Compiled by Brodie Cowburn A DISTRESSING fatality occurred in Melbourne on Thursday last when a lad named Arthur Albert Verney 14 years, son of Mr and Mrs Verney of Frankston was killed. Shortly after 4 p.m. a salesman employed at Shanks and Co’s ware- house, 351 Flinders Lane, noticed that the goods lift was some distance below the ground floor. Closer inspection revealed that a boy had been crushed between the lift and the wall. Constable Froher was called and the boy was extricated and taken to the Melbourne Hospital. On arrival there he was found to be dead. The…
Author: MP News Group
MORNINGTON Yacht Club played host to about 130 yachts, mostly sailed by children, in a huge weekend of events on Mornington harbour, Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 February. As well as the traditional Schnapper Point Regatta, the club hosted the first Victorian Junior Carnival – a fun event for children graduating from their learn-to-sail programs. The young sailors enjoyed a sail down the coast to Mills Beach, starting off under the “Bridge of Doom”, then more games in the shallows off Mother’s beach. At the same time, the older children, joined by other sailors with disabilities, competed in the regatta.…
A CAFE at Benton Square shopping centre has been fined almost $10,000 after a Fair Work Ombudsman’s audit found junior staff had been underpaid. Degani Bakery Cafe has agreed to back-pay staff $9375, apologise to them, and display notices at the cafe detailing the breaches on its website. The underpayments came to light during a self-initiated compliance audit of 14 Degani Australia franchised cafes. The Ombudsman found that 15 staff, including waiters, cooks and four juniors at the Mornington cafe, had been underpaid from September to November, 2016. The audit found the company paid $18-$21 hourly rates to its casual…
AN audit of marine life under Rye pier on Saturday 10 February aimed at charting the area’s sea life in a scientific format. Marine biologist Fam Charko and 12 regular Rye divers spent about two hours conducting what they believe is the first audit of species around the reefs and pier. Those marine animals found will be identified and catalogued and used as baseline data. More audits are planned, including a night dive as more species come out at night. The audit aims to help protect the myriad plants, animals and fish threatened by dredging works or the building of…
By Michael Leeworthy IT was a once in a life time encounter: a face to face meeting with a wedge-tailed eagle on a bushwalk in the Arthurs Seat State Park that left me gob smacked. Sighting dolphins while walking along the beach is becoming commonplace. Many times I have been surprised by up to five, appearing from under my kayak out on Port Phillip. I have been on the bay’s waters most of my life and don’t believe I’ve ever sighted so many dolphins as in recent times. On 10 June, a humpback whale and her calf spotted in the…
WHILE it remains off the agenda before, during and after council meetings, alcohol can again be served at special events held by Mornington Peninsula Shire. The mayor, Cr Bryan Payne has been given the power to authorise the serving of alcohol on council premises at occasions like the annual council meeting (when new mayors are elected) and the councillors’ Christmas party. “No alcohol is to be provided before, during or after council meetings or briefings on council premises,” an amendment to the Councillor Expenses Reimbursement, Resources and Facilities Policy adopted by council on 12 December 2017 states. “Alcohol may be…
UPDATE: Missing child Zahkaya Wooster has been found. ___________ Police are appealing for public assistance to help locate missing 10-year-old Zahkaya Wooster. The Hastings girl was last seen in the Frankston CBD last night about 9.35pm. Police and her family are concerned for her welfare due to her age. Zahkaya is known to frequent public transport areas between Frankston and Hastings. The missing girl is described as being about 150cm tall with a slim build, brown hair and blue eyes. When last seen she was wearing black leggings, beige t-shirt and black sports shoes. Police have released an image of…
BAXTER will celebrate its centenary on Sunday 6 May and, to mark the occasion, Baxter Residents and Traders Progress Action Committee will hold a shindig at Baxter Primary School on Sunday 18 March. All proceeds will go to the school. The event will honour the renaming of Mornington Junction, Baxter’s Flat, as Baxter after Captain Benjamin Baxter the original settler. “The residents’ and traders’ committee, parents group and school council, as well as residents and businesses, are working hard to ensure this will be a great day for all,” BRATPAC secretary Gail Forbes said. A mural being painted by Melbourne Murals on the front of the Telstra Baxter Exchange on Baxter-Tooradin Road…
A WHITE Renault van which ran into the rear of the car in front on Bungower Rd, Mornington last week, caused a nose-to-tail “concertina” collision which damaged six cars. Leading Senior Constable Greg Wolfe, of Somerville Highway Patrol, said the van driver, 48, of Donvale, was later charged with failing to stay a sufficient distance behind the vehicle in front, 8.50am, Wednesday 7 February. He received a $238 fine and lost one demerit point. The accident occurred between Derril Rd and Moorooduc Highway. Five of the cars were described as being extensively damaged and one with minor damage. Two drivers…
ROSEBUD locals and visitors alike finally have the chance to take part in parkrun, taking advantage of the glorious location with a five km run or walk along the beach. Launching in Rosebud on Saturday February 17, parkrun is part of Medibank Free + Active, an ongoing program that aims to tackle physical inactivity and promote community connection, with the goal to help 1.5 million Aussies get active in mind, body and community. Under the program, Medibank will launch hundreds of free, community-based events and wellness initiatives, in partnership with organisations who share the Free + Active vision. Rosebud has…
Compiled by Brodie Cowburn A STORM of great violence, for which no precedent can be found in the history of Melbourne, swept over portion of the suburban area late on Saturday afternoon. In comparison it was comparable with the tempest which caused so much havoc in Queensland a few days previously. Two lives were lost, and twelve people were Injured. At Brighton a boy was decapitated by a descending sheet of iron from the roof of a wrecked building. At Point Ormond a boat, in which three men were fishing, was capsised. and one of the occupants was drowned. The…
RUPERT Norman Debney was a gunner in the 4th Battalion, 2nd brigade, of the Royal Australian Field Artillery, who retired to his parent’s holiday house at Dromana after World War I. A diary of his experiences while fighting in France in 1917 will be displayed at Mornington library as part of the Writing the War: Personal Stories from WWI exhibition, 17 February-31 March 2018. The exhibition will feature diaries, letters, artefacts and photographs taken from the State Library of Victoria’s archive. Seven personal stories from this collection have been selected for the touring exhibition. Mornington Peninsula Shire has invited the…
THE family of murdered Hastings jeweller Dermot O’Toole have expressed disappointment at the vandalism of the walk named in his honour. O’Toole Walk is decorated with a mural, carved leprechaun, clover plaques, and a bench dedicated to the Hastings resident and trader who was murdered in his High Street store in July 2013. The mural has been defaced in recent days, and a plaque ripped from the wall. “The recent vandalism of O’Toole Walk is extremely disrespectful not just to our family, but to the whole community and to all those that volunteered their time to create this walkway,” Trent…
VANDALS are defacing billboards promoting a charity event run by Peninsula Aero Club. “Our air show benefits a number of charities across the peninsula,” club president Jack Vevers said online. “This year we have nominated Riding for the Disabled as our key beneficiary, and damaging the signs takes money out of their pockets. This makes this whole episode even more shameful.” He said the club was urging people to keep an eye out for vandals to “help us stop this damage.” The club’s air show War and Peace is on Sunday 11 March. First published in the Western Port News…
A $5000 donation by steel company BlueScope to the Hasting Yacht Club will go towards buying polo shirts for volunteers in the Sailability program. The program supports those who normally would not be able to sail or enjoy the pleasures of sailing. Club Sailability officer Kevin Baensch said the volunteers needed to be easily identified. One, John Browning, pictured, travels from St Andrews to assist at every Sailability session. He is now sporting the new polo with the BlueScope logo. “Another immediate requirement is for VHF radios to link up the rescue boats and the training yacht,” Mr Baensch said.…
Compiled by Brodie Cowburn IN consequence of numerous complaints regarding youths armed with pea rifles, shooting indiscriminately at windows, railway signals and stock, Const. Ryan proceeded, on Monday evening, to Carrum Downs and Seaford. In the vicinity of a swamp near Seaford on which a number of wild ducks were swimming, the const. found four youths. One had a shot gun and each of the others had a pea rifle. As the lads were all under 18 years of age the const. seized the rifles and the culprits will appear at Frankston Court on 11th inst. on a charge of…
THIS year’s Mornington Art Show, the 46th run by Mornington Rotary Club, is being called “one of the best ever”. More than 840 paintings were on show, including VCE student art work. The top award of best exhibit in any medium went to Casey Sealy’s painting “Winter moon Grafton”. The $50,000 raised by the club through the show will be spent on local and international humanitarian projects. Mornington Rotary has so far spent more than $600,000 raised from its art show on Mornington projects. “Despite the heat, the gala opening night was an enjoyable and friendly event attended by just…
MORNINGTON Peninsula Astronomical Society members and keen moon watchers gathered at The Briars Astronomy Centre in Mt Martha last Wednesday evening (31 January) to witness the total lunar eclipse on the second full moon of the month. At first, the mood was somewhat subdued as the cloud cover was heavy but at about 10pm the skies cleared revealing the beginning of the Penumbral Eclipse. Over the next four hours, the shadow of the earth gradually encroached between the moon and the sun, changing the colour of the moon to a blood red. Members of the astronomy club were kept busy…
MORNINGTON Peninsula residents are not affected yet by Visy Industries’ decision to end kerbside recyclable waste collections in some municipalities. The company’s action follows a Chinese ban on accepting waste from Australia. The shire’s acting executive manager infrastructure services Jessica Wingad said having contractor SKM as the shire’s recycler meant “we are not affected by Visy’s decision”. The reassurance comes alongside the resumption of regular fortnightly kerbside recycling. The shire collected recyclables weekly over January and resumed the fortnightly collection on 2 February. Recyclable materials include aluminium and steel cans and foil; plastics such as children’s toys, kitchen containers, cups…
THE state government has approved mandatory height limits for new buildings in Sorrento. This comes after Mornington Peninsula Shire last July moved to protect the “distinctive character” of the commercial centre – mainly along Ocean Beach Rd. A design and development overlay sets height limits of 11 metres in areas that allow three storeys and eight metres in areas allowing two storeys. Setback controls stipulate that a third storey must be set back so as not to be “visually prominent” from the opposite side of the street. The mayor Cr Bryan Payne thanked acting planning minister Lily D’Ambrosio for “seeing…
FOUR men were arrested for being drunk in Mornington on Friday and Saturday morning, 26-27 January. Sergeant Daniel Patten, of Mornington police, said one of the men had been in a fight, and that police had beer glasses thrown at them when they attempted to make the arrests in Main St just after midnight. The men, from Merricks, Safety Beach, Somers and Mornington, are aged 19-23. They each received $700 penalty notices. First published in the Mornington News – 6 February 2018
A search will recommence this morning for a man who went missing while swimming off London Bridge Road at Portsea. Surfers spotted the 23-year-old man, who appeared to be in trouble, about 5.30pm yesterday (4 February). Moments later, the Narre Warren man had disappeared from sight. A search was conducted by emergency services however they were unable to locate the man. The search has recommenced this morning with Police on the ground along with Search and Rescue Police, Water Police and the Police Air Wing as well as SES and Life Saving Victoria around the Portsea area. Source: Victoria Police…
Stunning Point Nepean National Park at Portsea will play host to the Mornington Peninsula Food+Wine Festival on 24 February 2018. For one beautiful summers day, the historic grounds of Portsea’s Point Nepean Park will be transformed into a giant outdoor lounge for a sensational day of food, wine and entertainment – the best part is, you’re invited! Having grown up on the Peninsula and lived in the area for most of his life, Tristan Clarke, of Nepean Events, is realising his vision for a festival celebrating all that the Peninsula is famous for. Having attended festivals all over the country,…
Peninsula Film Festival is FREE, in Rosebud at the Village Green on Saturday February 10, 2018 4pm-10.30pm. Bring a blanket, a few friends and come and see some of Australia’s best short films and they compete for a $30K prize pool. See www.peninsulafilmfestival.com.au for more details. Judging Panel includes Isabel Lucas, Michala Banas (above), Lachy Hulme and Leah Purcell. Mick Molloy will MC. First published in the Western Port News – 30 January 2018
THE Habitat Restoration Fund will receive $6600 to help eradicate woody weeds in Red Hill South’s remnant forests this year. The grant is among a $250,000 program of community environmental projects in the Port Phillip and Western Port region. The grants were announced just before Christmas. The Western Port Swamp Landcare group will receive $8680 for its Cardinia Creeks Nature Link Plan and the Safety Beach Foreshore Landscape Committee $6046 for habitat rehabilitation work on the Safety Beach foreshore. Up to 15 community organisations will receive a share of $250,000 from the National Landcare Program for environmental projects in the…
The legendary Elvis Presley has been celebrated worldwide – he was one of the biggest and most important stars of the 20th Century pop culture. A cultural Icon who was often referred to as the “King of Rock and Roll” and now direct from the U.S comes the Ultimate return Australian Concert Tour 2018 of “ELVIS – AN AMERICAN TRILOGY” – the Complete Story that takes three of the World’s leading Elvis Tribute artists starring in one of the most spectacular live concert production that takes you on a journey through the music of the “The King” in the history…
TOOL tribute act, “THIRD EYE’’ from Melbourne, Australia have been praised for not only the musical likeness of TOOL, but also for their re-creation of TOOL’s live show. The band incorporates breathtaking lighting and laser effects, Visual displays incorporating video clips and other TOOL related artwork, and musicianship unlike any other TOOL tribute band you have seen. This combination of aural and visual stimuli result in complete immersion into the TOOL experience. It is understandable then that they have quickly emerged as ‘Austalia’s Premier Tool Tribute Show’. TOOL fan or not, the “Third Eye” show is one not to be…
Compiled by Brodie Cowburn A CHILD of five years has been missing from Frankston since Saturday afternoon. The foster mother, Mrs Rose Priest of Gwynne Avenue, Frankston Heights, states that the child was taken away in a buggy by a soldier from Broadmeadows camp and no trace of him had since been obtained. He was in no way related to the child but had been boarding with Mrs Priest. He is supposed to be a deserter from the camp, as on inquiry there it was ascertained that he should have returned last week. His wife resides at Carlton but he…
NEW Mornington Yacht Club CEO Wayne Holdsworth has spent the past 10 years leading sports, shooting and motorcycling associations. He also has an AFL background through AFL Victoria, as CEO of the Southern League. “My experience is largely in governance and management within the sports market,” he said. “I have consulted to the corporate sector, including Coles-Myer, Toll and Colonial First State.” And, although he does not have an extensive yachting background he says he is “learning very fast”. Mr Holdsworth described the 72-year-old club – awarded the 2012 Victorian Yacht Club of the Year and 2012 Yachting Australia’s Training…
A FRANTIC mother whose toddler was locked inside her car with the keys at Mornington was overjoyed by the quick response from emergency crews, 11am, Thursday 18 January, “We were there within three minutes of her call,” Mornington Fire Brigade operations officer Stuart Walker said last week. The woman had parked above Fishermans Beach on the Esplanade when she realised her child was alone in the locked. The temperature was in the mid-20s – meaning it could quickly rise to the mid-30s inside the car. A passer-by said rescue crews covered the roof of the car with sheets and…