THE recently completed mural in Hastings at Ritchies IGA on Salmon Street by Julian Clavijo has won bronze as the 2022 Australian Street Art Awards’ Best External Mural. The 40-meter Painting Our Future mural was commissioned by Mornington Peninsula Shire to raise awareness and inspire community action on climate change. The Australian Street Art Awards, established in 2018, recognise destinations using public art to engage their community while also attracting visitors and boosting their economy. First published in the Western Port News – 15 February 2023
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THE inaugural Flinders Fringe Festival – a three-day creative arts festival to celebrate the diversity of the Mornington Peninsula’s art scene, will be held 17-19 February. Artistic director Melissa Jackson is one of the instigators of the event, along with a team of artists who aim to showcase local established and emerging artists. “Following a tough two years for the arts, the festival is set to showcase and support local artisans and performers with a new platform to share their craft,” Jackson said. Shen said there would be more than 30 events and a mixture of free and ticketed activities…
HASTINGS Bowls Club is abuzz with warm chatter on the first Friday of each month as locals attend Scones on Hastings. And Friday 3 February was no exception with more than 50 attending the first Scones on Hastings for 2023. In the wake of the pandemic and being isolated in lockdowns a group of locals, with the support of the Hastings Bowls club, decided to hold a welcoming morning tea serving Devonshire teas and coffee to help bring people together. This has now been running for more than 12 months. Even though the cost is only $2 for tea or…
AN inspirational eco agricultural movement on the Mornington Peninsula could be shaping the way forward for collective arrangements between farmers and the sustainable sharing of resources, knowledge and land. A small group of eco farmers have already taken up the ultruistic offer by a Main Ridge couple to share their 89 hectares (220 acres) over two properties and the hunt is on for other regenerative-focussed farmers who want to care for and protect the land and water resources. Beth Phillips and her husband Andrew Phillips, a co-founder of Camp Australia, are developing the Uncommon Folk farm – a model of…
THE 2023 Peninsula Film Festival went off with a bang on the weekend with over 800 attendees, enjoying a great night of entertainment. Proceedings kicked off with a musical showcase from local schools, followed by a performance from emerging superstar, Matilda Pearl. Festival patron Fred Schepisi praised the quality of the films, saying it was that the best bunch yet. And the winners of Peninsula Film Festival 2023 are: First place from @lexusofbrighton VICTIM by Robin Summons. Second place: HATCHBACK by Riley Sugars. Third place: ASSETS by Charlotte George. Also from ASSETS Best Actor (and writer of ASSETS) Miriam Glaser.…
THE incredibly moving story of the sinking of the Montevideo Maru in the Pacific – Australia’s biggest single maritime loss of life – was thrust into the spotlight again recently with the unveiling of a memorial seat in Mornington and a story board dedicated to those who died. The allied torpedoing of the Japanese prisoner-of-war ship on 1 July 1942 was an immeasurable tragedy, but one that somehow largely got lost in the horrors of the war. Unbelievably, the event is not something many Australians today have much knowledge of. But that will all change if the incident becomes part…
VICTORIAN Maritime Centre volunteers are inviting visitors and residents to discover a slice of Australia’s exciting naval history, and get a chance to see hundreds of exhibits that represent the region’s seafaring past. Despite the loss of the Otama submarine from Western Port last year, the centre’s secretary Rosie Kendall says there were still plenty of reasons to stop at the not-for-profit museum, from torpedoes to artillery and an underwater mine. There are also other vessel exhibits and a good collection of artefacts and memorabilia from the Royal Australian Navy and the Australian Merchant Navy. Kendall says some people may…
MORE than 2700 people took to the water on Saturday 21 January, all in the name of raising funds for the Portsea Surf Lifesaving Club and their life saving programs and resources. The day began at 1.20pm with the 2.5km Gold swim, followed by the 500m categories, with the signature 1.5km Portsea Swim Classic rounding out the annual event from 3pm. The youngest swimmer competing in the Portsea Swim Classic was 12 years old, and the oldest one taking to the waves was Pat Galvin, 89. The Portsea Swim Classic, one of the Mornington Peninsula’s key summer events, draws a…
AUSTRALIA DAY on the Mornington Peninsula was a time to celebrate the good things and people of the community. It was a time to recognise many people from all ages and walk of life who had selflessly given their time and energy to better the community. Citizen of the Year was awarded to Jack Van Der Zwart for his work caring for foster children, cooking for the homeless in Rosebud and helping those in need by providing meals. From 1980 to about five years ago, Van Der Zwart and his wife Arina took in 22 foster children, giving them a…
PLAYERS are limbering up for the 2023 Luke Batty Memorial Shield cricket match on 10 February at 5pm at the Tyabb cricket ground at Bunguyan Reserve. After coming off a successful 2022 Australia and New Zealand Police Cricket Club Tournament on the Gold Coast, the Victoria Police Cricket Club will participate in the annual Luke Batty Memorial T20 cricket match to honour Luke, support the Tyabb community affected by the incident and raise awareness for family violence and mental health issues. Australian Test Cricketer Brad Hodge will be a part of the day, while Hastings MP Paul Mercurio will deliver…
MORNINGTON Peninsula concreter Nik Shepheard knows firsthand the difficulties men face in recognising and dealing with depression, and has come up with a novel way of raising funds to increase awareness and support. On the Australia Day long weekend, the Bittern man will start on a journey to circumnavigate Australia by kiteboard, beginning at Mount Martha and heading west with the trade winds. Shepheard has been a kiteboarder for around 23 years and is confident of his skills, but also realises the trip comes with a large set of challenges. But he says the challenges pale when compared to the…
THE Mornington Yacht Club recently showed its community spirit, hosting more than 20 displaced Ukrainian youngsters who fled their homeland last year after the Russian invasion of their country. With the assistance the local Ukrainian community and Plast Ukrainian Scouts Australia, Mornington YC volunteers made sure the participants enjoyed some time on the water and a little bit of fun. On big boats, small boats and power boats all the kids got out on the water, with most taking the wheel or tiller. Then it was back to the club for a barbecue. Yacht club spokesman Peter Davey said the…
FIVE years ago, Julie Hooper’s life changed in a split second, as her body was crushed by a sweeper truck that had rolled out of control. In a coma for two weeks, Hooper woke to doctors telling her she was lucky to be alive, but that with a snapped collar bone, broken ribs and vertebrae, some brain damage plus a pelvis smashed in six places, the then 45-year-old had a long journey of recovery ahead of her. Now, at the age of 50, Hooper has just won the road race and the time trial in the recent Women’s National Paralympics…
THE unveiling of a commemorative seat at Mornington Memorial Park at 11am on Monday 23 January marks the 81st anniversary of the largest loss of life in Australian maritime history, when the Montevideo Maru was sunk in the Pacific during World War II. The memorial includes a storyboard paying tribute to the 1053 Australian soldiers and civilians who died when the Montevideo Maru was sunk during the Japanese invasion of Rabaul on 1 July 1942 and became was one of the most shocking tragedies of the war in Australia and in the Pacific. The Battle of Rabaul was the first…
Correction 24/1/2023AUSTRALIA’S largest and busiest drive-in, the Lunar Drive-in at Dandenong has not yet closed, as incorrectly stated in this article published in the The News, 16/1/2023. It has been sold for development, but will be open every night until at least later in 2023, according to drive-in directors Katherine and David Kilderry. ONE of the Mornington Peninsula’s most recognisable assets, the Dromana 3 Drive-in, recently notched up 60 years of providing access to a world of cinematic adventure. As part of the birthday celebrations, owner Paul Whitaker reflected on his 47-year connection to the drive-in, starting in 1975 when…
“SUSTAINABLE” artist Liz Walker is passionate about the environment and has created a series of inspiring and thought-provoking works to highlight the impacts of waste. In February, the Red Hill artist – who was the recipient of a Mornington Peninsula Shire Council creative community grant – will exhibit paintings, sculptures and installations that are not only beautiful to look at but highlight the negative impacts of plastic waste on the peninsula’s beaches. The exhibition has been around18 months in the planning and creating stages, with Walker scouring beaches regularly to repurpose waste into art. “The point of the exhibition is…
WHEN Harry the much-loved golden retriever went missing from Rye on New Year’s morning, his human family could not have predicted the incredible and heart-warming community response that would follow. Harry’s disappearance and eventual recovery gripped communities across the country, highlighting the power of social media and the amazing connection between people and animals. Soon after one-year-old Harry broke free of his leash and ran off from his “mum” Leonie Jarrett at the Rye shops, his devoted family took to social media to alert the community. For days Harry remained elusive and there were no firm sightings, with Jarrett and…
THE Portsea Classic will be held over the weekend of January 20-21, starting on the Friday with the Portsea Bay to Surf – two twilight adventure runs and a walk through Point Nepean National Park. In the Bay to Surf an estimated 1000 competitors will tackle one of three events: a 4.5km walk, a 4.5km run or a 9km run through the national park. The walk starts from Jarman Oval at 5pm, followed by the two adventure runs, finishing at the Portsea Surf Life Saving Club. On the Saturday, the 37th Portsea Swim Classic will take place at Quarantine Station…
THE four First Nations artists chosen to undertake a residency at McClelland Gallery, Langwarrin have been announced. The successful applicants for the residency were Robert Fielding, Amala Groom, Caleb Nichols-Mansell and Steaphan Paton. McClelland Gallery revealed plans for its first ever Bunurong Fieldwork Residency for First Nations artists last year. The four artists will live at the studio cottage for six to 12 weeks developing public artwork. McClelland Gallery director Lisa Byrne said the program would help address a shortage of “First Nations cultural markers” on the Mornington Peninsula. “The residency program will provide the First Nations artists with the…
MORNINGTON pier was the focus of the town’s attention on Saturday as it provided a safe berth for vessels from the past. Tied to the pier was the 27-metre Enterprize, a replica of the sailing ship used to bring European settlers from Tasmania to found the city of Melbourne in 1835. Unfortunately, offshore winds prevented the volunteer-crewed schooner from offering pleasure cruises that would provide insight into life aboard a 19th-century sailing ship. However, the attention of visitors to the pier was diverted as a boat from a completely different era was craned into the water to secure a mooring…
WESTERN Port Community Support prepared 350 hampers of food and toys to be handed out on 13 December during its annual Christmas Giving Program. Businesses, churches, schools, community groups, and individuals helped donated and helped pack and hand out hampers. The Hastings-based group is the largest provider of emergency relief and crisis support in the region, including food, material aid, housing and homelessness support. Executive officer Georgia Hourn said rising living and rental costs were forcing vulnerable community members into greater financial hardship, exacerbated at Christmas when there are additional expenses. The 20 volunteers who helped sort toys, pack and…
PEOPLE in need on the Mornington Peninsula and beyond will receive a helping hand this Christmas with South East Water employees raising almost $12,000 through their annual appeal. The Christmas Giving Appeal supported three charities – including Ford For Change in Mount Martha and Clayton, and Seaford-based Mums Supporting Families in Need (MSFIN) – to provide food, clothing, clean drinking water and health care. MSFIN marketing and fundraising manager Kim Michod said it was exciting to see donations of toys, clothes and essential food hampers left under the organisation’s Christmas tree to be distributed. “Thanks to the employees at South…
ON Monday Mount Eliza’s Toorak College celebrated some outstanding results from the class of 2022, with more than 40 per cent of students in the top 10 per cent in Australia by achieving ATARs over 90. The school reported a median ATAR of 87. School spokesperson Emma Castles said the dux of 2022, Anna Franklin, achieved an ATAR of 99.8. Dux proximus, Sophie Dahlenburg, with 99.2 was among 12 students with ATARs over 95 at Toorak College. “We couldn’t be more proud of our year 12 students who have role modelled for their younger peers that anything is possible,” Castles…
IT was a day of celebration at St John’s Anglican Church, Flinders on Sunday 4 December, when the Archbishop of Melbourne, The Most Reverend Dr Philip Freier, dedicated a stained-glass window created by renowned glass artist David Wright OAM and his wife Sue McPhee. The window, titled The Light, is the third in a project of three windows titled Sea Windows that now grace the southern side of the 130-year-old King Street church. Each window weaves the Christian story of Jesus with the fragile ecological environment of Flinders and its surrounds. This window celebrates the rough and magnificent coast on…
WHEN Melbourne-based doctor Graham Cato decided to open a clinic in Balnarring around 43 years ago, the best indicator that he and his wife had made the right move was the area’s unquestionable sense of community. Cato, who retired at the end of November, says that after four decades of providing GP services to Balnarring and patients as far away as Flinders and Red Hill, the warmth and openness of the communities remains the highlight of his career. “When we decided to start up a practice in an empty shop in Balnarring in 1979, the area was so quiet you…
CHRISTMAS is coming but there will be little to celebrate for many of the four-legged homeless this year at the Pearcedale RSPCA. The peninsula shelter is bursting at the seams with dogs, like many shelters across the state, and has come up with a promotion to help find them new homes. Throughout December, in an effort to rehome some and to make room for animals that are expected to arrive over the coming months, the RSPCA is running “mates rate”, where all adult dogs are available for $200. An RSPCA spokesperson said that since the promotion started, there had been…
IT’S beginning to look a lot like Christmas as the Mount Eliza community takes hold of the festive spirit. As part of a tree yarn bombing project, Mount Eliza Chamber of Commerce has invited the public to decorate the town centre’s trees in the Christmas spirit. Chamber spokesperson Alison Doherty said the tree decoration project had created interest from residents and shoppers from further afield, with young and old stopping to observe, touch and admire the different designs. More than 60 trees in the main Mount Eliza business area have been decorated by volunteers, including school groups, families, individuals and…
OFTEN seen behind the camera, Glenys Slade was part of the picture when this shot was taken by Bev Lowe at Mornington’s Wednesday market. Slade, a consistent contributor to The News with her photographs recording scenes around the town – flowering street trees, roses and catches at Mornington pier – plays piano accordion in Jack’s Band. With Jack Kirby on guitar and banjo and Bruce Mitchell on ukulele, the band entertains during celebrations at aged care centres as well as performing regularly at the market. “We met at the market and play old time music including such singalongs like It’s…
A GROUP of women at Sorrento has been stitching in time for 25 years, making up to 100 quilts a year to raise money for charity. The women meet at Sorrento Portsea Senior Citizens Centre and last week, while celebrating their long time together with a lunch at Blairgowrie, they were presented with a book by Amanda Stuart that “highlights the joy and companionship they have shared over so many years”. “They all feel the same – every member is kind, supportive and always on hand to help when needed. And everyone loves the afternoon tea,” Stuart, the group’s vice-president,…
IT’S not surprising that there has been a lot of bee activity around the Mornington Peninsula lately, with spring being the busiest time of the year for the pollinating insects. Just like many other living creatures, bees spend this time of the year restocking on food, as well as starting new colonies and moving around to find new territory. But there is no reason to panic, according to Mount Eliza beekeeper Christopher Watson, who says bees are generally placid and deserve human respect for the benefits they bring to the environment. Watson only became interested in beekeeping a few years…