PREMIER Daniel Andrews visited Red Hill Consolidated School and chatted to staff and students before the school holidays while announcing a grant of $3.2 million allocated in the recent state budget. The grant is part of a $5.5 million package to schools in the Nepean electorate described by MP Chris Brayne as “the biggest investment in schools in … the seat’s history”. “We are optimistic the upgrading of our existing classrooms will build a whole-school climate of collaboration and excellence,” principal Leanne Marshall said. Mr Brayne said the Red Hill school continued to grow and be loved by families and…
Author: MP News Group
Thunder Road are without doubt Australia’s number one Bruce Springsteen show. Formed in 2010, featuring a line up of seasoned and professional musicians and a repertoire of over 50 songs, Thunder Road is dedicated to enjoying and sharing Bruce’s music in a live setting, playing all the classics from ‘Born to Run’ to ‘Glory Days’ and through to his recent releases. The group captures the classic Springsteen sound Thunder Road are without doubt Australia’s number one Bruce Springsteen show. ‘Thunder Road’ remains true to the spirit and energy of the music, while delivering the songs with all the passion and…
A BASKETBALL program designed for children with autism was a big hit on the Mornington District Basketball Association courts last week. The first Ausome Hoops program, held at Mornington Secondary College, was developed by Mornington basketball coach Phoebe McShane. It came about after the 16-year-old Padua College student saw a need for a basketball camp suited to the specific needs of the children. “We had a fantastic response with many parents overwhelmed that their children are able to participate in a basketball program structured specifically for autism,” association general manager Samantha Browne said. A group of dedicated volunteers spent two…
BURGLARS ransacked a steel shed at a property at Somerville stealing thousands of dollars in tools, equipment and even a caravan, overnight Monday 1 July. Detective Senior Sergeant Miro Majstorovic, of Somerville CIU, said they forced a front gate to the long driveway off Dandenong-Hastings Road and cut locks to the steel shed. Included in the haul was a generator valued at $5000, chainsaw ($700), Mercury outboard ($500) and the Windsor Rapid caravan which was later found dumped at Cranbourne. Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential crime report at…
A FOOLHARDY boatie got into more trouble than he bargained for when launching a tinnie in freezing, blustery conditions at Frankston boat ramp last week. The Carrum Downs man, 33, reportedly ignored other boaties’ warnings about the poor conditions and set off with his dog aboard at 2pm, Sunday 30 June. Senior Sergeant Kirby Tonkin, of Rosebud police, said the man, who was not wearing a lifejacket, got into trouble about 150 metres out when the seas became too rough and he tried to turn around and head to shore. A large wave swamped the boat throwing the man and…
A MAN will be without his car and is more than $1000 out of pocket after having his car impounded at Rosebud, Wednesday 3 July. Rosebud police nabbed the Ford Falcon, displaying red P-plates, travelling at 100kph in a 50kph zone on Pt Nepean Road, 6.15am. The 22-year-old Somerville man told police he was running late for work. Things only got worse when the man was unable to produce his licence and a roadworthy check of the car found no tread on the front tyres. The man’s car was impounded at a cost of $1075. He is expected to be…
A MAN wanted in relation to a fatal stabbing at Chelsea Heights last month was arrested at a property at Toora, Gippsland, last week. Homicide Squad detectives assisted by Special Operations Group members charged the 27-year-old Frankston man with one count of murder, Thursday 4 July. He appeared at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court the same day and was further remanded to November. Detectives allege the man became involved in an argument with 44-year-old Bonbeach man Ricky Thompson in the car park of a Seaford licensed premises on 18 June. (“Help find suspect” The News 2/7/2019). Thompson was stabbed in the incident…
By Barry Morris IN the wake of the sexual abuse crisis engulfing the Catholic Church in Australia, 24 Melbourne parishes have drawn up a statement listing changes they believe must be adopted urgently. An accompanying letter and introduction says the church leadership has failed ordinary Catholics. In these dark times for the Catholic Church, especially in Australia, “we experience a profound feeling of shame and demand change”. The strongly-worded statement was written following a meeting of 62 parish representatives, including Mt Eliza, on 6 March. Mornington published the statement in its bulletin. However, it is not all doom and gloom.…
SOPHIE Perez’s depiction of the land as it falls away to Bass Strait on the southern edge of the Mornington Peninsula has won the top prize in this year’s Green Wedge Paint Out Exhibition art competition. Artist Jennifer Riddle and Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery’s senior curator Danny Lacy, who judged the competition, described I Can Hear You Calling as “a bold painting that captures the evocative landscape”. “Overlooking Bass Strait, the landscape is filled with texture and depth, dirt roads dissecting the lush plant life landscape reveals itself as you drive around that corner, the thrill of the steep descent…
THE introduction to Chicago does nothing to hide what’s to follow, except the lights and colourful, onstage action. “Ladies and gentlemen, you are about to see a story of murder, greed, corruption, violence, exploitation, adultery, and treachery – all those things we hold near and dear to our hearts.” The bold and sinister promise is delivered by Rosebud Secondary College students with wit, danger, style and a great deal of humour. “Many people may have in mind the 1996 Broadway version or 2003 film – featuring Renee Zellweger and Catherine Zeta-Jones – when they think of Chicago,” drama teacher Anthea…
A CAR snapped off a boom gate arm at the railway crossing on Baxter-Tooraddin Road, Baxter, Monday 1 July. The incident about 11.40am was said to have caused “significant damage” to the operation of the crossing gates near Hawkins Road. Somerville Highway Patrol members manned the crossing until a railway repair crew arrived. Metro Trains media advisor James Ireland said the boom arm was replaced and tested at 12.48pm and the crossing was “back to normal” soon after. It is unclear whether the motorist stopped or how the incident was reported. First published in the Western Port Times – 3…
BEACH Patrol Safety Beach/Dromana members had fine weather for their recent clean up, Sunday 16 June. About 24 volunteers turned out to pick micro plastics from the seaweed and the usual cigarette butts and general plastics off the foreshore. In all, they collected 2401 pieces of plastic plus 38kg of general rubbish. Big hitters were 790 cigarette butts and 750 wrappers and packages. Other items included 12 plastic bottles, 16 plastic cups, 16 glass bottles, 24 cans, 76 pieces of broken glass, 16 coffee cups, 45 plastic bottle caps, 30 metal bottle caps, 93 small hard plastics, 36 large hard…
“DRIVING too fast on a wet road – what could possibly go wrong?” asked Somerville Highway Patrol’s Greg Wolfe. Well, you could run off the road, crash into a tree and roll your car, like the driver of this HSV Maloo ute did in Watt Road, Mornington, 7.30pm, Thursday 20 June. “The mid-30s Langwarrin man had just overtaken a mate before the collision,” Senior Constable Wolfe said. “He was extremely fortunate to climb out of the vehicle with just a blood nose. “Alcohol and drug tests were both negative. However, the driver is facing a range of other road policing…
WHILE repairs are being made to the sandbag seawall at Portsea front beach investigations continue into preventing erosion at the beach. The Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) says it has “partnered” with Mornington Peninsula Shire Council “to investigate potential long-term options to reduce wave energy and erosion”. The latest studies will “complement previous investigations into coastal management options at Portsea front beach” and are expected to be finished in about two months. The sandbag seawall was installed in 2010 and is credited with helping protect the foreshore against storm surge, waves and tides. The repairs could take…
DETECTIVES are calling for public assistance as they hunt for New Zealand national Alex Manuel following a fatal stabbing at Chelsea Heights, Monday 17 June. Homicide Squad detectives say the 27-year-old Frankston man, pictured right, is probably being harboured by an associate. He is wanted following the death of 44-year-old Bonbeach man Ricky Thompson after the pair was involved in an argument in the car park of a hotel on Springvale Road, 3.35am. Thompson was stabbed in the incident and died in hospital next day. It’s believed the men knew each other. Manuel is known to frequent the Frankston area,…
A $2.36 million grant to Dromana Secondary College will go towards knocking down and rebuilding outdated classrooms. Money for the works was allocated in the recent state budget. It forms part of a $5.5 million package to schools in the Nepean electorate which MP Chris Brayne says “represents the biggest investment in schools in Nepean in the seat’s history”. “These numbers seem to just roll off the tongue and, in politics, numbers seem to be thrown around all the time,” Mr Brayne said. “But this is genuine, good quality funding to a school that needs it.” Mr Brayne said Dromana…
A SELL-OUT lunch at Sorrento last week raised $16,300 for the fight against motor neurone disease. International MND Awareness Day was recognised in Sorrento, Friday 21 June, with the launch of the Mornington Peninsula MND Association started by Torie Schwarze in memory of her late father Marty Mackinnon. Ms Schwarze and Rob Tucker organised the three-hour lunch at Mr Morce restaurant, with all money raised going to support those living with, or caring for, a motor neurone sufferer. Ms Schwarze and GP Adrian Murrie gave presentations on their experiences of caring for an MND sufferer. Sponsors included Mercedes Benz Mornington,…
Police are investigating a fatal two car collision in Flinders this afternoon. It is believed the vehicles collided on Boneo Road near Mornington-Flinders Road just before 4.30pm. The male driver and only occupant of one vehicle has died at the scene. The male and female in the other vehicle are being treated for minor injuries. The exact cause of the collision is being investigated. Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. Victoria Police News – Wednesday, 26 June 2019
THE Bridge Bosses of Balnarring Primary School were judged the best model bridge builders in a competition at BlueScope Western Port’s Hastings plant. Their bridge took the weight of 60 tins of tuna weighing 7.5kg. About 60 students in 16 teams took part in the Rotary Club of Somerville Tyabb Inter Schools Activity Challenge, Wednesday 19 June. Their task was to build a weight-bearing bridge spanning 720mm using only a pack of playing cards, icy pole sticks, twine, thumbtacks, and sticky tape. The time limit was one hour. Teams were evaluated on their bridges’ ability to sustain increasingly heavy loads…
By Barry Morris CATHOLIC parishes should make halls and other buildings available to people who are sleeping rough, a homelessness forum has suggested. The call to open up church properties is one of a series of proposals put to the forum, organised by Catholic Social Services Victoria, in Melbourne on 8 June (“Catholics call for homeless help” The News 4/6/19). More than 50 delegates from Melbourne parishes, including the Mornington Peninsula, attended the forum to discuss problems surrounding homelessness. The suggested strategy started with personal action and covered initiatives that parishes, schools, the archdiocese and governments should set in place.…
AGE is just a number to Elaine Burge who wouldn’t miss her twice weekly table tennis sessions despite tuning 90 last week. The Somerville resident has been a keen member of the Mornington Table Tennis over 40s group for the past 20 years. “Table tennis is a wonderful social activity and I’ve made lots of friends here,” she said. “We have coffee and a chat and can relax and have fun.” Ms Burgess, who fought against breast cancer in 1989, said one of the benefits of the one-on-one sport was “breaking the ice” in social situations. “It’s easy to talk…
ON 30 June light from the Cape Schanck lighthouse will have been shining into Bass Strait for 160 years. Now automated and using LED globes from the Sealight company in Somerville, lighthouse keepers and their families once carefully maintained the light. Burning oil lanterns produced the original light with hand wound clockwork providing the movement. This was followed by kerosene mantle burners and then electricity, with an array of globes and electric motors to turn the lens. Janice Haynes, who will be running activities to mark the lighthouse’s 160 years, says records show it has never failed to provide “that…
A MAN refuelled a green Holden ute at a service station on Baxter-Tooradin Road, Baxter, and left without paying, Saturday 8 June. Police said the ute’s registration plates – BAM684 – had been stolen from Dromana on 25 May. Anyone with information is urged to call Hastings police 5970 7800 or Crime Stoppers 1800 333 000 or make a report online at crimestoppersvic.com.au First published in the Southern Peninsula News – 25 June 2019
TOOLS and equipment were stolen from the Western Port Men’s Shed sometime over the weekend, 15-16 June. The haul included a MIG welder, biscuit joiners, drills, and a laptop computer. Shed president Colin Prowd was at a local hardware store valuing the stolen items for insurance purposes on Wednesday. He said the offenders used a grinder to cut bolts off a door, and cut locks off a shipping container. It’s not the first time the shed in Frankston-Flinders Road has been robbed: In a previous hit thieves took out screws and then levered up galvanised iron to get inside. Detectives…
HASTINGS police have thanked the public for help in identifying a man and a woman shown on CCTV allegedly stealing plants from an early learning centre at Crib Point, Saturday 11 May. Soon after the vision appeared on The News’ social media viewers called in to give their names. Senior Constable Lauren Coster said a man, 21, and woman, 31, of Hastings, had been charged with theft. They have been bailed to appear at Frankston Magistrates’ Court in December. First published in the Southern Peninsula News – 25 June 2019
SOMERVILLE Highway Patrol members say they are doing their bit to “relieve traffic congestion and improve road safety on Frankston and Mornington Peninsula roads”. “One by one we are steadily removing cars driven by hoons and unauthorised drivers,” Senior Constable Greg Wolfe said. These included a Ford ute being driven by an unlicensed 57-year-old Rosebud man, 6am, Thursday 13 June. The ute – owned by the man’s partner – was impounded. Senior Constable Wolfe said the driver had not held a licence since losing it for drink driving in 1992. He had been caught driving without a licence “on a…
THE COMPLEXITIES of parent-child relationships, family conflicts and rising living costs are some of the hidden factors behind elder abuse being uncovered by Peninsula Community Legal Centre. “Without adequate education of what constitutes this form of abuse, the perpetrator may be unaware their actions are abusive,” the centre’s legal services director Kate Ross said. PCLC says that Senior Rights Victoria’s help line data for the past two years points to the fact that 90 per cent of alleged perpetrators of elder abuse were related to the older person; often an adult son or daughter, or estranged ex-partner. “Part of the…
ROSEBUD Primary students and residents of Rosebud Retirement Village both get a lot of enjoyment out of the school’s interactive programs. The year 4 students, some of whom may not have grandparents, and the elderly residents, just enjoy getting to know each other as well as reading together and playing games. Village manager Debra Riedel said many friendships had been established. “The visits enhance the lives of the residents and give something special back to the children,” she said. “Long may they continue.” First published in the Southern Peninsula News – 25 June 2019
MORNINGTON became the music capital of Melbourne over the Queen’s Birthday long weekend. The Mornington Winter Music Festival started on the Friday night (7 June) with musicians playing at nine venues, starting at 10am in the Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery. When the “Dissonant Rhythms” of Ross Manning ended at 5pm, the show moved on to wine bars, pubs and restaurants. The gallery again started the show on Saturday, which had a much bigger line up musicians playing to audiences in a longer list of venues (as well as on Main Street). this time including wineries and the Mornington Yacht Club…
THE impact of road trauma – on yourself and others, will be one of the topics covered at road trauma presentations to thousands of students at Peninsula Community Theatre in two sessions: 24 and 25 June and 22 and 23 July. Other topics at the talks put on by Teenagers Road Accident Group (TRAG) include the aspects of life that can be affected by road trauma; safe driving practices and decision making, and a focus on making good choices with the message Drive4Life. About 3000 secondary school students from around the Mornington Peninsula will attend the presentations, in Wilsons Road,…