Frankston on 22nd November, 1919, was the subject of an inquiry by the City Coroner (Dr R. H. Cole) at the Morgue. Thos. Edwin Barnett, importer, of High Street, Kew in the course of his evidence, stated that on 22nd November he drove his wife, his brother, and several friends to the Fernery at Frankston, arriving there about 4.30 pm, and driving slowly all the time. Sounding the…

YESTERDAY witnessed the revival of the Frankston Show, and the public showed its appreciation by turning out in its hundreds. The “gate” proved a record, the takings at the turnstiles amounting to £60/10/-. This exceeds the results attained in previous years. In addition, a very large number of members’ tickets were sold, so that it is difficult to arrive at a correct estimate of the attendance. Competent judges incline to the belief that the number of people on the ground yesterday was far its excess of that of former shows. The weather, contrary to the promise of early forenoon, was…

WHILE most Mornington Secondary College students are packing their bags and preparing to head back to school, one of them will be noticeably absent. Fifteen-year-old Mia Pollock, right, will be in Bali. But, far from being in holiday mode, she will be competing in the 2020 Australian Supermodel of the Year competition. “I have been modelling seriously for about a year and a half,” Mia said before heading off. “The organisers of the competition reached out to me through Instagram and encouraged me to apply. After going through the heats, I have made it into the finals.” The supermodel of…

Police are investigating a fatal two car collision in Rye last night (13 January) that has left two people deceased. It is believed the vehicles collided at the intersection of Hygeia and Bimble Streets about 10pm. There were five occupants in the first vehicle, one male died at the scene and one male has died in hospital, one female has been taken to hospital in a critical condition and two males are being treated for non-life threatening injuries. The male driver and only occupant of the second vehicle has been taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries. The occupants of…

MANY of the leading business people of Melbourne attended the funeral on Tuesday of Mr. Philip Roff Nunn, who was fatally injured in the aeroplane accident at Mornington on Friday. Canon H. T. Langley of St. Mary’s Church of England, Caulfield, conducted the burial service. The funeral left the residence of Mr. P. W. Nunn, Elizabeth Street, Elsternwick, shortly after 11am, for the Melbourne General Cemetery. Several mourning coaches and a large number of motor cars followed the hearse, which was covered with beautiful wreaths. Flowers also covered the silver mounted coffin, and immediately in rear of the mourning coaches…

An emergency recovery centre is being set up at Somerville Recreation Centre to help tourists being evacuated by sea from bushfire besieged Mallacoota, in East Gippsland. While thousands of holidaymakers are cutting short their stays in the region, the navy is bringing evacuees to the Port of Hastings tomorrow (Saturday) aboard the MV Sycamore, capable of carrying 60 people, and HMAS Choules (903 people). The Somerville centre is being established by the Shire of Mornington Peninsula to provide food and water; medical, psychosocial and pharmacy support; help with access to insurance providers and the Department of Health and Human Services;…

To the Editor Sir, As a passenger who travelled by the 5.10pm train to Pearcedale via Baxter on Saturday, I wish to protest against the unseemly conduct of a number of men who travelled by this train. On the way from Frankston to Baxter the language used was shocking, the men also standing up and fighting one another. On arrival at Baxter the station master made an effort to seek the offenders, and I believe he took the name of one of them and put him into another part of the train. There was then a general melee in the…

Water Police with the assistance of Search and Rescue, Police Air Wing and Coast Guard are continuing to search for the missing mother and son Felicity Loveday and Adrian Meneveau after their boat was located this morning. It is believed the submerged boat was located by a fisherman about four nautical miles from Ricketts Point. Water Police are towing the boat to Black Rock where it will be examined. The 83-year-old and 56-year-old were last seen at 7am on 11 December at Olivers Hill boat ramp in Frankston. The pair told family they were going on a trip for a…

Officers from State Highway Patrol got more than they bargained for following an intercept in Rye last night. Members observed a Honda Civic driving erratically along the Mornington Peninsula Highway about 9pm. It Is alleged that the driver was using a mobile phone, travelling at 137km/h in a 100km/h zone and swerving in and out of traffic. Police intercepted the car and spoke to the driver, a 17-year-old boy from Glen Waverley. He underwent a roadside drug test which returned a positive result. The boy has been interviewed for drug driving, speed dangerous, learner driver fail to have qualified driver,…

JOHN Ditchburn, managing director Frankston and District Gas and Electric Company, acknowledging receipt of Council’s letter of 6th October in regard to electrification of public lamps in Frankston, pointing out there is no obligation on his company to supply current except under the terms of the agreement between the parties. His company was quite prepared to undertake this work as soon as they have an agreement with the Council for a period of years. It would be necessary to provide a separate current for the public lamps, and this would involve an outlay of at least. £100. He had already…

Major Collision Investigation Unit detectives have charged a 20-year-old man after a fatal crash in Seaford yesterday that claimed the life of a Mount Martha woman. Emergency services were called to the Nepean Highway about 6.30am on 5 December to reports of a head-on collision. Forty-three-year-old Rose Kelly died at the scene. The Sandringham man was taken to hospital after the crash and has since been charged with one count of dangerous driving causing death. He will face Melbourne Magistrates’ Court later today.

DURING the thunderstorm which took place on Wednesday the lightning was very vivid. One of the gum shade trees in Young. St, near the old garage, was struck and split in two. *** THE Frankston Brass Band will play several selections in the street tomorrow evening. *** Helping Returned Soldier Settler The working “bee” organised by the local Repatriation Committee met at Mr Peters farm on Tuesday. Cr F. H. Wells was in charge, and there was a good muster of both men and teams. Some useful clearing was done, which will prove a substantial “lift” to Returned Soldier Peters.…

Major Collision Investigation Unit detectives have charged a man following a fatal collision in Somerville on 25 February. It is alleged a utility collided with a motorcycle on Tyabb-Tooradin Road about 4.25pm. A motorcyclist aged in his 50s died at the scene. The 22-year-old was charged with culpable driving causing death and appeared before the Melbourne Magistrates court yesterday. The Warneet man was bailed to the Melbourne Magistrates court on 24 January.

PERHAPS no community in the State has suffered greater inconvenience, and annoyance through inadequate lighting than the town of Frankston. The grievance is one of long standing and although repeated assurances have been given that cause for complaint would be remedied the users of electric light are still minus a satisfactory service. The experience at Capt Bruce’s meeting in the Frankston Hall last Tuesday night was not one calculated to reflect credit on the town. When the candidate was about half way through his speech the electric light suddenly failed and the hall was plunged into absolute darkness. Capt Bruce,…

An 18-year-old Bulleen man had more in mind than jumping off The Pillars and having a glass of pinot noir on his recent visit to the Mornington Peninsula. He was pulled over by police on Peninsula Link about 9.30pm on Saturday night, and a search of his car resulted in police allegedly finding a large amount of ecstasy tablets, cocaine and an amount of cash. A warrant executed at the man’s Bulleen home on Sunday resulted in investigators allegedly locating two kg of rock ecstasy and one kg of ecstasy tablets, an imitation firearm and over $40,000 in cash. The…

A man has died following a collision in Hastings last night. Police and emergency services were called to Hodgins Road following reports of a collision between a vehicle and motorcycle about 10.25pm. The yet to be formally identified male motorcycle rider died at the scene. The driver of a vehicle sustained non-life threatening injuries and is being transported to hospital for treatment. The exact cause of the collision is yet to be determined at this stage. Anyone who witnessed or with any dashcam footage is asked to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report…

MESSRS Peebles and Strong, the local horse breakers, received from the hands of a client last week, a horse with a most unenviable reputation. They undertook to have him running in their milk cart inside a week. The equine outlaw with a Queensland record, provided lively entertainment for the first day or two but very soon he became amenable to reason, and was driven to Somerville and back on the second day. He may now be seen being driven through the streets like any other reasonable horse. Messrs Peebles and Strong fulfilled their contract. *** POLICE Court report and other…