IN recent times Jack Meaden, Theo Fatouros and Bob Riley have become a playing group in Portsea Golf Club’s Saturday competition, defying their ages with their energy and enthusiasm. Meaden is 95 and lives in Melbourne but has a house in Sorrento and has been a PGC member for 42 years. He was previously a keen sailor and played social golf with his wife Lois but, due to her recent poor health, has joined his mates. A few weeks ago the nonagenarian shot 89 off the stick, breaking his age by six shots. He plays off 26, meaning that he…
Author: Liz Bell
WALLARA – which supports more than 500 people with an intellectual disability across 20 sites – has relaunched its Sages Cottage Farm and Cafe at Baxter with extra experiences that include a nature playground, extended hours and a liquor licence, a “biofilta” field, and an “ops shed”. Wallara CEO Phil Hayes-Brown said the farm and cafe was one of Wallara’s most important social enterprises and was run by 100 adult clients (mostly 18-27 years old) and around 20 support and job coaches. The farm employs 10 of its young clients in hospitality, farm management and land management services. The property…
A SERIOUSLY injured koala found close to death in Tyabb last month is on the road to recovery thanks to the efforts of wildlife rescuers, rehabilitators and local police. The injured marsupial was seen clinging to a tree overhanging busy Tyabb-Tooradin Road on 10 February, one ear missing and open wounds all over its body. Canons Creek wildlife rescuer Nigel Williamson was called and used his well-honed tree climbing skills to retrieve the ill animal, helped by police officers who were able to redirect traffic while he undertook the risky rescue. Once safely down the koala’s injuries became obvious, including…
PENINSULA Transport Assist board member Clare Harwood has seen the significant difference transport assistance can make to the lives of people who have poor mobility or do not drive. “I have always felt that people who go into aged care probably feel that all their outside interests now need to cease,” she said. “However, we have one client in particular – Ralph Parker – who has proved this to be incorrect. Ralph resides at Mecwacare in Mornington, and he uses PTA’s service to get out and about. He uses a wheelie walker and does not drive. “Personally, I have taken…
MORNINGTON Peninsula’s bright lifesaving future was displayed in the state championship over the long weekend. The Mornington Life Saving Club finished in Life Saving Victoria’s biggest event on the summer sporting calendar, the Victorian Junior Championships, in third place after three days of competition at Warrnambool Surf Life Saving Club. The Mornington Peninsula club ended up on 234 points at the end of the long weekend, edging out Kingston club Mentone LSC in fourth place with 228 points, with Mordialloc LSC and Point Leo SLSC also finishing in the top ten, on 144 and 139 points respectively. LSV senior manager…
SOME of the Mornington Peninsula’s most sand-degraded beaches are being replenished after being degraded by erosion. Dredging has begun at Mothers Beach in Mornington under the state-government mandate for councils to provide safe access for recreational and commercial water users in the bay, and will also be carried out shortly at Shire Hall Beach. Part of this includes sand movement or dredging to ensure boating and watercraft areas are safe and accessible. The works have begun and will continue until early April 2023. Dredging is starting after consultation with the Mornington Yacht Club and aims to reduce impacts on beach…
SOMERS-based Sam Goode has a philosophy of “giving back” and his actions certainly match his words. The carpenter/building company owner recently took his apprentice Josh McCabe and his tools to Lismore to give some non-gratis help to flood victims and get their homes back in working order. One year on from record flooding events many residents were still unable to fully move back into their homes due to lack of essential plumbing, including running water. To help get the repairs happening, Resilient Lismore partnered with the Reece Foundation to bring volunteer tradies to the community to restore essential plumbing in…
FORMER Mornington resident Damien Mander and his charity, the International Anti-Poaching Foundation, are continuing to make headway in the fight against wildlife poaching in Africa. Now, the self-confessed Mornington schoolboy “ratbag” has joined with Sydney philanthropist and businesswoman Judith Neilson to make a big impact on the global stage. Mander, a former Australian Royal Navy Clearance Diver and special operations military sniper who joined the Australian Defence Force at 19 and spent three years in Iraq, started the IAPF in 2009, focusing on training rangers in the tactics of modern warfare used by skilled elite special forces. In Mornington recently…
THE incredible rescue of an elderly man found floating face down in the water at Mornington has highlighted the need for more people to be trained in rescue and resuscitation techniques. The drama began around 6pm on Friday 10 March, when 12-year-old Harry Pascoe noticed a body in the water near the boat ramp at Schnapper Point. After raising the alarm, another bystander and mother-of-four Leah Wernert jumped into the water fully clothed to pull the unconscious man out of the water onto the slip ramp. Two other bystanders, Harry’s mum Maryann, a personal trainer, and beach walker Chris Monnier,…
RESIDENTS and environmental groups have joined Mornington Peninsula Shire Council in calling for more protection from development for green wedge zoned areas. Home owners living near a rare semi-rural pocket of Rosebud are concerned that a remaining slice of undeveloped land abutting a residential subdivision on one side and state park on the other could one day be sold and developed, despite being important wildlife habitat. Merete Crofts, who lives on the Carrington Park subdivision next to the land, said she and neighbours were told in 2016 that the land at 12 Angley Rise would never be developed, and would be…
MORNINGTON Peninsula wildlife activists and residents concerned about the state’s weak wildlife protection laws used a protest at state parliament two weeks ago to highlight concerns about peninsula kangaroos. The Animal Justice Party-organised protest in Melbourne drew attention to the mass slaughter of kangaroos under the government’s controversial harvesting program, which often results in target animals and their joeys left maimed and suffering. Rosebud resident and wildlife protection council member Craig Thomson said the protest highlighted widespread community anger about the commercial kangaroo meat industry, and highlighted flaws and gaps in the state’s wildlife protection laws. He said the problem…
TWO men from Queensland are being praised as heroes after rescuing two people at Rye beach who had been swept out to sea after an encounter with an aggressive seal. The ordeal began on Thursday afternoon (9 March) when an elderly woman walked to the end of the pier but was unable to retrace her steps when a large seal blocked her path. Witness Trish Williams said the seal appeared to act aggressively towards the woman, who jumped into the water fully clothed. As the tide began to pull the elderly woman further out, her husband, who had been watching…
THE previously Liberal-heavy business group the Committee for Mornington Peninsula is realigning itself with new partnerships as a bipartisan lobby group to bring money and support to the “ignored” Mornington Peninsula. The committee’s CEO is Josh Sinclair, former staffer for ousted Nepean Labor MP Chris Brayne, and has now added to its ranks members from the non-profit sector, Wallara Disability Services and Lord Somers Camp. Wallara supports adults with different abilities and has a recently opened cafe and a gift shop at Sage’s Cottage, Baxter while the Lord Somers Camp is a charity for disadvantaged children. The organisations are the…
MORNINGTON Yacht Club is reviewing its boat name policies after being accused of having an “outdated” culture and receiving a complaint that some names emblazoned on members’ boats are “misogynistic”. Club member Kitty O’Sullivan said she was shocked and disappointed that “inappropriate” boat names were allowed at the club, giving the club the appearance of being “behind the times” and at odds with public opinion. She said she was particularly offended by names such as Himalayan Women, on a boat which is believed to be for sale, Screaming Seamen, and Big Black Cock, and described them as being loaded with…
FREE events, including live performances, drew crowds of all ages to Main Street Mornington on Wednesday 8 March, as Mornington Peninsula Shire Council and Mornington Chamber of Commerce helped the community celebrate and raise awareness of International Women’s Day. All events showcased women performers and women-owned businesses, as well as businesses supporting women and girls. International Women’s Day was also celebrated right around the peninsula by community and business groups and venues. International Women’s Day is a global holiday celebrated annually as a focal point in the women’s rights movement, bringing attention to issues such as gender equality, reproductive rights,…
THE 6 May coronation of Charles III and his wife Camilla as king and queen of the United Kingdom and Commonwealth brings back special memories for Mornington retiree Geoff Strongman. As a teenager in the 1st Mornington Scout Group, the now 88-year-old was one of just 14 Queen Scouts representing Australia for the 1953 Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. It was the first overseas trip for the starry-eyed monarchist, who remembers feeling privileged and honoured to have been selected for the occasion, and still cherishes the trip as one of the most eye-opening and transformative events in his life. It…
LEON Cox, of Moorooduc, doesn’t shirk at challenges, so it was no surprise to his family when he announced he would complete a solo swim of the Rottnest Channel in Perth. The businessman and avid swimmer had already completed the swim 19 times as part of a team, so the solo trip was the next obvious step. On the last Saturday of February Cox took eight hours and 24 minutes to swim the 19.7 kilometres – along with 2700 others who kicked off in groups every 10 minutes. Cox said he had been thinking about the swim for 20 years,…
MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire councillors are being urged to publish an itemised list of all their expenses each month to improve accountability and transparency. At tonight’s council meeting (7 March), Cr Anthony Marsh will move that all councillor expenses during the current council term be published on the shire website every month. If the motion is approved in its entirety, the onus will sit with individual councillors “to reflect on whether any expenditure incurred or reimbursed is an appropriate use of public money”. In a report to council, Marsh said it was “appropriate” that the public could scrutinise the use of…
A LIVE music forum attracted about 150 musicians, promotors, tourism officials, venue owners and supporters keen to see the Mornington Peninsula return as a major live music destination. One of the organisers of last Wednesday’s (1 March) forum, musician and businessman Steve Myles, described the energy and passion in the room as “palpable”, and showed there was a collective commitment to revive the music scene devastated by the pandemic. The forum heard that new programs by Mornington Peninsula Shire and a concerted energy from within the live music industry would work to give the music sector a much-needed boost. Myers…
SOMERVILLE highway patrol detected 241 traffic offences during operation SAST over the past few months, focussing on speeding on high risk roads within Frankston and on the Mornington Peninsula. Of the offences, 169 were related to speeding. Police urge motorists to report dangerous or speeding motorists to 000 or CrimeStoppers. First published in the Southern Peninsula News – 28 February 2023
TWO family history sleuths have uncovered a treasure trove of information about Mornington’s early beginnings and the people behind the street names and condensed the information into a book Naming Mornington Streets: the people and their stories. Authors Lynne Emblin and Leonie Marshall are members of the Mornington Peninsula Family History Society and are experts at connecting the dots in family and social history. Emblin said the opportunity to dig into and document the history of some of the people recognised for their contributions to the area was one she and Marshall grabbed with enthusiasm and excitement. “It’s quite amazing…
MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire Council’s call for Airbnb owners to open up properties for long-term rental has largely fallen on deaf ears, with few owners taking their properties off the holiday rental market. In a desperate attempt to resolve the shire’s rental shortages, the shire sent emails and letters to property owners over summer to encourage them to switch from offering short-term holiday leases to longer-term leases. The mayor Cr Steve Holland said it was hard for the council to know exactly how many people responded to the appeal to holiday home owners, as they were asked to contact real estate…
RESIDENTS of the peaceful and sleepy coastal town of Somers are upset they were given less than two weeks to have their say on a 35-metre telecommunications tower planned for green wedge land in view of homes. Submissions were due on Monday (13 February). Under federal law, contractors are within their rights to approach private landholders to host phone towers on their land, under the mandate of improving telecommunications across regional and rural areas. But that’s where the residents around the Sandy Point Road site don’t see eye-to-eye with the contractor, arguing that there has not been “proper and orderly…
THE inaugural Flinders Fringe Festival – a three-day creative arts festival to celebrate the diversity of the Mornington Peninsula’s art scene, will be held 17-19 February. Artistic director Melissa Jackson is one of the instigators of the event, along with a team of artists who aim to showcase local established and emerging artists. “Following a tough two years for the arts, the festival is set to showcase and support local artisans and performers with a new platform to share their craft,” Jackson said. Shen said there would be more than 30 events and a mixture of free and ticketed activities…
THE repeated discarding of fishing line and tackle on the Mornington Peninsula continues to take a toll on seabirds and wildlife. Dozens of emergency calls to wildlife rescue volunteers and animal welfare organisations this summer have highlighted the problem of people irresponsibly throwing away hooks and line, or just not monitoring their baited lines adequately. Last Wednesday paddle boarder Steve Scagliarini and a kayaker known as “Mick” were on Mornington harbour when they saw a Pacific gull struggling to keep its head above water, and with fishing line wrapped around its legs. After paddling out to the bird and keeping…
THE Pinot Noir Celebration Australia on the Mornington Peninsula last weekend (10 and 11 February) had a global focus, with around 33 Australian and international scientists, sommeliers, journalists, growers, makers, market analysts and CEOs presenting, and events scheduled to continue overseas into March. The peninsula is one of the largest pinot noir growing regions in the country and comprising half of all grape plantings. Chair of the Pinot Noir Celebration Australia Martin Spedding said it was important for the Australian pinot noir community to keep its gaze above the horizon, and to shape a collective conversation about the quality of…
A MOVEMENT to grow the live music industry on the Mornington Peninsula is gaining momentum, with a call for industry leaders, musicians, venue operators and Mornington Peninsula Shire Council to work together to be part of its revival. The peninsula was once a thriving live music destination but has not yet bounced back to its pre-COVID glory days, according to industry professionals. Musician Steve Myles is one of hundreds of peninsula residents who laments the slow decline of the live music scene, and says all players need to work together to make sure that live performances are available and accessible.…
MORNINGTON Peninsula residents fed up with crime are behind a push for “community” policing in the fight back against a recent spate of thefts, home invasions and aggravated burglaries. At a community meeting in Hastings on Wednesday night (8 February), victims of crime, police, political representatives, Mornington Peninsula Shire Council and local businesses met to discuss community concerns and ways people could share information and work together to combat rising crime, much of which is youth related. The high number of thefts, home invasions and burglaries in recent months has alarmed peninsula communities, and led to calls for better coordination…
AN inspirational eco agricultural movement on the Mornington Peninsula could be shaping the way forward for collective arrangements between farmers and the sustainable sharing of resources, knowledge and land. A small group of eco farmers have already taken up the ultruistic offer by a Main Ridge couple to share their 89 hectares (220 acres) over two properties and the hunt is on for other regenerative-focussed farmers who want to care for and protect the land and water resources. Beth Phillips and her husband Andrew Phillips, a co-founder of Camp Australia, are developing the Uncommon Folk farm – a model of…
THE incredibly moving story of the sinking of the Montevideo Maru in the Pacific – Australia’s biggest single maritime loss of life – was thrust into the spotlight again recently with the unveiling of a memorial seat in Mornington and a story board dedicated to those who died. The allied torpedoing of the Japanese prisoner-of-war ship on 1 July 1942 was an immeasurable tragedy, but one that somehow largely got lost in the horrors of the war. Unbelievably, the event is not something many Australians today have much knowledge of. But that will all change if the incident becomes part…