SOMERVILLE residents and business owners have been left disappointed yet again after its bid for federal government funding to help improve mobile phone coverage in the area was rejected.Despite their persistent fight for better connectivity, particularly in the east Somerville area for the past ten years, the federal government did not include the suburb in its second round of funding through the peri-urban mobile program.Funding of $40.9 million was allocated to the program which aims to improve mobile connectivity in bushfire and other natural disaster-prone areas.Communications Minister Michelle Rowland announced on October 3 that the program had approved 47 mobile…
Author: Brendan Rees
AN author and a casual teacher at a Dromana school has launched a new book that aims to ensure children with additional needs are well supported in their education journey.Anne Vize, also a specialist education teacher, said she was excited to announced her newly published book called Partnerships with Families of Children with Additional Needs. Ms Vize said she wrote the book after realising how many teachers and early years workers found it challenging to work with families even though they are often confident teaching children. “This latest book helps teachers understand different family experiences, the impact caring can have…
A REVAMP of the century-old Flinders Pier is set to get under way next year after Parks Victoria announced it was progressing its efforts to obtain a heritage permit to undertake repairs.Critical safety works are needed to restore the 1860s-built wooden pier on The Esplanade, as one section of the jetty remained closed to the public since April 2020 because of a “significant risk of structural failure”. The jetty is a popular place for walking, diving, snorkelling, angling and boating, and is part of the Western Port aquaculture industry. The seabed beneath the pier is also home to the weedy…
FIVE candidates vying for wards in the Mornington Peninsula Shire Council election are advocating to save the historic Beleura Cliff Path in Mornington after it was closed two years ago because of safety concerns. Candidates Paul Pingiaro, Nick Fallow (Tanti Ward) along with Despi O’Connor, Anthony Marsh (Briars Ward) and Daniel McCaffrey (Kackeraboite Ward) have all thrown their support behind the 102-year-old path, which winds along the cliffs from Mills Beach.The path has been closed since October 2022 after two landslips occurred, causing the path to be “badly damaged in many sections and not safe for recreational use”, according to…
MOUNTAIN bike tracks, sporting facilities, and improved parking and walking paths are among the community’s aspirations to enhance Dromana while maintaining its rural character. The ideas were shared with the Mornington Peninsula Shire after public consultation was held in response to a draft of a Shaping Greater Dromana Plan.Feedback into the draft plan, which was sought from May 20 to June 21, was also gathered into the use and development of the Dromana and Arthurs Seat escarpment area and Parkdale/Hillview Community Reserve, to help with the management and masterplans, which are concurrently being prepared. These projects are planned for completion…
SEVENTEEN-year-old Austin Blight has no memory of the moment his life was nearly taken while training at a Rosebud gym. The Padua College year 12 student had been lifting weights at Yawa Aquatic Centre in July when, “out of the blue”, he suffered a heart attack and collapsed. Staff members immediately stepped in and began CPR before using a defibrillator to deliver two life-saving electric shocks needed to restore Austin’s heartbeat, before paramedics arrived. He was taken to Frankston Hospital where he was kept in ICU for 24 hours, most of which time he relied on a ventilator to help…
MORNINGTON Peninsula-based screenwriter and crime author Christian White is excited to launch his new book, with events to be held at Frankston Library and Farrells Bookshop in Mornington. The award-winning thriller writer is back with his fourth book, The Ledge, which hit bookshelves on 24 September.Building on his reputation as the master of the twist, White’s latest offering is a coming-of-age story about a group of childhood friends, a dead body, domestic abuse, and loyalty. “Writing this felt much more personal than writing my other books. The Ledge is about a weird teenager which I was and a 40-something author…
NINE youth have celebrated their graduation from the Salvation Army’s Tools For The Trade program, which aims to re-engage youths in education and training. Each term, the program provides participants with hands-on experience through learning activities, group work, trade tasters, accredited courses, and selected work experience opportunities. The latest graduation was held on 20 September at the Salvation Army’s Mission Centre in Mount Martha.The nine-week program, assisted through Youth Services Peninsula, is designed to support young people aged 16-21 who are disengaged or at risk of disengaging from education, training, employment and community connections. Salvation Army Major Warren Elliott congratulated…
A “HUGE spike” in kerbside rubbish collection fees could be looming for Mornington Peninsula ratepayers as the state government rolls out a four-bin waste and recycling system.All local governments, including Mornington Peninsula Shire, will transition to mixed recycling, food and garden organics (FOGO), general rubbish, and a new glass recycling service, which is set to be introduced by 2027.The new system is part of an effort to improve recycling and reduce landfill, including separating glass bottles and jars into a new purple lid glass bin. A FOGO service is expected to be introduced by 2030.While the state government has maintained…
THE Sorrento Surf Life Saving Club is desperately hoping to revamp its aging and decaying facilities but a $2.5 million funding shortfall to deliver a clubhouse redevelopment is threatening its future.The club’s 22-year-old building is no longer fit as a training facility or to have lifeguards or equipment onsite, which the club’s vice-president Marc Clavin warned would threaten the safety of visitors and impact its dwindling member numbers.“We are now at a point where we need to call on all members of our community including non-resident owners of holiday homes to contribute to meeting the funding shortfall to ensure that…
FOR artist Emma Davies, the enchanting beauty of the Mornington Peninsula is not just a backdrop; it’s a wellspring of inspiration that helps create her creations. The Frankston South resident uses material like bird net, baler twine and things in her garden as well as acrylic paint and other materials to form intricate textiles.“I think one of the reasons why I do work with these sorts of materials is because you can work with it instantly, unlike a medium like clay or something where you’ve got to wait for it to dry and fire it and stuff like that,” she…
A PLAN to build a $47.7 million sports facility on the Mornington Peninsula complete with skate parks and wakeboard lakes has outraged residents who fear it will “ruin what we have left” of the region’s cherished green wedge.Mornington Peninsula Shire councillors endorsed the massive development at their 9 September meeting which would see an existing 200-acre adventure park called The Ranch expanded at 810 Boneo Rd, Boneo.The green wedge site, which currently has horseback riding, archery, tennis courts, rock climbing and more, would feature a new indoor and outdoor skateboarding facility, mountain biking trails and BMX tracks, dry-ski snowboarding slopes,…
MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire has given the green light for a retirement village to be built at the site of a heritage-listed former hospital in Mt Eliza after the plans were initially rejected.The design concept proposal by developer Hengyi Pacific is for a low-rise, 104-unit village set on a 3.4-hectare estate at 33 Jacksons Rd, which is home to the former Mt Eliza Centre built in 1929-30 as the Orthopaedic Branch of the Children’s Hospital. It is recognised on the council’s heritage overlay because of its “local historical, architectural and aesthetic significance to the Shire of Mornington Peninsula”.The decision to allow…
WILDLIFE authorities have issued a stern warning to the community following six reports of flying foxes being entangled in illegal residential fruit netting on the Mornington Peninsula this year.The Conservation Regulator, Zoos Victoria, RSPCA Victoria, Wildlife Victoria, and Animal Welfare Victoria have partnered to address the dangers illegal household netting pose to wildlife, especially native bat species.They are also reminding household growers to use safe, compliant fruit tree netting.Since 1 September 2021, it has been illegal in Victoria to use or sell household fruit tree netting with a mesh size bigger than 5mm by 5mm, as larger mesh netting is…
MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire has left the door open to rolling out paid parking at popular beach foreshores despite significant concerns raised during a recent trial – with one councillor labelling it “total mayhem”.The controversial parking trail, which began last December, has seen visitors charged $6.20 an hour or $19.50 a day to park at Sunnyside Beach, Mt Eliza, Schnapper Point (near the pier), Mornington and near Flinders pier. Parking is free for peninsula residents who have an e-permit.The trial aimed to “not only generate a steady revenue stream for the council but also ensure that visitors contribute fairly to the…
DAMAGING winds lashed the Mornington Peninsula and Frankston areas last week, causing significant disruption and destroying iconic beach boxes.From 7pm on Sunday September 1 and 3pm on Tuesday September 3, the SES received more than 1500 calls for help in the southern metropolitan region. Of those, 1100 were related to downed trees and more than 400 for building damage. Frankston was the hardest hit with 285 jobs. Hastings SES were called to 176 jobs while Sorrento SES had 130 requests for help.Many beach boxes were severely damaged or ripped apart particularly along Shire Hall Beach after wind speeds as high…