THE new executive committee of the Disabled Surfers Association Mornington Peninsula Branch (DSAMP) went to Point Leo last week for a final look before the official opening of a viewing platform and a new way of getting onto the beach. Known as the boardwalk, the 82 metre long structure starts near Point Leo Surf Lifesaving Club and ends with a wheelchair ramp to the beach. A wide-tyred wheelchair is available for loan from the club. Taking a close look at the completed boardwalk last week were newly-elected DSAMP president John Bowers, vice-president Steve Hough, secretary Scott Cosgriff and former secretary…
Author: MP News Group
By Barry Morris TV footage of bombed-out cities, streams of people fleeing war or persecution, the tiny body of a Syrian boy washed on to a beach in Turkey – all are images graphically illustrating the story of 22 million people worldwide seeking asylum. The scale of the human disaster can leave us numb, wondering what on earth, if anything, we can do to help. Asylum means refuge, haven, sanctuary, shelter and place of safety. Because some of these asylum seekers end up in Victoria, the social justice group at St Macartan’s Catholic Church, Mornington, has decided to do something…
POETRY soiree Poet’s Corner is taking part in the Melbourne Spoken Word and Poetry Festival on Sunday 27 May as part of the inaugural Melbourne Spoken Word & Poetry Festival. It will run Friday 18 May-Sunday 3 June at various venues. Poet ReVerse Butcher, which is Stephanie Petrik’s stage name, will perform on stage, 6-8pm, at Blue Bay Cafe, McCrae. She also makes artist’s books, collages and visual art, as well as writing, creating and performing poetry. Poet’s Corner aims to encourage anyone interested to write, read, perform or listen to poetry. Visitors wine, dine, and hear poetry during the…
HEADS turned and diners whispered … hey, isn’t that Hillary Clinton at that table over there? The US former First Lady and presidential candidate is certainly not your everyday guest but, there she was, enjoying lunch, at Merricks North’s luxury hotel Jackalope, Wednesday 9 May. “It was an honour and a pleasure to have had Ms Clinton drop in to Jackalope to dine with us at Rare Hare today,” the hotel’s general manager Tracy Atherton said. “Her PA made a booking and she was greeted by the hotel’s owner Louis Li who escorted her inside for lunch.” Ms Clinton shared…
DIVISION ONE A four point thriller between Bonbeach and Frankston Bombers was the standout of a number of tight contests in MPNFL Division One football this weekend. Three goals from former Sydney Swan Trent Dennis-Lane saw Bonbeach narrowly defeat a Bombers side that held the lead at each of the major breaks in the game. With a comfortable 15 point advantage at three-quarter time, Frankston looked well and truly home before a final quarter comeback saw Bonbeach take advantage of Frankston’s poor goal kicking accuracy and end the game just ahead, winning 10.10 (70) to 8.18 (66). The four points…
DIVISION TWO THE top of the ladder clash between Dromana and Chelsea was the headliner of the MPNFL Division Two competition this weekend, in a match that saw two sides both sitting undefeated going into Round Five do battle. The much anticipated contest took place at Chelsea Reserve, and saw the home side start strong to go into quarter time in front by a goal. Despite these early signs of fight, it did not take much longer for Dromana to stamp their authority on the game, eventually running away to a comfortable lead they would hold for the rest of…
BASKETBALL THE Southern Peninsula Sharks division two Men’s side has suffered their first loss for the season to the ninth-placed Maccabi Warriors in round six of the Big V. What was slightly unexpected, the Warriors clawed their way back after trailing by nine points in the third quarter to sink a last-minute jump-shot for an upset one-point victory (65-64) on Saturday 28 April. The Warriors tied it up with just over two minutes to go and as the Sharks tried to bide their time and throw up an unsuccessful shot, Jared Mintez dished it up to team mate Andrew Sharp…
IT’S an impressive line-up at this year’s music festival including national headline acts and a wonderful array of local and emerging talent both in the venues around Main Street and as part of the Saturday and Sunday street entertainment. After their recent sell out show at the Victorian Art Centre, Cookin’ on 3 Burners are heading to the Peninsula for a one-night only event as part of the Mornington Winter Music Festival. Sunday 10th June at The Grand, the Burners with Andrew De Silva, Clairy Browne and Stella Angelico will pump out classic soul sounds from The Big Chill. A…
HOTEL Sorrento by Australian playwright Hannie Rayson is a highly commercial and relatable comedy/drama and familial story for a mainstream audience. This award winning play, which inspired the film of the same name, tells the story of three sisters who grew up together in the seaside town Sorrento. Hilary lives in the family home in Sorrento with her father and 16 year-old son. Pippa, a business woman, is visiting from New York and Meg, a successful writer, returns from England. When the three sisters are reunited after 10 years apart they again feel the constraints of family life. A semi-autobiographical…
By Barry Morris SCOTLAND’S Loch Ness has its monster and Balcombe Estuary at Mt Martha has its . . . rakali. The elusive rakali is the Australian equivalent of an otter or water rat. While argument still rages about the existence of Nessie, there is no doubt about the rakali which weighs up to 1.3 kilograms, has a distinctive white-tipped tail and lives in burrows or hollow logs on creek banks. Sue Brabander, the former information ranger at The Briars historic property at Mt Martha, is aware of four sightings since 2015 in Balcombe Creek and estuary. “A young family…
By Barry Irving RYE Junior fire brigade members and 1st Tootgarook Cub Scouts enjoy getting together each year to promote friendship and learn new skills. Recently, the cubs played host to the Sorrento Sea Scout Cub Pack whose members worked towards their Boomerang badges while researching and training with the Rye junior fire brigade. The cubs, aged 7-11, benefited from the leadership and mentoring of the junior firefighters, aged 11-16. The activities highlighted the strengths of the three groups. Afterwards there was fun free time to chat and make new friends. For more information on the scouts call 0438 338…
WITH a state election due in November, the Mornington Peninsula Greens and its supporters are out and about in the environment. A field excursion on Saturday 28 April saw a group tour of the Tootgarook wetlands under the direction of Save Tootgarook Swamp’s Cameron Brown. Paul Saunders, the Greens candidate for Nepean, said the group was “particularly impressed with range and diversity of animals, birds and plants supported by the wetlands, including many endangered species”. “Concerns were raised in areas of the wetlands where VicRoads owns parcels of land that permit a freeway extension from Rosebud to Blairgowrie,” Mr Saunders…
SKYE local Melanie Rees was able to spend every precious last moment with her late husband Joel in hospital before he passed away on Boxing Day last year; but only because of Frankston Hospital’s expanding Oncology service. The 55-year-old sadly lost his battle with aggressive tongue and throat cancer and spent his last weeks on Ward 5FS at Frankston Hospital. “If I didn’t have the support of Frankston Hospital I wouldn’t have been able to spend as much quality time with Joel,” says his wife Melanie. “When Joel was receiving treatment in the city there was an endless amount of…
A WOMAN who allegedly stole a mobile phone while grocery shopping in Frankston last month is being sought by police. The owner of the phone said she placed it on the counter at a supermarket on the corner of Golf Links Road and Hastings Road, Tuesday 10 April. It is believed another woman and her children who approached the counter to pay for her items, about 5.45pm, picked up the phone and placed it in her handbag. The woman is described as mid-to-late 30s, large build, long straight brown hair tied in a ponytail, with a dark tattoo on her…
PASSING motorists alerted Somerville Highway Patrol police to a woman who they said was “blind drunk”, 4.30pm, Friday 28 April. The police were finishing up dealing with a motorcycle collision on Moorooduc Highway, Frankston South, when they were told a woman who had been driving erratically was just behind them. Police watched as the woman slowly reversed away from the scene, with the driver “clearly struggling to control the car”. When they approached she reportedly argued about undertaking a preliminary breath test before blowing “way over”. On the centre console police said was a small glass of orange juice, vodka…
Missing camper Sebastian Orefors has been located on a farming property in Toora North earlier this morning. Sebastian walked to the Devils Pinch Road homestead at 10.50am after being lost in the bush for four days. The 23-year-old is very dehydrated and is being assessed by paramedics. Police and Sebastian’s family would like to thank everyone involved in the search including SES, Bush Search and Rescue and Parks Victoria. Source: Victoria Police News – Tuesday, 1 May 2018
FLU vaccines are available free for children over six months and under five years through Mornington Peninsula Shire’s immunisation service. The Department of Health and Human Services says there has been a significant increase of influenza in children aged up to five, prompting the state government to offer the free flu jabs to this at-risk group. They are available at all sessions on the current timetable at mornpen.vic.gov.au/immunisation as well as these extra sessions: Hastings Community Health Centre, 185 High Street, Hastings: 9.30am-12.15pm, Wednesday 2 May; 9.30am-12.15pm and 5pm-5.45pm, Wednesday 16 May, and 9.30am-12.15pm, Wednesday 6 and 20 June. Bentons…
CROWDS flocked to Anzac Day commemorations at Mornington Peninsula towns last week. Organisers were thrilled with the huge turn-out of young people which they hope will ensure the future of the national event. Hastings RSL sub-branch president Keiren Gallagher said the day went “really well”. “The place was packed with 300-400 at the breakfast and more than 2000 at the main service,” he said. “It was hard to see how many we at the dawn service but I turned around to thank the scouts and school groups and saw a sea of young faces, which made me happy as they…
DIVISION TWO IT was neck-and-neck between Karingal at Hastings, until the first bounce. Then it was all downhill for the Blues. They trailed all day and never really got a sniff. Karingal were up by 27 points at the main change and took the day by 33 points at the final siren. In doing so, they’ve grabbed Hastings’ third spot on the ladder and sent the Blues one further back to fourth. Dromana has maintained its place on the top of the Division Two table after charging back for the win against Rye. Rye couldn’t have started better with ten…
DIVISION ONE MORNINGTON’S position in the doghouse of division one wasn’t helped at all with a loss to Sorrento at Alexandra Park. Winless in 2018, the Dogs really needed to get some momentum. It was always going to be a big ask. Sorrento held Mornington goalless in the first quarter and kicked on from there. Mornington was never in it and ended up going down by 62 points. The chocolates for best spectacle would have to go to the Rosebud versus Seaford clash. A match with more swings than a kids playground, there was only two points in it at…
Deborah Conway is a significant and eloquent contributor to Australian music, singing songs that chronicle the essential elements of life, love, loss, memory, the mundane and the spiritual. Restless and confounding, her powerful voice and presence has fascinated audiences for the past 30 years. A rare female agitator in a time when the music industry was male dominated; Conway continues to be a role model for young women and a mentor to emerging artists. Her first band Do Re Mi topped the charts; her first solo album, String of Pearls achieved platinum sales. Conway met Willy Zygier in 1991 and…
STARRING COOKIN’ ON 3 BURNERS with Andrew De Silva, Clairy Brown & Stella Angelico Following their SOLD OUT show and rave reviews at Melbourne’s Arts Centre in November – don’t miss this special one-off Mornington performance as we take a deep dive into one of the greatest soundtracks of all time. Now the spirits of Aretha Franklin, Marvin Gaye, The Temptations and more will be channelled by some of Melbourne’s hottest musical maestros – Cookin On 3 Burners with Clairy Browne, Andrew De Silva and Stella Angelico – for a one-night only event to rekindle the fire of a soundtrack…
FOUR men were arrested following police investigations of an aggravated burglary in Flinders early on Monday 23 April. Detective Harry Simpson, of Somerville CIU, said two men forced entry to a house in the town where the elderly occupants woke to see torchlight. They then became aware of the men moving about and stealing electronic items which they later valued at $6000. Following information gleaned from the Find my Phone app detectives raided a house in Dromana the same day and allegedly found items matching the descriptions of those stolen. A 22-year-old man, of Dromana, was arrested and charged with…
WHILE most people know to slow down when they see an emergency vehicle ahead with red and blue lights flashing, or an alarm sounding, few know that it is actually breaking the law to pass at more than 40kph no matter which side of the road you are on (see illustration). The speed limit aims to set a standard for safe driving so that emergency workers can get on with their work without worrying about being run over by a speeding vehicle or hit by debris. Leading Senior Constable Darren Myers, of Mornington Peninsula traffic operations, said motorists must slow…
TWO men with their faces covered threatened staff at the Hungry Jacks restaurant in Nepean Highway, Mornington, last week before stealing cash from the till and safe. Detective Sergeant Peter Drake, of Somerville CIU, said one of the men jumped the counter and used a screwdriver to intimidate staff, 6.30am Friday 27 April. The men, described as Caucasian and in their 20s, ran from the store and drove off in a stolen silver Holden Commodore with registration number 1EP3FT. There were no injuries. Anyone with information is urged to call Crime Stoppers 1800 333 000. First published in the Mornington…
1st Tootgarook Scouts were last week awarded a mayoral commendation for their efforts on Clean Up Australia Day and in winning the Clean-Up Australia Day photograph competition. The 24 children in the group cleaned one kilometre of foreshore over three hours, collecting 32kg of rubbish. They chose 555 pieces to create a colourful map of Australia which won them a digital camera. Their efforts aimed to draw attention to the rubbish problem and discover how small pieces of mainly plastic can be stopped from degrading the environment. The mayor Cr Bryan Payne was made one of the pack aftre being…
WITH development of new parts of Hastings in the 1960s and 1970s, the decision was made to name many of streets in honour of Royal Australian Navy vessels. This was probably due to the towns proximity to and connection with HMAS Cerberus, the navy’s premier training establishment where about 6000 personnel are trained annually, averaging 800 trainees at Cerberus at any one time. In following pages we look at Hastings’ “navy streets”, but first a bit of history. The Commonwealth Naval Forces were established on 1 March 1901, two months after the federation of Australia. On 10 July 1911, King…
WHILE not a great deal is known about the development of Bittern and Crib Point, it is obvious that the area was subdivided after the First World War. The developers sought to honour those who had served in the war by the names they gave the streets and troads. Many streets in the two towns are named after Victoria Cross recipients, which was done to honour their sacrifice in the “Great War”. The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration and is awarded for valour “in the face of the enemy” to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth…
ANZAC Day 2018 will see a bluestone paver dedicated to VC recipient George Morby Ingram. But who was this man, and why is he being honoured? George Morby Ingram was born in Bendigo in 1889, but lived much of his life in Hastings. He died in 1961 and is buried in Frankston cemetery. On 4 October 1918, the 24th Battalion took part in the attack that captured the Beaurevoir sector in France, and was, therefore, expecting to have a rest the following day when the unit was unexpectedly ordered to take part in another attack. The assault was to starts…
JAMS, cakes, crochet, needle work and photography will be among the hotly contested entries at the Country Women’s Association’s creative arts exhibition at the Peninsula Community Theatre next week. They will feature among a wide range of arts, crafts and cookery exhibits from 10am, Saturday and Sunday, 28 and 29 April, at the venue in Wilsons Road, Mornington, as the association celebrates 90 years of service. Market stalls will sell hand-made goods. Mornington Peninsula Group president Marnie Turner said the local branches will “go head to head in what’s always a tight competition”. “The ladies get quite competitive,” she said.…