FLOWERS and condolence messages delivered to police stations across the Mornington Peninsula illustrate the widespread sense of sadness over the deaths of four officers in Kew, Wednesday 22 April. Senior Constable Lynette Taylor, Senior Constable Kevin King, Constable Glen Humphris and Constable Josh Prestney died when they were struck by a truck in the emergency lane of the Eastern Freeway, 4.30pm. Truck driver Mohinder Singh Bajwa, 47, of Cranbourne, was due to face court yesterday (Monday 27 April) charged with four counts of culpable driving over the crash. The driver of the car the police were booking, Richard Pusey, 41,…
Author: MP News Group
GRATITUDE for the dedication of frontline medical staff has prompted a Mornington Peninsula group to spring into action. Hearing that nurses at Rosebud Hospital needed more scrubs, volunteers from Mt Martha’s Boomerang Bags group decided to do something about it. So far, they have made 30 set of scrubs in an array of colourful patterns. News spread and the group was recently asked to make scrubs for Frankston Hospital nurses as well. Coordinator Robyn Ruhl said the job was a challenge for the group’s 10 members. “We normally make fabric shopping bags to reduce people’s use of plastic bags and…
THE mental health support organisation headspace has opened a satellite service in Rosebud. While offering three of the four core headspace streams the Rosebud service will also provide outreach support to young people and their families on the Mornington Peninsula. “Right now, Australians are facing a once in a century challenge,” federal Health Minister and Flinders MP Greg Hunt said. “It is not only important during the coronavirus to focus on our physical wellbeing, but also our mental wellbeing”. Financed by the federal government through the South Eastern Melbourne Primary Health Network (SEMPHN), the new service will be delivered by…
Detectives from the Missing Persons Squad are appealing for public assistance as part of their investigation into the disappearance of Safety Beach man Jacob Horton in June last year. Jacob was last seen leaving a residential premises in Drum Close, Frankston on the morning of Thursday, 27 June 2019. At the time of the 28-year-old’s disappearance he was not in possession of a mobile phone or motor vehicle. Detectives believe that on the morning Jacob vanished, he was attempting to source transport to travel back towards the Rosebud area. Jacob was well known in the Rosebud area and often travelled…
A FREE online service has been launched to help individuals, businesses and community organisations to easily identify and access government funding, as well as philanthropic grant programs. Mornington Peninsula Shire’s Funding Finder website includes a page dedicated to gathering the many COVID-19 funding opportunities into one place. This one-stop-shop approach aims to save time and effort on research. Users can create favourites lists, receive direct email alerts from their areas of interest and keep abreast of all funding opportunities and deadlines. The website also offers advice and tips for finding and applying for grants to maximise the chances of success.…
LIKE galleries and museums across the country, Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery is closed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, content from its exhibitions can be viewed online, including a free publication of A Collection of Stranger Things. In this showing artist and collector Patrick Pound drew out works from the MPRG collection and displayed them alongside his own collection of photographs and objects. In a podcast, Pound explains his collection methodology and how the collection became the medium. An online publication of With a Little Help from our Friends showcases works acquired by the Friends of MPRG since 1996.…
A MORNINGTON man said he was just trying to get to Western Australia to see his sister who was sick with coronavirus when picked up by members of Somerville Highway Patrol over Easter. The 63-year-old’s white Daewoo Lanos had some “slight safety issues” police said, pointing to the replacement door made of board held on by sticky tape, 10.30am, Monday 13 April. The man was issued with a defect notice and his vehicle grounded. The incident was part of state-wide road policing Operation Nexus which ran Thursday 9-Monday 13 April. First published in the Southern Peninsula News – 21 April…
THREE men have been charged following an alleged home invasion in Moorhead Avenue, Mornington, 3am, Friday 10 April. Detective Acting Senior Sergeant Steve Reidy, of Somerville CIU, said the residents were awoken and confronted by the offenders, one of whom was allegedly armed with a firearm. The house was ransacked before the offenders fled in a car which was later found crashed and abandoned at Merricks North. Police searching the area arrested and charged a Rosebud man, 18, and a Safety Beach man, 24, with aggravated burglary. Both were remanded to appear at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court at a later date.…
THE 53rd Flinders Art Show in June has been cancelled due to COVID-19 social distancing restrictions. This is the first time the event has missed its Queen’s Birthday showing since its inception in 1967. The event gives artists the opportunity to market their work. Last year 350 works were exhibited. “In keeping with the current regulations, and after careful consideration of COVID-19 by the committee, and the uncertainty surrounding future months, this very popular community event has been cancelled,” Flinders Art Show vice-president Barbara Higgins said. Proceeds usually go to the CFA, Flinders Cricket Club, Flinders Pre-School, Southern Peninsula Community…
PEOPLE are taking a tipple more frequently as a result of COVID-19. The Alcohol and Drug Foundation is urging restraint as new national data shows 20 per cent of households report buying more alcohol than usual. The YouGov Galaxy poll for the Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education shows that in these households 70 per cent said they were drinking more than usual while 34 per cent said they were now drinking every day. A third were “concerned” with how much alcohol they were drinking, or someone else in their household was drinking, and 28 per cent said they were…
Six youths were arrested following a pursuit on the Mornington Peninsula early this morning. Police on patrol spotted a Holden Captiva displaying false number plates on the Nepean Highway, Mount Martha about 1.20am The vehicle was observed driving erratically and police continued to monitor the car until a pursuit was initiated on Peninsula Link. Police disabled the car using stop sticks and the six occupants, aged between 14 and 16-years-old, were arrested when their vehicle came to a stop on the freeway near Derril Road, Moorooduc. Two 16-year-old Narre Warren boys, a 15-year-old boy of no fixed address and a…
IT was pre-Easter drinks in the time of the coronavirus last Thursday (9 April) for a community of apartment dwellers in Mornington. Residents of the former Sisters of Mercy Convent, in Tanti Avenue, toasted and cheered each other from their balconies. John Scott said the “coming out” was organised by Helen Begg, who has lived in the heritage listed building for the past 11 years. “She arranged for us to come out onto our balconies for a drink and a chat, at a distance, of course,” Mr Scott said. “Easter to some is church or a holiday break with family,…
ALL public Anzac Day events on the Mornington Peninsula, including services and marches, have been cancelled due to COVID-19. The decision was made in line with Returned Services League Victoria and the state government’s decision to cancel Anzac Day commemorative services and marches, Saturday 25 April. The RSL is asking that people stand in their yards, driveways, or on their balconies and observe a minute’s silence as the Last Post is played during the Anzac Day dawn service. The service will be streamed online at RSL Victoria’s Facebook page at 6am, and those taking part are encouraged to share a…
THE federal government is giving the Western Port Biosphere $300,000 over the next three years, matching the money provided by the organisation’s five member municipalities: Mornington Peninsula, Frankston, Casey, Bass and Cardinia. The Western Port Biosphere Reserve is recognised by UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere Program and the money will support the its aim of “balancing conservation and sustainable development within the region”. The biosphere’s new chair, Jo McCoy, said the federal government money “shows a real partnership between these levels of government”. “Few Australians can say that they live in a UNESCO biosphere reserve, but we can. The peninsula…
ALTHOUGH wildlife parks are closed, children should not forget they are surrounded by wildlife. A competition being run by Moonlit Sanctuary Wildlife Conservation Park, Pearcedale asks school-aged students to look around their backyard, home or balcony to discover and photograph wildlife. For a chance to win one of four $100 Moonlit Sanctuary gift vouchers children should go to the website and upload their best photos along with one fact about the creature in their picture. The competition runs until 5pm, Friday 24 April. Winners will be announced Monday 27 April. Details: moonlitsanctuary.com.au/backyard-wildlife-photo-competition First published in the Southern Peninsula News -…
Mornington Peninsula Shire library staff have created online opportunities to read, watch, learn and have fun. A social hub on its website features activities for those spending more time at home. Links connect to such things as the Social Distance Festival, which publishes a calendar of free online concerts, plays, readings and live theatre performances from around the world. The hub offers those working from home links to training and resources to help move and improve businesses online. The hub also has wellness advice and ideas for keeping children busy. New content is uploaded regularly and school holiday competitions include…
While the Mornington Peninsula Shire have said it’s okay to head back to the beach for a variety of activities, Mother Nature had other ideas today (Saturday 5 April). Below are a collection of photos from this mornings storms. Pictures: Cameron McCullough
TEDDY bears are universal symbol of all that is good and wholesome about happy, healthy childhoods. Cute and cuddly, they provide comfort and a sense of security. They’re non-judgemental and, of course, can be a child’s “secret friend”, someone to confide in. Evie and Matilda Pentland, of Rye, wanted to share their teddies with passers-by last week, knowing that a state of social distancing had changed day-to-day interaction between neighbours. While it’s early days of what promises to be a drawn-out time of social isolation, it was heartening to see a youthful reaction to the community’s shared time of trouble.…
TEN multiple-birth families from Frankston and the Mornington Peninsula met at Angus and Rose at The Briars, Mount Martha, Sunday 15 March. The families are members of the Frankston and Mornington Peninsula Multiple Birth Association which provides peer support for parents of multiple birth children (twins, triplets or more). Families expecting twins or more babies are encouraged to connect with others as multiple-birth parents are at increased risk of perinatal health issues, such as anxiety and depression. Services provided by the association include subsidised playgroups in conjunction with Chisholm TAFE, library, equipment hire, in-home support, and meals for families with…
FRANKSTON MP Paul Edbrooke says that the Baxter rail extension will remain at a “standstill” until the business case is released. The proposed rail extension would see the Frankston line duplicated and electrified to Baxter, with two new stations at Langwarrin and Frankston East constructed. The business case was handed to the federal government in October last year, but has not been publicly released. Mr Edbrooke said “our community understands that the project is at a standstill until the federal government releases the business case for consideration of the costs and benefits.” The News has twice asked the office of…
MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire has stepped in to assist small business by developing a support package to “help the local community through the unprecedented effects of COVID-19”. The package includes a business concierge service, supporting local business campaign, advocacy to state and federal departments, fast tracking of approvals and compliance matters, temporary cessation of fees and charges, support for local contractors and rate and rent relief options for those in council properties. The package comes a week after the Committee for Mornington Peninsula began lobbying the shire to provide a “support package for local business” as the coronavirus disaster hits their…
A GARDEN project has been keeping years 5 and 6 students at St Joseph’s Sorrento busy. Last year they were finalists in the Tidy Town Awards for their indigenous medicinal, edible sensory garden, which led to them receiving a $1450 Land Care grant to complete a garden this year. The garden also helped the students work towards the Resource Smart Schools biodiversity module. Teacher Jane Byrne said students had joined parishioners at St Mary’s to learn about plants named in the Bible, as well as their symbolism and medicinal use. “This tied in with stewardship and the responsibility of catholic…
WHILE Mornington police station remains staffed 24/7 extra precautions have been taken for the safety of police and the public in response to the coronavirus. Visitors are being asked to stay behind a two-metre exclusion zone near the counter. Police say they are aware of those waiting and will attend to them as soon as possible. They ask that prospective visitors assess whether they really need to attend the station. Those requiring documents to be signed should bring their own pens. To report a non-urgent crime or event, or for general police inquiries, call the police assistance line 131 444.…
A CARRUM Downs woman allegedly blew 0.185 per cent when breath tested in Eramosa Road East, Somerville, Wednesday 25 March. Members of the Somerville Highway Patrol earlier saw the 26-year-old driving along Frankston-Flinders Road, Somerville, half over the fog line and half on the roadway, 8.30pm. She was allegedly doing 60kph in a 40kph zone when pulled over. The woman told police she had drunk a bottle of wine throughout the afternoon and thought she would be “right to drive”. She wasn’t. Her licence was immediately suspended and her car impounded. She will face court at a later date. First…
SOMERVILLE Highway Patrol members are seeking help from people with mobile phone or dash-cam footage of the black Ford ute, pictured, which came to grief in the Coles car park, Mornington-Tyabb Road, Mornington, 11.50am, Friday 13 March. The driver, a 37-year-old Somerville man, had allegedly been doing burnouts at the Nepean Highway/Tanti Avenue and Nepean Highway/Mornington-Tyabb Road intersections, before driving up to the car park where he ran over an embankment and got stuck. He was later airlifted to The Alfred hospital with serious injuries. (“Airlift after smash, drive-off” The News 13/3/2020). Police believe shoppers captured the driver’s on their…
A WOMAN seen by police walking near a grey Audi sedan at a Rosebud service station was later found to have a string of outstanding warrants against her name. The 28-year-old, of no fixed address, allegedly claimed to own the car when she was approached at the Nepean Highway service station, Monday 23 March. Sergeant Brendan Leihy, of Rosebud police, said a registration check listed the car as stolen, and a personal ID check found the woman was wanted on six outstanding matters. A search of the Audi allegedly found 4.8 grams of the drug ice and $660 cash. The…
A DRUNKEN driver who killed a friend and seriously injured two others at Tootgarook last year has been sentenced to more than 12 years’ jail. Brandon Phongthaihong, now 22, had drunk beer and bourbon before the incident at the intersection of Marshall and Field streets, 1.15am, 12 April. His friend, 17-year-old Timothy Hocking, of McCrae, died and three other 17-year-olds, from McCrae and Capel Sound, were injured when the Mazda CX3 crashed through a roundabout and into a tree. Phongthaihong had pleaded guilty in the Melbourne County Court to culpable driving causing death, two counts of negligently causing serious injury,…
FISHERIES officers have arrested five men and seized their car for allegedly taking 399 blacklip abalone from waters around Cape Schanck. Victorian Fisheries Authority director Ian Parks said 12 Fisheries officers backed up by police caught the “highly organised illegal fishing syndicate” from Pakenham, Cranbourne East and Botanic Ridge, Wednesday 18 March. “This type of alleged illegal fishing has the potential to do serious damage to the sustainability of Victoria’s abalone population, which is highly valued by commercial and recreational fishers,” Mr Parks said. Officers said they saw four men walk from the car park down to the rocks leaving…
A commercial flower farm that allowed thousands of litres of fuel oil to spill into a Moorooduc waterway has been ordered to pay Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA) $500,000 in compensation and fined $150,000. On Wednesday 11 March, Aaree Pty Ltd and its director Admir Isovski, faced five charges under the the Environment Protection Act 1970 at Frankston Magistrates Court for causing environmental hazard, pollution of water and failing to comply with the requirements of an EPA notice The incident occurred in July 2017 at Barakee Reserve Outfall Drain, Moorooduc when a greenhouse on the Coolart Road property, which used…
FUNDRAISING efforts including a charity auction last month have helped Red Hill Fire Brigade raise more than $225,000 for building works. The auction, held at Many Little Bar and Bistro on Friday 21 February, raised $80,000. “The day was a huge success with a raffle and auction and was attended by more than 200 people,” First Lieutenant Sam Norris said. “Hamish McLachlan as the MC did an incredible job.” Donations and pledges helped raise the total to a staggering $225,000. “We are incredibly humbled by the generosity of our community,” First Lieutenant Norris said. First Lieutenant Norris said the works…