WARNINGS have been issued to be wary of wildlife on land and at sea for their protection and to avoid personal injury. The Conservation Regulator wants visitors to keep their distance from whales as videos of dangerous interactions increase on social media. Videos of swimmers, surfers and people in boats getting too close to whales posted on social media encouraging behaviour which threatens the animal’s health and welfare. Investigations are being made into nine reports of boats being too close to whales this season as well as individuals seen in several videos posted online. Water patrols are being carried out…
Author: MP News Group
THE Mornington Peninsula Koala Conservation 2022 project is well underway, with more than 14,000 trees planted this year around Balnarring and Merricks, and another 6000 scheduled for planting by the end of October. This year marks the project’s third year to establish vegetation corridors linking fragmented populations of koalas. Thousands of trees were planted at Arthurs Seat, Somers and Balnarring during 2020/2021. Group president, co-founder and 2022 Mornington Peninsula Shire Citizen of the Year Dirk Jansen said the project had received support from property owners providing land for tree planting, and volunteers. “We would love to welcome more of the…
SURFERS, paddlers, and other aquatic board and craft riders are being urged to prioritise their safety around water after new research from Life Saving Victoria showed the activities were a leading cause of drownings. Last summer dozens of incidents involving stranded water users were recorded on the Mornington Peninsula by water rescue operators, including LSV, the SES, water police and the coast guard. In January, two teenage paddle boarders had to be rescued at Mount Eliza after being blown nearly five kilometres offshore, and a 12-year-old boy at Frankston had to be rescued after he was unable to paddle to…
THE opening of the newly refurbished McCrae lighthouse on 28 September will coincide with the placing of a time capsule to give people in the future a glimpse into the lives of people today. The lighthouse, built in England in 1874, was shipped out and assembled on the McCrae foreshore in 1883 and shone bright for the next 111 years before being retired in 1994. In preparation for its official opening after a significant refurbishment thanks to a $1 million grant from Heritage Victoria, the McCrae and District Lions Club is calling on community input for a time capsule to…
MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire Councillors have rejected a second planning permit by Ryman Healthcare for a retirement development in Kunyung Road, Mount Eliza. The company’s first attempt to build on the former Moondah Estate was knocked back by the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal last July. At Last Tuesday planning services committee meeting, council again rejected the application on the basis it was an “overdevelopment” and the “design and scale” were inappropriate. The council noted 12 other grounds in refusing the permit, including that the proposal did not adequately conserve and enhance the significance of the “heritage place”, and the car…
MOUNT Martha resident Richard Hunt likes to push his limits, and a 300 kilometre bike ride around the bay is just the thing to do it. On Sunday 9 October, under the banner of Around the Bay 2022, Hunt will ride 300 kilometres to raise money for The Smith Family to kelp young people in need. Although riders can choose shorter sections of the ride, Hunt will attempt the whole 300 kilometres and says he feels confident he can make the distance. Every year, the 300km loop challenges hundreds of the most seasoned riders while giving the full experience of…
HO, ho, ho, it’s not quite Christmas that but doesn’t matter to the every-jubilant Mr C, also known as Nicholas Clause. The motorbike-driving Santa fan has for the past few years been spreading yuletide joy all year on the Mornington Peninsula, albeit in different colours and in suits he makes himself. “At Christmas I stick to my red suit, but I like to spread joy at other times of the year so I have a range of colours,” he said. “There’s Yuletide in June, when I wear blue, Christmas in July is white, Spring is a green suit, the feast…
THE Peninsula Raiders superules football club has broken a 27-year drought this season, with the over 45’s team taking home premiership and bringing home the gold. The club is based at Alexandra Park in Mornington and has about 110 players across four teams. Club secretary Matt Thomas said the finals two weeks ago was a massive confidence boost for the members, bringing some players to tears and cementing the camaraderie within the club. “Some of these guys have joined us after taking breaks from the game for up to 25 years, so it’s great to see them get out there…
Cat ignores curfew Despite the 24-hour cat curfew in Mornington, there is a cat that’s allowed to roam at all hours in our area. The result is two dead possums in my backyard (pictured above) and one on the front nature strip, all within five days. Also throw in several shredded birds over a period. The owner seems to be unaware or simply doesn’t care about what the cute little darling gets up to when running loose, especially at night. This clearly shows why there is a curfew. Cats are instinctive hunters and whatever they catch they certainly don’t wish…
A THEATRE group desperate for storage space has been advised to look at “funding options” given the shortage of suitable venues on the Mornington Peninsula. Panorama Theatre Company, which recently lost the use of a storage area in Hastings, has presented a 1221-signature petition to the Mornington Peninsula Shire Council calling for support to find a new storage venue. The shire’s manager property and commercial services Nathan Kearsley said the shire had no building available to for the theatre company. He said the budget community submission process and grant application process could be a way to obtain money to help…
EASTBOURNE Primary School students dressed in yellow on R U OK? Day and were involved in activities that provide strategies to help students in dealing with mental health issues. “The day has been an excellent one that also provided many fun activities at recess and lunch,” wellbeing coordinator Skye Miller said. Last Thursday (8 September) students danced in the hall to recorded music while handicraft activities took place in the library, cooking in the school’s kitchen and bubbles floated through the playground. The afternoon session included Jeannette Hausley from Jimmies, speaking to the upper school students about mental health and…
A STATION wagon that ended up in the water after the driver accidentally drove off the Rosebud pier last Friday morning (9 September) was lucky to escape unharmed. The driver told police he drove his car and boat trailer onto the sand back to retrieve his boat about 6.30am but ended up in the water. The car was recovered but was extensively damaged. First published in the Southern Peninsula News – 13 September 2022
POLICE want vehicle owners to lock cars and keep keys well-hidden following the continuing theft of high-end vehicles on the Mornington Peninsula. Senior Sergeant Eddie Lagonda said targeted car thefts were regularly occurring in wealthier suburbs around the peninsula, such as Mount Martha and Mount Eliza. He said the thieves often belonged to online networks of people looking for high end cars to joyride and were not necessarily linked to organised crime and rebirthing operations. “To a certain extent it’s opportunistic, so we want car owners to always be careful to lock vehicles, garages and house doors, and never keep…
FLAGS across the Mornington Peninsula have been flying at half mast ever since of the death of Queen Elizabeth II became known last Friday. Possibly the first to be lowered were those flying outside the municipal offices at Mornington which were adjusted downwards by Louise Stewart, the first to arrive at the offices in the appropriately named Queen Street. Because they are illuminated at night, the flags are permitted to fly at all times and were probably the first to be lowered on the peninsula. The Queen’s death on Thursday 8 September also set in motion the time-honoured protocols for…
Kindness par for course in wake of companion’s loss In an era when so much emphasis is on bad news it was particularly uplifting to read Phillippa Ransome’s letter (“Community helps” Letters 24/8/22). It prompted me to outline a story of wonderful, unsolicited kindness I have received. My beautiful Australian shepherd Brocci was my constant companion. He was a special dog, universally loved, particularly by children. I regularly took him into the primary school as a “story dog” where he would sit with children while I read them a story. They could touch and pat him which helped them relax…
UPGRADES and a grant have enabled Somerville Primary School to tap into saving water. The school received a South East Water $8000 community grant and used the money to buy a new school drinking water trough and upgrade its toilet taps with water saving ones. Priority Plumbing also donated $2000 towards the taps and installation. The 2022 community grants program is supporting 16 community groups to help bring their community projects to life. The annual program is now in its third year and is part of a five-year customer commitment to support the community in areas of affordability, environment, health…
By Mike Searles* AMIE Simpson is baking cookies in her kitchen to help raise awareness of suicide prevention. Twenty-nine year-old pastry chef Simpson, pictured, owns Amie Jane’s Sweets & Treats and is baking special cookies and treats to help raise money for R U OK? Day, Thursday 8 September. “I’m hoping to sell 500 or so cookies for the charity event. One school has already ordered 200 cookies, so we are off to an encouraging start”, Simpson said. She has 12 years’ experience as a pastry chef, including studying pastry cooking in Italy and has a certified commercial kitchen at…
SOMERVILLE Highway Patrol is appealing for witnesses or dash-cam footage to a single car accident at 6.21pm on 29 August on Peninsula Link at Moorooduc. The injured female driver of the vehicle involved was taken to the Alfred Hospital. The car was a silver Nissan Maxima bearing no registration plates and travelling in the inbound lanes. Police would like to speak with a motorbike rider who was behind the vehicle at the time of the collision. First published in the Southern Peninsula News – 6 September 2022
POLICE are investigating the circumstances surrounding a burglary at at Mount Eliza Secondary College on 5 August. It is believed the offender attended the school and stole an electronic tablet before loitering in the school grounds. The offender, pictured, is described as a 25 to 35 year old woman, with a medium build, long brown straight hair and was wearing black pants, a pink coloured trench coat, a grey puffer jacket, and was carrying a canvas shopping bag. Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential crime report at crimestoppersvic.com.au First…
POLICE are urging Mornington Peninsula football fans about the dangers of miscalculating their alcohol intake at end-of-year and footy final celebrations. Victoria Police data shows 20 per cent of drivers detected over the prescribed limit between April 2021 and March 2022 fell into the younger age bracket. Miscalculation of alcohol consumption has been identified as one of the most common reasons given to police by detected young drivers. Police say the trend suggests many choose to risk having a few drinks before getting behind the wheel rather than remaining sober or using alternative transport when drinking – despite probationary and…
Police are urging Victorians to be alert to scammers following reports of widespread scam activity linked to the sale of puppies. Detectives from across the state are investigating reports of hundreds of people who have lost thousands of dollars after being scammed by fake puppy advertisements. Scammers are advertising puppies for sale on websites that appear to be professional and are advertised through online marketplaces. Once a buyer makes an enquiry with the seller, they are sent a photo of a puppy. Victims are generally asked to make cash deposits into a bank account for a puppy, which often includes…
HOCKEY By Shelby Brooks FRANKSTON Hockey Club celebrated 49 years of play at its annual past and present members day on 13 August. Around 50 past members turned out to catch up. There were stories shared, with the passage of time not dulling the feelings from past moments of triumph or defeat. President Chris Wall said one past player had travelled internationally to attend the day. “It’s a truly remarkable spectacle to witness members, who played in the inaugural 1973 grand final, come together and reminisce about the days past and watch the future of the club they started play…
A 39-year-old Mount Martha woman has been charged after being caught with a blood alcohol level almost five times over the legal limit in Mornington. Solo Unit members intercepted a Ford Territory on the Esplanade, just after 11am on Friday 26 August. The result of a preliminary breath test indicated the woman’s breath contained alcohol and she was requested to undergo an evidentiary breath test. The woman returned a blood alcohol reading of 0.234. Her car was immediately impounded, above, licence suspended, and she is expected to be charged on summons with drink driving and other traffic related offences. First…
POLICE from the Mornington Peninsula’s criminal investigations unit are urging motorists to take precautions with their vehicles and valuables following continuing thefts from cars. Over the weekend (26-28 August) police said there was a spate of thefts from cars in the Mount Eliza and Mount Martha. Senior Sergeant Eddie Lagonda said most car thefts occurred in or around private residences, and there were simple things car owners could do to limit the risk. “People who do this sort of thing know they don’t necessarily have to smash windows to break into a car because many people leave their cars unlocked,”…
THE Red Hill and Flinders area is one of Victoria’s 20 official “heart safe communities”, thanks to a program that has taught community members to save the life of someone having a cardiac arrest. Ambulance Victoria (AV) community engagement coordinator Emily Jackson said that over the last two years, the heart safe program in Red Hill/Flinders had been vital in building community resilience and improving out-of-hospital cardiac arrest survival rates for people living and working in the area. “The expansion of the heart safe community state-wide program, a joint initiative between AV and the Heart Foundation, built the confidence and…
THE Snow, the play chosen to perform this year by Dreamhouse Theatre Company, is suitably mysterious and entertaining for families. Recommended for audiences aged from seven up, The Snow by Australian playwright Finegan Kruckemeyer is a tale of adventure involving seven “bravest and strongest” residents of Kishka, a village trapped inside a snowfall. The not-for-profit Mornington Peninsula-based Dreamhouse creates performing arts opportunities for young people. The Snow’s cast is aged 13 to 22 under the direction of Carole Patullo. “We have our biggest cast and crew to date, with 26 young people from different peninsula schools and community settings taking…
MERRICKS General Store started with a love story. The story of Alf and Tilly. Matilda Joyner, ‘Tilly’, grew up on a farm in Merricks, Albert Weston, ‘Alf’, was from Queensland. After joining the navy, he was posted to HMAS Cerberus. Alf met Tilly at a naval dance, and romance blossomed. In 1922 they got engaged, and he gave his salary to Tilly and the Joyner family, so they could build a shop at Merricks. In the early days, it was called the Merricks Post Office Store, and sold farm supplies. The galvanized iron building got very hot in summer and…
By Shelby Brooks Frankston Hockey Club has celebrated 49 years of play with its annual past and present members day held on Saturday 13 August. Around 50 past members also turned out to catch up. There were stories shared, with the passage of time not dulling the feelings from past moments of triumph or defeat. The annual club event, which coincided with the last home round for the club before finals, saw a full day of matches from the senior teams. The day opened with the club’s youngest members getting involved with Hook in2 Hockey. President Chris Wall said one…
Crib Point JFC players were more harmed than helped when their mascot decided to join them at their recent game against Balnarring JFC. Despite the “support”, the Magpies didn’t manage a win, but the game will remain a memorable one for the players. First published in the Mornington News – 23 August 2022
Cr Anthony Marsh* I WELCOME MP for Flinders Zoe McKenzie’s support for a better deal for the Mornington Peninsula in terms of access to federal and state government funding programs (“Region status confusing and costly” The News 9/8/22). She is right in saying the peninsula’s metropolitan classification does not recognise that 70 per cent of it is rural in character. We also agree that because of this classification, the peninsula misses out on much-needed funding designed to support regional areas. Where we disagree is over how best to tackle this issue. Our extensive research and planning advice tells us that…