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…
Browsing: Mornington Peninsula
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…
FIREFIGHTERS and waste companies are urging people to not put batteries or gas bottles in household bins after a garbage truck fire early on Thursday 5 October. Bittern CFA was called on to support Crib Point Fire Brigade when a garbage truck caught fire in Crib Point. The Esplanade was blocked to traffic from Disney Street to Stony point Road as firefighters fought the blaze, getting it under control within the hour. Mornington Peninsula Shire Council is also calling for responsible disposal of hazardous materials. Dangerous items such as gas bottles and batteries should not be put in household bins…
PENINSULA Aero Club says that it has applied for a planning permit to “carry out maintenance works” on Tyabb Airport’s north-south runway. PAC president Stephen Braim said work on the runway’s 21-year-old sealed bitumen section of would ensure that it “remains safe and operational for many years to come”. He said the 45 metre wide runway was included a 10 metre sealed bitumen section with three meter rock shoulders and a grass section on the remainder of that width. Flyers distributed to residents by Tyabb resident Brewis Atkinson say that widening the. Runway “paves the way” for more aircraft movements…
SIXTEEN-year-old Balnarring resident Matty Meysztowicz has always had a healthy fascination with dog poo, recycling and innovation, not unusual interests given the teenager’s background. It has become something of a Meysztowicz family tradition to think ahead and plan for the future. The young Meysztowicz, whose father Ed runs a recycling plant in the south eastern suburbs, has an innovative idea to solve the problem of discarded dog poo and the plastic bags used by owners to pick up and dispose of the mess. The avid dog lover says he came up with the idea after seeing too many plastic-based dog…
MORNINGTON Peninsulas charity Saltbush Balnarring Beach is on the lookout for a new CEO, after Rachel Connor announced that she would leave the organisation at the end of the year. Saltbush was established in 1989 with a vision to provide short-term holiday accommodation for people from disadvantaged backgrounds, including those with disabilities, physical or mental illness, asylum seekers, refugees and families recovering from domestic violence. The organisation caters for more than 1600 people each year for short-term stays in its six purpose-built houses and arranges holiday programs for children to provide respite for parents and carers. Connor joined Saltbush as…
SUPPLY and demand are behind the disappearance of the ubiquitous red postal boxes from parts of the Mornington Peninsula. The removal of letter boxes from Rosserdale Crescent, Mount Eliza and The Esplanade, Mount Martha in September prompted social media protests about cuts to postal services. An Australia Post spokesperson said the decision to remove the letter boxes was made after “careful consideration” of a number of factors, including low use. He also said that there were four other letter boxes available within a three-kilometre radius of the ones removed in Mount Eliza and Mount Martha. The spokesperson said removing the…
MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire councillors may hold discussions in secret about whether they should publicly release advice they receive during their scheduled secret briefings. A bid by Cr David Gill to have the issue debated at the council’s Tuesday 3 October public meeting was stymied when the mayor Cr Steve Holland ruled that it could not be discussed in urgent business. Holland quoted part of the council’s governance rules which stated, “the chairperson must not accept any motion which is vague or ambiguous or outside the powers of council and … must not accept any motion question or statement which is…
SOCCER LANGWARRIN gaffer Jamie Skelly has wasted little time in refashioning his squad by signing two new players for the 2024 season. And a third newcomer could be on the way if discussions between the club and an attacking player reach a positive conclusion. Last week the local NPL2 club agreed terms with central defender Luke Adams and Queensland goalkeeper Griffin Bambach. Adams, 29, boasts an impressive CV. He has captained New Zealand at under-17 and under-20 levels and made five appearances for the full national side. He started playing as a junior with Auckland-based Fencibles United eventually signing for…
CRICKET PROVINCIAL MPCA cricket returned last weekend with one-day action. Reigning Provincial division champions Old Peninsula got their 2023/2024 campaign off to a good start at home against Peninsula division premiers Heatherhill. The Pirates chose to bat first. Their best performers were Dylan O’Malley and captain Justin Grant – O’Malley scored 53 from the opening position and Grant scored 51 runs batting at number five. Old Peninsula finished their innings after 40 overs with 175 runs on the board. Heatherhill skipper Kristian Miller led from the front, but he didn’t get enough help from his teammates for a successful run…
WITH voting already under way and Saturday being the final day for Yes or No votes to be cast in the Voice to Parliament referendum, four Mornington Peninsula Shire councillors have publicly stated their views. Just four of the shire’s 11 councillors issued a declaration stating they will vote Yes, although all of their colleagues were given the opportunity to add their name in support of the Voice. The four councillors – Despi O’Connor, Sarah Race, Simon Brooks and David Gill – are urging ratepayers to follow their lead and also vote Yes. A statement issued by the four councillors…
Vandalising Yes signs is anti-democratic Many community members have been saddened by vandalism to vote Yes signs across the Mornington Peninsula. This vandalism is not just random tagging by kids, it seems to be an organised campaign by people who, for some reason, are angered by the democratic process and the right of everyone to express their opinion. This has ranged from painting No across the signs to actually cutting the Yes from real estate type boards. This process would take some time and effort and property owners report feeling unsafe and violated by such a concerted effort to deface…
FOR some it conjures up images of Alice in Wonderland and the croquet-loving queen and her flamingo mallet, but the game means more to an increasing number of people on the Mornington Peninsula. The Rye and Blairgowrie Croquet Club is opening up the game to a new community of sports lovers by being one of the first, if not the only, croquet club catering to those who are disadvantaged, isolated and “disillusioned”. The RNB Croquet Club is a mobile/pop-up club working with community groups on the peninsula. Club president and co-founder Terri Manwaring, who started the club five years ago…
THE message of conservation will be spread at a communal colouring event later this month. The Australian Conservation Fund Mornington branch is holding a Community for Creatures day at Frankston foreshore on 22 October. Visitors will colour in a large banner adorned with endangered animals to raise awareness. Australian Conservation Fund Mornington member Sue Miles said she hopes the event will engage younger people in conservation efforts. “For Community for Creatures we’re getting people to colour in a banner with endangered species and we are presenting it to our MP Peta Murphy,” she said. “We are going to head down…
MORNINGTON Peninsula firefighters had no hesitation last week in heading off to help manage the Gippsland fires. Brigades from across the peninsula responded to a call out for strike teams after bushfires started in the East Gippsland, Baw Baw and Wellington Shire areas on Sunday 1 October. They were among more than 600 CFA and FFMVic firefighters, with more than 180 CFA trucks attending the fireground throughout the week. By Tuesday, fires near Briagolong had grown to 17,500 hectares and one at Loch Sport on the Gippsland lakes grew to 3000 hectares, before they slowed when a change of conditions…
A 19-year-old P-plate driver from Red Hill had her licence immediately suspended on Sunday (9 October) and her vehicle impounded after she returned a breath test of 0.213. At around 5am, Hastings police were on patrol when they saw a white Holden Commodore allegedly swerving all over the road, on Mornington-Tyabb Road in Moorooduc. The car was intercepted, and the P-plate driver was found to be more than four times over the legal blood alcohol limit. She will receive a summons to attend court at a later date. First published in the Southern Peninsula News – 10 October 2023
AN elderly female driver was taken to hospital with suspected serious injuries after her vehicle crashed into a house in Boundary Road, Dromana last Tuesday (3 October). CFA, police, SES volunteers and two ambulances attended the accident, which happened about 2.30pm. Witnesses said the roads were wet and slippery, and the driver have been travelling along Manna Street before she may have clipped a kerb and lost control of the vehicle, veering across Boundary Road and crashing through a property’s front fence and into the veranda. The driver, believed to be aged in her 80s, was trapped for a short…
MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire Council is inviting the community to have a say on a new strategic plan to increase the resilience of its coastal areas. The shire says its Our Coast Our Future Coastal Strategy will include long-term plans to manage current and future coastal hazards and risks, drawing on science, technical assessments and community input, and drive sustainable outcomes in the face of climate change. Stretching almost 200 kilometres, the peninsula’s natural environment, especially its coastal and marine areas, are diverse and always changing. The coast’s landforms and ecosystems vary from sandy beaches and dune systems, rocky shores and…
WOMEN facing family violence or homelessness are waiting up to 17 months for crisis accommodation as demand surges on the Mornington Peninsula and across the state. Providers say women victims are the hidden faces of the accommodation and cost-of-living crisis and are often forced to stay in dangerous relationships. The peninsula has one small crisis accommodation centre in Mornington, but Southern Peninsula Community Support CEO Jeremy Maxwell says it is mainly used for rough sleepers and not suitable for women escaping unsafe situations. He says many women are forced to stay in violent and unsafe homes because they have nowhere…
THE time-worn adage that it “takes a village to raise a child” is the unofficial motto of youth specialist officers on the Mornington Peninsula who are leading the way in proactive policing and initiative based support of young people. Along with youth resource officers, specialist officers like Somerville’s Senior Constable Trent Delaney work directly with young offenders to prevent recidivism and get them back on track. They work mainly with 10 to 20 year old offenders involved in serious crimes and network offending, including evading police, assaults, aggravated burglaries, carjackings and anti-social behaviour. Delaney says he has a genuine and…
PENINSULA Aero Club wants to widen the north/south runway at Tyabb Airport. In a planning application to Mornington Peninsula Shire Council PAC asks permission to add three metre wide constructed shoulders to either side of the 10 metre wide runway. Long time airport watcher Brewis Atkinson believes the widened and strengthened runway will lead to more commercial and training aircraft using the airport. Atkinson wants objectors to the plan to urge the shire to impose curfews on the use of the airport by non-emergency flights; set an annual cap of 18,000 take-offs and landings (with touch-and-go counting as two movements);…
A 21-year-old man has his car immediately impounded after he was caught speeding more then 80km/h over the speed limit in Dromana this morning. Somerville Highway Patrol officers clocked a Hyundai i30 sedan travelling at 181km/h in a 100km zone on the Mornington Peninsula Freeway about 3.30am. Officers spoke to the driver, who holds a probationary licence, and immediately impounded his car. The Prahran man is expected to be charged on summons with speed dangerous, exceed speed and other related traffic offences. Victoria Police News – Wednesday 4 October 2023