Removing seastars to help the bay’s health
On Saturday 16 March, 25 residents, ecologists, ecology and marine biology students gathered on Mothers Beach, Mornington to do what they’ve been trained to do. That is to identify and remove as many northern Pacific seastars as possible from Mornington harbour.
These invasive pests are decimating parts of the bay where they aggregate in their thousands. They have a voracious appetite, especially for small marine organisms which would ordinarily be the food source for many other marine creatures.
In the absence of these seastars, the bay has a healthy, biodiverse ecosystem which is what helps sustain it. With the seastars the marine ecology is devastated. Females can lay 20 million eggs in one year and a seastar can regrow arms if the central mass is intact.
Removing 4605 seastars on the Saturday was a great effort by all involved and thanks goes to both Earthcare and Mornington Peninsula Shire Council for getting behind it. With continued education, all bay users might appreciate the effort that goes into such an activity and realise that this kind of event benefits everyone.
To Report seastar sightings email nps@earthcarestkilda.org.au
Susan R Young, Mornington
Good news for beaches
It is excellent that, from July, Mornington Peninsula’s beaches will be cleaned by hand rather than by a mechanical beach cleaner (Hands up for beach cleaning, The News 12/3/24). This will ensure that rubbish is more thoroughly collected, but seaweed and other organic matter is left on the beach where it belongs.
At a cost of more than $700,000 a year, I can’t help but wish clean ups weren’t needed at all. Sadly, having spent a few hours cleaning up the Mount Martha shoreline as part of Clean Up Australia Day, I have seen just how much rubbish is littered around the peninsula. If only we could clean up our act. We all have a responsibility to reduce our waste or, at the very least, place it in the appropriate bin.
Amy Hiller, Kew
Females forgotten
We are not seeking an upgrade, we are seeking an actual building full stop (Sporting chance, Letters 12/3/24). Mornington Peninsula Shire Council by delaying building the fully funded clubhouse of the Mount Eliza soccer and netball clubs at Emil Madsen Reserve is truly displaying what it thinks of our female players in the municipality.
That our female players from five year olds to women’s seniors (as well as their opposition players), are only worthy to source fresh drinking water from a shared dog tap. That they are worthy only to change in shipping containers (or their car), only worthy to toilet in disgusting, rarely serviced port-a-loos with no feminine hygiene disposal, and the rest of the club players and all their growing supporters who come to watch must also be subjected to the same conditions as well as trudge through mud, slip on clay paths precariously perched on hills and pick through dog faeces from those who use our grounds as off-leash dog parks.
Further to this there are no shelters from the ever-increasing extreme weather and no ability to fundraise as we can’t run a canteen. Every year of delay the building costs go up and federal and state funds have already been allocated, along with the funds raised by the club.
As one of the fastest growing female sports in Australia and the only one left to come to the party, it’s time for the council to show what it really thinks of our girls.
Rebecca Taylor, Mount Eliza
Transparency expected
Is Mornington Peninsula Shire Council fair dinkum about having integrity and being transparent (Budget next step to ‘transparency’, The News 19/3/24)? That is what we as ratepayers expect and crave.
What is the real cost of setting up a low cost alternative transparency hub instead of the $300,000 originally proposed by shire officers? Also, what is the benefit to the shire, moneywise, regarding staging the Harry Potter: A Forbidden Forrest Show at The Briars?
I have looked on the shire’s website without success. Surely these figures should be freely available? After all it is our money? Why the reluctance and secrecy regarding simple questions?
Gerard van de Ven, Mount Martha
Goat tracks needed
The so called goat tracks have been there for 50-70 years and local people look after these tracks picking up rubbish after the public holidays and summer months (Foreshore fury over goat track, The News 6/2/24).
I am more concerned about safety in the area and parking cars on Point Nepean Road. Cars are parked to the left of the bike track but if you’re in the left hand passenger seat you have trouble getting out, so you are forced to climb over to the right hand doors because the shrubs need to be trimmed back so the people can get out. With the goat track openings closed off the public is forced into the busy traffic, making them walk 150 metres either way.
The beach is for the people and parts of the foreshore can be cleaned up with a couple of solid wood tables and seats so the public can enjoy having a rest from the sand and sun relaxing under the tree canopy. There is a lot of dead wood on the ground and if a fire broke out these goat tracks would be a way out for the public. They could always put wire fences on these tracks to section off these area so people could get to the beach and back to their cars without disturbing the vegetation.
The ranger told me that things were going to change with the tracks being closed. He also informed me that he wants to protect the tiger snakes. I have seen lizards and rats but, if this is the case, people using the track need to be warned. The Shirlow Street car park on Point Nepean Road is a mess which could be easily fixed and take the pressure off the side streets.
Bob Griffin, Rye
Temperature’s annual rise
Reports of sea level temperatures near Sydney reaching nearly 27c continue a trend of people needlessly worrying about so called “climate emergency facts” (Warming problems, Letters 19/3/24.
We all remember “ghost cities without water” and “no snow season by 2012 “ (apparently that date is now 2100), together with rising sea levels because of the melting of the Arctic sea ice. Problem is, the ice is just frozen sea water and won’t make one centimetre of difference to sea levels even if the whole lot melted.
I can reassure concerned readers that between 1998 and 2006, in February each year, the water temperature in the north/south current off Port Stephens varied between 28c and 29.5c, according to a top of the range depth sounder.
So instead of being concerned about imagined problems, perhaps just enjoy your next swim.
Michael G Free, Mount Martha
Informed on climate
As an attendee of the climate change symposium hosted by Peninsula Voice I can only endorse the sentiments expressed in your coverage (Climate change – our home, our future, The News 19/3/24).
Hearing well informed people talking with knowledge and commitment was refreshing after some of the hyperbole expressed by climate deniers in the major papers. David Karoly provided a wealth of hard data to support his summary of the current climate situation. Most inspiring and giving hope for the future was Sam Lundberg. This young man seems destined to be a leader in the future, showing both commitment and enthusiasm for his volunteer climate work.
It is a shame that not more people were able to attend this enlightening evening, although it was nearly standing room only, showing the commitment of local residents of the Mornington Peninsula. Dr Ross Hudson, Mount Martha
Emission facts missing. Sure, in the long run, we all have to work emission reduction (Climate change – our home, our future, The News 19/3/24). However, crucifying ourselves is not the answer, considering that China is producing more emissions that Australia, Europe and the United States together, and still expanding many coal fired power plants.
Maybe The News can follow up with an article based on facts? At least that would present some facts without emotions.
Peter Scharpenack, Mornington
Nuclear outclassed
Politicians can preach about nuclear, but let’s get real. Home solar with battery quickly installed and integrated with the whole system outclasses it now and in my lifetime. Rooftop solar is predicted to grow fourfold over the next two decades to more than 70gw. It is the cheapest option for consumers. To be competitive in this rapidly changing market, large scale power projects will need to be nimbler and financially sounder than nuclear.
Jim Allen, Panorama SA
Nuclear too costly
The Coalition is clearly pro-nuclear and appears to have shifted its support from small modular reactors everywhere to large-scale reactors located at retiring coal-fired power station sites. But this is conjecture and unconfirmed and as Liberal MP Rowan Ramsey has said, any plan is conjecture until Australia’s nuclear bans, federal and state, are lifted.
Equally unclear is the Opposition’s stance on renewables. While leader Peter Dutton has confirmed that the Liberal Party is “not opposed to renewables”, he has consistently voted against them in parliament. The National Party supports nuclear power and wants renewables to stay on city rooftops.
But recently, two major companies have put a spoke in the nuclear plan. Australia’s biggest smelter Tomago announced it plans to launch a massive wind and solar tender saying nuclear power is too costly. And AGL is in the process of transforming the former Liddell coal-fired power station site into a clean energy hub and has ruled out converting the site into a nuclear reactor.
Both these decisions support the consistent findings of the CSIRO that nuclear power in Australia would be far more expensive than renewables, even including transmission and storage. The Coalition is wrong on nuclear power and should change its tune before the next election or more seats will be lost.
Ray Peck, Hawthorn
Paint it back
In a blank moment, I got to wondering how much unused paint goes to the tip’s liquid-waste bin. I bet there’s also heaps of paint cans sitting in sheds like mine, right across the country. To make sure we don’t run out of paint during some job, we all buy more than we need. We might have read the coverage per coat on the paint can. That way we could reduce left over paint. But it’s difficult to estimate all the areas. And one litre cans cost way more per litre than a four litre can. Cunning marketing by the paint companies? And there’s often no two litre can.
Are there any answers to this costly waste?
Warwick Spinaze, Tootgarook
