A MOUNT Eliza man, 49, is one of two people charged with murder over the suspicious disappearance of Colombian national Sergio Cuesta. The man has been remanded in custody to appear at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on 24 April. Warrants were executed at properties in Mount Eliza and Cranbourne shortly after 2pm on Tuesday, 30 January. Three firearms, a pill press, various quantities of what appear to be dried cannabis and cocaine, cannabis crops, a crossbow and a conducted energy device were seized from the Mount Eliza address. A 48-year-old Cranbourne man also interviewed by police has been released pending further…
Author: Liz Bell
EYEWITNESS accounts of cats and kittens being dumped on the Mornington Peninsula have alarmed animal welfare bodies and environmental advocates, who say cats living wild wreak havoc on nature. There are also fears for the safety and welfare of the dumped cats, thought to be released pets, which would most likely struggle to survive in a strange environment. There have been at least three recent sightings of people dumping cats on the peninsula, including a black car seen releasing two caged cats in bush in Wooralla Drive, Mount Eliza. Two other cases involved a black car seen dumping up for…
By Liz Bell and Keith Platt A PUBLIC meeting organised by the Save Our Briars protest group and attended by about 200 people has called for the Harry Potter: A Forbidden Forest Experience event to be moved away from the wildlife sanctuary. Pressure for Mornington Peninsula Shire Council to relocate the months long nightly event away from The Briars wildlife sanctuary continued this week with protests at Tuesday’s council meeting at Rosebud. Louise Page said the protesters wanted answers to some of the missing details around the secrecy of council’s decision to back the event. “Why was The Briars master…
IT IS impossible for most of us to imagine anything more painful than losing two children in their prime, but for one mother, reaching out to others has given her the strength to honour her sons and turn her grief into something positive. For Monique Story, the experience of losing her beloved son Quinn in 2021 at 16, and then a couple of years later her older son Hunter at almost 23, was paralysing. But inspiringly, that pain became the Mornington mum’s motivation to make sure young people struggling to fit in, or struggling to navigate the world in general,…
RECENT accidents on the Nepean Highway intersections near The Briars at Mount Martha have raised new concerns about the risks of using the property as a venue for large events. Opponents of the Harry Potter – Forbidden Forest experience scheduled in April and May say access to The Briars is already difficult and have warned of traffic chaos if improvements are not made before the shows start. The Harry Potter event is expected to attract around 3000 visitors a night for at least two months. An accident at the intersection of Nepean Highway and Uralla Drive on 9 January and…
A group of diehard Australia Day supporters in Mornington will hold their own celebration on Friday (26 January) at Memorial Park in Barkly Street. Their decision to hold a do-it-yourself celebration – including gumboot throwing – follows a decision by Mornington Peninsula Shire Council not to organise an event and community parade at Mornington. The shire’s decision is in line with views expressed by the Premier Jacinta Allan who has cast doubts on Melbourne’s Australia Day parade ever making a return. The state government last year shelved the event for the third consecutive after it was first cancelled in 2021…
MANY motorists from the Mornington Peninsula, Frankston and Casey areas are finding it difficult to pay fines for traffic offences. Statistics released by Peninsula Community Legal Centre (PCLC) show that 40 per cent of fines issued in Victoria over the past 12 months were to people on the peninsula (2754), Frankston (16,714) and Casey (35,256). Fines Victoria’s data indicates that the value of fines at the enforcement stage in PCLC’s catchment for 2022 to 2023 was almost $30 million. The average fine debt was $13,000, with some clients owing as much as $70,000. CEO Jackie Galloway said the centre was…
A PUBLIC rally will be held in Rosebud next week to renew calls for the “urgent” redevelopment of the aging Rosebud Hospital. One of the organisers, long time hospital advocate since retiring at Rye, Sue Gilbert, said the redevelopment had become a “critical” issue for the southern peninsula, and there were fears the hospital could be forced to close if it deteriorated further. “If that happens, all the people and tourists that use the hospital will put extra pressure on Frankston, which just won’t be able to cope,” she said. “With the population increase on the peninsula and the summer…
MORNINGTON Peninsula residents are being reminded to have their storm water drainage systems checked regularly after last week’s flash flooding clogged systems and deluged properties. Some residents are again mopping up and drying out homes after up to 48.8mm of rain hit the peninsula overnight on Sunday night (7 January) through to Monday. Flood warnings were issued for many towns around Victoria, as much of the state was also lashed with wild weather. Rosebud, Hastings, Mount Eliza and Mount Martha were among the hardest hit on the peninsula, but all areas received significant rainfall. The State Emergency Service reminded residents…
ANYONE who has ever struggled with their weight will know the emotional rollercoaster involved in the weight loss journey and the importance of being supported. The Mornington-based healthy eating group, Take Off Weight Naturally (TOWN), celebrates its 25th anniversary in February – a quarter of a century of helping people stay healthy and manage their weight. The not-for-profit group has more than 40 members who meet at Mornington Bowls Club on Wednesday mornings, providing friendship and support in a non-judgmental environment. TOWN clubs encourage weight loss by promoting a nutritionally balanced diet and giving encouragement and practical advice on how…
THRILL seekers are being told not to jump off the rocks into the bay at the Pillars, Mount Martha. The safety advice follows two recent incidents where jumpers have been seriously injured while attempting to jump. On Friday 12 January a person was airlifted to the Alfred Hosital with suspected neck injuries. One week earlier a 20-year-old man was taken to hospital with neck pain after attempting a jump and being rescued by emergency services. Just weeks before that a 12-year-old girl attempted a pin jump from the cliffs and broke both legs and her ankle. She was being filmed…
PARENTS are being urged to be alert to the symptoms of meningococcal after a recent case in Frankston and another believed to be on the Mornington Peninsula. The mother of 18-year-old Lachy Wright posted on a Mount Eliza Facebook site that her son had complained of a sore throat two weeks ago and within 48 hours was fighting for his life and placed in a medically induced coma. Lisa Wright said her son was rushed to Frankston Hospital where he was diagnosed with meningococcal disease and given a five per cent chance of survival. She said the doctors and nurses…
THE sound of singing is ringing through halls around the Mornington Peninsula as more people seek social connection through community choirs after years of COVID-related withdrawal. Singing together has long been recognised as a way to facilitate social bonding, but it is also known for improving mental health and happiness. The musical director conductor of new community choir, Vox Peninsula’s Jill Linley, said singing together had many health benefits and gave singers a social outlet some might otherwise not have. “It’s great for the soul, and people get so much joy out of it – plus we perform in the…
MORE than 13,000 people had signed a petition by last weekend to stop an interactive walk-though Harry Potter event at The Briars wildlife sanctuary, Mount Martha. Residents, visitors and wildlife advocates fear Mornington Peninsula Shire Council’s decision to allow Harry Potter: A Forbidden Forest Experience in a wildlife sanctuary will harm animals and the environment. Up to 3000 visitors are predicted to attend the event nightly during April and May. The petition started by Save Our Briars Sanctuary (SOBS) urges council to move the event away from the wildlife sanctuary. Thousands of tickets have already been sold and late last…
MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire Councill will step up its pressure on the state government to ensure the urgent release of an estimated 600 kangaroos trapped on private property at Cape Schanck. At last Tuesday’s council meeting, Cr David Gill moved a motion that council takes “all possible actions to ensure that the cruelty toward 600 defenceless eastern grey kangaroos” be stopped immediately. The strongly worded motion, which was passed, attacked the state government for its “indifference” to the kangaroo’s plight. The state government has so far failed to respond to a letter from the council in August asking for more to…
PLANS to hold an international, light-filled Harry Potter-themed show at The Briars, Mount Martha have been labelled “inappropriate” and against the ethos of the wildlife sanctuary’s role to protect wildlife. The international Harry Potter: A Forbidden Forest Experience is due to open at the Mornington Peninsula Shire reserve in April, it’s only Victorian venue. Promotional material for the interactive show says it will be an “outdoor trail experience inspired by the iconic Forbidden Forest and features creatures from the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts series. “Mesmerising lights will set The Briars of Mount Martha aglow as fans of all ages…
MORNINGTON Peninsula boxers Caitlin Parker and Tyla McDonald represent the changing face of the once-male-dominated sport and have already made sporting history. Parker and McDonald recently qualified for the Paris Olympics by winning gold in their weight divisions at the Pacific Games in the Solomon Islands, making it the first time that two female boxers from the same gym have qualified for one particular Olympics. Parker, 26, from Dromana, is also the first female to qualify for two Olympics in boxing, having already competed in Tokyo as well as two Commonwealth games. She has a record of athletic accomplishment, including…
THE founding member of the Peninsula Writers’ Club, president Andrea Rowe, is stepping aside to pursue her own writing goals and let someone else lead the organisation. Rowe reflected on the club’s successes and its future at its annual general meeting, where members discussed the joys of writing, the club’s future and the supportive and nurturing space it has provided to emerging and published authors of all ages. It’s no exaggeration to say that the writers’ club has changed lives. The ability to put down thoughts, experiences and yearnings in print has been a lifeline for writers, especially during the…
TOOTGAROOK musician and raconteur Kevin Vis has lived a colourful life, travelling the world seeking adventure and meaning, and creating music wherever he goes. A bit of a jack-of-all trades, New Zealand-born Vis has worked in the fitness industry and been a landscaper and boat skipper, and even played fictional Australian character Keith Elliot in the Swedish soap opera Friends and Enemies. There were many distractions and deviations before Vis found his way to the Mornington Peninsula in 2001, including playing in bands in Europe and rubbing shoulders with the glitterati of the international music world, but on his own…
A 12-month project on the Mornington Peninsula to improve end of life care in residential aged care centres could set a new standard for the treatment of people with life-limiting illnesses. The government financed Community Palliative Care in Aged Care Project is being administered by Peninsula Home Hospice in Mornington. The not-for-profit organisation provides specialist palliative care to people in their home, whether that be residential aged care or the family home. Its team of medical and support professionals focuses on optimising quality of life for people diagnosed with a palliative illness. The project follows on from the Royal Commission…
CALLS for more parking spaces for parents of children at Osborne Primary School in Mount Martha have been rejected, with Mornington Peninsula Shire Council calling for parents to “obey the rules”. A recent concentration by council parking officers around the school has parents seeing red, after 19 were fined in one day for illegal parking and other traffic violations. Connor Foster said it was “unfair” of the council to target parents, with some drivers fined more than once, at around $219 a fine. “Our main interest is the safety of our children,” he said. Foster says there needs to be…
ATTEMPTING 50 kilometres a day for 50 days is a challenge that would make even the bravest of runners hesitate, but for Somerville man Connor Scott it was a mission with a purpose. Scott took on the challenge to raise money for Mornington charity Speak & Share because he backs what the charity does for young people. “I wanted to be able to help challenge the stigmas of mental illness and help this charity work on proactive responses,” he said. From 15 October to 3 December, no matter the weather or the pain level, Scott donned his running shoes and…
A CAMPAIGN to reduce single-use coffee cups on the Mornington Peninsula is gathering momentum, with some local cafes taking up the challenge and spreading the word. A first for Victoria, the peninsula’s Plastic Free Places campaign is launching a reuse revolution at Commonfolk Coffee and HomeGround in Mornington, culminating in BYO Cup Day on 8 and 9 December. The program is being paid for by Mornington Peninsula Shire Council and delivered by the Boomerang Alliance, which represents 55 allies across Australia to tackle waste and litter. Birte Moliere, the alliance’s Plastic Free Places facilitator, said the community was being invited…
A YOUNG male kangaroo has been saved from a tragic end after being trapped for three days on a Balnarring property and harassed by dogs. The kangaroo was relentlessly pursued by neighbouring dogs, leading to a painful encounter with a fence and visible injuries. A rescue team from Vets For Compassion was able to sedate the terrified animal, after it was seen hiding in a secluded corner of a paddock. VFC vet and founder Elaine Ong examined the kangaroo, whose injuries included scratches on his legs and a small patch of missing fur on his shoulder. Fortunately, there were no…
RESIDENTS of the recently named Koonya Grassy Bowl area in Blairgowrie want closer supervision of volunteers in environmental programs, after vegetation was mistakenly ripped out in front of homes. The work was carried out by volunteer members of the Blairgowrie Friends of Mornington Peninsula National Park group under a grants program to remove invasive weeds such polygala in the Koonya Grassy Bowl and restore native vegetation along Koonya beach (Helping at the grassy bowl, The News 14/11/23). Despite a spokesperson from Parks Victoria last week stating the work took place on public land to “protect and enhance the natural values”…
A FORMER Mornington Secondary College student has blamed vaping for an extreme allergic reaction that led to medical treatment. Now in his 20s and a cigarette smoker, he had turned to flavoured, over the counter vapes in an effort to quit, but believes he ended up suffering an allergic reaction from unknown chemicals contained in the product. His skin began itching and his lips “blew up” to three or four times their size within hours of vaping, he told The News. “It was pretty scary, I wasn’t sure what was going on but I know that an anaphylactic response can…
THE paid parking trial that started last Friday at three foreshore parking areas is continuing to draw criticism from ratepayers and visitors to the Mornington Peninsula. Timed and paid parking is already implemented by all councils across Melbourne’s waterfront areas, but the change is proving a hard pill to swallow for peninsula beach users accustomed to free, all-day parking. The trial was labelled a “fiasco” at Flinders before it started and Mornington’s Schnapper Point car park is also proving problematic where Snapper Point Angling Club members and other boaties rely on easy access to car and trailer parking spots and…
AN exhibition at Baluk Arts, Mount Eliza will feature work by First Nations artist from Waradjuri country, Uncle Kevin Williams. The exhibition, Totems of the Waradjuri, will open from 6pm on Thursday 7 December and will run until the end of January. The gallery’s Bronwyn Smart said the artist was a descendant of the Waradjuri people, born in Narrandera, New South Wales, and now resided south of the Murray River. “As a young boy he learnt how to make boomerangs from his father and grandfather and he learnt how to paint from watching his mother in action,” she said. “What…
THE rich history of the Mornington Peninsula has captivated the imaginations of many of those who have delved, but it’s also behind a new wave of history-based tourism. The interest in the peninsula’s past adds another feather to its cap, joining the beaches and the rolling verdant pastures as a reason to visit. History teacher and Eerie Tours proprietor Nathaniel Buchanan said his passion for history led him to the quarantine station at Point Nepean. “When I learned all about the history of the quarantine station I was amazed – it’s got a colourful, tragic and interesting past that many…
THERE is plenty of evidence, documented and anecdotal, that community gardens are beneficial to the environment, to the health and wellbeing of users, and can help reduce the impact of high cost of groceries while providing nutritious food. So, it’s no surprise that community gardens are increasing on the Mornington Peninsula, with a new one popping up in Balnarring and many established ones dotted around the peninsula. The Coolart Community Garden is now up and running in the space of a former herb garden, which was the original Luxton family’s vegetable garden that was overhauled in the mid-1980s. Spokesperson Julie…