MEMBERS of the West Rosebud Bowling and Croquet Club are ecstatic that Brian Richardson has been recognised with the 2021 Good Sports National Volunteer of the Year Award. Club president Phil Brown said the award acknowledged the time and effort Mr Richardson had put into improving the club, whether it be in his more noticeable roles of maintaining the grounds, organising social bowls events, or working behind the bar. “Behind the scenes Brian offers and has delivered so much more,” he said. “Brian is always around the club, whether it be applying his initiative and skills to extend the life…
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THE painters were keen to get a job and the cost, including paint, was agreed. “Can you start Monday?” the house owner asked. “Sure, although if it’s a northerly we might be here in the afternoon, or Tuesday.” The house owner was pleased with the price and the can-do attitude but baffled by the reference to the wind – it was an inside job. New to the Mornington Peninsula she later discovered the painters were serious – about surf. Surrounded on three sides by sea, including unpredictable Bass Strait, the peninsula is an ideal base for surfers. The type and…
STUDENTS are being encouraged to consider following a career path into the Mornington Peninsula’s $200 million a year wine industry. The industry group Mornington Peninsula Wine is working with members of a learning and employment network on “active vocational pathways” for students from the region’s 29 schools to work in the peninsula’s wine industry. The move is designed to help overcome labour shortages in the wine industry. Partnering with the Frankston and peninsula local learning and employment network (FMPLLEN), schools and students can take Vocational Education and Training Certificate (VET) courses in horticulture, viticulture or winemaking. The courses include “hands-on”…
AN innovative eye scan device to monitor brain injury for sportspeople is being used on the Mornington Peninsula and giving improved indication of date-to-test eye health. The device replaces the “follow my finger” test for ocular motor function and captures 1200 data points on eye movements in 10 seconds. The EyeGuide non-invasive test enables users to capture, chart, and analyse objective data to better understand overall wellness of the eye. Community Bank Southern Peninsula gave $3250 to Rye Junior Football Club, for half the cost of the equipment to monitor and identify head knocks that may result in concussion. The…
PENINSULA Health has won three prizes at the 2021 Healthcare Financial Management Association awards, which recognises talent and leadership in health organisation finance teams across Australia. Financial planning and analysis manager at Peninsula Health and winner of the innovation award, David Monaghan, said that as finance increasingly moved to organisational decision-making on healthcare, the finance division had become more intimately involved in the day-to-day operations of the organisation. “Our skill set is in analysing and interpreting large datasets to drive efficiencies in the service; to ensure hospitals and health services remain sustainable and operational now and into the future for…
MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire mayor Cr Anthony Marsh says he will be swapping chocolate eggs for saltwater this Easter paddling a canoe in Port Phillip and Western Port to raise money for emergency services. Cr Marsh says his trip will “shine a light” on the need to preserve the shire’s beaches and maintain its coastal infrastructure, such as piers, jetties, and boat ramps. The challenge will take four days, starting in Mount Eliza on 15 April (Good Friday) and finishing in Somerville on 18 April (Easter Monday). On the first day, Cr Marsh has set his sights on paddling from the…
A LOW key birthday celebration was just the thing for 100-year-old May Hobson on Sunday, as she shared her special milestone, or so she thought. Ms Hobson, a resident at Mornington Bay Care Community aged care centre, was delighted to discover her birthday bash was slightly bigger that she expected, with her daughter Sue Pugsley secretly inviting a few former neighbours and past connections. Mrs Pugsley said her mother, whose husband Les passed away in 2016, did not want presents, so surprise guests who were part of her life over the years were the best thing. The Hobsons had two…
A RARE portrait of Josephine Bonaparte stolen from The Briars historic property at Mount Martha in 2014 is now back on public view. The tiny portrait was one of 10 priceless Napoleon Bonaparte artefacts stolen from The Briars Museum, but the only one recovered after it appeared recently on an online selling site. It was reinstated as a key piece in the Napoleon Bonaparte exhibition at the Mornington Peninsula Regional Art Gallery on Thursday. The miniature portrait of Napoleon Bonaparte’s wife Josephine was allegedly discovered online by a Sydney art dealer who bought it on eBay for $250 before realising…
FOUR sailors from Mornington Yacht Club will be heading for Germany later this year after having won the under-22 category and open class events in last month’s Asia Pacific finals in Newcastle. Fifteen clubs from around Australia and Vanuatu competed in the titles on 26 and 27 March. The competition in Germany will determine the World’s Best Sailing Club of the Year. The Mornington team hoping to continue its winning form in Germany comprises skipper James Jackson, 17, Jack Eickmeyer, also 17, and 19 year old twins Lily and Matilda Richardson. James Jackson was last year’s Australian Sailing’s youth sailor…
MORE than $200 million worth of cars and modern art were on display last week when Pt Leo Estate hosted the Motorists Concours d’Elégance. The event saw car, art and food and wine enthusiasts view about 100 of concours and preservation-state cars. Pt Leo Estate, home to a $70 million art collection, was kept by the Gandel family as a winery and private retreat for many years but is now a sculpture park with 330 hectares of landscaping featuring works by Australian and overseas artists. Together with her husband John, Pauline Gandel has combined a knowledge of sculpture parks around…
MALCOLM Gordon’s new book ‘A Never Ending Journey’ was officially launched at Crittenden Estate Wine Centre on Friday 25 March. The Member for Flinders, Greg Hunt, launched the book, speaking on the importance of recording history for generations to come. The book is a history of the Mornington Peninsula and in fact a sequel to his earlier publication ‘Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula’ which first appeared in 1997. Readers of the new book will find pre-history, geology, natural systems, cultural landscapes, visitor attractions, conservation and expanding development, rural and coastal townships and their distinctive characters, alongside entertaining local anecdotes. Throughout there is…
A TOUCHING tribute to Mt Eliza’s Percy the peacock, who was hit by a car and died late last year, has been made by a local couple who the injured bird hiding in grass off Kunyung Road. The couple, Teresa and David Quinn, have mounted a beautiful and colourful peacock image on the front of their house to commemorate the importance of the bird’s presence to the community. Neighbour Dawn Whittaker, whose home was often visited by Percy, said the plaque was a beautiful celebration of Percy’s life and a reminder of how much he was loved by those who…
THE first piece of art in a ‘Billboards’ tour of Victoria by Indigenous artists is being presented by Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery and on show at 2061 Frankston-Flinders Road, Hastings, until 8 May. Mixed-cultural, First Peoples multidisciplinary artist Lisa Waup, along with artists Amrita Hepi, and Steven Rhall, have been commissioned to create new works for ‘Billboards’ in regional Victoria in partnership galleries. The tour, commissioned by NETS Victoria, an Australia Council for the Arts initiative to create a national network of visual arts touring, aims to ensure contemporary art continues to reach audiences. For the first billboard, Waup’s work…
MORNINGTON Park Primary School is celebrating its results, which shows concerted efforts to lift reading rates have achieved remarkable improvements compared to previous years. Principal Beverley Dadds said the school was “incredibly proud” to be recognised for the results achieved in Naplan, after ‘whole school community’ efforts during the difficult lockdown periods of the past two years. Ms Dadds said teachers had worked hard to improve literacy, with lots of one-on-one support, and the school moving away from levelled readers. She said classrooms were happy places of learning, now only filled with quality literature to engage students in reading. Feedback…
JOSIE Jones is one of those genuinely humble people who inspire by their actions, but never expect anything in return. Which is why the recent Order of Australia Medal recipient and environmental reformer wins hearts and minds wherever she goes, with her rare mix of intelligence and determination, underscored with a gentle focus on love, nature, and the environment. Our conversation begins with a discussion about her dogs, her now-deceased 15-year-old Jack Russell, Cocolait, that would accompany Ms Jones on beach rubbish pick-up walks, and the dog’s daughter Honey, who is now always by her side. It’s obvious Ms Jones’…
TO raise much-needed money to support mental health, Mornington Peninsula cyclists with the Ride for Relief team left for Mallacoota yesterday to enjoy some pampering before the ride. The group will be enjoying a pre-opening dining and bathing experience at the soon to be open Metung Hot Springs, where they will be able to relax in geothermal waters and take on breathtaking views across the Gippsland Lakes. The riders are preparing to ride across Victoria as part of a fundraising mission, and hope to build on the success of past Ride for Relief events. This year’s ride will be a…
By Lulu THE heroic life of Jeff Williams of Somerville has left an indelible footprint on Mornington Peninsula artists. The 57-year-old who died recently was one of the mainstays of the Mornington Peninsula Painting and Drawing Group Inc which is understood to have originally been an offshoot of the Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery. In spite of being in a wheelchair and attached to an oxygen bottle, Mr Williams held the roles of president and treasurer during his long association with the 50-year-old group. After Mr Williams was hospitalised with complications from life-long muscular dystrophy and heart/lung issues the group was…
OSBORNE Primary School students are being encouraged to embrace the joys of walking, cycling or skating to school, and are gearing up for the National Ride2School Day on 25 March. They will join 350,000 students across Australia taking part in the Bicycle Network campaign on Friday. Grade four teacher Nick Drysdale said the school encouraged student participation because the benefits of getting more exercise were clear. “Often classmates arrange to ride to and from school together, and there are the obvious exercise benefits that flow on to better concentration and better overall health,” he said. Mr Drysdale said walking or…
A SOCIAL experiment started in the United Kingdom to connect people though a coffee and a chat has arrived on the Mornington Peninsula. The Chatty Cafe scheme, which is now operating throughout Australia, aims to get people talking to build to social skills and connections within the community, and help to reduce social isolation and loneliness. Volunteer Mornington Peninsula coordinator Jacky Howgate said the concept was just starting on the peninsula, but already a variety of venues had signed on to participate, and the team of volunteer “chatters” who host a table and help conversation along was growing. British founder…
THEY come in all shapes and sizes, but they all have the same goals of fitness, friendship and fun. Mornington Mermaids is a swimming group that started early last year, meeting at Fishermans Beach every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 7am for an invigorating, cold water swim and after swim, cafe catch-up. Organiser Jacky Howgate says the daily dip is not about being fast or even a good swimmer, it’s about the benefits of aqua exercise, cold water and supporting each other. “Not everyone swims, some just float and enjoy the serenity,” she said. “I love each and every one…
WESTERN Port Men’s Shed is back in business in Bittern. After a long break due to COVID restrictions, president Colin Prowd said there was a need for a friendly, social outlet for men, where they could get involved in meaningful projects. Mr Prowd said some men were reluctant to get back out into the community after COVID, as were many in the community, and numbers were down at men’s sheds across the country. “We lost about eight members who have not come back after COVID restrictions ended, so we’d love to let men know that they are welcome to join…
MOST children love to draw, but few eight-year-olds ever get enough recognition of their talents to draw an audience or begin a potential career from it. But an art exhibition with a difference is now being held at the Artisan’s Alley in Main Street, Mornington until the end of March, featuring the works of eight-year-old Stella Mars (pictured). Stella, according to mum Steph Mars, has been dedicated to fine tuning her craft ever since she was two. But it’s not just family who have recognised her aptitude and ability to create eye-catching canvases. With Stella having sold several of her…
SKYLA Lauch wants to use her platform as finalist in the Miss Galaxy Australia pageant to lift the profile of Indigenous women and inspire others to reach for the stars. The 22-year-old from Rosebud, who is representing the Mornington Peninsula in next month’s national finals, has been modelling since she was 12 and is focussing on becoming Miss Galaxy because it would offer her a chance to be a bigger voice for Indigenous people. “As an Indigenous woman my main goal is to inspire and encourage other Indigenous women to be proud and be who they want to be,” Ms…
BROTHER and sister filmmakers Stephany and Julian Avila want to pitch their Mornington Peninsula-based mockumentary/comedy web series to film industry heavyweights and further develop the series. The Avilas, actors from Mount Eliza and Frankston South, have worked on many films and pilots together and have just finished a pilot episode for a national screen competition being run by Screen Forever and Tik Tok. Stephany Avila, who has been acting since she was four, and has featured in Australian television programs, said her and her brother Julian’s series Aussie Spirit revolved around Australian ghosts and the households they haunt. The siblings…
OPPORTUNITY shops on the Mornington Peninsula need shoppers to rediscover the benefits of bargain hunting, and volunteers to come back on board to help out. Both Fusion’s Thrift op shop and the RSPCA op shop in Mornington have experienced a dramatic downturn in trade and volunteers in recent times, affecting the amount of money raised for the services they provide to the community. Fusion is a Mount Martha-based youth and community organisation that provides a housing service and runs several programs to assist socially-at-risk young people in Australia. Its op shop in Progress Street has struggled to maintain volunteer numbers…
GARDENS for Wildlife is finally up and running on the Mornington Peninsula. The program, which was impacted by COVID restrictions, is a network of community groups and councils working together to care for native plants and animals on the peninsula. It is designed to encourage and support residents in creating a haven for local wildlife using indigenous plants in their gardens and is a partnership between Mornington Peninsula Shire and community members and groups that share the common goal of protecting and promoting native flora and fauna. Much of the peninsula’s flora and fauna is rare or endangered and gardens…
THE first Mornington Peninsula Art Competition “work in progress” by students at St Joseph’s Primary School, Sorrento is under way. The competition has been designed to raise awareness among students and the community on how to care for the peninsula’s marine environment and shoreline precincts. The school’s entry has been inspired by environmental advocate and past Mornington Peninsula Shire Citizen of the Year Josie Jones, known for diving for rubbish under Flinders Pier. Ms Jones was also a recipient of the local Hero Award in the Australian of the Year Awards in 2020. Sustainability leader at St Joseph’s Primary School,…
ORGANISERS of the weekend’s March4Justice event against gendered and family violence shone a light on the shocking rate of this type of violence on the Mornington Peninsula. In the first six months of 2021, 817 women reported incidents of family violence to police across the peninsula, almost double the Victorian local government area average. March4Justice is a national movement pushing for equality, justice, respect, and an end to gendered violence. On Sunday, participants marched from Rosebud pier, and along the Bay trail to the Village Green, where people with slogans called out for an end to family violence and speakers…
AN artificial reef being installed off Point Nepean next month will give anglers a spot away from busy shipping lanes to catch yellowtail kingfish. The reef will have 16 large concrete structures set in clusters of four about 50 metres apart. “Identical concrete modules have been deployed off the New South Wales coast at Shoalhaven and have proven to be outstanding in attracting Yellowtail Kingfish,” Futurefish Foundation director David Kramer said. “They quickly obtain weed growth and provide a perfect reef in strong tidal waters.” Once in place, the Nepean reef will be the largest artificial reef in Victoria. Mr…
VOLUNTEERS are standing by ready to help evacuate more than 500 kangaroos trapped on private property near Cape Schanck. The kangaroos, once under threat of being culled, are fenced in and cannot access their usual habitat of Greens Bush National Park. Members of the Save the Mornington Peninsula Kangaroos group say the animals have been there since last September “with limited feed and shelter”. Mary Waterman says the group has a “kangaroo movement plan” and has offered to provide one-way gates “for their safe removal from the property”. She accuses the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning of not…