ONE of the Mornington Peninsula’s bushland jewels and an important biolink for local flora and fauna needs a helping hand to ensure it remains an environmental and recreational resource well into the future. The Devilbend Foundation – a group of volunteers dedicated to maintaining the 422-hectare Devilbend Reserve, in conjunction with Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, Parks Victoria and Devilbend Landcare – is asking for more volunteers. Spokesperson Marnie Fitzsimmons said the focus of caring for the reserve was keeping it weed and rubbish free, and maintaining it as a wildlife corridor, which was challenging in an era…
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FIFTY-four-year-old Bobby Bajram has set his sights higher than most since being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis at 13, so it’s not surprising to people who know him that nothing will stop him climbing Mount Everest. Against the advice of his doctors, and knowing of the deadly risks, Mr Bajram is pushing ahead with his plan to climb 8840 metres to the summit and will head to Nepal in March next year. “Look, have a crack I say, I believe you have to push yourself and ever since I was told I had MS I have wanted to get to the…
THIS year’s Mornington Peninsula Walk With Women underlines the importance of ovarian cancer research, as participants remembers its founder and welcomes others touched by the disease. The 30-kilometre walk will leave Safety Beach Sailing Club on Sunday 6 February, and a five-kilometre walk that starts at Canterbury Jetty Boat Club, Blairgowrie. Since it began in 2016 with six friends, Walk With Women has grown to more than 200 participants and raised more than $80,000 for vital Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation-financed research. Ovarian cancer has no early detection test, so many cases are advanced when diagnosed and the survival rate remains…
ROSEBUD resident and member of the Lions Club of McCrae and District, Jack Milledge, was recently celebrated for achieving 50 years of service in the organisation. Due to COVID a celebration to recognise Mr Milledge for his work and service to the community was postponed last year until 23 January, when club members and members of the Lions district executive met at the Rye Hotel. Mr Milledge joined Dromana Lions in 1971 and in 1972 transferred to Rosebud where he became the charter president. As Rosebud did not take women as Lions at the time, he transferred to the newly…
IT is quite likely that a Viking ship built in Hastings will make a record voyage from Australia to Denmark. However, the ship will be carried aboard a modern day freighter rather than setting sail and relying on the stamina of oarsmen. Asbjorn Pedersen attributes his fascination with the square rigged ships to the “Viking blood running through my heart”. Now living in Mornington, Mr Pedersen was born on Bornholm, a small Danish island in the Baltic Sea, about 100 kilometres north of the fortress of Jomsborg. The fortress was the headquarters of the legendary Jomsvikings, a group of mercenaries…
CONNOR Sahaley has returned to his roots to complete two gruelling fundraising challenges for the ‘It’s Okay, Not to Be Okay’ charity. The 22-year-old, who has had his own mental health challenges, including the loss of a Red Hill business during COVID-19 lockdowns, has also known many in his peer group who have struggled with issues of self-esteem, identity and life in general. Knowing that he wanted to help, Mr Sahaley has been focused on raising money to help reach others struggling with the pressures of life and uncertain times. Mr Sahaley says he found his level of self-awareness and…
LORNA Grant turned 100 on 18 October last year but, because of a broken wrist resulting from a fall, had to quietly celebrate the milestone in hospital. A resident of St Johns Retirement Village, Somerville for the past 23 years, the real celebration was delayed until she came back home and COVID restrictions were eased. But the lateness did not make her birthday lunch – with her requested “party food” – any less enjoyable. Now living in the village’s serviced apartment, Ms Grant was born in Caulfield. She had a bother 18 months older and a sister 10 years older,…
ATTENDANCE numbers were down at last Thursday’s opening of the 50th Mornington Art Show, but sales have kept pace with past years. The numbers were restricted because of COVID protocols but a “warm, balmy evening with gentle jazz music, cool refreshments and quality finger food helped provide a warm, friendly atmosphere for those sponsors, artists and guests” who did come along, organiser John Renowden said. He said the natural light in the new studio and community house building at the corner of Nepean Highway and Wilsons Road, Mornington was ideal for displaying “the quality art work for all to enjoy”.…
CO-FOUNDER of the Mornington Botanical Rose Gardens, Laurie Taylor, has been commended by Mornington Peninsula Shire mayor Cr Anthony Marsh for his contribution to the gardens and the thousands of hours he has given over the past 20 years. With the rose garden committee and volunteers in attendance, Cr Despi O’Connor stepped in for Cr Marsh to present Laurie Taylor with his mayoral commendation, at the Christmas function held at the garden on 14 December. Guests heard about Mr Taylor’s 20-year journey with co-founder Don Gordon, whose tireless contribution has enabled the garden to grow to more than 100 garden…
FOR a brief moment in time on Saturday, as swimmers leapt into the water for the 36th Portsea Ocean Swim Classic, the world’s pandemic woes were forgotten. Masks were off, at least in the water, and perfect conditions and the thrill of the competition dominated conversations. About 2000 entrants flocked to Portsea to try their luck. Defending champion Jesse Coulson, from Anglesea, won the shorter 1.5 km classic with a time of 14:01, while fastest female was Torquay surf life saver Sophie Thomas with 14:20. Thomas said it was great to see a club implement so many extra precautions to…
ABOUT 1500 people in a remote Papua New Guinea village can drink water from a tap for the first time, thanks to money raised by several community groups, including Mount Martha Rotary Club. Previously, women and children from Sigri, in the highlands near Mount Hagen, had to walk more than one kilometre to bring home water in buckets. Several of the village’s building had metal roofing but, without gutters, no water was being collected and stored. Mount Martha Rotary set up a project through Rotary Australia World Community Service to raise money to provide Sigri with a reliable water source.…
BALNARRING resident Valda Angus says there is no secret to her longevity: It is simply a lucky trifecta of a positive attitude, a happy marriage of seven decades, and having “the best daughter in the world”. Ms Angus, 100, now lives with her daughter Gayle Anderson, but for 69 years lived with her husband Victor in Frankston, after buying a block of land after the war and building their home. Their marriage was a love story that started after a trip to the old Frankston carnival and then a meeting at the Frankston railway gates, where they were instantly smitten…
DESPITE his modesty and unassuming demeanour, Mornington Peninsula-based swimmer Chris Yencken is something of a legend in swim circles. At 66 and boasting a level of fitness many men half his age would envy, the retired banker is gearing up for his 36th Portsea Swim Classic, an event he has participated in every year since its inception in the 1980s. Yencken first took to the sport of swimming at three, when his mum enrolled him in swimming lessons at Sorrento baths. He has barely spent one day out of the water since and is now a regular competitor at swim…
THE 50th anniversary Mornington Art show will feature about 700 paintings, work from glass artist Roberta Easton, artist and sculpture Neil Uren and coastal art hangings by Amber Skehan. “Glass blowing is such a captivating medium, a truly worthwhile and satisfying art form,” said Easton, who has been a professional glass blower for more than 20 years. “In 1990 I was introduced to glass and immediately formed a strong attraction. From this was born a commitment to pursue glass as my chosen career.” A regular contributor to the show, Uren will be exhibiting some of his nearly one metre high…
A VIETNAM veteran is making Christmas gifts that bring joy to the little ones and raising money for his fellow veterans. Vic Alsbury, of Barkly Street, Mornington, makes and paints wooden toy trains that he sells from a table at his front gate. The trains, which sell for $75, are selling out quickly. Supporting the Vietnam Veterans’ Association is a cause dear to Mr Alsbury’s heart. “The vets have missed out on two years of get-togethers, such as Long Tan Day, due to COVID-19 and so I thought I would help raise some money for the committee this way,” he…
ROSEBUD Italian Club president Lorenzo “Laurie” D’Alia has been named Elder of the Year in the Mornington Peninsula Shire mayor’s senior achiever award 2021. The award to Mr D’Alia was among several presented as part of the shire’s Delys Sargeant Age-Friendly Awards announced Tuesday 14 December. The awards recognise individuals, clubs, services or businesses that contribute to building a stronger community for older people on the peninsula. Mr D’Alia was described as a “tireless volunteer”. His citation said that during the pandemic lockdowns, he “visited many older, isolated members of the community, and assisted with care and transport for medical…
YOUNG people feeling challenged by their teenage years, life circumstances, or want to find somewhere they can just be themselves are welcome to visit Jimmy’s at Rosebud. The sanctuary for marginalised, disengaged, and disadvantaged youth on the Mornington Peninsula is the creation of philanthropist Sarah Darling and the Jimmy’s Foundation board. It was opened by Flinders MP Greg Hunt on Monday 13 December and will be managed and fostered by the YMCA Peninsula Youth Services. About 75 per cent of mental health problems are said to occur before a person turns 25; one in 10 of those aged 12-17 years…
RESIDENTS at Morven Manor Retirement Village, Mornington have welcomed the installation of a plaque featuring the Uluru Statement from the Heart. With an average age of 75, the group of residents want to see the kind of changes First Nations people are calling for in the Statement from the Heart. None of the group received education at school about Australia’s past treatment of Aboriginal people. “What happened in the past is shameful,” village resident Joyce Toth, 94, said. Another resident, Maureen Donelly, said she remembered visiting Mooroopna with her grandfather in the 1950s. “Even as a small child I could…
SEVENTEEN past students were back at Sorrento Primary School on 1 December as part of its 150th anniversary celebrations – some being amazed at changes to buildings and grounds. “Many memories were shared,” principal Meg Dallas said. “Including how trenches were dug for World War II. “One visitor remembered jumping over the Norfolk pine at the front gate in the 1950s – making it over 70 years old.” Nepean Historical Society displayed memorabilia and photo albums provided by the school. “Those who attended the function enjoyed a trip down memory lane and will be sharing further information about the school…
YAWA Aquatic Centre is the 200th Victorian aquatic centre to join Life Saving Victoria’s Watch Around Water safety campaign. The campaign aims to reinforce the message about the importance of supervising children around water: younger children should be within arm’s reach and those under 10 within sight and under active supervision. The campaign places the onus on parents and guardians and their close attention to their children is a condition of entry to the aquatic centres. Life Saving Victoria marked the occasion with a celebration at Yawa last week. Manager aquatic industry services Alek Olszewski emphasised the importance of the…
SOMERVILLE resident Chris Renouf is training for the Nike Melbourne Marathon Festival next week to raise money for Very Special Kids. The children’s charity provides professional support services to Victorian families who have a child with a life-threatening condition. In late 2019, Chris and his partner Tess lost their two-year-old son Reggie to complications stemming from infantile onset pompe disease. Since Reggie’s diagnosis, Very Special Kids has provided support to Chris and his family, helping them through what’s been described as a “devastating journey”. The charity continues to provide the services of a dedicated support practitioner, professional counselling services and…
AFTER more than 20 years representing the people of the Flinders electorate in federal parliament, Liberal Greg Hunt is looking forward to spending more time at home with his family. When announcing his retirement from federal politics last week, Mr Hunt told parliament “it’s time to turn to focus on another family: Paula, Poppy, James, Elsa and Charlie the cavoodle”. “But for all the time that we have spent together, and as fond as I am of the Prime Minister [Scott Morrison] and the Treasurer [Josh Frydenberg], my card is ultimately elsewhere – sorry, Josh,” he said. “It is with…
JANET McNeill last week watched as what has been described as a tsunami of cloud rolled over Mornington. “It was eerie,” she said. “I went outside at about 5pm (Thursday 2 December) and just kept taking pictures.” At first the Mornington real estate agent thought the approaching air mass could be a dust storm, then she felt a strong gust of wind and what was later described as a “shelf cloud” was overhead for about 15 minutes. “It was incredible,” she said. Meanwhile, photographer Yanni, a noted storm chaser, had a feeling something unusual was about to happen and drove…
LIKE Santa’s helpers, the Woodworkers of the Southern Peninsula have been busy all year making 825 toys for charities to give to children this Christmas. The group’s president John Bayliss said the past year had been the toughest of 25 due to the challenges posed by the COVID-19 lockdowns and restrictions, . The Salvation Army’s Lynne Jones thanked the woodworkers for their donations and highlighted their “creativity and attention to detail”. She praised the team “for their gift of time and commitment”. “As you know, there is a lot of homelessness and domestic violence on the Mornington Peninsula and Salvo…
TWO Mount Martha students have been selected to play in School Sport Victoria’s 12 years and under soccer teams in NSW next month. Jack Barnet, who attends Mount Martha Primary, and Tilly Boadle, of Woodleigh School, will play in the Sydney International Cup at Cromer Park Sports Complex, Friday 3 December-Sunday 5 December. Jack is goalie in the boys’ team while Tilly plays attacking midfield in the girls’ team. Team Vic football’s Jeanetta Rodwell said Jack had performed well in a structured trial process before being selected. “Jack plays for the Mornington Soccer Club in the under-12s and has been…
TWO Mount Eliza brothers – both members of Portsea Life Saving Club – have been recognised for their efforts in saving three young women from dangerous seas at Canadian Bay. Their Everyday Lifesaver Award recognises “outstanding bystander rescues undertaken in a safe manner that doesn’t put the rescuer at risk”. In September last year, Oscar and Ryan Peddle were surfing a “bay wave” in 60-70kph winds and four-foot waves. The chaotic conditions were so extreme that Ryan said afterwards he had “never seen Canadian Bay like that before”. Hearing a woman’s frantic calls, the boys paddled their boards to help…
A MURAL at Dromana marks the 20th anniversary of the Rye group of community banks. Rye was the first of the banks, followed by Dromana and then Rosebud, with the Rosebud business centre added more recently. Senior manager at Dromana, Fiona Somjee, arranged for artist Wina Jie to create the mural which depicts peninsula people and the banks’ yearly contribution to sporting groups, CFAs, surf lifesaving clubs, and arts groups. Included in the mural are Ava Gardner and Gregory Peck on the Dromana Drive-In cinema screen from the film On the Beach. The central figure was inspired by Kanoula, a…
ARTIST Kitt Bennett has painted a mural to celebrate the opening of Jimmy’s Youth Wellbeing Sanctuary at Rosebud. During lockdown the courtyard and front garden at 827-829 Point Nepean Road was completed and a start made on the mural on the entrance wall. The design reflects items and objects of meaning to the young people who use Jimmy’s services. They include a combination of fruit/vegetables/card games/coffee keep cups and plants to create a welcome and hint at what to expect when joining the Jimmy’s community. Yoga, reiki, acupuncture, naturopathy, and mental health first-aid courses are just some of what members…
A BIO-INFILTRATION swale is replacing a dirty old storm water drain at Rye, to become the first of its kind on the Mornington Peninsula. Friends of Rye Foreshore worked in partnership with Mornington Peninsula Shire’s Chris Lyne, Jessica Wingad and Mel Burridge and contractors to weed the swale and plant about 11,000 indigenous, water tolerant plants as part of a natural filtration system. The plants will clean stormwater of pollutants as it flows through the sand dunes. Street litter will be collected via a gross pollution trap. A timber boardwalk along the swale leads to the beach. The group hopes…
THE 916 solar panels covering the roof of the Yawa Aquatic Centre reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 406 tonnes a year and saving $100,000 in running costs is impressive. But it is water, not statistics, that is the main attraction at the new community pool in Besgrove Street, Rosebud. After a lengthy lockdown, the centre opened to the public last week and welcomed a steady stream of residents keen to take the plunge. “Yawa Aquatic Centre is a great example of how we have maximised sustainability in the design and build,” said the mayor Cr Despi O’Connor, adding that the…