POLICE believe three arrests on the Mornington Peninsula are integral to their success in putting the brakes on two groups of hoon drivers that regularly hold street drag meetings in Melbourne’s south east. An 18-year-old Somerville man is among nine arrested in the past week by detectives targeting hoon behaviour in Melbourne’s south-east. Yesterday, Monday, police arrested and charged a Mornington man, 23, who they describe as “a ringleader” of the South-East Skids. He has been charged with six counts of reckless conduct endangering serious injury, and other hoon and traffic-related offences. A 21 year old Mt Martha man was…
Author: Stephen Taylor
IT’S almost time to say “arrivederci” to popular Mornington restaurant Mediterraneo, which will close next month. Owners Joanne and David Alesci say they are “tired and need a rest” after 14 years’ at the Queen St site. The pair took over David’s father’s restaurant serving Italian fare after training in city restaurants. They have been attentive dinner hosts Tuesday to Saturday ever since. “We’re a family restaurant that’s been very well accepted here and we’ve never needed to advertise,” Mrs Alesci said. “We’ve been blessed with loyal customers and staff members and want to say thank you to them.” Mrs…
RUBBISH dumped outside a public housing unit block in Mary St, Mornington, has been piling up since November attracting vermin and becoming a fire risk. A Mornington Peninsula Shire ranger reported the mess but, because the property off Spray St and behind Main St is on Department of Human Services land, he was unable to launch a clean-up operation. The rubbish remained – and grew – posing a threat to the 30 mainly aged and infirm residents in the units whose only point of access was becoming blocked by the pile. Mornington fire brigade twice put out fires caused by…
A FEDERAL election is looming later this year and Flinders MP Greg Hunt is being pressured by a group of grandmothers upset over the continued detention of refugee children. The 25 members of Grandmothers and Friends of Grandmothers Group living in the Flinders electorate met at Flinders last Wednesday and are organising a bus-and-car cavalcade to Canberra. The movement is growing quickly in Victoria and interstate, organiser Ann Renkin said. “As older Australians with various political party loyalties, our members are very concerned about children and their families living in detention centres at Nauru and Manus,” she said. To voice…
SUBMISSIONS for and against redevelopment of the old Carrington Park Club in Rosebud closed Friday. Mornington Peninsula Shire will assess whether the proposal should be passed to an expert panel for its recommendations, before a final say by Planning Minister Richard Wynne. The owner, Storemaker Pty Ltd, which bought the 3.27 hectare site in 2013 for about $2.2 million, claims its redevelopment will enhance the building’s heritage value and complement its original style. It says building six apartments inside the residence is the only feasible option, and that the lot subdivisions will be larger than surrounding home sites. But neighbours…
THE sale of Sorrento’s landmark Continental Hotel is believed to be edging closer, after being on the market for the past 12 months with an expected price of $15 million. ‘The Conti’, with 23 bedrooms, 10 bathrooms and 30 car spaces, has been owned by the Di Pietro family for 21 years. It was built in 1875. It is believed a consortium of local businessmen is negotiating to take it over subject to being allowed to build units on the rear, council-owned car park. The exact number is unknown, but a three-storey block with 30 apartments has been suggested. The…
THOSE backing a push to change the name Rosebud West to Capel Sound are gearing up for a council meeting next month when Mornington Peninsula shire will say yes or no to the proposal. A response in the positive would then go to planning minister Richard Wynne for his support and, later, gazettal. Between 5 December and 6 February the shire asked residents, ratepayers and the broader community if they thought changing the name would be good for the future of the area. The shire was assisted by proponents of the change who distributed two separate flyers to the 3500…
TYABB Ratepayers’ Association is ramping up its opposition to a pending “open cut mine” at Somerville which it says will generate profits for the quarry owners but losses to residents of Somerville and Tyabb”. Members are “considerably concerned” that further development and more intensive extraction works at the Bayport Industries’ Pottery Rd quarry will turn 24 hectares of the old Peninsula Pottery site into a 30 metre deep open cut clay mine. They say all vegetation on the site is, or will be, removed, and that, from this month, up to 280 dump truck-and-trailer loads of clay a day, five…
A POSSUM has been blamed for starting the three hectare blaze that threatened parts of Somerville, Tuesday, and destroyed 300 timber sleepers on the Stony Point-Frankston train line. Hastings police Senior Sergeant Steve Burt said he believed the marsupial caused an electrical fault in a transformer, generating sparks near where the grass-and-scrub fire started. But Victoria’s emergency management commissioner Craig Lapsley didn’t consider the possum theory when saying the cause of the fast-running fire was still being investigated. “We haven’t seen any lightning, that means it’s got to be the human factor,” he said. “Whether that’s a vehicle, a human…
A BUS being repaired on the side of Humphries Rd, Mt Eliza, rolled backwards, crashing through fences and into properties when the brakes failed, early evening, Friday 19 February. A mechanic tried to steer the Ventura Bus Lines vehicle while looking over his shoulder as it sped 300 metres downhill and out-of-control. The driver had managed to jump off as the bus began rolling, but his efforts to replace the wheel chocks failed and the bus gained speed as it careered first into one property, then through a side fence and only coming to a standstill after virtually destroying a…
MOST of the 30 Mornington Peninsula property owners at a dry conditions workshop at Tyabb Hall, Thursday, run livestock on, with a few engaging in horticulture. The Port Phillip and Westernport Catchment Management Authority’s Nicole Green said many landholders on the peninsula faced significant challenges in trying to manage their land during times of low rainfall or drought. “However, having the knowledge and resources available to help prepare for these conditions can greatly improve the resilience of their land and their ability to remain financially viable during these tough times,” she said. At the workshop, Agriculture Victoria’s Nick Dudley and…
NEIGHBOURS of the former Carrington Park Club, Rosebud, met last week to consider their objections to development plans for the site. They believe a proposed subdivision, of greater scale than originally planned, will have a serious impact on the character of their area. Deb and Howard Vorwerk said 29 neighbours met to discuss their concerns before the shire’s deadline for objections expires on 4 March. The 3.27 hectare site in Elizabeth Drive includes the former 75-year-old clubhouse – the once-private residence of the Moran family of Moran and Cato grocery store fame – bought by developer Storemaker Pty Ltd in…
JUMPING off The Pillars is a tempting challenge for the brave and foolhardy … and there’s no denying the increasing popularity of the Mt Martha clifftop. On warm weekends, hundreds of young people make the trip by car, boat and bus with fun and frolicking on their minds. But the danger doesn’t start there for those making their way on foot along The Esplanade. They first have to duck and weave around overhanging roadside vegetation, exposing themselves to vehicles on the narrow, winding stretch which doesn’t have a proper footpath. Mornington Peninsula Shire’s infrastructure services manager Niall McDonagh said the…
PRIME Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s Closing the Gap report, released Wednesday, shows an increase in Indigenous cancer mortality rates and a huge disparity in patient breast screening compared to non-Indigenous residents. This reflects a “concerningly low” rate of presentation by Mornington Peninsula Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women compared to other groups in the same age cohort. Presentations by ATSI women at BreastScreen Victoria clinics at Frankston and Rosebud are well below the state average. The Frankston’s presentation rate is just 19 per cent of the target age group (50-74), while Rosebud’s is slightly better at 26 per cent. Yet, for…
AN athletes’ training centre at Tuerong has been attracting a host of sporting groups to the Mornington Peninsula, including Super Rugby team Melbourne Rebels, Monash University Storm Netball Club and the AFL Umpires’ Association. The Compound, in Hunts Rd, specialises in outdoor training to suit all fitness levels, and focuses on using the correct techniques and building overall fitness and strength. Most training runs are done in a day, or even a few hours. Trainers encourage the athletes to step outside their comfort zones with training typically found on a military field, or obstacle course, rather than on a pitch…
WESTERN Port residents can have a say on proposed municipal ward boundary changes. The Victorian Electoral Commission is proposing reshaping the boundaries of several Mornington Peninsula shire wards, including Cerberus and Red Hill. The changes aim to ensure that the number of voters represented by each councillor is within 10 per cent of the shire’s average. If adopted, the rural northern part of Balnarring would be transferred from Cerberus Ward (Cr David Garnock) to Red Hill Ward (Cr Tim Wood), meaning 4765 voters (3.11 per cent of the total) would move to another ward. Red Hill Ward’s current enrolment is…
SOIL samples from HMAS Cerberus are being sent for chemical testing over fears that sailors could suffer long term ill-effects after having been exposed to a now-banned firefighting foam. The tests come after concerns were raised nationally about the possible dangers posed by aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF), which was used for decades at the Crib Point training base to practise extinguishing liquid fuel fires. The base’s commander, Captain Stephen Bowater, last week confirmed that the foams were used from the 1970s in fire-fighting drills on ships and inside the base, but phased out 2003-08 and replaced with safer materials. He…
MT ELIZA girl Lily Ford’s garage sale raised $275 for an orphanage in Nepal last week. Out went games, books, clothes, toys and furniture – and all sorts of knick-knacks that bargain hunters find so irresistible. But the sale had more significance for Lily than just raising money for a worthy cause. The charity it supported was the special interest of Frankie Davison, her teacher at Toorak College, who tragically died with her husband Liam when the ill-fated Malaysian Airlines flight MH-17 was shot down over The Ukraine in July 2014. Lily and the whole school simply loved Frankie: her…
POLICE issued 100 parking fines to drivers of cars parked illegally near The Pillars, Mt Martha, on Saturday 6 February. Mornington Peninsula Shire local laws officers were also booking cars, although the actual number of council fines issued is unknown. “The shire continues to have a strong presence in the area and will continue to issue infringements to vehicles parked illegally,” environment protection manager David Dobroszczyk said. “The shire continues to see increases in both illegal and inappropriate parking of vehicles on warm days where there is high visitation at The Pillars.” Many more infringements are likely to be handed…
TOPICS to be discussed at a lunchtime forum on Friday (19 February) include ideas and strategies to help businesses on the Mornington Peninsula. Water – its source, distribution, and cost – is high on the agenda. Nepean MP Martin Dixon listed the key topics as: Creating a year-round, economically self-sufficient tourism industry; Accessing a sustainable and cost effective water supply; Developing jobs, employment and training for local industry; Assessing growth opportunities for agri-business and/or agri-tourism, and Assessing the costs and limitations of doing business locally. Business and community leaders are expected to attend the informal session at the Nepean Country…
EMMA Hopkins’ determination to help restore fire ravaged parts of Crib Point led to a successful clean-up operation, Saturday. About 100 residents and 25 defence personnel spent five hours picking up rubbish and packing utes and trailers. Areas targeted were the foreshore, train station, cemetery, Bay, Lorimer and Disney streets, and Governor Rd. Mornington Peninsula Shire provided two rubbish skips which Ms Hopkins said “were full within the first half hour”. They were due to be picked up yesterday. “The amount of rubbish we collected was phenomenal,” Ms Hopkins said Monday. “We found ovens, fridges, freezers, a full toilet, tyres…
FLUKER posts have given Western Port residents and visitors a novel way to monitor and appreciate their natural environment. The posts were installed by the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning as part of a “citizen science system” in which people can contribute to the natural environment by taking photos from fixed points (Fluker posts) and sending them to flukerposts@gmail.com which acts as central depository. Three posts have been installed near Lord Somers Camp allowing people to send their images to a database where information about the local foreshore and ecosystem can be collated. Two of the posts are…
“SOMEONE cries and asks for help” every time Peninsula Advisory Committee for Elders chair Jeanette Lane and her group run an Elder Abuse Awareness Day. “People talk about family violence but we think elder abuse is about the second or third most common crime in the world,” Ms Lane said. “We run programs on elderly abuse at Rosebud, Hastings and McRae because we want to get the message out there and we see and hear about some dreadful aspects.” Ms Lane was talking in the lead up to the fourth National Elder Abuse Conference, being held by Seniors Right Victoria…
A GOLF course designed and developed by experts from the Mornington Peninsula has been ranked 24th best in the world – and it has been open just two months. The Cape Wickham Links course on King Island was given the honour by Golf Digest magazine from 32,000 courses world-wide. The Digest is regarded as the world’s most widely-read golf publication, with monthly exposure to 5.5 million readers. It produces its World’s 100 Greatest Golf Course rankings every two years. The links course was developed by Duncan Andrews, of Flinders, owner of The Dunes Golf Links, Rye, and was co-designed by…
AN established Flinders art gallery will close on Valentine’s Day (Sunday), with staff citing a shortage of new volunteers and reluctance by customers to spend on art works. The Studio @ Flinders gallery has been run by volunteers for the past 12 years. But the five-member staff – Judi McCrum, Meredith Merrall, Ruth Petersen, Kaye Price and Kip Turner – are finding the going tough and their sense of commitment is starting to wane. “[The gallery] is all artist-run and people these days don’t seem to want to give up their time,” Ms Merrall said. The volunteers originally thought others…
MORNINGTON Yacht Club has come a long way since 11 interested residents met to discuss forming a sailing club in February 1946. Members of the founding group wanted to sail their assorted collection of boats off Shire Hall beach. In May that year Mornington Council leased the group an ex-Army hut close to the pier. This served as the catalyst for development of competitive sailing in the district. Now, 70 years later, the vibrant and diverse club with more than 750 members will hold an open day on the weekend of 20-21 February. The Back to Mornington YC Weekend will…
BOMB threats created a dramatic start to the school year for hundreds of children on the Mornington Peninsula. Pupils at Mornington Park, Eastbourne and Sorrento primary schools spent a terrifying afternoon evacuated or in lockdown after their schools received the hoax calls – most via automated messages. For many pupils it was their second day of school. By Friday the perpetrators appeared no closer to being caught, with senior police still saying the calls appeared designed to “cause disruption and attract media attention”. Education Minister James Merlino said 20 schools across Victoria had received threatening phone calls alluding to bombings…
THE lack of suitable fuel depots for giant fire-fighting “air cranes” means the Mornington Peninsula is less well protected against catastrophic bushfires than it could be. The fuel, called AVTUR, is not stored anywhere on the peninsula, meaning the air cranes have to travel back to either Moorabbin or Essendon airports for refuelling – or depend on a road tanker from the refinery at Altona. During the disastrous – but relatively small – 18 January fires at Crib Point, a tanker was sent from 83 kilometres from Altona to refuel the Erickson water bomber at Tyabb. It was delayed by…
A MORNINGTON market stallholder says the town is missing out on the full potential from visiting cruise ships and possibly helping to turn the boats back. Pam Burrows, of Mt Eliza, who sells Australiana-theme souvenirs and gifts, says she was dismayed to learn the Mornington Chamber of Commerce committee had decided not to hold a street market because of traders’ objections. “I really feel that this is short sighted and detrimental to future visits by cruise liners,” she said. “From experience I know I have always enjoyed browsing the local artisans in a street or wharf market. “Normally, about half…
AN all-female patrol on Valentine’s Day, Sunday 14 February will – for the first time – protect swimmers at Gunnamatta surf beach. The “Pink Patrol” – part of the celebrations for the lifesaving club’s 50th year – recognises women and their contribution to lifesaving. Patrol captain Jill Douglas will lead the team on the day. She’s proud to be part of a “first” in the club’s history. “I’m really looking forward to Valentine’s Day,” the chief instructor said. “We have some very experienced and dedicated girls who can’t wait to team up and show a bit of ‘girl power’. “It…