TOUGHER bail conditions are set to be imposed on offenders as part of sweeping changes proposed by the state government, but some experts have warned that marginalised communities may be unfairly affected. The state government introduced its bail reform to Parliament last week. It is seeking to amend the Bail Act to remove the principle of “remand as last resort” for youths, and introduce bail offences. The state government plans to introduce “commit an indictable offence while on bail for an indictable offence” into the Bail Act, and make the offence “breach of condition of bail” a summary offence. They…
Author: Brodie Cowburn
PROVINCIALRED Hill have beaten Langwarrin in a huge upset to book their spot in this weekend’s Grand Final.Langwarrin entered the two-day clash on Saturday in first place. Red Hill qualified for finals in fourth, a fair way back from the ladder leaders.Red Hill batted on Saturday, and put a good total on the board. They scored 212 runs from their 80 overs – Simon Dart top scored with 72.Langwarrin struggled with the bat on Sunday. A few of their top order batters made good starts, but couldn’t capitalise.Langwarrin’s Brodie Matthews and Aaron Bardwell were each dismissed for one, and Trav…
PROVINCIALLADDER leaders Langwarrin will head into this weekend’s final series off the back of a loss, after Dromana put them to the sword on Saturday.Langwarrin had a disastrous day on the road against Dromana. They got off to a nightmare start when opener Jack Marget was clean bowled by Dale Irving with the first delivery of the day.Each of Langwarrin’s first five batters failed to reach double digits. They collapsed to 7/43, and looked in a world of trouble.The tail offered some resistance, but Langwarrin was soon bowled out. They scored just 96 runs.Dromana made short work of their target,…
PROVINCIALRED Hill wrapped up an important win over fellow finals contender Dromana at RM Hooper Reserve Oval on Saturday. On day two, Red Hill was defending a total of 251. Dromana kept touch with their target all day, but fell 23 runs short. After a decent start, Red Hill bowler Brent Martin ran through the middle order. Daniel Ianati nearly dragged Dromana over the line with a brave unbeaten 67 from 96 deliveries, but he didn’t get enough support from his teammates.Dromana was bowled out for 228.Martin posted final figures of 5/66 for the victors.Sorrento had a great day at…
FRANKSTON High School was sent into lockdown on Friday after it received a “threatening email”. Alarms were heard ringing from the school a little after midday on 7 March. They had ceased by 1pm. Victoria Police has confirmed that it is investigating a threatening email sent to multiple schools around Frankston. It says that there is unlikely to be a genuine threat. “Police are aware of a threatening email which has been sent to a number of schools across the state. The circumstances are being investigated however at this time it is not believed to be linked to any genuine…
By Brodie Cowburn PROVINCIALSORRENTO wrapped up a dominant win over Heatherhill in no time at all on day one of their two-day clash last Saturday.Heatherhill was sent in to bat first at David MacFarlane Reserve last week, and failed to make any impact on the scoreboard. They were bowled out in the 39th over for just 58 runs.Jake Wood did the damage for Sorrento – he finished the day with figures of 5/20 off 11 overs.Wood backed up his bowling efforts with a knock of 42. He was supported by Mitchell Bench and Rhys Musgrave, who each finished the day…
PROVINCIALLANGWARRIN and Pines remain neck-and-neck in the race for top spot after they both locked up wins last weekend. Langwarrin defeated Baden Powell at Lloyd Park on Saturday. The Kangaroos bowled out Baden Powell for 182 to successfully defend their day one total of 263.Opener Daniel Di Paolo was dismissed for a duck at the start of the innings – Baden Powell couldn’t recover from their poor start. Jake Prosser starred for Langwarrin, finishing the day with figures of 6/45 off 25 overs. Langwarrin finished the round on top of the ladder. They are six points ahead of Pines, who…
PROVINCIALLANGWARRIN got off to a strong start in their two day match against Baden Powell. Opener Jack Marget top scored for the side with 63, and captain Ricky Damiano wasn’t far behind with a knock of 57 not out. Langwarrin finished the day at 7/221.Pines came up against Red Hill in their two day clash. The day didn’t get off as planned with opener Declan Jackson out for a golden duck. The ship steadied and Nick Christides and Connor Jackson put on 61 and 51 respectively. There wasn’t much of a fight after they left the crease though, and Pines…
PROVINCIALLANGWARRIN is sitting in top spot with just three weeks left before finals. On day two of their match with fellow title contenders Pines at Lloyd Park last weekend, Langwarrin locked up a narrow win.Langwarrin set Pines a target of 185 to chase down on Saturday. Pines came close, but fell 15 runs short of victory. Opener Declan Jackson top-scored for Pines with 68 from 168 deliveries. Pines was bowled out for 171 with six overs left to spare. Sam Prosser took three wickets, and Matthew Prosser and Trav Campbell took two each. The result left Pines in third spot.…
PROVINCIALPINES have narrowly beaten fellow title contenders Dromana in an epic matchup at Eric Bell Reserve.Both sides have been locked in a battle for top spot on the ladder this season. Pines was sent in to bat first by Dromana last Saturday, and suffered a big early blow.Pines opener Ricky Ramsdale was dismissed for a duck after just three deliveries. Dale Irving took the crucial wicket. Nick Christides settled things down for the hosts, going on to score 61 from 63 deliveries. Number four batter Harley Peace-Stirling also impressed – he scored a half-century before Zacc Klan sent him back…
PROVINCIALDROMANA moved to the top of the MPCA Provincial division ladder with a win over Old Peninsula away from home last weekend. MPCA cricket returned after a lengthy Christmas break on 18 January. Dromana travelled to Peninsula Grammar to take on the Pirates in a one-day match.Dromana batted first after winning the toss. Skipper Sam Fowler was completely in control, scoring 108 runs to help his side reach a final total of 201 from 40 overs. Sam Fowler’s brilliant century was supported by knocks of 39 and 32 respectively from Jack Fowler and Dale Irving. Old Peninsula battled hard to…
PROVINCIALOLD Peninsula faced a hefty total on Saturday after Baden Powell notched up a tidy 221 last week. But apart from a single early wicket, with Zak Bauer getting caught LBW for seven, it was an easy day with Old Peninsula scoring 5/224.Wade Pelzer top scored for Old Boys with 62 off 87 balls, and the visitors trotted home to pass Baden Powell’s total with over eight overs spare and for the loss of just five wickets. Baden Powell remain without a win for the season.Sorrento haven’t been much better this season, with only a single win, and their fortunes…
PROVINCIALAN excellent final wicket partnership between Shaun Miller and Liam Glennie may have saved Heatherhill from defeat against Pines on Saturday.Heatherhill was sent in to bat first on day one at Eric Bell Reserve. They struggled from the outset, as Pat Jackson tore through the top order.Miller and Glennie, batting at number 10 and 11 respectively, helped restore some pride. Miller starred with an impressive unbeaten 52 from 72 deliveries.Glennie deserves credit for his supporting role – he scored one run from 53 deliveries.Heatherhill ended up all out for 155.Pat Jackson did most of the damage for Pines. He took…
PROVINCIALDROMANA have wrapped up a win over Pines in less than a day.Pines was sent in to bat first at Dromana Reserve on Saturday. They lasted just 33 overs – Pines was bowled out for just 124 runs.Jack Fowler and Sam Fowler took four wickets each for Dromana.Dromana comfortably reached their target before the close of play. They will start day two this weekend at 6/160.Sam Fowler and Jack Fowler backed up their bowling efforts by each scoring 39 runs.Red Hill have set Old Peninsula a huge target to chase down thanks to the incredible efforts of Simon Dart.Batting at…
PROVINCIALDROMANA wrapped up a win over Old Peninsula on Saturday to maintain its spot on the top of the ladder.Dromana bowled out Old Peninsula for 182 runs on day one. On day two last Saturday they batted well and finished the job.Sam Fowler was the star of the match. The skipper scored a brilliant century, and ended up carrying his bat.Dromana reached their target in 60 overs with eight wickets left to spare.Pines’ excellent start to the season continued last weekend when they secured victory over Sorrento.Pines dominated on day one on their home deck, smashing 407 runs before declaring.…
MORE than 50 women set off from Frankston Pier last week to walk all the way to the Cape Schanck lighthouse. The “Frank to Schanck” trek was organised by the Women’s Spirit Project. The registered charity aims to help women experiencing disadvantage by getting them involved with fitness, health, and wellbeing activities.The 60 kilometer journey from Frankston to Cape Schanck began on Friday and concluded on Sunday. Women’s Spirit Project chairperson Kathy Heffernan said “it is a privilege to witness the courage of these women taking on this challenge.” “Our volunteers have also worked hard over the weekend to support…
PROVINCIALA PAIR of centuries by Declan Jackson and Connor Jackson has put Pines in the box seat against Sorrento.Pines is hosting the two-day match at Eric Bell Reserve. The hosts had an incredible day on Saturday, putting more than 400 runs on the scoreboard.Opener Declan Jackson and first drop batter Connor Jackson were brilliant. Declan Jackson smashed 113 runs from 77 deliveries, and Connor Jackson scored 130 with a strike rate of a run a ball.Nick Christides also had a good game – the opener scored 62 runs.Pines scored 6/407 before declaring. Sorrento survived six overs before stumps, and will…
PROVINCIALDROMANA’S undefeated start to the 2024/2025 season continued last weekend after a close win over Baden Powell.Overport Park hosted the clash. Baden Powell was sent in to bat first, and hit a few roadblocks.Dale Elmi, Jobe Gardner, Josh Waldron, and Jack Gorbert made good starts, but didn’t convert their scores into big totals. Gorbert’s unbeaten 24 from 21 deliveries batting at number nine was the most impressive of the innings.Jye Voelkl took three vital middle order wickets to help restrict Baden Powell’s total to 9/144 from 40 overs. Voelkl took 3/21.A middle order collapse nearly cost Dromana the game, but…
A LARGE portion of Mt Eliza is set to move from the Dunkley electorate into Flinders. The changes have been in the works throughout the year, and have now been finalised and gazetted. The Australian Electoral Commission says the new boundaries will come into effect at the next federal election. The boundary separating Dunkley and Flinders now sits across the Nepean Highway and Canadian Bay Road.The Liberal Party of Victoria objected to the change – in a submission to the AEC, the Liberals wrote “Mount Eliza has been a consistent part of the Dunkley electorate and has strong links to…
PROVINCIALDROMANA has fired an early warning shot to the rest of the division after a dominant win over Heatherhill. Dromana wrapped up their second win of the season on Saturday by bowling out Heatherhill. Dromana scored 297 runs on day one, and bowled Heatherhill out for 190 on day two.A handful of Heatherhill batters made strong starts, but couldn’t convert them into big totals. Sithum Peris scored 29 runs, Jake Theobald scored 33, and Adeel Hussain scored 27. Jack Fowler was the pick of the bowlers for Dromana. He took 3/40 from 14 overs on Saturday, and managed to pick…
PROVINCIAL SORRENTO have put themselves in a good position to defeat Baden Powell. Sorrento hosted day one of the two-day clash at David MacFarlane Reserve on Saturday. The Sharks batted first, but didn’t look too dangerous early on.Sorrento’s first six batters were each dismissed for low totals – Patrick Hall’s 16 from 14 deliveries was the top order’s best effort. Rhys Musgrave and Jake Wood came in at seven and eight to steer things back on track. Musgrave scored 45 from 91 deliveries, and Wood scored 84 from 75. Their efforts helped Sorrento reach a final total of 200.With 22…
PROVINCIALA BRILLIANT unbeaten knock from Kierran Voelkl has helped Dromana score a hard-fought win over Red Hill.Dromana hosted the match last Saturday. After losing the toss, Red Hill was sent in to bat first.Harry Gouldstone and Thomas Lewis helped Red Hill put a big total on the scoreboard. Gouldstone scored 59 from 67 deliveries, and Lewis scored an unbeaten 52 from 45 balls. Lewis smashed four sixes during his innings.Red Hill scored 6/220 from their 40 overs, and were in a good position to claim the win.Dromana got their run chase off to a strong start thanks to openers Beau…
By Brodie Cowburn PROVINCIALTHE MPCA season got off to a false start last Saturday, with most games washed out.A handful of overs were played at Overport Park. Langwarrin scored 4/68 from 19 overs before their match against Baden Powell was called off.The Old Peninsula Pirates also got to spend some time at the crease. They scored 3/63 from 18 overs before their match against Heatherhill was abandoned.The remaining games in the Provincial division were also washed out. PENINSULARAIN stopped a nail-biting match between Seaford and Rosebud from reaching its conclusion last Saturday.RF Miles Reserve hosted the two sides in the…
CRIME on the Mornington Peninsula has skyrocketed, increasing by more than 22 percent in the 2023/2024 financial year. The Crime Statistics Agency released its yearly figures last week. In the Mornington Peninsula municipality, total offences recorded increased by more than 22 percent to 11,644 in the year ending June 2024. Breaches of family violence orders were the most commonly recorded offences. The offence rate per 100,000 Mornington Peninsula residents was the worst recorded since 2020. Mornington was the suburb most affected by crime on the Mornington Peninsula, followed closely by Rosebud and Hastings.The CSA has revealed that there were 16,252…
HASTINGS FNC has appointed a new senior coach. Hastings is looking to bounce back after a tumultuous 2024. Financial issues at the Hastings Club have put the football club in a tenuous position, and its seniors side recorded just three wins for the year in Division Two.Last week, the club announced it had appointed Kevin Lylak as its new senior coach. In a statement, the club said Lylak had signed on for 2025 “and beyond”. “We are super excited for the experience and leadership Kev will bring to our young exciting list. Please join us in welcoming Kevin, his wife…
EIGHT people have died at Mornington Peninsula beaches and waterways over the last year.There were more deaths in Mornington Peninsula coastal areas between 1 July 2023 and 30 June 2024 than there were in any other Victorian municipality. Surf Life Saving Australia’s annual National Coastal Safety Report, released last week, showed that eight people died on the Mornington Peninsula in that timeframe.In total, Surf Life Saving Australia recorded 258 coastal deaths nationally in 2023/2024. 150 died from drowning, with 26 of those drownings occurring in Victoria. More than 80 per cent of drowning victims nationally were male, and every single…
NEW measures to protect plant and animal life in the Balcombe Creek Estuary and nearby land in Mount Martha have been put into place.The state government gazetted planning scheme amendment C241morn earlier this month. The amendment implements recommendations from the 2022 Balcombe Estuary and associated reserves: Ecological and Planning Study report. The gazetted planning scheme amendment covers 76.9 hectares of land. It reads that new zones have been applied to provide greater protection to indigenous wildlife and plant species.Among a swathe of changes, a new overlay has been placed over the site “to identify and protect native vegetation specific to…
MPFNL MEN’S DIV ONETHE Mt Eliza Football Netball Club celebrated one of the greatest days in its history last Sunday when it took home three football premiership trophies from Kinetic Stadium.Mt Eliza played Dromana in the Division One Seniors Grand Final. Dromana came into the game as favourites, having lost just twice during the season. After losing their qualifying final, Mt Eliza earned their way through to the big dance the hard way.A bumper crowd turned up to watch on Sunday. Mt Eliza got out to an early lead, and took a 16 point lead into the first break. The…
MPFNL MEN’S DIV ONEMT Eliza has earned its spot in the Division One Grand Final. The Redlegs played Frankston YCW at Rosebud on Sunday afternoon, with the winner set to play Dromana in this weekend’s season decider. The Stonecats never got going, and failed to score a goal in the first three quarters. Mt Eliza made them pay, and booked their Grand Final spot with ease.Mt Eliza beat Frankston YCW 4.6 (30) to 11.11 (77). Christopher Carey, Nicholas MacDonald Girolami, Declan Cole, William Lambert, and Michael West were named in the Redlegs’ best.Dromana and Mt Eliza will do battle for…
MPFNL MEN’S DIV ONEDROMANA has moved one step closer to premiership glory after booking its spot in the Grand Final.Dromana played Frankston YCW in the semi-final at Olympic Park in Rosebud last Saturday. The Tigers were ruthless, and put the Stonecats to the sword.The first quarter went Dromana’s way – the Tigers held the Stonecats goalless and took a 14 point lead into the first break. They stretched their lead to 36 points by the time half-time rolled around.Dromana continued to apply the pressure in the second half. They ran out 79-point winners 17.12 (114) to 5.5 (35).Billy Quigley, Matthew…