Author: MP News Group

A GROUP of friends from Frankston and the Mornington Peninsula are discovering the beauty and serenity of some of the Mornington Peninsula’s best-kept secrets while they train for the upcoming Wild Women on Top ‘Melbourne Coastrek’ walk. Frankston South woman Sarah Watson is one of 12 friends who have been enjoying parts of the peninsula they never knew existed while training for the 60km charity walk, in between dodging Tiger snakes, brushing past kangaroos and echidnas, and marvelling at the beauty of the coastline. “We’ve been doing walks around Cape Schanck and Point Nepean and without doubt one of the…

ART lovers or anyone looking for a unique Christmas gift can enjoy two consecutive weekends of creative expression when 18 artists showcase their work for the Peninsula Studio Trail. About 20 artists from Frankston and the Mornington Peninsula will display their artwork, covering a range of mediums including painting, sculpture, textiles, ceramics, jewellery and printmaking. Some artists will demonstrate their techniques and take questions from visitors. One of the artists participating in the event, Mt Eliza author and publisher, designer, silk painter, printmaker, card designer and teacher Lorna Gerard, said the event was a wonderful opportunity for residents and visitors…

AN exciting month is coming up for Mornington-based Aboriginal art group, Baluk Arts, as artists prepare to show off their works for the ‘On the MAP’ (Mornington Arts Precinct) project 10am-4pm Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 November. The event is dedicated to showcasing the region’s creative talents and offers the chance for weekend visitors to the peninsula to view the artwork, meet the artists and even have a go at making a weaving or painting a boomerang. Baluk Arts’s newest recruit, administration officer Tallara Gray, a descendant of the Yadhaigana People of Cape York, will also present her work for…

SOMERVILLE student Ruby Stubbs, pictured, placed second in the CT60 combined training section at the State Interschool Equestrian Championships at the Victorian Equestrian Centre, Werribee, during the second term holidays in April. This earned her a spot in the Victorian Inter-school Equestrian team to compete at the national level in the event, which involves both dressage and show jumping. The Australian Equestrian Godolphin Championships were held during the September school holidays at the Sydney Olympic Equestrian Centre. Ruby, who attends Mornington Secondary School, prepared her horse Aljerrer Park Emirra to look its best for the trials. She rode exceptionally well…

SOME people have a goal in life they’re willing to work hard for, to give it their all, until it’s finally within their grasp. For 11 indigenous young men and women, that goal was achieved on Thursday 13 October when they graduated from recruit training in front of family, friends and the Chief of Navy, Vice Admiral Tim Barrett, AO, CSC, RAN. For Seaman Star Marine Technician Jeff Andrews, the hard work was worth the effort. Awarded Recruit of the Intake and Sportsperson of the Intake, Andrews impressed with his performance, attitude, skill at motivating others and in helping fellow…

SOMERVILLE Primary School mum Leah Sherrin entered a competition to win the school a fully equipped mobile teaching kitchen valued at $25,000 – and she won. The national competition prize, donated by Nestle as part of its Healthy Active Kids program, was presented last week. The kitchen has a commercial convection oven for fast baking and cooking and an induction stove-top. It has a kitchen sink, clean and grey water tanks, lockable cupboards and drawers, child safe kitchen tools and utensils, and sturdy, lockable castor wheels. It allows cooking classes to be held anywhere in the school. Principal Sue Goodall…

Mornington police are investigating the theft of a television from a Mornington supermarket last month. Investigators have been told a man and a woman attended the Bungower Road shopping centre on Friday 9 September just after 12pm. Whilst in the store, the man selected a 55 inch television and placed it near the front entrance. The man waited until a customer walked through the entrance and opened the automatic doors before picking up the television and exited through the entrance. Police have released images of a man and a woman that they believe may be able to assist with their…

TOUGH new dog bans in the Mornington Peninsula National Park from Tuesday 1 November aim to help endangered hooded plovers, Parks Victoria says. In March the Environment and Climate Change Minister announced that dogs would be banned across the entire Mornington Peninsula National Park to provide greater protection for vulnerable fauna species, including the endangered hooded plover. “The hooded plover population in the Mornington Peninsula National Park is one of the largest in Victoria, however, they have had one of the lowest levels of breeding success, compared to populations in other Victorian coastal areas largely due to the presence of…

SIX of the Mornington Peninsula’s most striking gardens will be showcased next month during the Garden Design Fest. The event will be held over two weekends with the peninsula gardens open 10am-5pm on the first weekend: 12-13 November. The event, which will feature more than 30 gardens across the state, is organised by the Rotary Clubs of Kew, Brighton North and Central Melbourne, and raises money for charity while encouraging innovation and responsible gardening. Mornington landscape gardener Steve Taylor, who will open his garden in Tallis Drive, said the peninsula was renowned for its magnificent gardens, many of which complemented…

AUSTRALIA’s favourite beach son and multi-award winning author Tim Winton enthralled a sold-out crowd at Safety Beach Sailing Club last week when he chatted with the ABC’s Paul Kennedy. The launch event was part of Winton’s national tour of his newly released non-fiction book, The Boy Behind the Curtain, which gives a rare insight into the man behind 28 books, written over a 34-year period. An autobiographical account of his upbringing in Western Australia, the book also reveals the characters and events behind some of his bestselling novels. At the Safety Beach launch, Winton spoke candidly about some of the…

WORKS to build a 97-metre rock revetment to protect Craigie beach’s ageing seawall have begun. The six-week works are part of the state government’s coastal environment program, which oversees protection and repair of the coastline. Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning’s coastal project officer Jacky Priestley said the works would help protect the Craigie beach seawall from strong waves. He said the original stone seawall was about 50 years old. “The seawall was designed to protect the cliff faces from large, powerful waves which, over time, can erode the cliffs and compromise the road, walking trails, and assets above,”…

A $60 MILLION upgrade to South East Water’s Mt Martha Water Recycling Plant will provide an alternative source of water for local businesses and community organisations, while reducing the environmental impact of its water treatment processes. Eastern Victoria MP Daniel Mulino opened the upgraded facility last week and met with customers making use of the new recycled water supply. Construction of the tertiary treatment plant was central to the two-year project. It can deliver 26 mega-litres of Class A recycled water each day to farms, wineries, business and council facilities. The upgrade also includes an Australian first thermophilic anaerobic digestion…

MORNINGTON Peninsula Post Polio Support Group will celebrate 20 years of advocacy and referral for polio survivors in the Frankston and Mornington Peninsula on Tuesday 18 October. The group, previously led by Mt Martha resident Dennis Doull Lloyd, who died in February aged 83, brings polio survivors together to share friendship and stories. Group secretary and Hastings resident Fran Henke said there was now greater awareness thanks to the persistence of support groups, although there are always challenges, such as the new National Disability Insurance Scheme, which cuts off at age 65. “Most had polio prior to 1956 when the…

THE RSPCA will not be laying charges against the Ace-Hi ranch in Boneo, which was raided by inspectors in May. As reported in The News, the RSPCA visited the Boneo Rd property amid claims by a former manager of under-feeding and overworking of horses. At the time, the RSPCA said it had investigated “a number of welfare concerns at Ace-Hi in the past decade” as well as more recent reports raising concerns for the welfare of horses on the property. The officers left without laying charges and have now ended their investigation. On Friday RSPCA Victoria released a statement confirming…

SIX candidates are running for one seat to represent the Red Hill ward at Mornington Peninsula Shire council for the next four years. The Red Hill ward is a mostly rural area and borders Rye/St Andrews to the west and Western Port Bay to the south east. Ballot papers are being mailed out to voters by the Victorian Electoral Commission ahead of Mornington Peninsula Shire elections on 22 October. Voters should return completed ballot papers well before a final deadline of Friday 21 October, 6pm. Voters who have not received a ballot pack by Wednesday 12 October should call  the VEC on 8619 1615 to…

FIVE candidates are running for one seat to represent the Cerberus ward at Mornington Peninsula Shire council for the next four years. The Cerburus ward includes Tuerong, Merricks North, Balnarring, Bittern, Hastings, Crib Point and Tyabb. Ballot papers are being mailed out to voters by the Victorian Electoral Commission ahead of Mornington Peninsula Shire elections on 22 October. Voters should return completed ballot papers well before a final deadline of Friday 21 October, 6pm. Voters who have not received a ballot pack by Wednesday 12 October should call  the VEC on 8619 1615 to arrange a replacement. PHIL BURN What suburb do you live in? I…

EIGHT candidates are running for two seats to represent the Nepean ward at Mornington Peninsula Shire council for the next four years. The Nepean ward includes Rye, Blairgowrie, Sorrento and Portsea. Ballot papers are being mailed out to voters by the Victorian Electoral Commission ahead of Mornington Peninsula Shire elections on 22 October. Voters should return completed ballot papers well before a final deadline of Friday 21 October, 6pm. Voters who have not received a ballot pack by Wednesday 12 October should call  the VEC on 8619 1615 to arrange a replacement. GEOFF BOAN What suburb do you live in? Rye. What is your occupation? Franchisee.…

TEN candidates are running for three seats to represent the Seawinds ward at Mornington Peninsula Shire council for the next four years. The Seawinds ward includes Safety Beach, through Dromana, McCrae and Rosebud to Rosebud West and Tootgarook. Ballot papers are being mailed out to voters by the Victorian Electoral Commission ahead of Mornington Peninsula Shire elections on 22 October. Voters should return completed ballot papers well before a final deadline of Friday 21 October, 6pm. Voters who have not received a ballot pack by Wednesday 12 October should call  the VEC on 8619 1615 to arrange a replacement. SIMON BROOKS…

FIFTEEN candidates are running for three seats to represent the Briars ward at Mornington Peninsula Shire council for the next four years. The Briars ward includes Mount Eliza, through to Mornington and Mount Martha, and borders Port Phillip Bay and Moorooduc. Ballot papers are being mailed out to voters by the Victorian Electoral Commission ahead of Mornington Peninsula Shire elections on 22 October. Voters should return completed ballot papers well before a final deadline of Friday 21 October, 6pm. Voters who have not received a ballot pack by Wednesday 12 October should call  the VEC on 8619 1615 to arrange a…

SIX candidates are running for one seat to represent the Watson ward at Mornington Peninsula Shire council for the next four years. The Watson ward includes Baxter, Somerville, Tyabb and parts of Moorooduc and Pearcedale. Ballot papers are being mailed out to voters by the Victorian Electoral Commission ahead of Mornington Peninsula Shire elections on 22 October. Voters should return completed ballot papers well before a final deadline of Friday 21 October, 6pm. Voters who have not received a ballot pack by Wednesday 12 October should call  the VEC on 8619 1615 to arrange a replacement. LISA DIXON What suburb do you live in? I live in Baxter – Watson ward.…

Somerville Highway Patrol is appealing for public assistance following a hit-run in Pearcedale on Tuesday 11 October. Investigators have been told a green coloured Subaru station wagon was traveling south on Craig Road, Pearcedale, before making a right turn into Baxter-Tooradin Road into the path of an oncoming motorcycle about 4.30pm The Subaru wagon initially stopped a short distance from the scene before fleeing without rendering assistance or exchanging details. The rider, a 56-year-old Pakenham man, was taken to hospital with serious injuries. Anyone who may have witnessed the collision or with information about the incident is urged to contact…

IT might seem like a lark, but head and beard shaves for seven workers at the Decmil site, Hastings, last week were serious business. The group, led by Ian Stead, lost their locks to raise money for the Peter Mac Foundation – and exceeded everyone’s expectations by generating a $3285.25 total thanks to the generosity of 50 colleagues at the plant. Mr Stead, backed up by Ryan Jackson, Ryan McDonald, Shane Bisby, Tony Ta’ Avili, Peter Moore and Kieran Mulholland, then added to their appeal takings through a sausage size and tin rattle. They chose the Peter Mac Foundation because,…

MT ELIZA resident Bob Greaves received a Council of the Ageing Senior Achiever Award at a ceremony at Government House last week. He was one of eight recipients of the award presented as during the 2016 Victorian Seniors Festival. It offers more than 1300 free and low-cost events all over Victoria, including a great array of social, cultural, educational and body-and-soul activities. Other local award recipients were Vishnu Prasad, of Skye: Promotion of Multiculturalism Award, and Verna Phillips, of Carrum Downs: Veteran Community Award. An Age-Friendly Victoria Award went to Peninsula Transport Assist which provides transport for older people in…

PARENTS double and triple parking at Mt Eliza Primary School pick up and drop off times are still risking lives and creating traffic chaos, despite years of campaigning for safe parking practises. A resident, who did not want to be identified, told The News pick up and drop off times outside the school were “a nightmare” as parents tried to squeeze their cars in wherever they could to wait for their children. He said he had complained to police, the Mornington Peninsula Shire council and the school for two years about the “dangerous” double parking that occurs every school day.…

James was a member of Australian Crawl for seven years, releasing four studio albums in five frenetic years in the ’80s. He’s been a solo artist for the past 28 years, releasing eight studio albums, plus two acoustic collections, a covers album and two live albums… He has been a part of our lives since making an unforgettable debut on Countdown in 1979. “I just feel that I’m getting better,” James Reyne says. “I’m a better singer and a better songwriter.” It’s a simple statement, but also remarkable – considering that this is an artist who has sold more than…

MORNINGTON Peninsula and Frankston foster carers may soon have the opportunity to transform the way vulnerable children and young people are supported under a new model of foster care. Under the internationally-recognised model, professionalised foster carers will be trained to provide intensive support for children and young people who experience significant emotional or behavioural problems. The state government is investing $5.6 million to trial a ‘Treatment Foster Care Oregon’ program, which supports the state’s child protection and family services system and aims to keep young people out of residential care. Professionalised foster carers will work with at least 28 children…

IT wasn’t as dramatic as a fire, but Mornington fire station officer Simon Mildren was only too happy to respond to a call out of an unusual nature last week. A swarm of bees had made themselves at home on the front doorstep of a Mt Martha home and the owners – with young children – were a little nervous about them staying. Unsure who to contact, they alerted the brigade who arrived with a camera to make an educational documentary for similar occasions. Mr Mildren said swarms at this time of year were normal and, if left undisturbed, were…

A MORNINGTON man is hoping to take the world by storm with his new deal-based app, ifloc. Anthony Cincotta’s ultra-local app will send people notifications of deals available within a one kilometre radius of their location. “It is aimed to help businesses capture the market of people currently nearby, and to create a more instantaneous result,” said Mr Cincotta. That differs significantly from other deal applications, that offer deals with a much larger geographical location. “The idea is that somebody might be walking down Main Street Mornington, and deals will pop up on their screen as they walk. “They can…

By John Renowden THE Mornington Art Show has established itself as the biggest and best quality art show on the Mornington Peninsula and one of the best in Victoria, judging by the comments of various show judges and submitting artists. The 45th show will run for six days: Thursday 19 January to Thursday 26 January at the Mornington Peninsula Community Theatre, corner Nepean Hwy and Wilsons Rd. The annual art show attracts a wide range of valued sponsors and a great number of quality artists. The Mornington Peninsula News Group remains a major supporter and sponsor of the art show.…

FOR almost a year, the ‘Currawong Crafties’ have been diligently sewing, knitting and crocheting for the great U3A Mornington Art & Craft Show on Friday 28 October. Crocheting member Stella Hamilton is pretty proud of her beautiful rug, and is hoping a grand-child in the not-too-distant future will be able to pass it on through the family. Her rug is made up of ‘lots and lots’ of wool – some new, some self-spun and some unravelled from garments owned by other family members, including her mother-in-law. It is an instant family heirloom, filled with memories and connections to the past.…