Browsing: Feature

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…

MORNINGTON RSL hosted a stirring Remembrance Day ceremony at Memorial Park, Thursday 11 November. Official guests, Health and Aged Care Minister and Flinders MP Greg Hunt, Mornington MP David Morris, the mayor Cr Despi O’Connor and Cr Anthony Marsh, watched as MC Allan Vidler read the Lord’s Prayer and conducted the service before about 150 guests. Bugler Joseph Tobias played the Last Post and The Rouse, and Piper Lindsay Burgess played a lament while the names of the fallen from Australia’s two world wars and the Vietnam and Korean wars were read out by Valerie Wilson OAM. Ms Wilson has…

SOUTHERN Peninsula Food for All is seeking support for its 2021 Christmas appeal. Now in its 30th year the service has raised $3530 thanks to generous donations from Rosebud Bethany Lutheran Church and Hillview Quarries. More help is needed to enable it to give joy and encouragement to families and individuals in need within the community this festive season. Christmas food items together with new toys will again be distributed this year. All donations of $2 or more are tax-deductible and can be sent by cheque to Food for All, PO Box 440, Rosebud 3939. Donations can also be made…

A ROSEBUD man who spent 50 years in the television industry watched Friday’s state funeral for the legendary Bert Newton with more than a passing interest. The service at St Patrick’s Cathedral was, naturally, televised to a wide audience such was Bert’s popularity and his long-standing role as the quintessential essence of Melbourne. So the depth of feeling expressed by those who loved Bert didn’t surprise Ray Punjer one bit … Starting at Channel 9 in the late 1950s, Mr Punjer directed Bert on many of his most popular shows and counts himself as one of the great man’s closest…

AT 11am on 11 November 1918, the guns of Europe fell silent. After four years of bitter fighting the Great War was finally over. That date is now observed as Remembrance Day, and this year, members of Rye RSL again paused to honour the courage and sacrifice of those who served in Australia’s Defence Forces over the years. For more than a century the RSL has served its members, the nation’s veterans and their families, and strongly supported the defence and wellbeing of Australia. As guests paused for a minute’s silence on Thursday, they acknowledged the service of veterans and…

Woolworths is a proud supporter of local Mornington Peninsula suppliers like Mornington Peninsula Eggs. Peter Kambouris and his family from Mornington Peninsula Eggs have been producing premium free range eggs, with no antibiotics or chemicals, for Woolies for the past five years. Their hens are free to roam in natural grasslands, which results in eggs that are flavourful and full of nutrition. The eggs are then delivered fresh from the farm to all Woolworths stores across the Mornington Peninsula. Peter from Mornington Peninsula Eggs believes in allowing hens to naturally forage in open fields looking for food. He supplements the hens’ natural diet of grass, bugs…

UP to 12 people a week are being invited to receive a free hot lunch and dessert at the Holy Trinity Hastings Anglican Church hall. Now that lockdown has ended the meals, dubbed Trinity Tucker, are being served between 12-1pm every Tuesday, with the doors opening at 11.30am. No bookings are necessary. The service was paused in early August after opening in May, with the church paying for the meals with the help of donations from local businesses. Volunteers from the church will prepare the food for those doing it tough, in need, or just lonely and wanting to meet new…

A RED Hill South artist’s work reflects his love of the sea. Ron Farnill, 94, has been painting ships and maritime scenes for decades with his works regularly on show and being sold – such as at Oak Hill Gallery where last year he sold six paintings on the opening day of his exhibition. He also won the 2018 Oak Hill Gallery members’ exhibition and conducts watercolour painting classes and demonstrations there. One of Farnill’s works was shortlisted at this year’s Mission to Seafarers’ Maritime Art Exhibition. The winner of the virtual exhibition is yet to be announced. Mr Farnill…

Woolworths is a proud supporter of local Mornington Peninsula suppliers like Pure Peninsula Honey. Pure Peninsula Honey’s apiarist John Winkels has been producing honey for more than 25 years. After starting out with two beehives on his Moorooduc farm, John’s hobby has grown into a full-time business producing more than 20 varieties of honey and numerous honey-related products.  Pure Peninsula honey is cold-extracted to retain flavour and goodness and a number of their products are available in Woolworths stores across the Mornington Peninsula. In the bee-themed gift shop at the Moorooduc farm you’ll find beauty products made with honey or beeswax. There’s no waste…

IN January 2022 Mornington Rotary Club is set to celebrate its 50th annual art exhibition. Despite COVID restrictions organisers are confident the show will go ahead “in a very similar format to previous years”. Money raised from this 50th anniversary art show will go towards several Mornington Rotary Club projects including the Bay Trail being developed by Mornington Peninsula Shire and other Rotary clubs; completing a shelter over the Rotary long table in Mornington Park; and helping provide accommodation for homeless families. Mornington Rotary, with the shire, has recently installed a women’s bathroom in the Fusion building at Mount Martha. …

STORM chaser photographer Yanni was in his element on Thursday, although the biggest decision was where would be the best vantage point. Drawn to the darkness of wild windswept Cape Schanck, Yanni knew the possibilities of lightning and clouds creating an awe-inspiring silhouette and background for the both the lighthouse and cliff-clinging vegetation. He was not disappointed. Yanni has published a book, Beautiful Storm, which not only records many storms to have hit the Mornington Peninsula, Port Phillip and Melbourne, but also acts a diary for storm-chasing travels. The storm of Thursday 28 October shows there will always be no…

ACHING arms and shoulders next morning proved it had not been a dream – Crib Point resident Phillip Goepel had indeed landed his biggest fish so far. Out fishing with dad Greg, he had hooked a 141kg bluefin tuna at a depth of 33 metres not far from Seal Rocks, Friday 22 October. The pair, pictured, had left Stony Point about 10am and cruised the 70-metre line past Cape Schanck towards The Rip and then trolled skirted plastic lures on 37kg breaking strain line back towards Flinders. In 80 metres of water they were making a beeline towards Seal Rocks…

BALNARRING Junior Football Club is taking steps to minimise the long-term effects of concussion among its players. The club recently took part in a trial with a machine that quickly tests brain health by scanning eyes and can show signs of the condition which can worsen with ageing. President Dan Chapman said the club looked at how it needed to be a leader in concussion management as “any decision made now affects the community in the next 50-60 years”. The club’s committee decided it needed the EyeGuide technology but faced a problem in finding $7000 to pay for it. A…

THE Portsea Camp may be needed more than ever with young people reporting that their mental health deteriorating since the outbreak of COVID-19. But the camp needs community support to keep the doors open. The camp, near the beach in a bush setting, was established in 1946 as a non-denominational and registered charity governed by a board of directors. Since then, it has provided a holiday for more than 75,000 children. Chairman Mark Betts said the camp’s role was to provide community and charitable services to at-risk children and their carers – predominantly children with a range of neuro-diversities, LGBTQ+,…

THE number of artists along the Peninsula Studio Trail has almost doubled to 34 during lockdown. Regular open studio weekends and the group’s annual exhibition have been replaced with one online exhibition, which runs until 12 December. While in lockdown the artists have produced a range of works, painting, printmaking, ceramics, drawing and sculpture. Not all the artists have work in the exhibition, but their work can be seen on the website on each artist’s page. All works can be bought directly from the artists through the website. The exhibition is at: peninsulastudiotrailinc.org First published in the Mornington News -…

PREPS at St Thomas More Primary School, Mount Eliza, were planning to spend a big part of their first day back after lockdown yesterday (Monday) reacquainting themselves with their classmates. Principal Martine Verhagen said the 12-week break must have seemed an eternity for the 33 youngsters in their first year of school. “They will spend time sharing, chatting and reconnecting with each other as well as some learning today,” she said. “We have dressed up and hung balloons to help build up a sense of wellbeing and belonging among them. We want to show them how excited we are to…

SOUTHERN Peninsula Community Support CEO Jeremy Maxwell says a “huge thank you” to the Sorrento Boomerang Bags team for its $2000 donation to the centre. The team raises money by hand-making and selling reusable bags with the dual aim of reducing the amount of plastic in the community and raising money for community causes, such as Southern Peninsula Community Support. “These guys have supported us over a number of years and are great contributors to our community,” Mr Maxwell said. “As CEO I find it inspiring to have people who are so committed to helping their community that they find…

A TYABB family whose world “fell apart” when their son was diagnosed with cancer says support from their school was the “shining light” that helped them through. Miller Reid, who is being treated for a rare cancer of the spinal cord at Monash Children’s Hospital, has received strong backing from St Joseph’s in Crib Point, which included raising more than $3200 on his behalf for children’s cancer charity My Room. Miller’s parents, Jessica and Chris Reid, said since July last year, when Miller was diagnosed, the family has “been through what can only be described as hell and back”. But…

THE 2021 AFL Grand Final will never be “over” for Rosebud sisters Lizzy Peel and Janet Foote. The mad keen Demons fans are still daily reliving every exciting moment. “Janet and I were ecstatic with Melbourne’s win [against Footscray] and becoming 2021 premiers,” Ms Peel said last week. “We have followed them all our lives but never got to see the previous premiership in 1964 as we were too young.” That all changed on the last weekend in September, when the sisters sat together and watched their heroes walk tall. “We have been celebrating ever since,” Ms Peel said. “On…

WOMEN wanting to head outdoors, improve their fitness, or who are craving some well-deserved “me” time may enjoy the free Walk 4 Wellbeing – an eight-week focus on recovery, self-care and reconnection that started last Saturday (2 October) and ends Sunday 28 November. Participants will be joined by an online community of like-minded women who are ready to get away from being overwhelmed, recover from the impacts of lockdowns and re-energise for the start of 2022. Women can join the event no matter where they are. Everyone’s journey is different, so participants choose their own experience by selecting their distance…

MORNINGTON Mermaids were tooted, cheered and clapped as they took part in the Olivia Newton-John Wellness Walk last week. Setting off from Lilo Cafe, Mornington, at 11am, wearing masks and socially distanced, they walked along the Esplanade, through Mornington Park and down to the end of the pier, Sunday 26 September. They returned up Main Street to Barkly Street and home to the cafe for a “well-earned coffee”. Organiser Jacky Howcroft said the walk raised more than $300 on the day boosting the online total to more than $2100. “We dressed in different coloured tutus and took along our Mornington…

IT WILL be “tickets please” from a real station when the old Cheltenham railway station building is erected at Mornington Railway Preservation Society’s base at Moorooduc. The 140-year-old timber structure was recently trucked down to Moorooduc in flat-pack form where it will be assessed in detail before being put together to join other historic pieces of railway infrastructure on the site. The preservation society’s president Andrew Swayne sees it as an “absolute landmark project” that will provide a missing link in the station’s redevelopment. “We couldn’t even get the old station from Mornington,” he said, referring to the line which…

“KOALAS on the Mornington Peninsula are under threat and in order to protect them we need to understand them.” So says Kelly Smith, from Federation University, who is conducting a genetic study of the Mornington Peninsula koala population. The peninsula forms part of the Gippsland plain bioregion that extends into South Gippsland, including the Strzelecki and Wilsons Promontory bioregions, which contain a remnant koala population of special significance because of its high genetic diversity, Ms Smith said. “Prior to European settlement in the 1800s koalas were interconnected across the entire Gippsland plain, but are now separated by extensive areas of…

KOALAS and other native animals were treated to specially prepared meals last week to celebrate Moonlit Sanctuary Wildlife Conservation Park’s 20th anniversary. The dreams of a young Michael Johnston were able to turn into reality when the sanctuary was established by the Johnson family on 10-hectares of what was a farm and pony club at Pearcedale. Now it is home to more than 400 animals representing 70 species. However, while the koalas at the sanctuary always receive special treatment there are fears for the safety and survival of those in the wild across the Mornington Peninsula. Loss of habitat and…

BENTON Junior College, Mornington, is testing the power of flowers to “bring the community together”. The school’s front fence is being used as a base for a spring flower art installation, named Flower Ville in recognition of the Spoon Ville sites that appeared during 2020. “We chose flowers as a celebration of spring and the uplifting power they have on people,” visual art teacher Michele Marshall said. “We have invited our school community to contribute a homemade flower and attach it to the fence over the school holidays.” Ms Marshall urged other schools to establish Flower Villes as a “simple…