CONSTRUCTION of the long-promised skate park at Mt Martha is on hold while Heritage Victoria assesses a master plan for the historic parade grounds near Mt Martha House. The plan drawn up by Mornington Peninsula Shire includes the skate park, “additional pathways, a barbecue shelter, nature-based play space, bins, bike racks and other minor landscaping”, according to chief operating officer, Alison Leighton. Ms Leighton said more than 20 comments had been received about the skate park’s “preferred concept design”. At least one of those submitted comments criticises the skate park plan as being out of date. “We have been looking…
Author: Keith Platt
INVESTIGATIONS into the risk posed by bushfires to the proposed Arthurs Seat Skylift have highlighted the dangers to residents living in or around the precinct. The Mornington Peninsula is regarded as “one of the most bushfire-prone areas in the world”, according to the municipality’s official fire management plan. And the towns around Arthurs Seat and its slopes have been assessed as being under “extreme” risk of “catastrophic” bushfires. The Bushfire Risk Assessment Register lists Arthurs Seat and its lookout and escarpment, Main Ridge and Waterfall Gully Central as “almost certain” to burn. The register is part of the Mornington Peninsula…
THE tension between activist group GetUp and Environment Minister Greg Hunt rose another notch last week over filming of a demonstration outside his Hastings office. Freelance cameraman Brett Tyley says a “dressing down” from Mr Hunt “was intimidating, rude and unprofessional for a man that holds that office”. Tyley says Mr Hunt objected to being filmed addressing a crowd of protesters even though it was Mr Hunt “that walked into the front of the crowd who I was there to film as part of my job”. “I was shocked at this as it is very unusual to be addressed as…
AN estimated 10,000 cyclists took to the roads on Sunday in the 23rd annual Around the Bay – Ride for a Child in Need. Most of those opting for the longer 250 kilometre ride around Port Phillip had some relief from pedalling while aboard the Queenscliff-Sorrento ferry. However, the 28 members of the Pirates Sporting Club swapped handle bar for oars, rowing surf boats across the 12 kilometre stretch of water. Other riders followed courses ranging from 20 to 10 kilometres, including ones starting at Geelong and Sorrento. From the beach at Sorrento the Pirates were back on their bikes…
TWO bridges under the Mornington Peninsula Freeway are to be strengthened under a state government $35.8 million “stronger bridges program”. The bridges spanning Devilbend Creek and Tuerong Creek at Tuerong are two of 48 listed for work in “regional Victoria”. The state Opposition says 10 of the bridges on the list are within four kilometres of the suburban Mulgrave electorate of Premier Daniel Andrews. Mr Andrews and Roads Minister Luke Donnellan went to Traralgon to announce the funding to strengthen the bridges. The first stage of the bridge-building exercise will concentrate on 17 “priority bridges that have deteriorated to such…
THE vehicle carrier Hoegh Jeddah was again on the move mid-afternoon last Thursday after being anchored in the main shipping channel south of Rosebud since about 7am. It is understood the pilot called a halt to the ship’s departure from Melbourne because of engine trouble. Peter Harry from the Port of Melbourne Corporation said the shup had been anchored on the south side of the channel so as not to impede traffic. He said there had been no danger of it being grounded. By mid-afternoon the Hoegh Jeddah was undergoing sea trials, accompanied by the tug Hastings, before being given…
HORSE trainer Graeme Little has some healthy plans for the house and property formerly owned by pop star Kylie Minogue. Instead of the lavish lifestyle portrayed by the carefully courtured pop jet-setting princess, Mr Little wants the property to be seen as a bedrock of taking agriculture back to basics with permaculture. Permaculture is described as being a regenerative and self-maintained agricultural system modelled from natural ecosystems. Mr Little bought the 20 hectare property, Beauciel (French for beautiful sky), and four-bedroom house in 2009 with hopes of turning it into an exclusive retreat for a small number of guests. In…
IN a show of peace that reflects a main tenet of the Ahmadiyyan Islamic sect, the leader of a mosque in Langwarrin has shared a meal with the father of a young man who allegedly attacked members of his congregation. A 61-year-old man was admitted to hospital with a broken nose and other injuries after being attacked by three men who are believed to have jumped a fence to gain entry to the Bait-ul-Salam Mosque in Leisureland Drive. Police are believed to have identified and spoken with the three alleged intruders who were described by witnesses as being aged in…
THE environmental health of Port Phillip and job creation are major arguments being used by Mornington Peninsula and Frankston councils to justify a second container port being built at Hastings. In submissions to a select committee into the lease of the Port of Melbourne the two councils have lined up with other bayside municipalities wanting to protect the bay. The shire, Frankston and Greater Dandenong are also part of the South East Melbourne (SEMS) group of councils lobbying to expand the Port of Hastings. At least one member of SEMS, the Shire of Bass Coast, is less enthusiastic and wants…
THE “advocacy organisation” GetUp has a planned campaign to keep up the pressure on Flinders MP and Environment Minister Greg Hunt over threats to the Great Barrier Reef from coal exports. Mr Hunt last week accused members of a GetUp protest of upsetting and intimidating a staff member at his Hastings office. But one of two men who carried a crate of coal into the office on Wednesday alleges the version of events as outlined by Mr Hunt is “far from the truth, an incredible fabrication”. Simon Hawking, of Somers, said Mr Hunt’s reaction was “disappointing and so misleading”. Mr…
TORQUAY Boardriders Club won its sixth consecutive Victorian Teams Title on Sunday at its home beach of Jan Juc. Peninsula Surfriders Club came fourth, behind 13th Beach (second) and Portland (third). Peninsula will be relegated to B grade for next year’s competition. “The event combines three divisions, Men’s Skins, Women’s and Teams requiring all clubs to have depth in their roster to take the win,” Surfing Victoria’s Liam Robertson said. Torquay had dominated the event, winning all three A grade divisions. The Torquay team included two former World Tour competitors, Troy Brooks and Nic Muscroft, Qualifying Series surfers, Cahill Bell-Warren…
FLINDERS MP and Environment Minister Greg Hunt has condemned “aggressive behaviour” by protesters towards staff at his Hastings office. Mr Hunt said the behaviour of two men during an anti-coal mine protest organised by GetUp on Wednesday was “utterly unacceptable”. “A member of staff was deeply upset and intimidated by two of the protesters,” Mr Hunt said. “This aggressive behaviour by two male protesters towards a female staff member is utterly unacceptable and should be condemned by GetUp. “I certainly hope their behaviour is not representative of the organisation and did not represent the general behaviour of the delegation.” A…
POWERFUL owls might be 60 centimetre s tall and have white plumage, but they are rarely seen; heard maybe, but not seen. Being a nocturnal bird of prey they are most active at night and make themselves scarce during the day. They are the largest of the avian night hunters and, as their name suggests, capable of preying on medium to large tree-dwelling mammals: ringtail possum and great glider. They also take roosting birds and animals on the ground, such as rabbits and small marsupials. Despite their strength and hunting prowess, powerful owls are listed as being endangered. The Mornington…
IT might be getting to the pointy end of the season for the AFL, but players were not too busy when asked to sign surfboards for a charity auction. The players stayed off the field long enough to take turns with black markers to autograph boards made in their team colours for the Disabled Surfers Association Mornington Peninsula branch. The auction for the 18 boards starts 2.30pm Sunday 13 September at the Baha taco and music bar, 2201 Point Nepean Rd, Rye. Bids, starting at $650 a board, will be taken from the floor and over the phone. Unsold boards…
AN unusual census is being organised by the Western Port Biosphere. Schools, community groups and individuals are being asked to record sightings of animals, birds, reptiles, plants and insects for one week next month. The 2142 square kilometre biosphere covers the municipalities of Frankston, Mornington Peninsula, Casey, Cardinia and Bass Coast as well as French Island. The Lifesearch program – “citizen science in action” – is designed to increase knowledge about biodiversity within the biosphere and how to manage and protect it for the future. The Western Port Biosphere contains national and marine parks, rural agriculture and urban-growth areas and…
SACKING staff at the Port of Hastings Development Authority has seen millions of dollars “lost” to Hastings, according to Opposition leader Matthew Guy. Speaking to journalists in Frankston last week Mr Guy said 55 jobs had gone and payouts “will cost millions”. A news release from Opposition ports spokesman David Hodgett said the state government had paid out $2.64 million to 17 staff made redundant at the planning authority. “That works out to an average redundancy payment of over $155,000 a worker,” Mr Hodgett stated in a news release. “These 17 jobs should never have been lost because a second…
AN appeal has been launched to build a centre that can save and turn lives around for troubled young people on the southern peninsula. Land has been set aside for a Wellness Pavilion at Rosebud Secondary College that can provide a place for meditation and rooms for students to speak with counsellors. Two mothers spoke movingly about how the suicide of a young member has affected their lives. Year 11 student Hamish Swayn described the far-reaching impact the suicide of his uncle last year continues to have across his family and local community. “People can easily get stuck in a…
PLANS to build new footpaths at Somers have led to a call for a study into protecting “the grace and appeal of coastal villages”. The $1.5 million footpath scheme residents are being asked to contribute towards has sparked debate within the community and claims that the peninsula’s coastal townships will lose their “special atmosphere so carefully created in the past”. Former Mornington shire president David Gill says Somers is being treated as “the guinea pig for more ugly concrete in our coastal villages”. Mornington Peninsula Shire’s infrastructure strategy manager Davey Smith says Somers residents are being treated no differently to…
FLINDERS MP Greg Hunt was back in the political fast lane on Monday, in Canberra for the Liberal party room’s vote for a Speaker to replace Bronwyn Bishop. Three days before that he had been standing at the end of Cowes pier after completing his 19-day Walk for Autism. His walk to raise $25,000 for Amaze (Autism Victoria) and the Abacus Learning Centre, Hastings, took him 500 kilometres through his electorate, which includes the southern Mornington Peninsula and Western Port, including Phillip Island. While on his walk Mr Hunt was publicly absent from being involved in the controversy surrounding Mrs…
THE cost to the taxpayer of travel by the two federal MPs who represent Frankston and the Mornington Peninsula is reasonably modest compared with some of their colleagues. According to the latest available Department of Finance figures taxpayer-paid travelling expenses for the two MPs up to the end of December last year came to $249,249. The department says the costs relate to 1 July-31 December 2014 and an unspecified time before 1 July 2014. Neither Mr Billson or Mr Hunt rated in the top 10 of MPs with the highest travel expenses. The bill for Dunkley MP Bruce Billson, who…
LAND bought for a fuel storage and distribution depot is the first step towards the realisation of state government plans for the Port of Hastings to be increasingly used as a “bulk” port. An eight hectare site in Bayview Rd has been bought by Puma Energy, a relatively new player in Australia’s fuel industry. The company already has “seaboard” terminals at Brisbane, Mackay and Townsville, with a fourth being built in Perth. It is understood Puma paid $2.2 million for its Hastings land which will be developed as a fuel storage depot at a cost of up to $120 million…
THE reorganisation of Mornington Peninsula Shire continues under the guidance of CEO Carl Cowie. About 330 staff last Thursday were invited to a briefing by Mr Cowie at Morning Star Estate, Mt Eliza, with many looking over their shoulders wondering about the ongoing security of their positions. “The news is that there is really no news. The only upshot is that the customer service is going to be better,” a staff member who did not want to be identified told The News. The same person said many staff had been looking forward “to the change a new CEO would bring…
CREDITORS have so far lodged claims of $2.334 million against Shiva Yoga Inc, which went into voluntary liquidation in April. The organisation’s main assets are three houses in Mt Eliza, two in Petrel Av and one in Clendon Close. The properties are near the Shiva School of Meditation and Yoga, headquartered on a much larger property in Tower Rd. However, the residential ashram in Tower Rd surrounded by carefully tended gardens around an ornamental lake is owned by Shiva Yoga’s former spiritual leader, Russell Kruckman, also known as Swamiji and Swami Shankarananda. Paul Burness, of liquidators Worrells Solvency & Forensic…
THE organisational shake-up of Mornington Peninsula Shire continues with nine staff being made redundant just days before CEO Carl Cowie unveiled more “new arrangements”. Mr Cowie says the changes to staffing levels and the organisational structure will “deliver enhanced service to the community”. In a statement issued on Thursday Mr Cowie said he had identified a number of changes “to better align shire operations and deliver efficiencies and savings”. The mayor, Cr Bev Colomb, said councillors were “supportive of Mr Cowie’s work on identifying efficiencies, streamlining processes and most importantly, all aspects of customer service”. Mr Cowie took over the…
DESPITE the appointment of receivers, police investigations into alleged sexual assaults and back room negotiations to avoid action under civil law, devotees are again attending Saturday night assemblies at the former headquarters of the Shiva School of Meditation and Yoga at Mt Eliza. The Tower Rd property was not listed as being part of the organisation’s assets when liquidators Worrells Solvency & Forensic Accountants were appointed in April. As well as facing the possible sale of three residential properties in streets near to the Tower Rd ashram, Shiva Yoga Inc is also the subject of possible action by lawyer Angela…
IT’S doctor’s orders, really, that bring Taffy out onto the street on a regular basis. The 10-year-old small horse had a hoof complaint and, when being looked at by the vet, was also judged to be a bit overweight. So, regular exercise was seen as being part of the cure. Taffy, hauling a jinker containing his owner Simone Kelly, have become a regular sight along the Esplanade and side streets in Mt Martha. “It’s amazing how many people stop to chat, especially parents with little children,” Ms Kelly said. “He’s very well trained and we’ve had no big frights, although…
MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire is calling for an “urgent meeting” with the state government over the effects of its plans to lease the Port of Melbourne. Under the terms of the lease being considered by the government, it will promise not to allow another competitive port to be built for at least 50 years, effectively ending plans for a container port at Hastings. Instead, the government wants Hastings to be used as a “bulk” port, adding processed brown coal to the existing trade in petroleum products and natural gas. The call for talks by the shire comes after similar concerns raised…
IT has been a record year for whale sightings in and around Western Port. Nearly 80 sightings of mostly humpback whales have been reported in the bay, from near Crib Point, Phillip Island and Sea Rocks. Others have been spotted off Mornington Peninsula surf beaches. With the whale spotting season ending next month (August) Dolphin Research Institute executive director Jeff Weir said the increasing number of whales “is consistent with the population of humpback whales still recovering from the days of commercial whaling”. The whales have provided a pleasant added extra for passengers on the French Island ferry as well…
CORMORANTS are reported to have died in agony after baited fish hooks were purposely left on a small fishing jetty at Devilbend reserve. The hooks had apparently been tied to the jetty, ripping out the birds’ throats when they attempted to fly off. Rangers at the 1005 hectare natural features reserve have investigated the report and are closely monitoring the situation to make sure it does not happen again. At least one incident of cormorant baiting at the Devilbend has been reported to the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP). “Parks Victoria rangers have confirmed they visited the…
FRANKSTON Council says its call for a container port at Hastings is based on economic benefits and concern for the environment. The mayor Cr Sandra Mayer said on Friday that the state government’s “commendable” plan to remove rail level crossings “should not come at the expense of the south east and in particular Frankston City”. Before the November 2014 state election Frankston was touting itself as the logical commercial hub for an expanded port at Hastings. But those dreams have faded with the Labor government planning to lease the Port of Melbourne along with a promise of no new competitive…