Buses are replacing trains on the Stony Point line today (Saturday 21 December) after the Hastings Railway Station building was destroyed by fire overnight. Fire crews were called to the structure before 4am to find it fully engulfed by flames. The station has been the subject of recent discussion with Brian Stahl calling for the improvement of the rail precinct and the possible repurposing of the disused building for a social enterprise (Call for railway station renewal hosed down, The News 13/11/24). Stahl said at the time “As a significant public transport arrival point it leaves a lot to be…
Browsing: Hastings
A NEW ethane-generated power facility has officially launched at the existing Long Island Point (LIP) plant in Hastings – the first of its kind in Australia. ExxonMobil Australia (formerly Esso Australia) and Woodside Energy announced the $200 million Hastings Generation Project, saying it marked a milestone in the continuation of a reliable supply of natural gas to Victoria.The new facility uses ethane – a byproduct of natural gas processed at LIP – creating enough energy to power half the households on the Mornington Peninsula. Three Solar Titan 130 gas-fired turbine generators on-site will use ethane to bring power to the…
HASTINGS’ stalwart Brian Stahl has called on the state government to take action to remedy the “deplorable state” of the Hastings railway station. In a letter to Hastings MP Paul Mercurio, Stahl said “As a significant public transport arrival point it leaves a lot to be desired”. “Surely this is not an acceptable situation and certainly not a welcoming place for those who regularly use the station or visit Hastings for the first time by public transport. “On behalf of our community I appeal to have this unacceptable situation dealt with promptly and properly maintained in the future.”Nearly all stations…
PROUD and with a long history, the Hastings Senior Citizens club was first formed in 1962 as a social outlet for the elderly. To stave off the loneliness and isolation that often comes with old age. The club went from strength to strength, and a purpose built hall was erected for the club on Herring Street in the early 1980’s.Facilities aged over the years, but in 2019 the club received the “wonderful” news that Mornington Peninsula Shire Council and the state government would spend over $1 million refurbishing and extending the building to accommodate Hastings Senior Citizens club and Hastings…
IT has been a tumultuous year for the Hastings Club. Declining use of gaming machines coupled with soaring government charges and taxes had changed profits into losses post-covid. Attempts to negotiate with the state government failed the situation came to a head at a special general meeting on 2 April where members voted to place the organisation into liquidation.Not all was lost, though. The committee resolved to continue and formed a new entity unencumbered by the burden the gaming machines had created. The Hastings Community and Sports Club Inc was born. The chair of the new community club, David Gibbs,…
MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire councillors have approved the commencement of a preliminary concept design for a performing arts centre and precinct in Hastings. The motion was approved at the August 20 council meeting and would involve furthering the business case and concept development already completed and presented to the councillors at the meeting.The “Mornington Peninsula Performing Arts Centre” (PAC) would transform the five acre block of land bounded by High Street, Marine Parade, Herring Street and Salmon Street in to a multi-use performance and entertainment precinct. The feasibility report presented to councillors stated the cost of the development would be in…
PLANS to store up to 200 boats in four five metre high stacker sheds and build a 38 metre boat ramp at Western Port Marina, Hastings, have been rejected by Mornington Peninsula Shire Council.Councillors said the sheds could be built out of sight from houses in Skinner Street and away from mangroves that formed part of the UNESCO recognised Western Port Biosphere Reserve. Councillors voted against the proposed development on the Hastings foreshore despite senior planner Charlotte McGillivray recommending they approve it subject to some changes, including providing plans drawn to scale with dimensions.In a report to council’s Wednesday 14…
THE Committee for Frankston and Mornington Peninsula wants the state and federal governments to “confirm” Hastings as the site for a terminal to assemble offshore wind turbines following the awarding of feasibility licenses to companies involved in the project.“This development means the future of the Victorian Renewable Energy Terminal (VRET) proposed for the Port of Hastings is now crucial to the advancement of Victoria’s offshore wind industry,” committee CEP Josh Sinclair said.He said Hastings was “perfectly poised for the terminal and that the community now wants certainty”.This latest call from the industry lobby group for governments to back Hastings as…
RSPCA Victoria inspectors will join pet owners at the Mornington Peninsula Million Paws Walk in Hastings on Sunday 26 May.Last year, 808 walkers and 518 dogs took part in the peninsula walk, raising more than $24,200 to help the RSPCA end cruelty to animals.Each year the organisation investigates more than 3000 animal cruelty reports across the south east region, with 508 animals being seized or surrendered to inspectors. Peninsula-based senior inspector Maree Crabtree said there would be several inspectors on the walk available to speak to residents and answer questions. “If you are wanting to know what a day in…
HASTINGS not-for-profit Kindred Clubhouse has launched a new project to increase mental health awareness and care in the community, while raising money for peer support and homelessness.Kindred Clubhouse offers a free peer support model in the Frankston and Mornington Peninsula areas for people wanting to improve or maintain their mental health through friendships and purpose.Its new project, the Welcome Project, is giving the community a chance to get involved by decorating a sign and entering it in the clubhouse competition.Signs can be collected from Wednesdays to Fridays at 29 Marine Parade, Hastings between 10am and 3pm for donations of $5…
MORNINGTON Peninsula communities are being urged not to leave donations at charity bins that are already overflowing, with a recent case in Hastings highlighting the public nuisance element of dumping.In recent months dozens of bags of charity donations have been left around the Deafness Victoria charity bins outside Coles in Hastings, with uncovered items exposed to the weather. Pictures of the mess show the two bins and the surrounding area overflowing with donations which have to be taken to the tip. All phone numbers listed online for Deafness Victoria, the charity raising money for the deaf community, have been disconnected.Coles…
IN a record turnout at a special general meeting on 2 April, members of the Hastings Cricket and Football Social Club voted to place the organisation into liquidation.The dire situation of the club had been caused by the venue’s gaming machines. Declining use of the machines coupled with soaring government charges and taxes on gaming have changed the profits from the machines into losses, with attempts to negotiate with the state government regarding the situation failing.Although the task was grim, those present had their eyes firmly on the future. “There was an incredibly positive attitude in the room,” said club…
THE 20-year-old Pelican Park Recreation Centre at Hastings will be closed for four to six months from October.Mornington Peninsula Shire Council the closure is needed for such “vital works” as replacing plant equipment including heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and boilers and repairs to the pool shell. The centre should reopen in March or April 2025.These works are necessary to ensure our community can continue to enjoy visiting Pelican Park into the future.Mornington Peninsula Shire will provide regular updates while we work towards enhancing the facilities at Pelican Park Recreation Centre.“The maintenance and renewal of Pelican Park Recreation Centre is crucial…
RSPCA Victoria is inviting exhibitors to connect with hundreds of passionate pet owners at this year’s Million Paws Walk at Hastings. The Mornington Peninsula is home to one of the RSPCA’s main dog walking events, which provides the opportunity for businesses to make contact with dog and pet lovers, while raising money to end cruelty to animals.Event and community fundraising manager Kate Kasby said this year’s event was a special milestone. “We’re very excited for this year because it marks the 30th anniversary of Million Paws Walk and we are planning an amazing day out for all pet lovers,” Kasby…
ANGRY car owners out of pocket thousands of dollars are demanding compensation after their engines were damaged by contaminated diesel fuel at a Hastings service station. Several vehicle owners have told The News that their vehicles either stopped working or malfunctioned after buying fuel in the past two weeks from the United petrol station at 1996 Frankston-Flinders Road. The petrol station franchisee Ram Vidiyala has acknowledged there was a water contamination and that the outlet had shut down the diesel pumps as soon as he was made aware until repairs are made. Vidiyala said he had received the first report…
VETS for Compassion, a not-for-profit organisation of vets and assistants, spent more than a week trying catch a skinny and wheezy ginger cat hanging around a factory at Hastings. After many attempts, the crew was finally able to capture the scared and hungry cat, which was treated by the vets and is now in care with Forever Friends Animal Rescue until it is ready for adoption. The animal, which was suffering from a respiratory illness, had been hiding under machinery, coming out from time to time at workers – almost asking for help. Vets for Compassion is a registered charity…
THE state government has announced that a terminal to assemble offshore wind turbines will be built at Hastings while at the same time saying there will be “a thorough environment effects statement (EES) process” before the project progresses. In a statement issued on Sunday (10 September) the government says the terminal will be built at the Old Tyabb Reclamation Area and be equipped “for the receival, assembly and installation of offshore wind foundations, towers and turbines as a multi-user facility, with new berths, heavy duty pavements and major supporting infrastructure”. Energy and Resources Minister Lily D’Ambrosio and Ports and Freight…
A HOUSE on High Street Hastings was damaged after a vehicle ploughed through the front fence and hit the building on Saturday 12 August. Two Hastings CFA units responded to the incident, which happened about 4.30pm. Ambulance Victoria and police were called to the scene where the driver was treated for minor injuries. First published in the Western Port News – 16 August 2023
A man who rammed police and civilian cars overnight and the front garage of a home, has been arrested by police in Hastings. The man first came to police attention following reports he was asleep at the wheel of a parked car in Beilby Court about 10.50pm. Officers checked the car and confirmed the Holden Statesman was unregistered and the registration plates stolen. Police were initially unable to wake the man, so they moved in and placed tyre deflation devices in the vicinity of the car. Once awake the man ignored several and repeated requests by police to get out…
A HASTINGS laundromat has been temporarily shut down after a fire last Thursday (3 August) destroyed machinery and stock. The fire broke out at the Westside Laundrette in Victoria Street overnight and was responded to by Hastings and Bittern fire brigades as well as Fire Rescue Victoria. Firefighters were on the scene in minutes and crews donned breathing apparatus so they could begin working to contain the fire. It was a multi-service response, with Somers Fire Brigade turning out breathing apparatus support vehicle before Fire Rescue Victoria was called in for support and a ladder platform from Dandenong arrived to…
HASTING’S resident Melissa Stevens’ life could have had a vastly different outcome if not for the openness of her employer, The Hastings Club, to employ someone with a recognised disability. The 46-year-old has low lung capacity, a side effect of the autoimmune disorders she lives with and struggles with shortness of breath and fatigue. But that doesn’t mean she doesn’t want to work. The opportunity to get back into the workforce has given the hospitality worker a new lease on life, new friends, new energy and best of all, new-found confidence. Stevens had previously worked in the cleaning industry for…
THIRTY-five years after first being mooted, and after countless effort by volunteers, and hundreds of thousands of dollars spent, the plan for a sound shell on the Western Port foreshore has officially been killed off. The proposal was left off the Hastings Foreshore Masterplan last year, and the Mornington Peninsula Shire has confirmed it will not go ahead. One of the long-term proponents of the project and a member of the Western Port Soundshell Committee, Brian Stahl OAM, has expressed his disappointment and dismay at the outcome. “Those involved in the project are at a loss that after so many…
HASTINGS Coast Guard captain Jeremy West has etched his name in CFA history, becoming the first deputy group officer to be elected in a coast guard-brigade associated group. Joining the management team of the Western Port group, West will begin the role on Saturday, 1 July. “It’s the first time since we’ve established the Coast Guard Brigades that we’ve had representation at this level within the CFA and it’s going to be really beneficial moving forward,” West said. “I’m looking forward to bringing more of a focus to inter-agency services and showcasing the diversity of emergency situations that we respond…
HUNDREDS attended Sunday’s annual Reconciliation Walk run by the Willum Warrain Aboriginal Association at Hastings. The walk and celebrations that followed at the Pound Road gathering place followed this year’s theme: Be a Voice for Generations. The welcome to country was conducted by Bunurong Land Council’s Mark Brown followed by speeches from Willum Warrain president Jeanette Kaindel, Hastings MP Paul Mercurio, Mornington Peninsula Shire’s deputy mayor Cr Debra Mar and Willum Warrain CEO Peter Aldenhoven. “After the formalities were over we were entertained by Djalu dancers featuring Ganga Giri and our good friends from Mullum Mullum who come every year,…
A HASTINGS to Mornington bus service is one step closer after the state government announced an extra $36.4 million in this year’s budget to improve bus services in growth areas. Public Transport Minister Ben Carroll and Hastings MP Paul Mercurio were in Hastings on Wednesday to announce that planning is underway for the cross-peninsula bus link. No details have been released on when work might start on the bus route. There are currently no direct bus connections linking Hastings to Mornington, with trips requiring lengthy travel via Frankston. Mornington Peninsula Shire Council last year used the results of a community…
A DISASTER was narrowly averted after a heavy street light plunged more than 10 metres onto High St Hastings in the midst of busy late-morning trade last week. The light fitting broke off a 10-metre pole in high winds at about 11.30am on Monday, crashing to the roadway outside the ANZ Bank at the corner of King St. Staff members at a nearby business said it was only good luck that saved someone being seriously injured or killed. “It just came crashing down all of a sudden. There was a loud smash; it sounded like a car accident,” said an…
The operators of Waterfront Cafe in Hastings have placed the business into voluntary liquidation. Part of the shire-operated Pelican Park, the current operators of the cafe won the tender to run the business last year and took over on 1 July 2012. The operators of the cafe are believed to have been in dispute with Mornington Peninsula Shire over their plans to sell the cafe. The closure has resulted in the loss of four full-time and 10 casual staff. A sign in the door of the cafe advises the business will be closed until further notice.
A TEMPORARY roundabout will be installed at the high-risk intersection of Graydens and Boes roads in Hastings. The decision by Mornington Peninsula Shire comes after an increasing number of accidents, including three in June (The News, 2/7/13). Federal Coalition MP Greg Hunt has weighed in to the issue after a near-miss at the intersection on Monday last week. Mr Hunt, who has an office in Hastings and lives at Mt Martha, has been enlisted by the shire council to lobby federal Transport Minister and newly elected Deputy Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. Mr Hunt’s media adviser, Tina McGuffie, said the shire…
THE Otama submarine will be brought ashore within 18 months, says Western Port Oberon Association. At the launch of the Victorian Maritime Centre Project in Hastings on Friday, project development team chairman Jim Schaefer said the submarine would be the centrepiece of the centre. It will be next to the southern end of the Western Port Marina seawall in Hastings on reclaimed land. Next to the sub on the seaward side will be the maritime centre building and memorial walls. There will be a parking area for 120 cars nearby. The association was given in-principle approval to use the site…
MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire denies any responsibility for delays and costs associated with a $6 million affordable housing project on contaminated land at Hastings. The shire issued a planning permit for 20 houses to be built at the corner of Marine Parade and Church St but says it was up to the applicant, Low Cost Housing Pty Ltd, to say if there were any problems with the site. “It is incumbent on the permit applicant to submit all information relative to the proposed development including information about the existing conditions of the land in order to allow a full and proper assessment…