Author: Liz Bell

PARENTS are being urged to be alert to the symptoms of meningococcal after a recent case in Frankston and another believed to be on the Mornington Peninsula. The mother of 18-year-old Lachy Wright posted on a Mount Eliza Facebook site that her son had complained of a sore throat two weeks ago and within 48 hours was fighting for his life and placed in a medically induced coma. Lisa Wright said her son was rushed to Frankston Hospital where he was diagnosed with meningococcal disease and given a five per cent chance of survival. She said the doctors and nurses…

THE sound of singing is ringing through halls around the Mornington Peninsula as more people seek social connection through community choirs after years of COVID-related withdrawal. Singing together has long been recognised as a way to facilitate social bonding, but it is also known for improving mental health and happiness. The musical director conductor of new community choir, Vox Peninsula’s Jill Linley, said singing together had many health benefits and gave singers a social outlet some might otherwise not have. “It’s great for the soul, and people get so much joy out of it – plus we perform in the…

MORE than 13,000 people had signed a petition by last weekend to stop an interactive walk-though Harry Potter event at The Briars wildlife sanctuary, Mount Martha. Residents, visitors and wildlife advocates fear Mornington Peninsula Shire Council’s decision to allow Harry Potter: A Forbidden Forest Experience in a wildlife sanctuary will harm animals and the environment. Up to 3000 visitors are predicted to attend the event nightly during April and May. The petition started by Save Our Briars Sanctuary (SOBS) urges council to move the event away from the wildlife sanctuary. Thousands of tickets have already been sold and late last…

MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire Councill will step up its pressure on the state government to ensure the urgent release of an estimated 600 kangaroos trapped on private property at Cape Schanck. At last Tuesday’s council meeting, Cr David Gill moved a motion that council takes “all possible actions to ensure that the cruelty toward 600 defenceless eastern grey kangaroos” be stopped immediately. The strongly worded motion, which was passed, attacked the state government for its “indifference” to the kangaroo’s plight. The state government has so far failed to respond to a letter from the council in August asking for more to…

PLANS to hold an international, light-filled Harry Potter-themed show at The Briars, Mount Martha have been labelled “inappropriate” and against the ethos of the wildlife sanctuary’s role to protect wildlife. The international Harry Potter: A Forbidden Forest Experience is due to open at the Mornington Peninsula Shire reserve in April, it’s only Victorian venue. Promotional material for the interactive show says it will be an “outdoor trail experience inspired by the iconic Forbidden Forest and features creatures from the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts series. “Mesmerising lights will set The Briars of Mount Martha aglow as fans of all ages…

MORNINGTON Peninsula boxers Caitlin Parker and Tyla McDonald represent the changing face of the once-male-dominated sport and have already made sporting history. Parker and McDonald recently qualified for the Paris Olympics by winning gold in their weight divisions at the Pacific Games in the Solomon Islands, making it the first time that two female boxers from the same gym have qualified for one particular Olympics. Parker, 26, from Dromana, is also the first female to qualify for two Olympics in boxing, having already competed in Tokyo as well as two Commonwealth games. She has a record of athletic accomplishment, including…

THE founding member of the Peninsula Writers’ Club, president Andrea Rowe, is stepping aside to pursue her own writing goals and let someone else lead the organisation. Rowe reflected on the club’s successes and its future at its annual general meeting, where members discussed the joys of writing, the club’s future and the supportive and nurturing space it has provided to emerging and published authors of all ages. It’s no exaggeration to say that the writers’ club has changed lives. The ability to put down thoughts, experiences and yearnings in print has been a lifeline for writers, especially during the…

TOOTGAROOK musician and raconteur Kevin Vis has lived a colourful life, travelling the world seeking adventure and meaning, and creating music wherever he goes. A bit of a jack-of-all trades, New Zealand-born Vis has worked in the fitness industry and been a landscaper and boat skipper, and even played fictional Australian character Keith Elliot in the Swedish soap opera Friends and Enemies. There were many distractions and deviations before Vis found his way to the Mornington Peninsula in 2001, including playing in bands in Europe and rubbing shoulders with the glitterati of the international music world, but on his own…

A 12-month project on the Mornington Peninsula to improve end of life care in residential aged care centres could set a new standard for the treatment of people with life-limiting illnesses. The government financed Community Palliative Care in Aged Care Project is being administered by Peninsula Home Hospice in Mornington. The not-for-profit organisation provides specialist palliative care to people in their home, whether that be residential aged care or the family home. Its team of medical and support professionals focuses on optimising quality of life for people diagnosed with a palliative illness. The project follows on from the Royal Commission…

CALLS for more parking spaces for parents of children at Osborne Primary School in Mount Martha have been rejected, with Mornington Peninsula Shire Council calling for parents to “obey the rules”. A recent concentration by council parking officers around the school has parents seeing red, after 19 were fined in one day for illegal parking and other traffic violations. Connor Foster said it was “unfair” of the council to target parents, with some drivers fined more than once, at around $219 a fine. “Our main interest is the safety of our children,” he said. Foster says there needs to be…

ATTEMPTING 50 kilometres a day for 50 days is a challenge that would make even the bravest of runners hesitate, but for Somerville man Connor Scott it was a mission with a purpose. Scott took on the challenge to raise money for Mornington charity Speak & Share because he backs what the charity does for young people. “I wanted to be able to help challenge the stigmas of mental illness and help this charity work on proactive responses,” he said. From 15 October to 3 December, no matter the weather or the pain level, Scott donned his running shoes and…

A CAMPAIGN to reduce single-use coffee cups on the Mornington Peninsula is gathering momentum, with some local cafes taking up the challenge and spreading the word. A first for Victoria, the peninsula’s Plastic Free Places campaign is launching a reuse revolution at Commonfolk Coffee and HomeGround in Mornington, culminating in BYO Cup Day on 8 and 9 December. The program is being paid for by Mornington Peninsula Shire Council and delivered by the Boomerang Alliance, which represents 55 allies across Australia to tackle waste and litter. Birte Moliere, the alliance’s Plastic Free Places facilitator, said the community was being invited…

A YOUNG male kangaroo has been saved from a tragic end after being trapped for three days on a Balnarring property and harassed by dogs. The kangaroo was relentlessly pursued by neighbouring dogs, leading to a painful encounter with a fence and visible injuries. A rescue team from Vets For Compassion was able to sedate the terrified animal, after it was seen hiding in a secluded corner of a paddock. VFC vet and founder Elaine Ong examined the kangaroo, whose injuries included scratches on his legs and a small patch of missing fur on his shoulder. Fortunately, there were no…

RESIDENTS of the recently named Koonya Grassy Bowl area in Blairgowrie want closer supervision of volunteers in environmental programs, after vegetation was mistakenly ripped out in front of homes. The work was carried out by volunteer members of the Blairgowrie Friends of Mornington Peninsula National Park group under a grants program to remove invasive weeds such polygala in the Koonya Grassy Bowl and restore native vegetation along Koonya beach (Helping at the grassy bowl, The News 14/11/23). Despite a spokesperson from Parks Victoria last week stating the work took place on public land to “protect and enhance the natural values”…

A FORMER Mornington Secondary College student has blamed vaping for an extreme allergic reaction that led to medical treatment. Now in his 20s and a cigarette smoker, he had turned to flavoured, over the counter vapes in an effort to quit, but believes he ended up suffering an allergic reaction from unknown chemicals contained in the product. His skin began itching and his lips “blew up” to three or four times their size within hours of vaping, he told The News. “It was pretty scary, I wasn’t sure what was going on but I know that an anaphylactic response can…

THE paid parking trial that started last Friday at three foreshore parking areas is continuing to draw criticism from ratepayers and visitors to the Mornington Peninsula. Timed and paid parking is already implemented by all councils across Melbourne’s waterfront areas, but the change is proving a hard pill to swallow for peninsula beach users accustomed to free, all-day parking. The trial was labelled a “fiasco” at Flinders before it started and Mornington’s Schnapper Point car park is also proving problematic where Snapper Point Angling Club members and other boaties rely on easy access to car and trailer parking spots and…

AN exhibition at Baluk Arts, Mount Eliza will feature work by First Nations artist from Waradjuri country, Uncle Kevin Williams. The exhibition, Totems of the Waradjuri, will open from 6pm on Thursday 7 December and will run until the end of January. The gallery’s Bronwyn Smart said the artist was a descendant of the Waradjuri people, born in Narrandera, New South Wales, and now resided south of the Murray River. “As a young boy he learnt how to make boomerangs from his father and grandfather and he learnt how to paint from watching his mother in action,” she said. “What…

THE rich history of the Mornington Peninsula has captivated the imaginations of many of those who have delved, but it’s also behind a new wave of history-based tourism. The interest in the peninsula’s past adds another feather to its cap, joining the beaches and the rolling verdant pastures as a reason to visit. History teacher and Eerie Tours proprietor Nathaniel Buchanan said his passion for history led him to the quarantine station at Point Nepean. “When I learned all about the history of the quarantine station I was amazed – it’s got a colourful, tragic and interesting past that many…

THERE is plenty of evidence, documented and anecdotal, that community gardens are beneficial to the environment, to the health and wellbeing of users, and can help reduce the impact of high cost of groceries while providing nutritious food. So, it’s no surprise that community gardens are increasing on the Mornington Peninsula, with a new one popping up in Balnarring and many established ones dotted around the peninsula. The Coolart Community Garden is now up and running in the space of a former herb garden, which was the original Luxton family’s vegetable garden that was overhauled in the mid-1980s. Spokesperson Julie…

MORNINGTON Peninsula four-piece indie rock band Teenage Dads has been jettisoned into the music media spotlight after winning the Michael Gudinski Breakthrough Artist ARIA award last Wednesday. Teenage Dads was formed by self-taught musicians Jordan Finlay and Connor McLaughlin in Mount Eliza in 2015, with Angus Christie and Vincent Kinna joining the band later. They have been playing locally and toured Europe and America but have not yet hit the heights of commercial success. All that is set to change, with the band now recognised by one of the most prestigious industry awards for up-and-coming bands. Angus Christie’s father Greg…

MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire Council is reconsidering its mechanical beach cleaning practices after doubts were raised about the effectiveness of the process. Rye-based environmental advocate and former Citizen of the Year Josie Jones said mechanical beach cleaning was creating more macro plastics on the beach and causing serious pollution issues. Jones has produced a report after spending months researching and collecting plastic waste from Safety Beach and Capel Sound to prove that mechanical beach cleaning does not remove all of the waste but shatters it into smaller pieces that get buried in the sand. “I have doubted the effectiveness of the…

WILDLIFE groups have welcomed a proposal to remove kangaroos on the Mornington Peninsula from the commercial kangaroo harvest scheme. If adopted, the changes will come into effect in 2025 and last until 2028. However, property owners will still be able to apply for permit to “control wildlife”. Public comments can be made about the Victorian Kangaroo Harvest Management Plan 2024-2028 until Monday 4 December. The Save Kangaroos on the Mornington Peninsula (SKOMP) group hailed the peninsula kangaroo’s removal from the plan as “great news”. Kangaroos are the peninsula currently included in the Gippsland harvesting zone, which wildlife advocates say distorts…

TWO people, including MasterChef TV cameraman James Rose, were still missing (Monday) after a mid-air collision over Port Phillip between ex-military planes on Sunday off Mount Martha. The two-seater aircraft were reported to be conducting a formation flight over the bay when they collided. One plane plunged into the water while the second, also with two people on board, flew back to Essendon Airport. Family members of the two men in the missing aircraft waited at Mount Martha Life Saving Club Sunday night as a search and rescue mission continued about 11 kilometres offshore. It is believed the Viper S-211…

A MERGER between two drug and alcohol recovery services will combat drug and alcohol overdose deaths on the Mornington Peninsula, which are climbing back towards pre-pandemic levels. Windana drug and alcohol recovery service is merging with TaskForce Community Agency, a not-for-profit with a focus on drug and alcohol misuse, youth and family services, education and employment. Data released last Thursday (9 November) by the Victorian Coroners Court shows overdose deaths in the past decade are back to alarming levels, with 21 on the peninsula in 2013 before dropping to nine in 2019 and climbing back to 15 in 2022. In…

THE start of the much-hyped container deposit scheme on 1 November has highlighted flaws in the program and drawn criticism from environment groups and the state opposition. The state government financed scheme provides a 10-cent refund for returned eligible cans, cartons and bottles, and has been promoted as an important component of the recycling system and a way to cut litter. But by the second day of the trial, some container bins on the Mornington Peninsula were too full to receive any more due to members of the public loading them up with cans they had been saving. There have…

A SPATE of animal deaths on Mornington Peninsula roads over spring has led to renewed calls for more effective strategies to slow drivers down and keep wildlife off roads. The Save Kangaroos on the Mornington Peninsula group (SKOMP) wants Mornington Peninsula Shire Council to lobby the state government and private road operator Peninsula Link to make roads safer for wildlife and drivers. Cr David Gill said exclusion fencing, wildlife corridors and more 40-kilometre speeds limits in high accident areas could save lives. “Unfortunately, the Department of Transport and private road operators don’t have policies to protect wildlife,” he said. “Unless…

DOG owners are again being reminded of the need to keep their pets on leashes or under control in public areas after a tragic end for a kangaroo thought to have been chased into the water at Dromana. Wildlife rescuers, Mornington Peninsula Shire Council rangers and police were called to the beach at Dromana beach on Thursday (9 November) morning, when a kangaroo was seen lying on the sand, drenched and clearly unwell. The area was cordoned off to give the kangaroo time to recover and stop it from jumping out onto Point Nepean Road until vets could arrive to…

VOLUNTEERS from Sunshine Reserve conservation group and Balcombe Estuary Reserves Group have been spreading the word about the need to control weeds. The groups set up a Saturday morning stall at Mount Martha shops to show what weeds can look like and talk to passersby about the dangers they pose to the peninsula’s bushland areas. With an estimated 30 per cent of the Mornington Peninsula’s indigenous vegetation remaining, privately owned bushland, national parks and Mornington Peninsula Shire Council-owned parks and reserves are vital to the survival of native flora and fauna. One wildlife corridor is Sunshine Reserve in Mount Martha,…

RSPCA Victoria has announced its Mornington Peninsula vet clinic is operating at “full capacity” after expanding its Pearcedale site. The clinic has a team of veterinarians, of which four out of five live on the peninsula, including Dr Victoria Collins, a vet for the past seven years. Collins said she relished the variety in her work as an RSPCA veterinarian, and while she enjoyed working with all species, including “pocket pets” like rabbits, guinea pigs, rats, mice and ferrets, she tried to avoid snakes as much as possible. “I love seeing the positive impact we make on the lives of…

CONCERN over a parcel of Crown land being allegedly incorporated into a privately-owned beachside block in Mount Martha has prompted Mornington MP Chris Crewther to ask for state government intervention. Crewther, who is acting on complaints from a neighbour, said he believed the issue of land encroachment could set a precedent and was potentially causing a financial loss to Mornington Peninsula Shire ratepayers. The case involves the owner of a house on the Esplanade who has added three stone retaining walls, a stone letter box, stone edging, landscaping and an extensive paved area for parking to 277 square metres of…