POLICE are preparing a report for the coroner following what’s believed to be a suicide pact between an elderly married Rosebud couple. A neighbour discovered the man barely alive and the woman dead inside their car in the driveway of their Adams Av, just before 4.30pm on Thursday 3 November. They were both in their mid-80s. The woman had been shot and the man was suffering life-threatening injuries from a 0.22 calibre gunshot wound. He was airlifted to The Alfred hospital where he later died. Investigators do not believe a third party was involved and the investigation is ongoing. Sergeant…
Author: Stephen Taylor
BASEBALLER Jayson Arthur had the time of his life playing in the Senior League World Series in Bangor, Maine, US. The Bittern player, 16, who plays for Sandringham Royals in summer and Dandenong Angels in winter, was a member of the Southern Mariner’s Baseball Charter which won through regional tournaments in Geelong, then the Senior League Nationals at Lismore, on their way to the “big stage” in the US. “We went through that tournament undefeated and I led the batting average with 825 and was really happy with the way I played,” said Jayson, who attends Dromana Secondary College. After…
THE state government has given the go ahead for a $95 million extension of Yaringa Boat Harbour, near Somerville. The $95 million harbour expansion was announced by Planning Minister Richard Wynne Monday 31 October. The announcement follows public consultation, Commonwealth approval and and conditions from an independent panel. Eastern Victoria Region MP Daniel Mulino said the project included adding 180 wet berths to the existing boat harbour to be accessed along a new channel, 400 new dry berths, 180 tourist accommodation units, new marine services facilities, 120-seat restaurant and a conference centre. “[It] will mean Yaringa is able to satisfy…
THE Halloween train huffed and puffed its way between Mornington and Moorooduc sidings on Sunday with hundreds of scary children dressed in their most frightening costumes. Fittingly, they were riding on a steam locomotive that had itself come back from the dead. The K163 – built in 1942 and rescued for the track after 18 years sitting on a plinth at Frankston’s Jubilee Park – has been a feature of the Moorooduc track for the past 18 years. In the fourth Halloween day festivities on Sunday it carried 380 children on four trips. Organiser Arthur Stone, of the Mornington Railway…
PARKS Victoria has warned residents abutting the Mornington Peninsula National Park that it is about to begin poisoning foxes and feral cats in the park. The baiting program follows the total ban of dogs in the park from today (Tuesday 1 November). The 2686-hectare national park, includes 42 kilometres of coastline fronting Bass Strait from Flinders to London Bridge, near Portsea. Parks Victoria’s area chief ranger, Southern Peninsula, Kris Rowe, said the bait being used at the Point Nepean and Mornington Peninsula national parks was the “more humane” PAPP (para-aminopropiophenone). He said animals poisoned with PAPP usually fell asleep and…
POLICE are investigating links between armed robberies on service stations in Mornington and Chelsea Heights and a McDonald’s restaurant in Carrum Downs this week. In the three raids, two men of African appearance wearing balaclavas, dark-coloured hoodies and one carrying a tyre lever, smashed their way into the businesses in the early hours while terrified staff members looked on. In one robbery a man was bashed. The men, aged in their 20s, ransacked cigarette cupboards and stole cash from tills while making violent threats. Their getaway car – a silver Holden Commodore sedan – was stolen from Aspendale earlier in…
WHO would leave a child alone in a car on a hot day? No-one would be silly enough do that, would they? Sadly, quite a few people do – and this time of year the warmer weather makes incidents even more dangerous. “This practice is completely unacceptable,” Mornington fire station officer Simon Mildren said. “Many people are unaware of the high temperatures that can occur in a brief moment of sun exposure on a locked vehicle. It can take only minutes for the temperature in a car to become dangerous and life threatening. “The message needs to be clear: Do…
LONGSTANDING Hastings Primary School teacher Julie Bryant, right, has been selected in the top three primary teachers in Victoria for this year’s Victorian Education Excellence awards, to be announced on Friday (28 October). She is also in the running for the Lindsay Thompson Award as overall state winner in all nine categories. Hastings Primary School principal Sue Lyons said staff at the school worked hard to ensure the community “knows about us and takes pride in the education local schools have to offer”. “In the recent nominations for the Victorian Education Excellence awards I nominated long standing early childhood teacher…
DROMANA Community Garden attributes part of its growth and health to financial support of service groups and Mornington Peninsula Shire. Lions Red Hill donated $1000 to buy water tanks, and Mornington Peninsula shire gave $5000 to build communal raised garden beds, compost bays and provide for two community days, a spring launch and autumn harvest. The shire also allocated $16,500 for a small dwelling at the garden, helped along by a budget submission from the Association for Building Community Dromana. Hardware chain Bunnings donated trees, tools and blood and bone and may be able to provide an expert to help…
A RYE woman has won the Dame Phyllis Frost Award for her project The One Tonne Challenge, which focuses on “giving back to the ocean by encouraging people to pick up rubbish at our beaches”. Josie Jones collected the award at Horsham, Saturday 15 October, in the annual Tidy Towns competition in which three Mornington Peninsula townships – Mornington, Hastings and Crib Point – were finalists in their categories. Horsham won the 48th Tidy Town Awards which are run by the Keep Australia Beautiful Council. Media personality Mark Mitchell was master of ceremonies. Ms Jones has a strong passion for…
A VOLUNTEER transport service which goes out of its way to get seniors out and about on the Mornington Peninsula has won an Age-Friendly Victoria award. Peninsula Transport Assist president Neil Toyne accepted the honour at a ceremony at Government House earlier this month. The service was formed to overcome two issues affecting peninsula residents without transport: the second highest proportion of elderlies in Victoria and the second lowest level of public transport. Added to this is the low proportion of taxis to residents. These factors combine to make getting around a tall order for a significant proportion of the…
VICTORIA’S longest serving police officers were honoured at a special morning tea at Parliament House last week. Police Minister Lisa Neville and Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton hosted the event in Queen’s Hall – where they thanked the officers for their dedication and service in keeping the community safe. Over their time the officers have witnessed changes in crime fighting techniques, including the introduction of random breath testing, drug testing and DNA profiling. It’s a whole new world. Among the 50 police honoured were Highway Patrol Sergeant Bruce Buchan, who has served at – among others stations – Frankston and the…
FENCES, trimming trees and erecting new warning signs are seen as the solution to crowd control at the Pillars diving and swimming spot on the cliffs at Mt Martha. Mornington Peninsula Shire has teamed up with the state government to spend $50,000 to lessen risks faced by the hundreds of mainly young people who flock to perch on the cliff faces on any sunny day. Police and shire rangers last summer booked hundreds of illegally parked cars on the Esplanade and surrounding streets, but the result has done little to counter the appeal of the Pillars. The scenic spot -…
STORM surges battered the much-maligned Mornington pier into submission again last week – causing more damage and forcing closure of the end section. Parks Victoria spokesman Lachlan Quick said during the severe weather on Monday 10 October, 10 wave panels were dislodged – with others still connected but damaged and likely to be removed. “This has impacted some of the timber decking as well,” he said. “The outer section of the pier has been closed to protect visitor safety and engineering inspections are continuing today and in coming days.” Divers were in the water Friday assessing the latest damage. New…
A $US12,000 basketball shooting machine at Mornington Secondary College is taking students’ skills to new heights. The imported US equipment, donated by former student Martin Scanlon, is a focal point at the morning Basketball Academy training sessions. It can be adjusted for speed, different angles, and ball returns giving students a range of shooting experiences in pre-set timeframes. “I grew up in Mornington and went to the school here and saw the kids training in the morning and wondered how I could support them,” Mr Scanlon said. “I think there is a real opportunity for the kids to improve using…
THE creepy clown phenomenon is concerning police, with their antics alarming motorists and passers-by. Reports of the clowns holding fake knives and cap guns and terrifying motorists along Frankston-Dandenong Rd, Carrum Downs, came to light Monday afternoon last week. The trio was said to be standing on the side of the road in full view of passing motorists. They ran off before police arrived. Senior Sergeant Kim Young, of Frankston police, said wearing a clown outfit was not necessarily against the law – it “has to be taken in context and depends on what they are doing”, she said. …
INTRIGUE surrounds the workings of the Peninsula Community Legal Centre, whose board resigned last month after their recommendation to solve a “governance problem” was rejected by members. Chairperson Amanda Graham wrote to members late last month saying independent legal advice had recommended the centre’s constitution be amended to resolve the problem, but that three proposed resolutions put forward had been voted down at a special meeting on 8 September. This prompted the board to resign – a move over which it is now backtracking to enable the appointment of an administrator “to demonstrate that all options had been explored in…
A WAVE of night-time burglaries at small sporting and leisure clubs across the Mornington Peninsula has members on high alert. Detective Senior Sergeant Peter Drake, of Mornington Peninsula CIU, said more than a dozen robberies had occurred at club houses at Rosebud, Dromana, Balnarring, Mt Martha, Merricks, Crib Point, Mornington, Flinders, Red Hill and Hastings. “They may be connected but we are not certain at this stage,” he said. “They are a warning that club officers should check their security and make sure windows and doors are locked, and that CCTV is installed where possible.” Flinders Cricket Club was hit…
TOURISM officials are optimistic a lavish golf, residential, conference centre and hotel development surrounding Moonah Links golf course will become a reality. The Chinese-backed project, valued at several hundred million dollars, is designed around its two 18-hole golf courses at Fingal. It will include a 450-room, five-star hotel, a conference centre with seven restaurants, and three grand recreation centres: hot springs resort, water theme park and spa therapy resort. A golf institute built on the courses will be linked to 12 golf schools in China. The Chinese-led Peninsula International Group is making a bold pitch for the project, with an…
JO Peterson’s “hobby” makes her a popular point of call for followers of fashion at this time of year. The Spring Racing Carnival and Royal Melbourne Show are the peaks of her times to shine. The Tootgarook student milliner had four hats on display at this year’s show and won Best Millinery Exhibit, coming first and second in the spring millinery category. Last year she was among the top 20 at the Oaks Day Millinery Awards, was runner up in the Peninsula Cup Millinery Award, won the Millinery Association of Australia student encouragement award for best hat on the catwalk,…
THE door to Frankston Football Club’s long-term future may be ajar – but the club formed in 1887 will not be permitted to field a team next season. ALF Victoria said on Friday it had formally terminated the Dolphins’ playing licence for 2017, and had already told the club’s administrators. However, AFL Victoria CEO Steven Reaper said that if the club’s ongoing viability could be proved over the next few months he was hopeful that a “solution that is both sustainable and viable can be considered going forward for a VFL presence, potentially from 2018”. This makes a meeting (Monday…
THE southern peninsula linking with Queenscliff, and parts of the northern peninsula becoming part of Frankston are two left-field suggestions were made by retiring councillor Tim Rodgers. The former mayor has decided against seeking re-election at the 22 October elections after 11 years as Nepean ward councillor. Cr Rodgers said the Briars ward – which includes Mt Martha and Mt Eliza – would be a natural fit with southern parts of Frankston as it was “not really connected” with the other peninsula wards. “There’s a rural feel to the other wards that’s not apparent in Briars, whereas it is similar…
HEAVEN knows how a cannonball lay undetected on Shire Hall beach for the past 120 years – until Peter and Fairlie Pirouc stumbled upon it last week with their metal detector. The Croydon couple often use their detectors to search for valuables, but never before had they been to the Mornington beach where the three kilogram ball was found only four or five centimetres under the sand. “We heard yesterday that it may have been from an old ship that came in,” Ms Pirouc said. “Or perhaps it came from the fort at Queenscliff with all the dredging? It’s one…
SAVE the Dromana Pier campaigners are buoyed by Mornington Peninsula Shire’s support for their cause, even though any decision on its future ultimately rests with Parks Victoria. Councillors voted at Monday night’s Special Council meeting – the last before the shire goes into caretaker mode – to advocate for the redevelopment of the pier to ensure its long-term survival. The group’s secretary Ray Barnard-Brown said the shire’s backing was a much-needed “shot in the arm” for their campaign. “It gives us added legitimacy,” he said. It also reinforces community approval for the 1862 pier – extended in 1873 and rebuilt…
PEARCEDALE man Bill Griffiths has been smiling ever since his son Sam’s equestrian success at the Rio Olympics. The international rider and member of the Australian eventing team won a team bronze medal and placed fourth individually making him the equestrian team’s best performer at the games. “It was a great effort,” Mr Griffiths (senior) said last week. “He did a great job for Australia; the Germans were red-hot favourites but Sam put us back into a gold medal-winning position – it was a great effort, he did brilliantly.” Day one of the eventing was dressage, day two cross country…
ALTHOUGH they were thousands of kilometres away in Somerville, Caroline and Peter Wagner rode the highs and lows along with members of Australia’s Olympic equestrian team at Rio. The couple’s business Wagners Saddlery supplied the bespoke clothing for all members of the eventing, dressage, show jumping and Paralympic teams. And, now that the fortnight’s frenetic competition is over, they can relax a little and take stock of another hectic period in their business lives. Ms Wagner said she and Peter and their six staff were proud of the way competitors looked in their tailored jackets, riding breeches, shirts, boots and…
A MORNINGTON Peninsula council candidate has withdrawn an application for a planning scheme amendment that would allow planes to be on her property abutting Tyabb airfield. Lisa Dixon and her husband Ken Ingersoll had sought approval to amend planning rules over their property in Stuart Rd, Tyabb. Ms Dixon says she intends to stand for the Watson ward seat left vacant since the resignation in May of former councillor, Lynn Bowden. “It has been a massive journey, not to mention the financial and emotional toll it has placed on us,” Ms Dixon said in a letter asking the shire’s strategic…
CAPE Schanck residents upset over what they say is unjustifiable construction noise at the new RACV resort believe their concerns are not being given “sufficient weight” by Mornington Peninsula Shire. They claim the council has failed to properly consider or interpret EPA Victoria guidelines in approving the builder’s request for extended working hours which allows works on any day except Sunday up until 9pm on 36 separate or consecutive occasions. “This is excessive, offensive and will be the cause of nuisance and loss of amenity to nearby residents,” objector Ian Renwick said. The mayor Cr Graham Pittock said he was…
MORNINGTON Peninsula ranked sixth out of Victoria’s 79 local council areas for animal cruelty, according to a list of hotspots released by RSPCA Victoria. Of the 11,840 cruelty reports across the state in 2015-16, 366 were involved the welfare of animals on the peninsula. RSPCA Victoria CEO Dr Liz Walker said that geographic analysis of cruelty reporting data will support efforts to focus on the areas that need it most. “Our vision is ending cruelty to all animals – and we know that prevention is the key to ending cruelty,” she said. “Over the next 12 months we will be…
FIRE fighting response times by several CFA brigades near Frankston and on the Mornington Peninsula are not up to scratch, the Inquiry into Bushfire Preparedness at state parliament was told last week. This damning claim has come from the United Firefighters’ Union which is at loggerheads with the CFA and volunteer firefighters over a contentious EBA. Response timelines were provided during last week’s inquiry into the state’s preparedness for the summer bushfire threat. The UFU said the required CFA response time for getting a truck to an emergency was eight minutes, with brigades from Mt Martha failing to meet this…