THE Mornington Peninsula Shire’s efforts to relocate an over-abundant wallaby population at The Briars Wildlife Sanctuary are progressing slower than anticipated with early trapping having captured fewer animals. The update follows the shire’s 16 September decision to move the wallabies into a secure holding area as part of a staged Macropod Management Plan, which has seen supplementary feeding undertaken twice weekly “where necessary,” a council statement said. Overall, 120 wallabies will be relocated from the Mt Martha sanctuary to ensure the long-term sustainability of the population. Increased rainfall has stimulated high breeding rates with drier conditions this year having conversely…
Author: Brendan Rees
AROUND 200 motorcyclists are set to make their festive run from Frankston Pier to Rosebud Secondary College for the 24th annual Southern Peninsula Food For All toy appeal. The 6 December event will see a convoy, often featuring bikes decked out in tinsel, soft toys and the occasional Santa suit, join the much-loved tradition on the peninsula. Riders donate toys and festive goodies, all of which go directly to families struggling during the holiday season. Food for All volunteers say the toy run provided a significant boost to their annual appeal, helping ensure no child on the southern peninsula goes…
A MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire decision to cut all in-house youth workers from its three youth hubs has left families unsettled amid concerns over communication and major service changes. Staff are set to finish on 19 December at three youth hubs in Rosebud, Mornington and Hastings and will be replaced with external providers who will take over from term two next year. The News understands a casual workforce will operate the Tounnin Wominjeka Southern Peninsula Youth Hub in Rosebud, along with the hubs in Hastings and Mornington, across the Christmas period and term one. Councillors voted at their 2 September meeting…
THE historic Flinders Pier is set to be revitalised, with construction now under way to restore the iconic structure. Ports and Freight Minister Melissa Horne announced that Bridgewater Marine has been appointed as the lead contractor for the project, part of the Labor Government’s $18m investment in restoring Victoria’s heritage piers. “Once complete, access will be restored to the inner section of the pier, to preserve this piece of infrastructure that is important to Victorians in the Mornington Peninsula,” Horne said. The full 327-metre length of the historic pier remains open to the public, but the old part of the…
A MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire proposal to install road safety barriers along a stretch of road in Main Ridge has triggered a strong resident push back, with calls for clearer data and proper consultation. The shire has identified a section of Main Creek Rd between Old Main Creek Rd and Macpherson Lane as a dangerous site for motorcyclists due to roadside hazards including unprotected curves and poor signage. It is therefore seeking funding from the state government’s Motorcycle Safety Levy Program to go ahead with the roadside barrier project, which is estimated to be between $500,000 and $600,000. However, residents are…
THE inaugural Mornington Peninsula Bird Festival at Coolart Homestead and Wetlands in Somers has been hailed a success, drawing more than 250 visitors. The 22–23 November event included guided walks, presentations, workshops and activities focussed on diverse birdlife of the region, offering visitors of all ages a chance to connect with nature in meaningful and exciting ways. Hosted by Friends of Coolart in partnership with BirdLife Australia and supported by a Mornington Peninsula Shire community grant, the festival brought bird enthusiasts from across the region and beyond. Among the organisers was Penny Gillespie who said guests travelled from South Australia,…
THE state government has rejected a Mornington Peninsula Shire application to mechanically rake beaches in areas with an endangered native plant, forcing a shake-up as planned works are scrapped in favour of hand cleaning. The decision comes after councillors voted in May to reinstate mechanical raking on accessible beaches, covering about 80 percent of the beaches on Port Phillip Bay while hand-cleaning would continue at beaches unreachable by tractor. But in a letter to the shire responding to its application to remove native vegetation as part of a mechanical beach cleaning program at Ranelagh Beach in Mt Eliza, Safety Beach,…
THE Rotary Club of Mt Martha is bringing back its beloved Christmas fruit cakes and puddings, just in time for the holiday season. Locals who have enjoyed these treats in previous years know just how delicious they are. This festive project is organised by Rotary Darwin South, part of District 9560 in the Northern Territory, with all profits donated to The Rotary Foundation. Rotary Mount Martha will receive a small portion from each cake sold, which will go directly into the club’s account to help fund local projects. The cakes are available in a reusable tin for $22 or in…
HASTINGS State Emergency Service (SES) joined the Mornington Tourist Railway on 17 November for a large-scale emergency training exercise. The drill took place on Bungower Rd and involved a simulated emergency stop with 30 volunteers acting as passengers with varied injuries. About 30 SES members from the Hastings unit attended, along with four members from Cranbourne SES who brought their mass casualty tent. Four additional SES members from the state region were also present. Hastings SES section leader Hobley Silvana said the drill simulated an abrupt train stop during a busy tourist period using the historic carriages which date back…
ACCESS to Blairgowrie beach has been restored with the Sevilles carpark staircase rebuilt and reopened ahead of summer. The upgrade, announced by Environment Minister Steve Dimopoulos, follows the completion of works led by the Whitecliffs to Camerons Bight Foreshore Reserve Committee of Management. The renewal was supported by $50,000 from the state government’s coastal public access and risk grants program. The previous staircase was closed earlier in the year due to safety concerns. The rebuilt structure, off Point Nepean Rd and opposite The Loop, now created a more reliable link to the beach, restoring an important access point for the…
ROSEBUD Hospital will soon receive a new tilt table, thanks to a generous donation from the McCrae Lions Club. Valued at over $8000, the tilt table is a specialised examination table that gradually moves patients from a horizontal to an almost standing position, safely secured with straps. The equipment is primarily used to diagnose causes of fainting or light-headedness by monitoring changes in blood pressure and heart rate as patients are raised to a standing position. Lions Club president Salvatore Giambruno said the donation reflected the club’s ongoing commitment to supporting local community health initiatives. “Rosebud Hospital is a key…
SOMERS residents are pushing for a 30kph speed limit on the town’s unsealed roads, citing a lack of kerbs, footpaths, or road markings as a serious safety hazard for pedestrians. The Somers Residents Association (SRA) lodged a formal submission with the Mornington Peninsula Shire last month calling for the change across all 17 unsealed roads in the community including main roads like Alexandra Ave and Stanmore Ave. “Given the total absence of kerbs, footpaths, separated and protected bike lanes and road lines, the speed limit on unsealed roads in Somers should be managed to minimise the risk of fatal and…
MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire is imploring the state government to halt its fast-tracked planning reforms, warning the proposed changes could shut communities out of critical decisions about development in their own neighbourhoods. The planning amendment, the Better Decisions Made Faster Bill 2025, was introduced to parliament on 28 October and is now being debated with the aim of updating the Planning and Environment Act 1987. According to the state government, this would create a “modern, fit-for-purpose planning system for Victoria” that would also accelerate housing delivery. Councils across the state including the shire argue they were not consulted on reforms that…
MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire councillors have voted to advance an interim erosion management overlay, a planning control aimed at managing development on land most prone to landslides. The decision was made during the shire’s unscheduled public meeting on 17 November following an urgent directive from state Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny to prepare an amendment to the Mornington Peninsula planning scheme that would form the new control. The measure was a key recommendation of the board of inquiry into the McCrae landslide in January that saw a house slide down the escarpment, which was found later to have been caused by a…
MORNINGTON’S Paris Lightfoot has completed an extraordinary 24-hour endurance challenge at Dallas Brooks Reserve, running, rowing and skiing the equivalent of 180km to raise awareness for men’s mental health. The 28-year-old Movember Ambassador took on what she called the “Mo-Athlon” on Saturday 8 November, involving 60km of running, 60km on the rowing machine and 60km on the Ski Erg trainer, in memory of her father, who she sadly lost to suicide three years ago. “The challenge was 24-hours with the 60km challenges recognising the 60 men across the globe we lose to suicide every hour,” Paris said. The event formed…
THE Martha Cove Community Garden has unveiled a brand-new greenhouse, marking an exciting milestone for the thriving group. The official opening on 7 November was attended by Gary Andersen from Somerville-based greenhouse supplier Winter Gardenz, Mornington Peninsula Shire councillor Patrick Binyon, along with Martha Cove Community Garden president Ron Morgan and committee members David U’ren and Jen Pope. Located on Pickings Rd, Safety Beach, the community garden was established seven years ago and now boasts 140 members – half of whom are social members. The garden has been developed over the years with many donating equipment to carry out work…
OBITUARYDr Douglas Johnson26 July 1938 – 5 November 2025 DOUG Johnson was born on 26 July, 1938, to Gavin and Maude. He grew up in Albert Park with his brother Wal and sister Clare. The family later moved to Middle Park where Doug kept a boat in the garage and would wheel it across Beaconsfield Parade to the beach. Over the years he graduated from a Mirror Dinghy to a Gwen 12, a Laser, and finally a windsurfer — always happy when he was active. Doug attended Scotch College from Year 7 to 12, following in his father’s and grandfather’s…
A NEW reef restoration project off Mornington that is creating vital habitat for fish and marine life in Port Phillip Bay has received a $98,000 grant. Fish habitat charity OzFish Unlimited was announced as a recipient of the funding last week as part of the latest round of the state government’s Fish Habitat Improvement Fund, which has delivered $670,000 across four projects statewide. “These grants will deliver more fish habitat, which means more shelter and food for iconic recreational species like Murray cod and snapper,” Victorian Fisheries Authority CEO Travis Dowling said. The Mornington project, located about 300 metres into…
MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire has received two community petitions calling for road safety and traffic management changes in Mount Martha and Mornington. A petition signed by 25 residents has called for the installation of traffic calming treatments, such as speed humps, along Spray St and Foam St in Mornington. Following an initial study into the request, the shire found on average that 85 per cent of vehicles in both streets travelled below the 50kph speed limit, and there was no recorded crash history on either street. Based on this data, council advised that traffic calming work was not “currently warranted or…
MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire councillors have backed a formal submission on the environmental assessment for the proposed Port of Hastings renewable energy terminal, urging stronger safeguards for Western Port. The Victorian Renewable Energy Terminal (VRET), proposed by the Port of Hastings Corporation, a state government-owned entity, would act as a dedicated assembly port in Western Port to support the construction of Victoria’s first offshore wind farms along the Victorian coast. The project proposes a landside development and new land reclamation of about 16.5 hectares in area. A draft Environment Effects Statement (EES) on scoping requirements was released for community comment late…
MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire councillors have voted to bring back joint planning meetings after they were scrapped without notice early in the current council term. The decision was made following advocacy from Cr David Gill who put up a notice of motion calling for the return of the regular joint statutory and strategic ward planning meetings that previously kept councillors informed about planning issues and permit applications in their wards. These meetings, once held online every four to six weeks, were quietly discontinued at the start of the current council term following the October 2024 elections. Since then, councillors have received…
A TYABB-based puppetry duo is bringing creativity and humour into classrooms, helping children tackle life’s toughest challenges. Chris Elkington and Rob Irvin, founders of The Melbourne Puppet Kerfuffle, have performed for thousands of students across the state, using puppet shows to address bullying, resilience, cyber safety, and emotional well-being. Founded in November 2021, the pair first met when Elkington ran a primary school puppet workshop in Langwarrin South. A subsequent visit to a puppet festival in Williamstown inspired them to make family-friendly puppetry more accessible by taking it into schools and kindergartens. “Our first and most popular show, The Prank…
THE artist collective Peninsula Studio Trail Inc. (PST) is opening its members’ working studios for two weekends, inviting the community to see art being made and to meet the people behind the work. Visitors will be welcome to explore artists’ private working spaces across the Mornington Peninsula, talk to the creators about their process, and view or purchase unique works straight from the studio. The free event will be held on Saturday 15 and Sunday 16 November, as well as Saturday 22 and Sunday 23 November. Jackie Quail, who was the winner of the People’s Prize at PST’s recent annual…
A SORRENTO couple have expressed concern after incomplete fire-prevention works left their roadside vegetation a “dead and dying mess,” raising fears it may increase fire risk. Residents Helen and Bruce, who asked not to use their surname, said contractors engaged by Mornington Peninsula Shire removed some dead ti-trees and undergrowth along Hughes Rd but left large amounts of vegetation behind. The leftover debris, they said, located between their front fence and the road, was both a fire hazard and an “ugly eyesore”. Despite repeated calls and emails, the couple said the shire appeared to have no plans to return to…
A BUZZ of creativity filled the Studio Hall at the Mornington Theatre last Friday (7 November) as students from ten local schools took part in the Mornington Lions Club’s annual Lego Technical Building Competition. One of the Mornington Lions Club’s signature projects, the event encourages non-physical and creative challenges for children, giving grade four and five students the chance to think like engineers. Teams of up to eight students were tasked with constructing a Lego model that was unique and could perform some form of active work yet remain static, using only the special Lego Technic kit provided by the…
MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire has gone three years without a planning policy which was only made available to the public just hours before councillors endorsed it, sparking transparency concerns. The long-awaited planning matters policy, which is designed to provide a clear framework for “consistent, lawful, efficient, transparent and best practice approach” to decision making in both statutory and strategic planning matters, was endorsed by councillors in an 8-3 vote at their 5 November meeting. It will now replace the now discontinued planning services committee and its terms of reference. But councillors opposing it called for greater transparency, saying it wasn’t acceptable…
MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire deputy mayor Cr Paul Pingiaro has reaffirmed the council will not exceed the state’s three per cent rate cap or future rate caps, after cutting its ten-year projected deficit from $296m to $3m. The deficit cut was announced in the shire’s Financial Plan 2025-26 to 2035-36, adopted on 30 October, which also forecast a $67.2m cash balance by 2035, up from $3m projected last December. The dramatic turnaround has prompted questions from residents about how the deficit was achieved, what financial measures were used, whether rate rises would be applied, and if the changes could affect core…
A MT Martha artist and retired surgeon has unveiled his latest creative work, A World of Dogs in Watercolour, a beautifully illustrated book celebrating dogs and the joy they bring. The book features over 140 breeds, each brought to life through David Freedman’s intricate watercolour paintings. From well-known family pets and less familiar breeds, the collection captures the personality, expression and charm of each dog. “It is one of the joys of life to experience the giving and receiving of a dogs love,” Freedman said. “They provide both loyal companionships as well a sense of purpose in caring for them.…
DROMANA Secondary College students have turned creativity into conservation through a Wild At Art competition, run by the Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) Community Group Mornington. Traditionally aimed at primary students, the secondary-level version of the nationwide contest invited entries for the ACF 2026 calendar while encouraging awareness of local biodiversity and threatened species. The Mornington Peninsula is one of Victoria’s most ecologically diverse regions, home to more than 60 ecological vegetation classes and nearly 700 indigenous plant species – about one-fifth of the state’s total. Students have been learning how native planting supports local wildlife and protects delicate ecosystems. With…
MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire will review whether a long-missing pedestrian link in Rosebud can be formally built as calls grow from residents. Locals have gone so far as to create their own path within the missing link along Old Cape Schanck Rd between Jetty Rd and Cleek Cres by regularly mowing the grass and cutting back vegetation. Councillor Max Patton raised the issue at the council’s 14 October meeting, putting forward a motion calling for the council to investigate options for completing the missing pedestrian path. The proposed pathway falls outside the township’s urban growth boundary and therefore sits beyond the…