HAVING a new baby is supposed to be one of the most joyous times of a mother’s life, but for 29-year-old Taylor Johnston it was marred by a diagnosis of terminal cancer. Just one week after giving birth to her daughter Billie earlier this year, Johnston, of Rye, was diagnosed with bone marrow cancer and now faces an uncertain future and the trauma of having to spend time apart from her baby for treatment. Her husband Jesse, a senior footballer at Rye Football Netball Club, said the family was trying to stay positive, which had been helped by community support.…
Browsing: Mornington Peninsula
SORRENTO Cricket Club is focussing on child safety in the lead up to National Child Protection Week (3-9 September) and is raising awareness of how sports clubs can help. Child safety officer Ella McConnell said the club’s leadership team had implemented the Victorian Child Safe Standards and improved safeguarding practices and culture over the past 12 months. “At Sorrento Cricket Club we are committed to promoting child safety awareness and protecting our children and young people on the peninsula from harm and abuse,” she said. “With National Child Protection Week approaching, it is the perfect time to raise awareness and…
A LITERARY event especially for poetry enthusiasts is being held from 2pm on Sunday 10 September at the Rosebud Country Club Bowls Club. The Poets Corner event will bring together poets and spoken word artists from across the Mornington Peninsula and elsewhere. Poets Corner, a community organisation dedicated to poetry and spoken word arts, has been operating on the peninsula since 2017. The organisation adapted and continued its activities through virtual platforms during the COVID pandemic and is now returning to in-person events. The bowls club meeting will feature academic, storyteller, and counter-narrative poet Dr Denise Chapman, who is known…
MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire Council has come to the aid of Rye Repair Cafe with a $10,000 climate action grant. The volunteer-run service operates out of Rye Community House on the first Sunday of each month, offering help to anyone who has something to mend or repair. By repairing household items, the group is taking on the war on waste one item at a time. Manager of Rye Community House, Marg D’Arcy, said the Repair Cafe dwindled during the pandemic and needed a financial boost to get it back up and running. “This grant has enabled us to establish a repair…
THE volunteer-run Mornington Tourist Railway has been given three carriages from Vline and is looking for suggestions about how to best use them. Owen Paden said the 22.86 metres long carriages, known as the N set, included an economy seating carriage (BN) with 88 seats, an economy class carriage (BRN) with a buffet seating 67 passengers, and first-class carriage (CAN) with a guard compartment seating 52 passengers. Paden said the carriages were originally broken down into classes, but all seats were now considered “premium class”. “These N set carriages began operation on 5 October 1981 and were built at the…
MOUNT Martha tennis courts are in line for a major revamp, with reconstruction work about to begin. The courts on the Esplanade near Mount Martha Community House, are in poor condition and will be brought up to Tennis Australia club competition standards. Mornington Peninsula Shire said work starting this week will include improving court surfaces, lighting, fencing and adding a booking system. The shire is contributing $878,417 to the works, the state government $300,000 and Mount Martha Tennis Club $80,000. The courts are expected to be finished by end of February 2024. The tennis club, the biggest on the peninsula,…
A FISHING competition in honour of Jamerson Ross, who died on 8 October last year in a hit-and-run incident in Hastings, will be held from the 6 to 8 October in conjunction with the Western Port Angling Club. Jamerson (known as Jammo) was a 23-year-old working in the marine electrical business Australian Integrated Marine when he died. His mother Chantelle Ross said her son was a hard-working young man who also worked on weekends to save money. When not working hard was outdoors following his passion for fishing. Jamerson had extensive fishing knowledge and experience in running and competing in…
MORNINGTON Peninsula hospitality venues are being urged to be plastic free in support of a litter and waste-free summer. The Boomerang Alliance program Plastic Free Mornington Peninsula is inviting food businesses and events to commit to lowering their carbon footprint while reducing packaging costs over the next six to 12 months. Mornington Peninsula facilitator Birte Moliere said much of the waste in the hospitality sector could be avoided by using alternatives and going plastic free. “Through our One.Change Campaign, people are being encouraged to start with one simple step – reusable takeaways. In particular, making the switch to reusable cups,…
SHIREEN Hammond says her life went to the dogs, literally, following a breast cancer diagnosis around nine years ago, months of chemotherapy and seemingly endless hospital visits. The award-winning photographer from Tootgarook was known for capturing the emotion and beauty of families and weddings but was forced to consider another way to continue her artistry, and dogs were it. “When I came out of hospital in 2015, I needed a project to heal as I had no strength and couldn’t shoot my 30 weddings that year at eight to 12 hours a shoot,” she said. “Our beautiful border collie Mariah…
MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire Council has strengthened its stand against the commercial harvesting of kangaroos on the peninsula. At the 8 August council meeting councillors agreed to write to the state government to demand the banning of commercial kangaroo harvesting on the peninsula “by using the background information supplied to alert our community of the issues and to further inform the state government of the urgent need to protect the viability of kangaroos on the peninsula”. Cr David Gill said there was an “urgent need to protect the viability of kangaroos on the peninsula”. Gill’s motion followed a council decision on…
THE unpredictability of the trajectory of a small round ball after being hit by a flat surface has been highlighted by the need for a safety net on one of the Mornington Peninsula’s prestige golf courses. The owners of the two-course Moonah Links in Fingal say insurance companies have demanded a 13 metre high net be installed on the sixth hole of the championship Legends Course to protect a house in The Ridge Road from errant golf balls. The decision to allow the net could have been made under delegation by Mornington Peninsula Shire officers but Cr David Gill “called…
ALTHOUGH it has refused to drop Flinders from its paid parking trial, Mornington Peninsula Shire has refined its approach to make the experiment more acceptable to residents. Changes to the rules include a business parking permit for “select volunteers and club members” and a permit for staff of “directly adjacent businesses”. As well as near Flinders pier, the parking trial will be held over summer at Schnapper Point, Mornington, and Sunnyside Beach, Mount Eliza. Peninsula residents can apply for up to five permits a household but must abide by parking time limits. Anyone else parking at the three beach side…
STELLA Mars has conquered many difficulties in her short life, not the least being literacy and academic mastery that’s not always associated with people living with autism or ADHD (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder). A finalist for this year’s Mornington Peninsula Mayor’s Short Story Writing Award in the eight to 12 years old category, the Mount Eliza girl has shown that she has a strong driving force determination to succeed. The nine-year-old already considers herself a professional creative who knows where her talents lie and the obstacles she faces. “I really enjoyed writing my story and I am proud of it. It took…
SEVERAL Mornington Peninsula students will have the opportunity to demonstrate their talents at the Victorian State Schools Spectacular on Saturday 9 September. The show, at John Cain Arena, Melbourne and broadcast on television later in the year, is an invaluable performing arts opportunity for government primary and secondary school students. Students get the chance to perform or gain behind the scenes experiences across all creative disciplines guided by industry professionals in a non-competitive environment. Event publicist Sonja McGill said it could often be the experience of a lifetime for the students with the chance to perform in a world class…
MPNFL DIVISION ONE MT Eliza knocked Frankston Bombers out of the finals on Sunday. It was a cagey affair at Olympic Park. The Bombers went into the half-time break ahead by ten points. Mt Eliza broke the game open in the third term. A four-goals-to-zero quarter saw Mt Eliza go ahead by 15. The Redlegs held onto their lead in the final term, and went on to claim an 11 point win 8.7 (55) to 6.8 (44). Nicholas MacDonald Girolami, Nathan Jones, and Finlay Bayne were Mt Eliza’s best. Frankston YCW won the qualifying final at Baxter Park last Saturday.…
ALTHOUGH Mornington Peninsula Shire has found little joy in the results of its the past two annual community satisfaction surveys, the same cannot be said for one of its most high profile contractors. Waste collectors Solo Resource Recovery has been able to issue a news release saying the latest local government community satisfaction survey “highlighted the exceptional success of waste management services [in the shire], rating second overall behind art centres and libraries”. The news release From trash to treasure: waste management services praised by locals, from Brisbane based BBS Communications Group, said the peninsula’s community, “young and old, have…
WELFARE workers are calling for an end to the scapegoating of homeless people over thefts and anti-social behaviour on the Mornington Peninsula. The call follows an incident on Tuesday 22 August near the Rosebud foreshore, where a 36-year-old woman allegedly assaulted a police officer after she was seen throwing objects into traffic and behaving erratically on Point Nepean Road. The woman, from Dromana, allegedly spat at officers and was arrested at the scene. She was charged with assaulting police and remanded in custody to appear before Frankston Magistrates’ Court at a later date. CEO of the Mornington Community Support, Ben…
THREE sisters who founded the mental health charity It’s Okay, Not to Be Okay are encouraging people to get involved in next month’s Walk for Suicide Prevention. Social worker Georgia Hocking and her sisters Maddi and Hayleigh, who grew up in Somerville, lost their younger brother Ben, 22, to suicide in 2016. Their passion and mission since then has been to raise awareness of mental health and the importance of community support. Georgia said the family’s mission was to prevent suicide by destigmatising mental health and encouraging people to seek support. She says suicide has a devastating impact on families,…
MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire Council will grant a permit for a restaurant, winery and cellar door on green wedge land in Tuerong. The $6 million project on 45 hectares at 111 Old Moorooduc Road, will include the cultivation of 14.21 hectares of vines, a double-storey restaurant open seven days a week from 11am to 11pm, and a separate winery production building. An officer’s report found the proposed use and development of the winery and restaurant were supported by the shire’s planning policy, which supports the agricultural development of the land and the broader viticultural and tourism industry of the peninsula. It…
THE tempo has increased in the push to establish the Mornington Peninsula as a major player on the live music scene within three years. Musicians, promoters, studio owners and industry professionals were this week meeting with Mornington Peninsula Shire Council representatives to discuss the way forward. Organiser Steve Myles said the forum’s objective was to start development of a strategy, key performance Indicators and associated actions. He said the objective aligned with and supports the vision stated in the council’s 2025 music plan. “The Mornington Peninsula fosters a strong and vibrant music culture, recognised as one of the country’s premier…
THE Mornington Peninsula Welsh Ladies Choir is off to Wales. But before they depart the concert, Perfectly Five, featuring Welsh Soprano Carly Owen and the Australian Welsh Male Choir, will be held at 7.30pm on Saturday 2 September. The choir, celebrating its fifth anniversary this year, will tour throughout Wales and finish with two concerts in London. The farewell concert will be at the George Jenkins Theatre, Monash University, 47-49 Moorooduc Highway, Frankston. Details: monash.edu/performing-arts-centres/event/perfectly-five/ First published in the Mornington News – 29 August 2023
THE Australian Shakespeare Company is returning to the Mornington Peninsula over the school holidays with its new show, Captain Jack’s Pirate Party. In addition to four shows at The Briars, Mount Martha, there will be two shows at the Police Point Shire Park, Portsea. Billed as the craziest and colourful pirates of the Caribbean, Captain Jack’s Pirate Party battles for booty from passing merchant ships and living the pirate life to the full. The interactive theatre performance incudes pirate talk, pirate songs and a hunt for lost treasure. The 70-minute production has sword fights, songs and hearty pirate action. The…
SPORTSWOMAN, mother and company founder Donna Groves can add another feather to her cap when her first book Shine is released in October. Groves, who grew up in Western Sydney but now lives in Cape Schanck with her husband and their child, plays soccer in Mount Martha. She says one of her aims in writing her book was to help women find “self-love” and empower them. Groves says she experienced the trauma of a difficult childhood and a “disastrous” first marriage, only to find herself a single mother at 26 raising two children under five. After studying at night, and…
IN a first time collaboration between Dreamhouse Theatre Company and playwright Lachlan Ervin, 30 youth ensemble members and young creatives present The Amber and the Ant at The Southern Peninsula Arts Centre. After an unexpected internet glitch, a group of gamers find themselves on the strange island of Paseus. Is it a mythical place or a constructed game world? With no known passage of return, the gamers must strike unlikely allegiances, try to outsmart the Moon and learn the most unlikely of hominids can be bold. The Amber and the Ant is described as an expedition into loyalty, the nature…
GET ready for a fashion twist that’s turning heads and tickling funny bones – meet “the wheelchair guy” from Capel Sound, who is trying to add a bit of levity to disability and give disabled people a way to connect with community. Daniel Laing, pictured, has designed a range of disability-friendly t-shirts that he hopes will help bridge the gap between able-bodied people and those with disabilities with a touch of humour. In Laing’s own words, his is not your “run-of-the-mill clothing gig – we’re here to prove that disability and style can have a hilarious, inclusive dance party”. “I’m…
A PROGRAM on the Mornington Peninsula is aiming to raise awareness of the wide spectrum of peoples’ disabilities and to increase empathy and understanding for those living with a hidden disability. Living with a hidden disability or condition can make daily life difficult, it can also be hard for others to understand the challenges that people with hidden disability or conditions face. The Hidden Disabilities Sunflower is a symbol that people can wear to discreetly indicate they have an invisible disability or condition – and may need a helping hand, more time, or simply extra space in shops, at work,…
FORMER Woodleigh School student Braeden Van de Beek has shown what rewards hard work and determination can bring, after making it to the International Brain Bee Neuroscience Challenge. Van de Beek participated in the competition – held virtually between 31 July and 5 August – after first winning the Victorian challenge followed by last year’s Australian challenge. He was one of 10 students representing the eight states and territories of Australia and both islands of New Zealand in the battle to find an Australian and a New Zealand Brain Bee Champion. The competitions aim to inspire students to pursue careers…
RESIDENTS involved in the Save Flinders Pier campaign have welcomed the planning being undertaken by Parks Victoria to restore the historic structure, despite the pier not being expected to fully open over summer. It is believed the Flinders Foreshore Precinct Conservation Management Plan needs to be reviewed and reworked to accommodate the pier’s restoration and reflect Heritage Victoria’s mandate to protect the state’s important heritage assets. Spokesman for the Save the Flinders Pier campaign, Charles Reis, said Parks Victoria had committed money for the pier’s safety works, but the complexity of the project required time and commitment. “While funding for…
A JUNIOR doctor leading a class action case against Peninsula Health for underpayment says a recent court ruling is a turning point for the industry. Dr Gaby Bolton was the lead applicant in the case against Peninsula Health. Earlier this month the Federal Court ruled that Peninsula Health had breached the Fair Work Act by not paying her correctly. Dr Bolton began her employment at Peninsula Health on 8 January 2019, working primarily at Frankston Hospital. Her claims for unpaid overtime related to four rotations undertaken between January 2019 and January 2021. The Federal Court ruling read that Dr Bolton…
SOCCER SCOTT Miller won’t coach Langwarrin next season. The Lawton Park club made the announcement last week after scheduled talks between Miller, president Tanya Wallace and main sponsor Greg Kilner due to be held at the end of the season were brought forward. Miller’s last match as head coach was Saturday’s 2-1 home win over Brunswick Juventus a result that confirmed the visitors’ relegation. Goals from Brad Blumenthal and Tom Youngs sealed Juve’s fate but its cause wasn’t helped by the straight red brandished at Mathew Whatley in the opening seconds of the second half. Miller’s first match at the…