MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire is urging the state government to “continue to lead the way in banning single-use plastic bags and containers in Victoria”. It has written to the Premier Daniel Andrews and energy, environment and climate change minister Lily D’Ambrosio to say it “continues to strongly support the proposed amendments to the Environment Protection Act to ban the sale of single use plastic bags”. The shire says protecting the environment and marine life is an “important initiative for Mornington Peninsula Shire”. “The ecological and environmental impact caused by the increased use of plastic bags creates a significant threat to Port…
Author: MP News Group
TRAVELLING tradesmen offering discounted prices for work on the Mornington Peninsula over summer should be avoided, local police warn. Detective Acting Senior Sergeant Stephen McKenzie, of Mornington Peninsula CIU, said con artists offering cheap painting, roof repairs, driveway repairs and other similar work should be avoided. “These are people doing sub-standard work and charging considerably more than the value of the work being quoted,” he said. “Unfortunately, they are known to prey on the elderly and vulnerable, and can be very assertive, offering one-off sale prices or heavily discounted prices due to job cancellations or other reasons. “Historically, these people…
At Portsea, a man was charged after two “Molotov cocktails” were allegedly thrown at a house, 1.30am, Monday 27 November. Police will allege the man and a mate followed a group of young people from a hotel to a Latham Drive house. They were refused entry to the house and returned with what police described as two “improvised incendiary devices” which they allegedly threw at the house. Neither device – said to be two beer bottles filled with accelerant – ignited. One smashed a window causing a small amount of damage but the other fell short. Sorrento CFA crews attended.…
MORNINGTON-Flinders Rd near Baldrys Rd, Main Ridge, was closed off Monday morning 4 December after a car was found crashed into a large gum tree. The 22-year-old driver, of Frankston, was dead at the scene. Leading senior constable Greg Wolfe, of Mornington Peninsula highway patrol, said a passing motorist discovered the badly damaged Hyundai Getz at 6am. The car had been travelling north in a 100kph zone. Police later cordoned off the area. A report will be prepared for the coroner. First published in the Western Port News – 5 December 2017
A CHICKEN processing plant and a vegetable farm have received awards for their use and treatment of water. The awards, including farm gate signs, were made by the Western Port Biosphere Foundation under its water stewardship program. “The Western Port Biosphere program is the first regional recognition program to be established in the water stewardship framework and is being considered as a model for other programs in Europe, the US and China,” executive officer Cecelia Witton said at the inaugural water stewardship forum on Thursday 16 November at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Cranbourne. Ingham’s Enterprises, Somerville, and Peninsula Fresh Organics,…
CHILDREN starting primary school at Hastings next year are being “prepped” by their parents using a kit designed to “bridge the gap” between pre-school and more formal schooling. The get-ready-for-school kit was developed by former prep teachers Nat Petersen and has now become part of the Linking Schools and Early Years partnership formed 11 years ago after statistics showed Hastings children lagged behind their peers in several important areas of education. The imbalance has been corrected to a large extent, although Australian Early Developmental Census (AEDC) figures show Hastings children “are considerably behind their state and national peers when they…
A $1.3 MILLION grant from Sport and Recreation Victoria’s Better Indoor Stadiums Fund will help rebuild the Somerville stadium destroyed by fire in May last year. Sport, tourism and major events minister John Eren was last week joined at the site by Mornington Peninsula Shire mayor Cr Bryan Payne and representatives of Western Port Basketball Association and Mornington Peninsula Badminton. The shire has always said it had adequate insurance in place to rebuild the facility on a “like for like” basis, but that the focus had been on securing additional money for extra courts. “Council confirmed at its August meeting…
Compiled by Brodie Cowburn CR MASON drew attention to the disturbance that had occurred at Frankston on the previous Saturday, and the necessity that existed for additional police protection and also the installing of telephone service at the police station. It was false economy not to have the telephone at police station. The lack of it allowed men to get 50 miles away before the police could be informed, and cost the country pounds to effect their capture. He moved that the Council feel they have implicit confidence in the Officer in Charge, that he is tactful and one of…
THE body of missing Mt Eliza woman Kylie Phillips was found by a fisherman 500 metres off the pier at Indented Head, Tuesday 21 November. The police Air Wing, water police and emergency services crews had been searching for the missing kayaker, 44, who disappeared off Mt Eliza, Wednesday 15 November. Her kayak was found in waters off Altona, Friday 17 November. It is believed Ms Phillips had a medical condition. Mornington police said the family had been notified immediately. The Water Police will prepare a report for the coroner. Anyone with mental health issues should call Lifeline Australia 13…
TWO Mornington Peninsula-based tourism businesses have been inducted into the Victorian Tourism Awards Hall of Fame for being awarded gold in three consecutive years, including this year. Peninsula Hot Springs and Harmony Bed & Breakfast, both at Fingal, entered the hall of fame for their respective categories, ecotourism and hosted accommodation. Other peninsula businesses to win medals at this year’s RACV Victorian Tourism Awards were: Gold – Arthurs Seat Eagle (new tourism business); silver – Crittenden Estate (tourism wineries, distilleries and breweries), Lakeside Villas at Crittenden Estate (self-contained accommodation), Bunyip Tours (major tour and transport operators); bronze – Mornington Peninsula…
A GROUP of southern Mornington Peninsula residents are united around one big issue: stopping the Adani coal mine being developed in central Queensland. The group formed after an impromptu protest in October when Lynn Carpenter put out a call on social media for people to meet on the beach at Rosebud for a “Stop Adani” protest. “With only four days’ notice 30 or so people turned up,” Gillian Adam said. “From that original protest a Facebook group was formed called Southern Peninsula Friends of the Planet. The core of this group: Lynn Carpenter, Belinda Edmonson, Gillian Adam, Kerri McCafferty and…
AN attempt to break the Guinness World Record for the longest chain of scuba divers in the world will bring hundreds of divers to Rye next weekend. The Dive Industry of Victoria Association is out to beat the old record of 308 divers off Rye Pier, 10am, Saturday 2 December. Organiser Luke English, who runs Red Boats scuba and snorkelling charters, said that when he originally applied to the Guinness Book of World Records to host a record attempt it stood at 179 people. “I thought we might be able to beat that but, when we got the notice that…
BONEO Rural Fire Brigade will hold a Community Day on Sunday 26 November to celebrate its 75th anniversary. It will run 10am-1pm at the brigade at Boneo Rd, Boneo, and feature a free sausage sizzle, fire demonstrations, jumping castle, and “fun for everyone”. “We are only a small brigade but we are hard-working and all volunteers,” secretary/treasurer Janella Humphrey said. “We want to give back to the community for all the help and donations we have received over that time.” Ms Humphrey said some volunteer firefighters had been with the brigade for more than 40 years “and still go out…
Somerville Highway Patrol police have charged a 39-year-old Frankston North man following a collision on Peninsula Link. It’s alleged a Holden commodore struck a 30-year-old tow truck driver, who was in the emergency lane about 3.25pm on 14 November. The driver of the commodore has been charged with negligently causing serious injury and dangerous driving causing serious injury. He has been bailed to appear at Melbourne Magistrates Court on Friday 24 November. The tow truck driver remains in a stable condition in hospital. Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit an anonymous…
Balnarring Community Hall – November 25th LA based award-winning Australian singer-songwriter Mia Dyson has unveiled her new single, Gambling and announced an Australian headline tour in support of the new track with a string of dates around the country throughout November and December. Gambling is the first taste of her brand new album, due out early 2018. “The thought of choosing to be vulnerable is scary before I act on it. And, being vulnerable is the most fulfilling way I have found to live. ‘Gambling’ is a reminder that this moment is the chance to either live life on life’s terms; or to let the chance for…
Fresh off the back of 2017’s epic festival, Blues At The Briars returns on February 24 for its sixth celebration of blues and roots music on the Peninsula. A combination of great music, amazing food and wine, and a dedicated children’s area make this day a must in everyone’s calendar. The Peninsula’s best kept secret keeps delivering in the amazing rural setting of the historic Briars homestead and surrounds. Bring a chair or a picnic rug and soak up the landscape and vibe while listening to the best bands from Australia and abroad. February’s festival is shaping to be the…
Compiled by Brodie Cowburn AMONGST the names in the last list of returning wounded soldiers we are pleased to see that of Private A. E. Hollier, of Tyabb. *** WE regret to have to record the death of Pte. A. J. Dent, at the front. Word was received by the mother of deceased a few days ago of the sad event, and general sympathy is expressed for the bereaved friends. Mr H. Purdy has also been notified that his son has been wounded in the face, though the extent of the injury is not stated. Both lads were well known…
A FORMER bush walker turned bush poet will have her poetry preserved in print in a project that proves it is never too late to have written work published. Mary Lyons, 87, a former Mt Martha resident and keen walker in the Peninsula Bushwalking Club in the 1980s and 1990s is now mostly confined to a wheelchair at Somercare in Somerville but her love of life living amongst nature is vividly described in her poetry. She worked as a tobacco picker, hop picker and dairy hand. Husband Norm passed on after 54 years of marriage. Family friend Kev Cooper, whose…
A TOW TRUCK driver winching aboard a broken down car on Peninsula Link had his arm ripped off when his rig was struck by a speeding motorist, 3.30pm, Tuesday 14 November. The 30-year-old Hampton Park man’s arm was found 70 metres away after the crash. The southbound lanes of Peninsula Link between Eastlink and Frankston-Dandenong Rd were closed for the evening peak after an earlier major collision. Police said the Nationwide tow truck driver was assisting a four-wheel-drive with motorbike trailer attached when a wayward Holden Commodore drove into the emergency lane at speed and struck the rear of the…
POLICE are appealing for witnesses and dash-cam footage of a pursuit involving a stolen Nissan Navara which ended in drama at Benton Square shopping centre, Monday 13 November. The police Air Wing helped track the 36-year-old driver, of Cranbourne, to the shopping centre in Dunns Rd where he allegedly ran through the car park and attempted to hide behind a liquor store until cornered by a police dog which bit him on the upper arm, 1.30pm. The man was taken to Frankston Hospital where police expected to interview him on Thursday in regard to multiple offences, including aggravated burglaries, theft…
“TREASURE” valued at more than $2600 was found buried in a Mt Eliza backyard last week. Two young boys and their uncle came across the booty as they dug a hole for a tree to fill a gap in the hedge. Their spades kept bouncing off something buried deep in the soil – until they managed to dig up a box weighing 22kg. William, nine, and Thomas Gielen, seven, and their uncle David Dicker, discovered the box was full of coins and a tattered and stained note written by a Captain Snodgrass in 1976. The captain advised that he was…
THE police air wing, water police and emergency services crews were late last week continuing to search for a missing kayaker off Mt Eliza. Kylie Phillips, 44, of Mt Eliza, was last seen at the Canadian Bay Yacht Club, Wednesday 15 November. The alarm was raised when she did not return from paddling her green kayak. Her car was found in the club’s car park. Mornington police Acting Senior Sergeant Russell Sephton said SES ground searches overnight had scaled down but the bay search would continue. It is believed Ms Phillips has a medical condition. She is described as being…
EXAMS are over and six years of secondary college are completed, so now it’s time to unwind. Mornington Peninsula Shire is preparing to welcome scores of young people during Schoolies Week when they will relax on the beach, take in the sights and spend time with friends before moving on to the next chapter in their lives. To assist, the state-wide response Good Times, Great Breaks (GTGB) aims to ensure the young people celebrate respectfully and safely with minimal impact on the community. It will operate in the coastal shires of Mornington Peninsula, Surf Coast and Bass Coast and has…
By Hugh Fraser* WASTE was offensive and stuck in the ground to be forgotten until typhoid and cholera reared their ugly heads. It still is. In medieval times it dropped down from a hole in a plank in a room in the castle walls into another hole in the ground or at the bottom of the domestic garden. Fast forward 800 years to the 21st century – we still do so – into the septic euphemistically called “settling tank” to contaminate the ground water we love to pump up and use on our golf courses and gardens. As to household…
RETIRING mayor Cr Bev Colomb, above, said at the Tuesday 14 November special meeting that it had been “an honour to guide the council and to serve the peninsula as mayor”. Cr Colomb – who received the Mayor Emeritus award for serving three terms – thanked the shire’s CEO Carl Cowie as well as volunteers, local government ministers and the community “for their support”. (Mr Cowie was not present as he is overseas on a $30,000 study tour.) “There have been many highlights throughout the year,” Cr Colomb said, citing the transition to LED street lighting, continuing work on Destination…
SOUTHERN Peninsula Food For All president Ken Northwood said a large donation from the Southern Peninsula Community Fund had boosted its total to $26,090. “This donation will be a great help to us in providing more than 500 hampers to our community this Christmas,” he said. The Southern Peninsula Community Fund – an all-volunteer association – has supported the Southern Peninsula Food For All Christmas Appeal for many years. “[The fund] is approaching 60 years of service to our local community,” Mr Northwood said. “And, after opening its doors in 1975, the fund’s Rye Op Shop at 2141 Pt Nepean…
Somerville Highway Patrol are appealing for witnesses after a car collided into a tow truck on Peninsula Link on Monday. Officers have been told that a Holden Commodore sedan was travelling southbound along Peninsula Link between Eastlink and Frankston-Dandenong Road when the driver allegedly swerved in to the emergency lane and collided into the tow truck driver about 3.25pm. The 30-year old tow truck driver was conveyed to hospital with serious injuries. The 38-year old driver of the Commodore is assisting police with their enquiries. Investigators are keen to speak with anyone that may have been in the area at…
PENINSULA Aero Club members brought smiles to some small faces at the annual Australia-wide FunFlight charity event at Tyabb Airport on the weekend. The volunteer-run program was established to provide children touched by adversity with joy and inspiration through the exhilaration of flight. By the end of this year, the charity expects to have carried more than 10,000 children into the skies. Last Sunday about 70 children enjoyed a free light-aircraft flight as well as receiving a photo memento of the occasion from Harvey Norman, Mornington. They enjoyed a lunch provided by volunteers from Peninsula Aero Club and received a…
THE Atticus Health Medical Clinic in Carrum has received a welcome shot in the arm as the winners of the 2017 award for Best General Practice in Australia by the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners. Owner Dr Floyd Gomes started the clinic four and a half years ago and is proud of what his practice has achieved in that time. “It’s a big deal — I think it validates our willingness to be a bit different and try to extend beyond the clinic, and that takes a lot of effort from a lot of people along the way, including…
A BRAND new vessel, purpose built to operate the French Island Ferry service, has arrived in Westernport Bay this week and has begun daily operation. The new MV Naturaliste is an impressive 95 passenger vessel that will deliver a new level of comfort for guests. It is fully airconditioned and complete with large viewing windows and outside deck seating on the lower and upper levels. Named ‘MV Naturaliste’ after the ship captained by Jacque Hamelin who named French Island in 1802, the fast catamaran vessel is 18 meters in length with a total capacity of 95 passengers. Western Port Ferries…