PRIVATE, agricultural and planned burns are likely to take place on the Mornington Peninsula and across Victoria in the coming weeks. While current conditions are considered ideal for burning, weather patterns may cause smoke to linger over parts of the state overnight and through to early morning.Forest Fire Management Victoria chief fire officer Chris Hardman said it was crucial fire agencies took advantage of favourable conditions when they presented. “Planned burning on public land is one of the tools FFMVic uses to keep Victoria safer from bushfires,” Hardman said. “While we burn to the conditions not the calendar, autumn generally…
Browsing: Mornington Peninsula
TOURIST trips to the Mornington Peninsula are 5.7 per cent below December 2019 levels, while international visitor numbers remain below pre-COVID levels.Nepean MP and Shadow Minister for Tourism, Sport and Events Sam Groth said there had been 40,000 international visitors to the peninsula in 2023. In calling on the state government to not impose any more taxes in its upcoming budget Groth said tourism on the peninsula remained below pre-COVID levels, with many businesses “struggling to operate”. Groth said one of the most high-profile businesses which had announced it would close was the Donna Maria restaurant in Flinders. A spokesperson…
THE state government’s tightening of land use and development controls within green wedge zones is unlikely to have any immediate effect on the Mornington Peninsula.Mornington Peninsula Shire mayor Cr Simon Brooks welcomed the government’s Green Wedge and Agricultural Land Action Plan as it “reinforces the non-urban purpose and character of the green wedge”. He said the government’s plans did not require any changes to the shire’s green wedge management plan adopted in December 2018 and updated the following year.The peninsula’s 520 square kilometres, or 70 per cent, green wedge is one of 12 that form an irregular ring around the…
Police have arrested a man allegedly in possession of prohibited weapons during a search at a storage facility in Langwarrin. Detectives from the Caulfield Divisional Response Unit executed a search warrant at a storage facility on McClelland Drive, Langwarrin, just after 10pm on 2 April. During the search, police uncovered a range of weapons, including a 3D printed handgun, ten rifles, two shotguns, a substantial amount of ammunition, tasers and an explosive device. A 33-year-old Carrum Downs man is assisting police with enquiries.
TWO young men from the Mornington Peninsula have made a spectacular entrance into the electric vehicle market, armed with nothing but a bright idea, a modest amount of savings and a lot of faith.Twenty-four-year olds Toby Batters-Holding and Daniel Henry, who became friends while students at Western Port Secondary College, have launched a mobile EV charging business that has attracted interest from media around the country.Before taking their idea to the market, Henry, an electrician, and Batters-Holding, a boiler maker, spent 12 months learning about the EV industry. Although they did not own EVs themselves, they knew enough to see…
DIVISION ONE FOOTY kicked off on Good Friday with reigning premiers, Dromana, heading to Red Hill. Red Hill ended the 2023 season in seventh place, so looked to be no challenge for the Tigers, but came out blazing in the first quarter. Red Hill kicked 4.1 to just three points by Dromana to take a 22-point lead into quarter time. It was wake up time for Dromana, and they came out firing in the second quarter slotting five majors and keeping Red Hill to a solitary goal, slipping to a three-point lead at the main break.It was the same again…
Parks vegetation provided its own protection There is a small bush reserve between Shire Hall and Mills beaches encircled by a popular walking track. Recent notices erected advise that the “Friends” are restoring the bush”, which means they are removing introduced species which are not natural such as tea-tree and replacing them with grasses and shrubs.A further notice advises “Management” requests visitors to stay out of the area to protect the vegetation which, if the area had not been “opened up” in so many places and the scrub had remained dense, there would be no reason to stray off the…
MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire Council has buckled under pressure and introduced some changes to its controversial paid parking trial after receiving a backlash from businesses and drivers.It is believed the council has introduced a 50 per cent discount for people who pay through the PayStay App, and also recently offered a 24-hour grace period from the date of parking. But a popular waterside Mornington restaurant which has spearheaded a petition to the state government is calling for a bigger revamp of the parking trial. Robert De Santis, who owns The Rocks restaurant and a separate cafe next door, at Schnapper Point,…
It’s an administrative error for the ages, and one that has endured for 160 years, but ‘Mornington’ will be returned to its former name, ‘Schnapper Point’, after it was discovered it was never officially changed. The area was originally known as ‘Schnapper Point’, but in 1864 was mysteriously changed overnight to ‘Mornington’ by a shopkeeper of the time, Thomas Allchin (pictured). It is believed the name derived from the second Earl of Mornington, Richard Colley Wellesley (1760 – 1842), a man of Irish and Great Britain peerage, who is most famous for inventing smash avocado on toast. But the name…
THE Dolphin Research Institute last week celebrated 33 years of its achievements and efforts to “improve outcomes for dolphins, whales, and our precious marine environment”.Executive director Jeff Weir said the picture chosen to mark the institute’s one third of a century “shows something you don’t see every day — a dolphin riding on the head of a humpback whale”. The picture was taken in 2020 when the same humpback had spent a week feeding off Phillip Island, the first time such an event had been recorded.“Our role in capturing knowledge and filling these knowledge gaps is integral to our work…
A DRAFT plan for the Sorrento’s pier and harbour is open for community comment. Parks Victoria says the Sorrento Local Port Area Plan outlines improvements for the pier precinct, balancing and enhancing existing uses, creating new, safer recreation opportunities and shoring up the future for Sorrento pier. Feedback from the public will be considered in the development of the final plan to be released mid-year.“Sorrento Pier is a popular destination for locals and tourists, fishers and boaters, and a valued feature of the Mornington Peninsula,” Parks Victoria’s regional director Jodi Heath said. “As a vital part of the planning process,…
IT WILL be a matter of short-term pain for long-term gain if the committee of the Hastings Cricket and Football Social Club recommendation succeeds in placing the organisation into a voluntary creditors wind-up at a special general meeting next month.The committee has spent months trying to find a pathway forward from a dire financial situation caused by the venue’s gaming machines, but now believes the wind-up is the only way out. 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…
A NEW housing and support charity will set up on the Mornington Peninsula to cater for the increasing number of women needing support. Women’s Community Shelters, a Sydney-based organisation, will hold forum in May to discuss establishing a steering committee on the peninsula.Hastings housing advocate Karen Taylor said the peninsula was “in a big mess” when it came to housing, particularly for women. “With respect to the housing shortage, and with single women over the age of 55 being the fastest growing cohort for homelessness, initiatives like the WCS become increasingly important,” she said. Taylor said women were often the…
POLICE are appealing for witnesses to a fatal road accident in Pearcedale on Thursday 21 March. Police were told a car travelling on Tyabb-Tooradin Road collided with a truck approaching in the opposite direction at about 4.50pm.The male driver of the car, the sole occupant of the vehicle, died at the scene. The truck driver was not injured and stopped at the scene. The circumstances surrounding the incident are yet to be established and an investigation is ongoing.Anyone who witnessed the collision, with dashcam footage or information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or crimestoppersvic.com.au First…
A LEADING council watchdog is demanding that all fines under the Mornington Peninsula Shire Council’s parking pilot scheme be refunded over “human rights” concerns. Council Watch Victoria is calling on anyone who has been fined at any of the three trial locations since it started in December 2023 to contact them.Figures released last week show the shire collected $347,721 from the parking trial, including $96,360 in fines (Motorists paying to park, Page 7). Council Watch president Dean Hurlston said the group was particularly interested in hearing from older people who have had trouble using the technology. He said such problems…
Mornington Peninsula Crime Investigation Unit detectives are appealing for public assistance after an elite racing bicycle was stolen from a home in Capel Sound, early last month. Investigators believe unknown offenders have gained access to the garage at the Brendel Street home, between 5 and 12 February. The bicycle, thought to be worth around $8000, is distinctive in style with its DRAPAC racing team colours paint scheme. The bicycle holds great sentimental value to the victim, given their association with the now disbanded DRAPAC team. Investigators have released images of bicycles that are similar in appearance to the bike that…
POWERLINES in high fire danger areas on the Mornington Peninsula could be placed underground as part of a package of new “resilience measures” being tested and considered by electricity distributor United Energy. The distributor is looking at how it can make its network in Melbourne’s south-east and the peninsula stronger and more resilient in the face of increasingly frequent severe weather events.United Energy representatives last week met with community members in Red Hill to hear their views on the proposals and road test a range of scenarios as part of a five-year business plan, with a draft to be submitted…
THE sad sight of “possum Armageddon” around the Mornington Peninsula as wildlife literally fell from trees or died trying to drink water at the beach has prompted a reminder to place water out for animals.The four-day heatwave that affected most of south-eastern Australia saw daytime temperatures hover around 38 degrees Celsius – as much as 20 degrees above average – with little relief overnight.It is believed hundreds of the peninsula’s ringtail possum and smaller marsupials such as sugar gliders and native bush rats died from heat exhaustion and dehydration over the four days or exposed themselves to predation or the…
Frankston Sexual Offences & Child Abuse Investigation Team detectives have arrested and charged a male in relation to four alleged separate sexual assault incidents, across the Mornington Peninsula, during January and February. The first incident occurred on The Boulevard in Somers on 22 January about 10.30am. The second incident occurred on Tasman Road in Somers on 31 January about 6.10pm. The third incident occurred on Peterson Street in Crib Point on 1 February about 5pm. The fourth incident occurred on Sandy Point Road in Balnarring on 13 February about 5pm. In each of the incidents it is alleged the male…
A NEW method of assessing the need for making footpaths has seen a reshuffling of paths on Mornington Peninsula Shire’s priority list.The list of 118 footpaths also includes problems that may be faced in constructing each path, such as “constructability implications” and “biodiversity and/or cultural heritage impact”. Footpaths seen as potentially having these problems will require “more detailed investigation” as their construction may be more complicated or costly.Just three of the top 20 footpaths on the list are unaffected by these possible problems.Footpaths at the top of list are Nepean Highway and Boundary Road, Dromana, with Nepean Highway being subject…
CAMPAIGNERS calling for upgrades to Rosebud Hospital say the state government’s focus on redeveloping Frankston Hospital is short sighted. A rally planned for this Friday (15 March) will put pressure on the government to commit money to upgrading the hospital.Ongoing pressure on the government to repair and upgrade Rosebud Hospital will focus on the catch cry of Frankston Too Far Away to highlight the difficulties for southern peninsula patients to access hospital care. Spokesperson and long-time health worker Sue Gilbert said the nearest major hospital from Rosebud was more than one hour away.“We will not let the government hand ball…
MORNINGTON Peninsula beaches will be cleaned by hand instead of a mechanical rake for the next 12 months after July. The hand cleaning of peninsula beaches on Port Phillip will undergo a 12-month trial and cost about $733,000.Beaches will no longer have the groomed look created by a mechanical rake, but they will retain seaweed and other natural organisms that contribute to a healthy environment.Surveys have shown that mechanical cleaning, while being aesthetically pleasing, can leave behind broken bottles, shredded plastic and even hypodermic needles. The practice has also seen tonnes of seaweed taken to landfill instead of being left…
THE state’s planning tribunal has knocked back a proposal to build a house on green wedge land in Shoreham. The Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal set aside Mornington Peninsula Shire Council’s approval for the house on 4.323-hectares in Tucks Road and ruled that no permit is granted. The tribunal case relates to a planning permit notice originally issued in 2022 by the shire to use and develop the land at 340 Tucks Road for a house, remove native vegetation and associated works, including to an existing driveway at 336 Tucks Road. The matter was referred to the tribunal over questions…
THE Peninsula Community Legal Centre in Frankston says it will have to cut some of its free services if its government funding doesn’t increase. The PCLC offers free legal services and advice to people across many areas, including housing, family arrangements, employment, health, finances, and personal safety. PCLC CEO Jackie Galloway says that the centre is helping more people than ever in the midst of the cost of living crisis, and that increased funding is badly needed. “With so many struggling with the cost of living and housing crises, we are seeing an unprecedented number of people who are buckling…
MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire Council will investigate partnering with Frankston to help tackle homelessness on the peninsula, amid increasing concerns about its social impacts. At last Tuesday’s council meeting Cr Sarah Race said she knew of cases where children were attending schools on the while living in tents. “Schools are feeding these children, putting their arms around them and feeding them,” she said. Race said she was also aware of service widows being forced to live in cars, and cancers sufferers sleeping rough on the foreshore. She said “outcomes” were good in Frankston, which uses the “by-name list” model through its…
‘Ecological disaster’ unless cats are controlled The suburbs of Melbourne that have none of the many species of birds once common in Blairgowrie have arrived on the Mornington Peninsula. Where have they gone? Killed by cats (Dumping a problem for cats and wildlife, The News 6/2/24). There is a golf course estate in a neighbouring municipality where cats are banned. It has become a haven for many species of birds, and it is not unusual to see bandicoots and other animals in broad daylight. Cats hunt day and night and kill for food or to satisfy an instinct. The peninsula…
LACHLAN Vize, of McCrae, is making waves in windsurfing and wing foiling, having recently returned from the Windsurfer World Titles held in Perth, where he won the male youth title and came fourth out of a fleet of 250 boards in the slalom. He competed against local and international sailors in the light weight division slalom event and a marathon. His placing in the youth division means he also won a scholarship to help pay his way to the next windsurfer world titles. Vize also represented Australia late last year at the Pacific Games where he won silver and bronze…
THREE probationary drivers had their vehicles impounded and were fined after being filmed by a drone hoon driving in Mornington on Wednesday 21 February. The trio, a 20-year-old male and a 19-year-old male from Frankston, and a 20-year-old male from Langwarrin, were arrested when Somerville Highway Patrol responded to complaints of hoon driving in Milgate Drive, Mornington. With the assistance of the police drone operated by Mornington police, the three were caught on camera performing burnouts. All vehicles were impounded on the spot for 30 days, with two of the vehicles issued defect notices. The men will be charged on…
THE challenge was to play golf with closed eyes and using just one club held in the left hand for a right-handed person or the other way around for a left-hander. A partner or caddie would stand you close to the ball and describe the required putt or drive. The experienced golfers taking part in the game at Mount Martha Golf Course probably set their own personal bests for the most shots ever, both on the green and on the fairway. The idea of the golf session was to train golfers to help with an all abilities program being run…
LAST week’s dry, hot weather sparked a number of grass fires across the Mornington Peninsula and kept fire brigades on alert. A grass fire in Duells Road, Rosebud, on Wednesday (21 February) saw emergency crews from Fire Rescue Victoria join CFA brigades from Boneo and Rosebud to bring it under control. There were also scrub fires on the Mornington Peninsula Freeway between Lonsdale Street and McCulloch Street, Rosebud, with other fires along the freeway rumoured to have been caused by sparks from a vehicle. Others, including one near Devilbend Reserve at Teurong, were caused by dry grass igniting in the…