ENCOURAGING subdivisions, removing red tape and amending planning guidelines to incentivise housing construction have been suggested by a Mornington Peninsula charity to ease the housing and homelessness crisis. Peninsula Voice, which describes itself as a social platform for community learning, has compiled a comprehensive report on homelessness to raise awareness and foster an “all community” approach to solving the problem. A social movement with no political or religious affiliations, the charity is distributing the document to politicians, charities and housing groups while calling for “urgent” action. Convenor Peter Orton said that while there was a lot of good work being…
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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…
Water needed to flush away dog urine at shops Mount Martha village has several eateries/coffee establishments. One seems to be very popular, with patrons eating food, and their dogs filling the tables and footpath – a very pleasant scene. However, there are the shop’s corners and a post holding up the roof and the dog owners let their dogs urinate in these areas. The stench of dog urine running down the shop corners and along the footpath with people having to walk through this, is disgusting, while food is served. Some dogs are on their owner’s laps, with the dogs…
Words and pictures by Barry Irving RYE RSL was the venue for the annual dinner and presentation night for 100 Rye CFA members and guests on Saturday 14 October. Hosted by Paul Biaguerra, the evening featured the presentation of a framed certificate to Rye captain Eddy Matt by assistant chief fire officer Jamie Hansen, recognising the 75 years of the brigade’s service to the Rye community. A life membership medal was presented to former captain Glenn Diamond, who was a member for 20 years after joining in 2003 as a firefighter and becoming deputy group officer from 2021 to 2022.…
MERRICKS author Megan Rogers is not wasting time when it comes to telling stories, having signed a two-book deal for her novel The Anatomy of Tears. Rogers’ book is about Simone Wells, a psychologist who specialises in the language of pain, and whose own life falls apart due to her own pain. Wells escapes by taking a job in a country town needing a pain specialist, where she learns the stories of the locals, and realises there is more than one mystery to be solved. At the same time Wells questions herself and fears she is far from the woman…
MOUNT Martha resident and Cure Cancer fundraiser David Sutherland ran 10 kilometres on Sunday 15 October as part of the Melbourne Marathon Festival, and has already raised more than $2000, beating his $1500 target. Originally from Hamilton, 69-year-old Sutherland grew up on a farm with a brother and sister and now, as a father of four and grandfather of four himself, understands the importance of family and friends. Sadly, four important people in Sutherland’s life are now undergoing treatment for cancer, which is why he decided to raise money for Cure Cancer. “Right now, one of my amazing nieces, Heidi,…
SURFING has a history and the Vintage Surf Day being held at Pt Leo is much more than being “about a bunch of antiquated surfboards”, according to Paul Trigger. Trigger, of Trigger Bros. Surfboards, says the day provides a chance to “meet the people that created and rode” those surfboards. George Rice, one of the biggest surfboard manufacturers in the 1960s will be attending along with an early team rider Gail Couper, winner of 10 Easter Bells women’s titles. “There will be mind blowing surfboard collections from as early as the 1950s through to signed surfboards ridden by the professionals.…
MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire Council has assured residents not to be concerned if they come across asset inspectors using cameras to film the streets. During a month-long assessment of the shire’s 690km network of footpaths, contractors will ride small quad bike-style vehicles with cameras attached, travelling at walking pace. The cameras are filming the footpath structure only and will not record any commercial, residential or private property. The assessment is expected to be completed by mid to late November. The findings from the assessments will give the council information about the condition of footpaths to help it maintain the network of…
THE Victorian Electoral Commission is reviewing the electoral structure of Mornington Peninsula Shire and is seeking feedback from the community. The municipality is being reviewed by an electoral representation advisory panel, supported by the VEC, who will consider the appropriate number of councillors and wards, ward boundary locations and ward names. The panel will propose models for the council’s structure in a preliminary report, and the community will be able to give feedback. The preliminary report has been released and response submissions for the Mornington Peninsula Shire Council review will open on Wednesday 25 October and close at 5pm on…
MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire councillor Susan Bissinger says she is “not a pariah or a bully” but was last week about to start personal development training at ratepayers’ expense. She says the training was ordered by the mayor Cr Steve Holland after two mediation sessions involving him and CEO John Baker. “The first one with him [Holland} worked out well, but the second one not so good.” She said Baker had since barred her from directly contacting council staff, with the exception of a select few senior officers. This was something she found “very strange, as members of the public can…
Mornington Peninsula Investigation Unit detectives are appealing for public assistance following a series of burglaries at a building site in Rosebud where in excess of $10,000 worth of power tools and building materials have been stolen. There have been five burglaries between 5 July and 22 October this year on Bayview Road between the hours of 2am and 6am. On one occasion, the male offender has climbed the fence and located a wheelbarrow before filling it with power tools, hand tools, laser levels and tradies belts. The thief then carries away the stolen items leaving the wheelbarrow behind. On another…
BASKETBALLERS from around the state will descend on the Mornington Peninsula in November to compete in the Southern Peninsula Tournament. It has been estimated that the expected 25,000 visitors will also provide a $4 million boost to the economy. Held over 11 and 12 November and hosted by the Southern Peninsula Basketball Association, the tournament has been running for 35 years and is a highlight of the state’s basketball sporting calendar. SPBA general manager Ben White said the tournament would see the 600 competing teams use 47 courts at 18 venues. The tournament involves 250 volunteers and is being held…
Mornington Community Garden invites the community to its first open day since Covid, on Saturday, 21 October. There will be seeds, seedlings, plants and displays on raised wicking beds and biolinks. Relax with a ‘cuppa and cake’ special for $5, or browse through the used DVDs and books. For youngsters there will be face painting by Sue. Mornington Community Garden was established in 2000 and is now a wonderful green space where people of mixed backgrounds and abilities can share and learn gardening skills. The open day will run from 10am to 2pm, at Pine Reserve, Mitchell Street, Mornington.
ON and around World Mental Health Day on 10 October Mornington Peninsula police showcased the work of Sergeant Barry Randall, who founded Operation Soul Surf. When it comes to healing the mind, water and waves are the best healers. From early in his career, Randall became aware of the impact policing can have on a person’s mental health, describing “high highs and low lows” during his nearly 30 years at Victoria Police. Not long into his career, an attempt on Randall’s life in 1995 ended in a fatal police shooting. Nightmares followed, as did insomnia and PTSD; a diagnosis that…
THE former owner of Yaringa Boat Harbour at Somerville is hitting the trail for retirement in Frankston, but not without praising the area’s bushland areas and taking a swipe at authorities for ignoring them. “Everyone I know who likes a bit of bush walking and appreciating nature hops in their car and drives somewhere else,” Borzecki, who has lived most of his life in Somerville, said. “I am continually amazed at how few people know that we have more than 10 kilometres of pristine bush fronting onto the coast of Western Port, complete with large bush reserves. “The area is…
TWO words may be the deciding factor to hold an environment protection biodiversity conservation (EPBC) assessment into plans to build and ship infrastructure for a Bass Strait wind farm from the Port of Hastings. The Save Westernport group wants the project classified as a “controlled action” to trigger investigations into the environmental effects of a renewable energy terminal on Long Island. The group’s secretary Julia Stockigt says acceptance of the term by the federal government would see investigations “necessary to determine whether the potential impacts of dredging and land reclamation on Western Port’s fragile environment can be managed”. The state…
MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire Council officers have recommended planning approval be given for a temporary religious worship marquee on green wedge land in Pearcedale, despite 99 objections. The application is for a traditional Hindu puja for religious “land purification” that will run for one week, with two worship sessions of 6am to 11am and 4pm to 8pm. There are not expected to be any activities outside of the proposed marquee area, and no loudspeakers, microphones, music or bell ringing. Some of the objections referred to the “inappropriate” use of the green wedge, the potential for traffic issues, impact of neighbours, and…
THE last of the big guns has fired its final shots and been decommissioned at the West Head Gunnery Range, Flinders. More than 100 people, including Naval top brass and former staff attended the Tuesday 10 October ceremony to mark the end of the 76mm medium calibre gun’s role at West Head. Medium calibre training will now be provided via virtual reality simulation and onboard training. The 76mm gun was installed in 1992, and until 2019 used to train operators/maintainers and principal warfare officers from Australia and the Philippines. The decommissioning of the MK75-76mm gun represents the end of 64…
AUSTRALIA’S first equine-assisted therapy program to use retired racehorses is celebrating the Melbourne Cup with a difference. Racing Hearts, a charity that gives former racehorses a new lease on life through retraining and integration to therapy programs for humans, is inviting the community to be part of early cup celebrations and experience humans “helping horses helping humans”. Founded in 2018, Racing Hearts operates from a 12-hectare property in Balnarring with a sand arena for riding lessons with a therapy focus. The organisation has rehabilitated more than 100 retired racehorses, working with Racing Victoria with a large focus on their reset…
WORLD Polio Day will be celebrated by Victorian survivors of the virus at Hastings this year with the theme Stayin’ Alive. Hastings MP Paul Mercurio will open the Polio Network Victoria event at the Sanctuary Inn On Westernport on 25 October. “Polio Day, is an annual opportunity for survivors who met as children at various rehabilitation hospitals such as Mount Eliza, Fairfield, Lady Dugan or country centres, to catch up, and to discuss current health and management issues,” Mornington Peninsula Post-Polio Support Group convenor and PNV vice-chair Fran Henke said. Polio epidemics affected mostly children, paralysing limbs and lungs until…
AUTHORITIES are appealing for anyone with information about the apparent fatal mauling by dogs of a juvenile Australian fur seal at McCrae beach on Monday (9 October). The Conservation Regulator Victoria is seeking information after the seal was found on the beach with bite wounds and other injuries. Officers are investigating the incident following a report from the Melbourne Zoo Marine Response Unit which were alerted to a wounded juvenile fur seal by a member of the public. Marine wildlife officers attended the beach at 10.30am but found the animal had already died as a result of its injuries. The…
ANYONE living on an unsealed road in the Mornington Peninsula can be part of the dust suppression program. The program aims to alleviate concerns about living or driving on dry, dusty roads. In response to requests for dust suppression, the Mornington Peninsula Shire Council annually selects sections of unsealed and gravel roads, particularly important for community assets or roads used as a thoroughfare. Applications are now open for the dust suppression program. Any resident can put forward their application by visiting the website at mornpen.vic.gov.au/dustsuppression Applications close on 19 November and the program begins in early December. A list of…
MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire deputy mayor Cr Debra Mar was one of six councillors to vote for a move that effectively ruled out any debate about publicly releasing information provided to councillors during private briefings. Mar’s name was inadvertently omitted from the list of councillors backing a ruling by the mayor, Cr Steve Holland (“Council undecided over release of ‘secret advice’” The News 10/10/23). The other five councillors who also backed the mayor were Holland, Sarah Race, Antonella Celi, Despi O’Connor and Kate Roper. Against the mayor’s ruling were David Gill, Simon Brooks and Lisa Dixon. Crs Anthony Marsh and Susan…
SUAN Lee Campbell has a grand vision to bring people together on the Mornington Peninsula. A strong advocate for refugees and the disadvantaged, Campbell, of Rosebud, is hoping to encourage others to embrace newcomers to Australia and invite them to the peninsula to be part of the community. She has organised a fundraising lunch next week (28 October) to help support the refugee cause. “I think the peninsula is a great place to live and I would love to invite people to a lunch to listen to inspiring stories from refugees and share great food,” she said. Campbell said there…
DREAMWEAVERS is a series of short documentaries by award winning filmmakers Heather Forbes-McKeon and Yanni Dellaportas about three Mornington Peninsula-based women who have suffered adversity and inspired others. The films focus on the women’s objectives, motivations, challenges they face in relation to their goals and what advice they have for others. Ecologist and ethnobotanist Gidja Walker has worked for years protecting landscapes and overcame discrimination in a male dominated profession. She is a mentor to young women entering the world of nature-based learning and an advocate for traditional owner custodianship. Over many decades, Walker has contributed professionally and informally as…
VOTING patterns in the Voice to Parliament referendum on the Mornington Peninsula were close to those recorded across Australia, resulting in a clear No. The latest counting on Monday morning showed 57.89 per cent of No votes on the peninsula (60.59 nationally) and 42.11 per cent Yes (39.41 nationally). Neighbouring Dunkley, which includes Mount Eliza, recorded 50.07 per cent No and 43.61 per cent Yes. There were some pockets on the peninsula where Yes votes triumphed – Mount Martha and around the Red Hill area – but No votes dominated elsewhere, from Portsea and Sorrento to Dromana and across to…
A NEW charity – Fun in the Sun Foundation – aims to help families under financial pressure enjoy some time out over summer on the Mornington Peninsula. Led by CEO and founder Mary Toniolo, in association with Anglicare Victoria, the group has booked holiday houses on the southern peninsula to provide a week’s holiday for families with children. The foundation is the latest organisation to have offered children from less well-off families summer holidays on the peninsula. Holiday places for children have included Camp Buxton at Shoreham, founded in about 1925; Lord Somers Camp at Balnarring East in 1931; and…
A man has died in hospital following a bike crash in Blairgowrie earlier this month. It is believed the male cyclist was riding with a group along Point Nepean Road on October 1 when he lost control and fell over the handlebars, about 11am. The 78-year-old Kooyong man sustained life-threatening injuries and was airlifted to hospital, where he later died. Police will prepare a report for the Coroner and investigations remain ongoing. For the current provisional lives lost tally please see police.vic.gov.au/road-safety-0. Anyone who witnessed the crash or with footage or information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333…
MOTORISTS on the Mornington Peninsula are being reminded to be aware that more wildlife will be on the roads throughout the spring breeding season. The warning follows the death and injury of several koalas on the roads in recent weeks. The Mornington Peninsula Koala Conservation group has documented recent incidents involving koalas struck by traffic in Somers, Hastings, Tyabb, Mount Eliza, Shoreham and Rosebud. The group is calling on motorists to be wary of animals being on the roads, and to report any incidents at mpkoalas.org.au Volunteers from the koala group have been planting trees and habitat corridors for koalas…
THE Minister for Planning Sonya Kilkenny has approved Mornington Peninsula Shire Council’s amendment to apply a permanent heritage overlay to protect Fenton Hall, at Merricks North. The mayor Cr Steve Holland said the council was now working with the Friends of Fenton Hall on a restoration project to make the hall operational once more. “It will require fixing some structural and pest issues, including the rebuilding of several sections of the hall,” he said. “The restoration project is still in the design phase. Once that is complete, we will need to consider how we can fund the necessary work.” While…