By Barry IrvingRye Sports and Social Club held its annual Sports Person of the Year awards at the Rye Hotel on Wednesday, 22 October. Guests included club sponsor Southern Peninsula Community Bank Bendigo Bank, led by board chairman Vin Cheers and accompanied by Paul Zaltsberg and Renae Dunston. The Mornington Peninsula Shire was represented by Andrea Allen and Cam Williams, while Rye RSL was represented by Bruce White and Andrew Laing. Life members, nominees, club delegates, and family also attended. MC for the evening was Gary Sanford, with nominees interviewed by Fiona Shepheard-Sanford and Vicki O’Sullivan.Nominees for the awards were:…
Browsing: Mornington Peninsula
NESTLED among the rolling hills and towering gums, the Hill & Ridge Community Market is fast becoming a must-visit destination for locals and visitors alike. Held on the first Saturday of each month at the Red Hill Recreation Reserve, the market brings together a variety of stallholders showcasing the very best of the Mornington Peninsula and beyond.In 2024, the Red Hill Agricultural & Horticultural Society – proud custodians of the Red Hill Show since 1922 – embraced the opportunity to run the monthly market, ensuring it continues to thrive as a celebration of community, creativity and country life.From artisan breads…
BUSINESS leaders are joining forces on 9 November to raise funds for vulnerable children’s mental health and wellbeing through the Sorrento Bay Stride or Ride 2025.The community event brings together walkers, cyclists, sponsors, and leaders with one goal: to support children facing disadvantages, trauma, and social isolation in Victoria. The funds raised help provide life-changing programs that build resilience, confidence, and connection for these vulnerable kids.Now in its fourth year, Stride or Ride was started by the Sorrento Bay Riders, a group of passionate cycling enthusiasts. This year, notable participants include property developer and philanthropist Max Beck, TLC Healthcare CEO…
TOOTGAROOK Primary School celebrated a major milestone last week, marking 75 years of educating and inspiring young minds in the community.Families, past students, staff, and community members came together for an afternoon of fun, nostalgia, and entertainment on 24 October. The festivities included performances by foundation and year one students, past and present students, and the school band. There were also interviews with former staff and students offering a fascinating glimpse into the school’s rich history.A time capsule opening revealed items from decades past while a photo gallery displayed snapshots of the school’s journey over the years. Another highlight was…
THE Southern Women’s Action Network (SWAN) will be hosting Roundtable 2 this November – a forum that will bring together community leaders, service providers, and government representatives to discuss strategies to address the peninsula’s growing housing and homelessness crisis.The Federal Government’s Housing and Homelessness Special Envoy, Josh Burns, will attend the event. He said he wants to hear directly from local organisations working to assist vulnerable residents. The discussion will focus on community concerns, current support efforts and both short and long-term possible solutions.The peninsula has experienced an increase in homelessness over the past few years. According to SWAN, a…
DRIVERS have been left facing costly repairs after a large pothole on Mornington-Tyabb Road caused significant damage to vehicles earlier this week.The pothole, located roughly 500 metres from the Coolart Rd roundabout near Brideoake Racing, has opened along a busy detour route. With freeway closures causing an inflow of traffic to the area, drivers say the road’s condition has become increasingly unsafe.One driver, Phil Robertson, hit the pothole around 4:15pm on 22 October. “I saw a crater. It wasn’t a puddle, it was a hole, which was about a metre and a half long, and it must have been 15…
MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire councillors have backed new measures to improve landslide and erosion management, including public access to data and stronger planning controls in high-risk areas.At their 14 October council meeting, councillors unanimously voted to introduce an interim Erosion Management Overlay (EMO) across high-risk parts of the Mornington Peninsula. An EMO is a planning control that identifies land vulnerable to erosion or landslides, allowing the shire to enforce stronger regulations on development to protect safety and stability.As part of the new measures, the shire would make landslide susceptibility data from its Landslide Susceptibility Assessment publicly available. The move will help…
A PERFECT evening of sunshine, sea breezes, and community spirit set the stage for this year’s Mayoral Charity event, the Mayday Cruise, which raised a record $61,278.77 for local groups.Hosted by mayor Cr Anthony Marsh aboard the MV Queenscliff, operated by Searoad Ferries, the 18 October event welcomed over 250 guests from across the peninsula for an evening of entertainment, dining, and fundraising. They were greeted with canapés, fresh oysters, and sparkling beverages, complemented by a selection of local wines, beers, ciders, and rum.The Royal Australian Navy Band performed on the pier prior to departure, while The Baker Boys Band…
THE Australian Electoral Commission has released data on the battle for the seat of Flinders, showing substantial donations and expenditure for the Ben Smith campaign, but “zero” returns from Labor and the Liberal Party.Under the AEC rules, the “Transparency Register” does not include the candidates from registered political parties who “may submit a ‘nil return’ and roll their reporting into the annual return for their party if those financial transactions were the responsibility of a party committee”.That data is due to be released on 2 February 2026 but will only provide donation and expenditure for those parties overall and not…
Police are appealing for witnesses following a near-miss at a pedestrian crossing in Mornington earlier this month. It is understood a red Mazda 121 was speeding southbound on the Nepean Highway and failed to stop at a red light at the intersection of Main Street about 10.30pm on Friday, 3 October. Five pedestrians were walking across the road at time and were almost struck by the car. They narrowly escaped any physical injuries. Police believe some of the pedestrians filmed the offending vehicle as it continued driving, just after the red light camera flashed. Investigators would like to speak to…
Emergency services are continuing to search for a man missing in the waters off Mornington Pier. By midday, the man had been missing in the frigid waters for over 12 hours, and distraught family had gathered at the pier waiting for news. A large contingent of television media were also assembled on the point above the pier. It is understood a small boat, with two people onboard, overturned around 1km from the shore late last night (Friday 24/10), with emergency services were called to Schnapper Point Drive about 11.15pm. One man was rescued by another boat. He was assessed by…
Police are currently searching for a man in water near Mornington Pier. It is understood a small boat, with two people onboard, overturned around 1km from the shore. Emergency services were called to Schnapper Point Drive about 11.15pm. One man was rescued by another boat. He was assessed by paramedics and was not seriously injured. The second male occupant, believed to be in his 20s, is outstanding. An immediate search commenced involving Water Police, Air Wing and Uniform officers, with assistance from HEMS, Life Saving Victoria and the coast guard. Anyone who witnessed the incident or has information is urged…
DEVILBEND Golf Club has been named the winner of “Most Outstanding Club, Facility, Place to Play – Metropolitan Region.” at the Victorian Golf Industry Awards.“This is an incredible recognition of our club’s ongoing commitment to providing a welcoming, inclusive, and community-focused golfing experience. It reflects the hard work, passion, and dedication of our members, volunteers, staff, and committee who together make Devilbend such a special place to play,” said the general manager of the club, Tim O’Sullivan.The award citation states “Devilbend Golf Club has emerged as a leader in community-focused inclusive golf, with a clear commitment to making the game…
A MOTION seeking to change council meeting governance rules to increase “scrutiny, transparency and accountability” was voted down by councillors at their 14 October meeting.The motion was moved by Cr David Gill and sought to amend the current governance rules to enable the right to ask questions of council officers, ensure the chair has a stated and recorded reason to reject a councillor’s question, ensure a councillor has a right to move a dissent motion against the chair, amend the procedure motions section to require a two-thirds majority to pass a procedural “put” motion, and to remove any potential subjectivity…
HOMES for Homes, a not-for-profit group, has donated $245,000 to support community housing providers on the Mornington Peninsula, which is experiencing the highest number of people experiencing homelessness of any local government area in the state.The independent organisation, created by Australia’s largest and most successful social enterprise, The Big Issue, raises funds for social and affordable housing through property donations. A cheque was formally presented to two grant recipients on the peninsula by representatives from Homes for Homes on 13 October.The successful projects awarded funding included the Kids Under Cover branch in Mornington ($145,000) to install a semi-independent studio in…
Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of a man in Langwarrin this afternoon. Emergency services were called to Jarman Drive following reports the man’s body was located inside a property about 2pm. The exact circumstances surrounding the incident, including the cause of the the man’s death, are yet to be established. A crime scene has been established. Homicide Squad detectives are attending to assist with the investigation. Anyone with information is urged to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit an online confidential report at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au.
A quiet sporting revolution is underway on the Mornington Peninsula – and it’s happening one paddle and plastic ball at a time. Pickleball, a fast-growing social sport that blends elements of tennis, badminton and table tennis, is quickly becoming a local favourite.New data from January to September showed Somerville Recreation Centre recorded a 97 per cent increase in hours of play from the same date range last year (9857 hours), while Mornington’s Civic Reserve Recreation Centre saw a 145 per cent surge (7350 hours).Its popularity comes as World Pickleball Day was celebrated on 10 October. And with the potential of…
MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire will be holding a green waste weekend from 24 – 26 October 2025.The ‘No Charge’ Green Waste weekend is for Shire residents or ratepayers only. These events are popular and delays can occur, especially in the morning and at the end of the day. The free green waste weekend will be held at the Resource Recovery Centres at Rye (Truemans Road), Tyabb (McKirdys Road) and Mornington (Watt Road). The opening hours of the centres will be Friday 8am – 4pm, Saturday and Sunday 8am – 5pm.Preparation Guide: If you find yourself regularly taking green waste to the…
MEMBER for Nepean, and Deputy Leader of the Opposition, Sam Groth, has changed portfolios in a shadow cabinet reshuffle announced on Saturday 11 October.The leader of the Opposition, Brad Battin, in a statement said “Today we have appointed a shadow cabinet with the talent and experience to hold Jacinta Allan’s Labor government to account and to advocate our positive plan for Victoria: less waste, lower taxes and less crime.”Among the changes were a shift for Groth from previous portfolios, including shadow minister for tourism, sport, events and hospitality, and shadow minister for outdoor recreation.“Today I have been appointed as shadow…
BY day Simon Mildren is a Mornington Peninsula firefighter – but it’s his work outside the fire station that’s now gaining international acclaim as a beekeeper. His company HiveKeepers, one of Australia’s most-forward thinking tech start-ups, took out Gold for Innovation at the Apimondia World Beekeeping Awards in Copenhagen, Denmark.The win, on 7 October, marks a major milestone for Mildren, also a peninsula resident and a Fire Rescue Victoria senior station officer at Mornington Fire Brigade’s Station 94. “Receiving gold at Apimondia is a career-defining moment, not just for HiveKeepers but for Australian innovation,” said Mildren, who founded HiveKeepers and…
MORE than 30 roads across the Mornington Peninsula Shire are set for major improvements under a $7.3m project.Works are now under way as part of the council’s annual Road Resurfacing and Rehabilitation Program, funded by $5.3m from the council and an additional $2m from the federal government’s Roads to Recovery program. The 2025-26 rollout aims to improve road safety, extend the life of existing infrastructure, and reduce long-term maintenance costs.Works are under way at Uralla Rd in Mount Martha and Old White Hill Rd in Dromana. Additional resurfacing is planned for Wooralla Dr and Canadian Bay Rd in Mount Eliza,…
THE Australian National Veterans Arts Museum (ANVAM) has received a $4000 community grant from Australia Post to support its Mornington Peninsula arts-based veteran wellbeing program. The program, called Making Space, is designed to foster connection, creativity and peer support through creative engagement among local veterans.ANVAM deputy director Kat Baldwin said they were “thrilled and grateful” on hearing the news. “This grant recognises the importance of veteran-led creative spaces and the role they play in building resilience and community connection,” said Baldwin.Funding will go directly towards program costs, expanding access for more veterans across the peninsula. “It will make a real…
MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire is rebooting the way it delivers youth services, moving from an in-house approach to a new hybrid model which relies more on external providers.The decision comes after a scheduled service review found low engagement levels and questions around whether council was best suited to deliver youth services directly. “The engagement’s low and there’s probably two reasons for that. One is maybe the service isn’t as good as it could be, and the other one is people just don’t know about it,” Mayor Anthony Marsh said.“We absolutely acknowledge that there’s a role for council to play, but in…
A WELL-KNOWN construction firm based in Blairgowrie has gone into liquidation, leaving more than 90 unsecured creditors out of pocket by over $1.6m.Made Build, recognised for its architecturally designed coastal homes, stopped operations in early September. The company, which marketed itself as a specialist in bespoke, luxury residential projects, has received multiple awards with articles published in magazines after developing a strong reputation prior to its financial collapse.It also noted its director Daryl Powell was a third-generation builder who “lives and works in Blairgowrie and has had 20 years of experience in the building industry”. “We provide excellence and expertise…
A MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire councillor has drawn the ire of a stalwart of local government on the peninsula, with his suggestion that no councillor should be allowed to serve more than three terms (12 years) in a lifetime.Brian Stahl OAM, who served a total of 12 years in two stints in the Shire of Hastings (1987 – 1994) and then again in Mornington Peninsula Shire (2003 – 2008) decried the shortsightedness of the motion, and what he sees as the politicisation of council that led to it.At the Mornington Peninsula Shire Council meeting on 23 September, Cr Bruce Ranken moved…
MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire councillors have voted for the shire’s CEO, Mark Stoermer, to prepare and present a “Climate Resilience Plan” to council, replacing the Climate Emergency Declaration and the Climate Action Plan that they scrapped in April.The shire’s previous Climate Action Plan was adopted in August 2020, one year after the shire declared a climate emergency. The plan entailed a ten-year program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and lessen the effects of climate change.The newly elected council first questioned the plan in January this year with a motion passed for shire officers to prepare a report to help councillors make…
WHILE Rosebud Hospital will undergo a major $4m refurbishment to boost patient safety, modernise facilities, and improve emergency care access, Member for Nepean Sam Groth has told The News the amount falls well short of the investment required.During a visit to the hospital last week, Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas confirmed the funding, which will support upgrades to ventilation systems, infection control, and the emergency department – designed to enhance care for patients and working conditions for staff.The upgrade will include the installation of new ventilation and infection control systems, helping to improve overall hospital hygiene and safety standards. The emergency…
A CONTROVERSIAL plan to build a giant high-tech industry and business park in Somerville is a step closer after Mornington Peninsula Shire councillors backed an independent planning panel’s report.The proposed development, known as Amendment C243morn, would occupy a large parcel of land at 79 and 83 Bungower Rd in Somerville with offerings in manufacturing, research and development, smaller start-ups and small to medium enterprises.The plan is being privately led by Procter Investments Pty Ltd, the founders of navigation technology company Sealite. If approved, it would see a technology, industry and business park created, providing up to 1100 jobs with the…
THE Mornington Peninsula Fwy is set to be upgraded as part of a state-wide road maintenance blitz.The state government said all roads would be prioritised based on expert assessments and community feedback. Roads and Road Safety Minister Melissa Horne made the announcement on 23 September as part of the c. Crews will undertake projects over the next nine months, ranging from road rehabilitation and resurfacing, patching potholes and maintaining bridges, installing traffic lights and signage.“As well as repairing some of our busiest roads, crews will also mow, slash and spray tens of thousands of kilometres of roadsides, inspect and repair…
CRIME on the Mornington Peninsula rose by 10.6 percent in the 2024/25 financial year, newly released figures from the Crime Statistics Agency reveal.There were 9,333 criminal incidents recorded in the Mornington Peninsula LGA in the year ending June 2025. That figure equates to 5425 criminal incidents per 100,000 population.Mornington was the peninsula suburb most affected by crime, followed closely by Rosebud and Hastings. Dromana and Somerville rounded out the top five.Stealing from a motor vehicle was the most common offence, with 1313 incidents recorded. There were 864 reported incidents of other theft, 749 incidents of breaching family violence orders, and…