MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire’s Music Industry Summit on Monday 12 August was a day of collaboration and connection for our music industry. The event, held across five venues in Mornington, brought together prominent musicians, music venues, and industry professionals who shared their invaluable insights and expertise in workshops and panel discussions throughout the day.Attracting some heavy hitters from the Australian music industry, such as Frontier Touring director Gerard Schlaghake, Brad Hinds from OzTix, singer-songwriter Katie Noonan, rocker Dallas Frasca, and Something for Kate’s Clint Hyndman, delegates learned about current trends and opportunities.Panel discussions were lively and centred on various issues currently…
Author: mpnews
It was a grand homecoming for Dromana’s Olympic bronze medallist, Caitlin Parker on Saturday (18 August).There was plenty of green and gold during a street parade in her honour, followed by a luncheon, and capped off with her tossing the coin at Dromana Football Club’s last home game for the season.Parker has cemented her place in history by being the first Australian medallist in female boxing. First published in the Southern Peninsula News – 21 August 2024
Compiled by Cameron McCulloughABOUT 3 o’clock on Sunday afternoon, Mr. John Sloan, J.P., of Orrong Road, Toorak, was driving a Benz car along Playne street, Frankston, in a westerly direction, when he observed another car, driven by Mr. Kenneth Harper, from Mordialloc, proceeding eastwards on the Melbourne road.At the somewhat dangerous intersection the cars collided head on. Both were badly smashed, the estimated damage being £170.Fortunately, the occupants of the respective cars escaped without sustaining injury.Later, Mr. Sloan, J.P., made the following signed statement to the local police. “At about 3pm, I was driving along Playne Street in a westerly…
Toilet closures unacceptable I was flabbergasted to read the article (Cr Holland creates stink with toilet motion, The News, 7/8/24) outlining Cr David Gill’s attempt to raise the issue of closed toilet facilities on the Mornington Peninsula. This seems a perfectly reasonable motion from Cr Gill, yet not one councillor supported the motion. And for Cr Steve Holland to consider an amendment to the motion accusing Cr Gill of wasting everybody’s time, is extraordinary. For Cr Holland’s information, there are many people who read our local newspaper – sometimes that is the only way we find out what is going…
MOOROODUC Fire Brigade last week took delivery of a heavy tanker and an ultra heavy tanker to increase its firefighting capabilities.MP for Eastern Victoria Tom McIntosh joined brigade members and representatives from the Country Fire Authority to handover the tankers and thank volunteers for their service to the community.Valued at $460,000, the heavy tanker is one of 48 being rolled out by the state government to brigades across the state. The heavy tanker includes features to help reduce firefighter fatigue, including electronic monitors and electric rewind hose reels.The government also provided 29 ultra heavy tankers, including the one at Moorooduc,…
JANE Edmanson, a presenter on ABC TV’s Gardening Australia, handed out cuttings from her own garden when speaking to members of the Peninsula Parkinson’s Peer Support Group at Mount Martha last Tuesday (6 August). The cuttings, delivered in time for spring planting, were made as Edmanson acknowledged the problems of planting coastal areas.“I love coming to the Mornington Peninsula, but I know gardening here can be a challenge,” she said when speaking at Mount Martha Community House. “There are lots of vagaries. It’s often very windy, and salt spray can be damaging to plants. Sandy soil can also be a…
SKATEBOARD and scooter riders are being invited to have a say on designs for a $1 million upgrade to the Rye skate park. Skate park design company Playce has been hired by Mornington Peninsula Shire Council to improve the existing design. The design was drawn up after skaters met with shire officers and the Playce team during several workshops last year. The resulting design is open for public comment until 4 September.The first stage of the upgrade includes making the skate park suitable for beginners, including such street skate elements as mini ramps, banks, blocks, manual pads and rails. The…
THE latest in advanced radiation therapy treatment will soon be available closer to home for cancer patients on the Mornington Peninsula, with leading cancer care provider, Icon Cancer Centre announcing it will provide radiation oncology services at The Bays Cancer Care Centre. It will be the first in the Mornington Peninsula Shire to provide radiation therapy services.Currently under construction, the centre will be equipped with a state-of-the-art Varian TrueBeam linear accelerator (linac), providing stereotactic radiation therapy, tattoo-less radiation therapy for breast cancer patients, along with world-leading HyperArc technology for patients with secondary brain tumours.These cutting-edge radiation therapy techniques will deliver…
Non-equal rights for shire voters In federal and state elections, those enrolled may vote in only one seat, the one in which they reside. The Victorian Parliament has enacted a new law which ensures that residents on the roll of any of its electorates are also automatically placed on the voters list of the municipality within it, where they live, but proprietors of businesses and owners of properties such as holiday homes in that municipality are required to make their own arrangements to be placed on the voters roll.This means that all federal voters have equal opportunity to influence federal…
MORNINGTON Peninsula boxer Caitlin Parker is bringing home a bronze medal after making it to the final four in the women’s 75kg division at the Paris Olympic Games. The win makes Parker the first ever Australian medallist in female boxing.Parker began her campaign in the round of 16 with a unanimous points decision over Mexican boxer Citlalli Ortíz.In her round of eight bout, she fought Moroccan boxer Khadija Mardi. The Moroccan was taller than Parker with an impressive reach, but Parker held her own and ended up taking the bout in a split decision. The win propelled Parker into the…
Compiled by Cameron McCulloughON Friday last at about 12.45, W. McTaggart, son of Seaford’s popular butcher, was driving a horse and cart along Seaford road, when the animal suddenly took fright and bolted with the lad.On turning into Railway Parade the lad was horrified to notice that the midday express train was running parallel to him, and the horse was actually keeping level.The lad realised that if he could not manage the horse before the Station Street crossing was reached, a serious collision must occur. However, his efforts were unavailing, and there was a grave possibility of an accident, until…
STORIES about the kidnapping of Aboriginal women by sealers at Point Nepean and their being taken to islands in Bass Strait were recounted last month for about 50 members of Southern Women’s Action Network (SWAN).The presentations by Bunurong woman and community educator Aunty Jillian West and Aunty Deb Mellett, a Gurindji woman from the Northern Territory were made a week after this year’s NAIDOC (National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee ) Week at SWAN’s 21 July meeting at Mount Martha Community House.“Aunty Jillian is a descendent from Point Nepean, and Palawa from the Islands of Bass Strait. Her address,…
THE future of foreshore camping is being considered by the Mornington Peninsula Shire. The shire has begun its first round of consultation to draft a “foreshore camping strategy”. The strategy is expected to assess preferred accommodation options, payment methods, accessibility measures, and other potential improvements.The mayor Cr Simon Brooks said that drafting a new strategy would help improve the foreshore camping experience. “Our foreshore camping areas are a treasured asset, and we want to ensure they remain accessible and enjoyable for everyone. I encourage all community members to share their ideas and help us develop a draft strategy that benefits…
Road madness with untenable conditions I’ve just driven my car from Mornington to Red Hill South, a journey involving avoiding a number of deep and dangerous potholes. Then, on Arthur’s Seat Road, I was stopped by a work crew installing an enormous length of road safety barriers on the border of a picturesque winery and the focus centre. Why? Have there been instances of cars running off this road? The speed limit has just been reduced to 60kph. Do we not wait to see the effect of this before spending massive amounts of money on a potentially unnecessary structure which…
UNDER the legendary banner of The Great Moscow Circus, death-defying acts from around the globe are being presented throughout Victoria in 2024. Covid grounded the Circus in 2021 and due to the sensitive political world situation, these carefully chosen superstars have come together for the first time in a brand new show performing throughout Victoria.The Great Moscow Circus first visited Australia in 1965 under the auspices of the Edgley Organisation and has continued every three to five years in Australia and New Zealand ever since.When the Soviet Union collapsed in December 1991, the Edgley family purchased (Trademarks) on the ownership…
MARINE biologist Dr Sue Mason has launched an educational program to support and inspire female secondary school students who want to be scientists.Mason, former research director at the Hastings-based Dolphin Research Institute, said female students faced barriers to studying science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).While remaining involved with research at Deakin University, Mason has started Cetacean Sisters to help secondary school students connect with other like-minded girls. “The program aims to advance the scientific skills and knowledge of cetaceans — whales and dolphins — of the participants,” she said.“Set against the picturesque shores of Port Phillip, these five, two-hour sessions…
ONLY one third of residents on the Mornington Peninsula are registered as organ donors. Australian Organ Donor Register data shows that 33 per cent of residents in the Mornington Peninsula Shire local government area are registered organ donors. There were 1254 registrations in 2023, down from 1393 in 2022.In the neighbouring Frankston municipality only 28 per cent of residents are registered organ donors. The Kingston municipality fared even worse, with only 24 per cent of residents signed up.This week is DonateLife Week – to mark the occasion, DonateLife is encouraging people to sign up as organ donors and potentially save…
DESKS will line Shoreham Beach next week as part of an interactive performance work. Artist Janenne Willis will host Nature Obituary at the beach on 3 August. She will invite audience members to sit down at the desks to pen obituaries to Mother Earth. Select pieces will then be read aloud by performers Willis, Tariro Mavondo, and Felicity Mashuro.Willis said the performance will be an “opportunity to collectively honour the natural world, to collectively record natural history and to collectively grieve our environment lost”. “I’m deeply curious about what will come through when humans sit together in nature and write…
TUCKED away in a room at Mt Martha Community House is a little group about to notch up it’s 50th year.Mt Martha Model Railway Club Inc was founded in 1975 and has run continuously with only the occasional derailments, one of which was covid.“We run train afternoons every Tuesday and Thursday from 2 – 4. And soon we are starting a Saturday afternoon session from 2 – 4,” said president of the model railway club, Bob Geeves.“We are a member of the Men’s Shed organisation, and it is mostly men who come along,” said Bob. “To be honest, we don’t…
Engaging with decision makers about homelessness SWAN (Southern Women’s Action Network) was pleased to host Mornington MP Chris Crewther at last week’s meeting as we continue our housing crisis campaign. It has been encouraging to meet with both Chris Crewther and Eastern Victoria MP Tom McIntosh. We appreciate their willingness to discuss the escalating homelessness crisis on the Mornington Peninsula.We were interested to hear about the possibility of implementing a “room to spare” program which would match those in need of shorter-term accommodation with homeowners offering space in their homes or unoccupied holiday houses. Another idea was incentivising a tiny…
A TELECOMMUNICATIONS tower has been approved on green wedge land in Stumpy Gully Road, Balnarring, by Mornington Peninsula Shire Council.Senior planner Alex Harrison, in a report to council’s Monday 15 July public meeting, said the design of the tower was intended to protect the amenity of the surrounding area with setbacks from residential properties.The application, which was on public notice in late 2022 and received 21 objections and a 200-signature petition, was called in by Cr David Gill for a decision by the council.Under state government laws passed in November 2022, councils have limited ability to knock back telecommunications towers,…
ALLAN Barnes has enjoyed many great days at Rye, as a champion rover in the late 1980’s and early 90’s, where he played 169 senior games. Winning the Division 1 league best and fairest award in 1992 and the Rye Football Club senior best and fairest award in 1988. But he reckons nothing will top what happened a few weeks back, when Rye played Devon Meadows and all four of his sons played in the Rye senior side.Clayton (24), Mitchell (21), Justin (18) and Tyson (16), took the field, creating history as the first time at Rye Football Club that…
RYE Pier is back open to the public. After months of anticipation and dedicated work by Parks Victoria, the iconic pier has been beautifully restored and is now ready to welcome visitors again.The restoration has revived the pier’s historic charm and introduced several exciting new features. Among the highlights are the interpretive signs installed along the pier, which showcase the area’s rich marine life. These signs provide fascinating information about the local sea creatures, making your visit enjoyable and educational.In addition to the interpretive signage, new benches crafted by the Point Nepean Men’s Shed have been strategically placed along the…
NEW 4K video cameras will help doctors at The Bays Hospital in Mornington perform keyhole surgeries and endoscopies.The hospital has spent $1.2 million upgrading its theatre complex this year. Its two new portable 4K cameras will allow doctors to take better images for diagnostic purposes and to show patients afterwards.A new fleet of endoscopes, including gastroscopes and colonoscopes, were purchased by the hospital this year for the upgrade. In a statement, The Bays Hospital said “endoscopes now feature artificial intelligence functionality, which aids in the early detection and identification of polyps.”The Bays Healthcare Group CEO Jade Phelan said the upgrades…
Renewables are right Mornington MP Chris Crewther’s parliamentary speech on 20 June glossed over and ignored problems with nuclear power as an energy source.Australia is the driest inhabited continent and, in the southeast and southwest of the country, it is getting even drier. Nuclear power plants require huge amounts of water to stay safely cooled. At Three Mile Island, United States, a cooling malfunction caused part of the core to melt, destroying a reactor. At Fukushima, Japan, the failed power supply disabled cooling systems causing all three reactor cores to melt. Overseas, drought has forced reactors to shut down. The…
MORNINGTON student Geena Davy has jumped her way to a gold medal at the Oceania Athletics Championships in Fiji. The 17-year-old, who attends Balcombe Grammar School, has now been crowned the under 18 Oceania long jump champion.Geena had to overcome challenging conditions and ill health to triumph over Adelaide’s Lilly Smart, coming out on top with a jump of 5.95 metres. “At this level of competition, there are no easy jumps,” said Geena’s coach Jason Hodson. “There was just a few centimetres separating the top competitors and each athlete had to push the boundaries to get the best results in…
Compiled by Cameron McCullough THE other day, a lady was walking along by the dangerous cutting at the top of Oliver’s Hill. There is no foot path at the danger-zone in question, and, moreover, the lady was carrying a suit case.A fast-speeding motor car whizzed past the lady, and nearly knocked the satchel out of her hand.The incident, naturally, caused her to experience an unpleasant shock to her nervous system.Alternatively speaking, if the car had been a few inches more on the side of the portion of the road she was traversing it is obvious that a serious accident would…
Mornington Peninsula Crime Investigation Unit detectives have charged a man with 41 offences following a series of aggravated burglaries and commercial burglaries on the Mornington Peninsula. It’s alleged the incidents occurred between 17 June and 17 July, 2024 including: • A burglary at a supermarket in Blairgowrie on 28 June where cigarettes and a charity tin were stolen. • A burglary at a general store on 2 July where cigarettes were stolen. • A burglary at a liquor store on 13 July where cigarettes and liquor were stolen. At least $70,000 worth of cigarettes were stolen during the burglaries. Investigators…
Mornington Peninsula Criminal Investigation Unit detectives are investigating following the theft of a tractor from a vegetable farm in West Pearcedale last month. Unknown offenders have attended the market garden of the property on South Boundary Road about 12.30am on Saturday, 22 June. The offenders have then stolen the large, green, 2000 Model John Deere 5075E tractor with registration XW57BA. Investigators have released an image of the $60,000 tractor and CCTV captured from a neighbouring property showing the stolen piece of machinery being driven north on South Boundary Road towards Baxter-Tooradin Road. Police are appealing for public assistance to help…
THE life, times and environmental benefits of bandicoots will be explained at the next meeting of the Red Hill South Landcare Group.Eilish Roberts, southern brown bandicoot outreach officer at Cranbourne Royal Botanic Gardens, works to help protect this once widespread marsupial and support local communities in creating bandicoot-friendly suburbs.When digging and scratching while foraging for food bandicoots make “beds” for seeds to germinate and help break down organic matter in which other organisms can live.The public is invited to attend the bandicoot talk which will precede the Landcare group’s annual general meeting, starting at 2pm on Saturday 20 July at…