Month: April 2015

1. BULLECOURT – Arnold Roy Bartram, KIA 13th May, 1917. BULLECOURT was the scene of two costly battles for the AIF, the first beginning in the bitterly cold dawn of 11th April, 1917 when, after a night lying in the snow, Australians of the 4th Division were ordered to attack the main German defensive position, the Hindenberg Line. They were supposed to be backed up by British tanks and military, but neither of these eventuated. Although tanks had been used in the Battle of the Somme six months earlier, they were relatively untested. However the “mastermind” of the First Battle…

Frankston’s Avenue of Honour In her book “Echoes from the Front”, Val Latimer tells how as early as 1917 a committee was formed to honour all those from the Frankston District who served in World War One. This was to take the form of an Avenue of Honour along Melbourne Road, now the Nepean Highway. Trees were planted and brass plates were fixed to posts in front of each tree. By 1957 work was underway for the construction of a new six lane highway: the trees were removed and the plates placed in storage. Of the original 216 name plates…

THE Gallipoli Campaign has long been regarded as being the birth of our  nation; the moment the newly Federated Australia proved itself worthy to stand on its own two feet in the dominion of the British Empire. The campaign is also noted for its military blundering; for bad decision making by British generals, sending our troops often to certain death facing insurmountable odds. Indeed, the campaign’s military miscalculations began well before the first Australian soldier set foot on the beaches of Gallipoli on 25 April 1915. Turkey, part of the once great but now weakened Ottoman Empire, had been a…

IT was billed as the match of the round – Somerville versus Red Hill. The Eagles at home and with their well-documented list of recruits, playing in their fifth game together (including three practice matches). Red Hill, a finals team in 2014 with a list on paper that had improved with the likes of Michael Chaplin and Matt Vagg joining them in recent weeks. At quarter time, it appeared as though the Hillmen were going to have too much cohesion, willingness for the contest and team polish for their opponent. At the first change, Red Hill was 4.2 (26) and…

AN after the siren goal from Liam McKay saw Edithvale draw with Langwarrin in the second round of Peninsula Division Football. For the first three quarters of the match, Langwarrin dominated general play and had the upper hand against the home side. Ricky Johnson was continuing his outstanding form, doing the job on Jarrod Garth; Mark Meehan was being kept quiet by Nick Hammill; Matt Naughton was winning in the ruck, despite doing the bulk of it on his own, and Gerard Brown was completely dominating up forward. Brown took at least 20 marks in a dominant display in attack,…

MasterChef 2014 winner, Brent Owens, talks to MINT Magazine about life as a MasterChef, book writing, travel, and a gig he’s doing at Daveys Hotel in Frankston. 1. HOW WAS THE EXPERIENCE OF BEING ON MASTERCHEF FOR YOU? Being on MasterChef was amazing. It was intense and extremely stressful but equally rewarding. It’s not something you ever think you’ll be a part of let alone winning so I can’t take that for granted. 2. WHAT WAS THE HARDEST AND BEST PART OF BEING ON THE SHOW? It was hard, I’m not going to lie. Being away from your family and…

The Frankston Visitor Information Centre has again taken out top honours at the QANTAS Australian Tourism Awards held 2015. Frankston Visitor Information Centre is the first one of its kind to be inducted into the national tourism hall of fame. The visitor centre based near Frankston pier has won the Australian Tourism Awards gold award for visitor information and services for the third year in a row. The induction in Adelaide on Friday 10 April followed the Frankston centre entering the Victorian hall of fame after three consecutive wins in the state awards. The wins mean that the centre can no longer…

TENDERS are called in this issue for additions and alterations to the Frankston Mechanics’ Institute. *** THE treasurer of the collecting committee of the Frankston Belgian Relief Fund acknowledges with thanks the receipt from Mrs Hay of 14s 4d, the proceeds of raffle of an accordion. The winning number is 69, Miss Smith. *** A GENERAL meeting of members and friends of the Somerville Red Cross Society will be held in the Horticultural Hall at Somerville on Thursday next, to which all are made welcome. The evening will be spent in amusement. Refreshments will also be provided. *** THE long…

HASTINGS made a statement to the rest of the Nepean League competition on Saturday when it dominated all afternoon to beat glamour side Rye. The Blues showed aggression and intent from the outset and stamped itself as a genuine threat for the 2015 title, winning 15.12 (102) to 10.11 (71). Whilst some at the Hastings FC were jumping up and down about the perceived lack of respect for the work done in the off-season at the club, coach Brendan Dunne was ‘more than happy’ with the low profile of the club leading into the first game. Dunne was ecstatic after…

Footy’s back! Pines season off to a flyer with win over Langwarrin. Pic: Gary Bradshaw MT ELIZA proved that opposition teams weren’t simply making up the numbers after knocking over reigning premier Frankston YCW on Saturday. The Redlegs led by as much as 50 points in the third quarter before the Stonecats hit back in the last to give the scoreboard some respectability. There had been plenty of talk about the Stonecats leading into the opening round and many believed that they were head and shoulders above everyone else. After all, the Stonecats had added Dromana premiership players Daniel Waddell,…

BALNARRING cricketers Lachlan Barton and Jackson Hannah are gearing up for the trip of a lifetime: they have been selected to play in the Mornington Peninsula Cricket Association under-15s touring England in June. They are among 28 players in two squads nominated by clubs from all over the peninsula and chosen at an MPCA carnival in December. The trip costs around $7800 each – an amount some of the players’ parents find difficult to afford. “We’ve had a garage sale to raise some money, and I’ve been putting away some more from my part-time job training the Hastings Football Club…

THE Mornington Peninsula Tennis International at the Civic Reserve, Mornington, was a big success. Held from 21 March-5 April the tournament included the women’s US$15,000 ITF Futures event and the men’s US$15,000 ITF Challenger event. The men’s winner was Jose Statham, a member of the New Zealand Davis Cup Team, who beat fifth seed Matthew Barton, of NSW, 2-6, 6-3, 6-4. This is Statham’s first singles victory since May 2013. He ended Barton’s 17-consecutive-match-winning streak – a run that included two previous titles. Barton also fell just short in the men’s doubles final with partner Peter Torebko, of Germany. They…

A STATE government plan to bring more sand to Rosebud Beach near the pier is a waste of time and resources as it will disappear like it did five years ago, says Port Phillip Conservation Council. The so-called “beach renourishment” has been proposed by the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (formerly DPI and before that DSE) and it is inviting residents to an information session later this month. Kelly Crosthwaite, DELWP’s regional director Port Phillip, says the beach has “depleted over time and will be widened between the pier and cluster of stormwater drains about 170 metres west…

MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire CEO Carl Cowie has appointed his first senior executive – a chief financial officer. The hiring of Matthew Hubbard follows the laying off of 12 senior and middle managers on Friday 13 March including Bruce Rendall, the shire’s director of sustainable organisation, former CEO Michael Kennedy’s name for a chief financial officer. The title of Mr Hubbard’s job is a clue that Mr Cowie will ditch the Kennedy era names of the four directors, which all contained the word “sustainable”. Mr Cowie announced the hiring last Thursday, stating Mr Hubbard would be “interim chief financial officer, effective…

LIBERAL MPs have been accused of wrongly blaming the state government for not giving public access to the soon-to-be-opened Somerville police station. Police Minister Wade Noonan last week said Hastings MP Neale Burgess and Opposition police spokesman Edward O’Donohue are “conveniently misleading the community on this issue “. Mr Noonan decisions about police numbers and public access were made by the Chief Commissioner, not the government. “Under the Napthine government, changes were made that enshrined in law the independence of the Chief Commissioner to make determinations over the deployment of police to specific locations,” Mr Noon said. “This includes determining…

FRANKSTON and Mornington Peninsula residents will have the chance to have their say on planned changes to the state’s ambulance service at a community forum later this month. The state government released an interim report last month which found ambulance response times have “fallen dramatically over recent years”. The Ambulance Performance and Policy Consultative Committee heard first-hand from paramedics about their experiences on the job. The committee reported the dispatching of an ambulance to a Code 1 emergency in metropolitan Melbourne takes, on average, 1 minute longer than six years ago. While demand for emergency services has risen 5 per…

MT MARTHA resident Sue Smith has returned home after four years in the Solomon Islands as a self-funded volunteer helping small villages. “Life for people in these communities is very hard in so many respects,” she said. “There is no electricity, no refrigeration, few comforts and the burdensome daily task of water collection is often tedious and demanding.” The hazards of island life were highlighted last week when a 7.7 magnitude earthquake raised the risk of tsunami waves in the region. Luckily, the danger passed. Ms Smith’s main role was helping train local people in hospitality and tourism, small business…

FRENCH Islanders may have to wait more than two years before their complaints about the ferry service are tackled by the state government. Public Transport Victoria says it is considering re-tendering the ferry service, but not until the current contract expires in June 2017. The ferry which goes to Stony Point and Phillip Island services the island’s 123 permanent residents, although breakdowns and rough weather have led to claims of businesses losing money and schoolchildren being stranded on the mainland. Residents say they have been cut off from reliable access to Stony Point and Phillip Island “for more than two…

PASSENGER services on the Stony Point rail line will not return for at least two months after being suspended since 30 March. Metro Trains has told The News engineers continue to investigate technical problems that led to boom gates not closing when trains approached level crossings on two occasions last month (‘Rail line shut down’, The News 7/4/15). Metro spokeswoman Larisa Tait said axle counters along the Stony Point line will be installed to ensure boom gates are triggered to close in all instances. “We are working as quickly as possible to source and install axle counters along the line…

MORNINGTON Environment Association is opposing Mornington Yacht Club’s move to renew its lease with the shire council. The club wants to sign a new lease with the shire three years earlier than required (‘Yachties want lease before due date’, The News 31/3/14). It has asked for a 21-year lease, the same period as the one signed in 1997, which was varied to allow expansion in 2000 and creation of The Rocks restaurant as well as installation of a mobile phone tower, which is leased to Telstra. Environment association spokeswoman Jan Oliver said the group was concerned about the lack of…

THE controversial sculpture “I Am” by Flinders artist Andrew Rogers was unveiled on a roundabout in Flinders on Saturday by Australian National Gallery director Gerard Vaughan in front of more than 300 people. The 3.7-metre high silicon, bronze and stainless steel work on a 60-centimetre base divided the small coastal community when it was publicly proposed by Flinders Community Association as one way to mark the town’s 150th anniversary in 2014. Many residents were unhappy with the process of choosing the sculptor as well as its location. A security man guarded the work for several nights before Saturday following rumours…

THE popular T’Gallant restaurant in Main Ridge is for sale as part of owner Treasury Wine Estates’ cost-cutting plan. Up for grabs is the restaurant and the T’Gallant’s winery interests. About eight hectares of grapes are grown at the 16-hectare Mornington-Flinders Rd property but wine is no longer made there. Grapes from all over southeastern Australia are marketed under the T’Gallant label. The vineyard–restaurant has had a chequered career over the past decade or so, having been fined for permit breaches when owned by Foster’s Brewing Group. Mornington Peninsula Shire never collected the fine after Foster’s challenged it. The shire ignored…

CAPE Schanck residents opposed to the proposed RACV resort expansion have called on shire councillors to reject the $135 million, five-storey, almost 30-metre high complex off Boneo Rd. Opponents of the planned building have dubbed it “Ayers Rock” and “the mothership”. They have formed an alliance to lobby councillors as well as push the RACV to alter its plans for a building they say does not conform to the planning scheme for the precinct, which includes more than 200 homes and two golf courses. They are concerned about increased traffic, noise from the resort and the bulk of the building.…

JUST as he is every Anzac Day, Constable Steven Newland will be at the Frankston Dawn Service with his dad, brother and three uncles. They go to pay their respects to those who died in World War One – but this year the service has extra meaning for them. In October, Constable Newland was told by Victoria Police’s Historical Services that his great grandmother’s uncle, Sergeant Herbert Leslie Newland, was one of 138 Victoria Police officers who served in the war. Sergeant Newland, who joined in 1912, was among the troops who left Melbourne in the first convoy in late…

FRED Crump of Mornington put the shire council on the spot late last month when he asked about illegal dumping and other aspects of waste disposal. Mr Crump, who seems to have his finger on the pulse and invariably comes up with good questions at council meetings, asked the shire: “Many months ago, members of the community attended two public forums to give feedback to the shire on best ways to deal with the peninsula’s waste … especially the … problem of illegal dumping. “The shire said that a waste report was going to be sent to all participants. Still…

TWO outbuildings at Portsea’s Police Point Park are being restored as part of the shire’s heritage conservation works. The work is being done by Woodworkers of the Southern Peninsula, a not-for-profit club in Boneo Rd, Boneo. Police Point Shire Park was created in 2004 when the federal government gave the shire 17.5 hectares at the entrance of Point Nepean. The park was the original boundary and entry to the Quarantine Station, and later used by the Department of Defence. Of the six cottages, four will be used as respite accommodation for carers and their families, and two for a range…

THE discovery of 100kg of copper wiring in a stolen car in Hastings is allegedly part of a 20 tonne haul, valued at $250,000, looted from a Tullamarine industrial estate. The find has led to a Tyabb man, 38, being charged with theft, and other men facing possible charges, in an ongoing investigation. He has been bailed to appear at Frankston Magistrates’ Court in July. Detective Senior Constable Nick Sweetman, of Hastings CIU, said Carrum Downs highway patrol members using number plate recognition technology detected the unreturned Nissan hire car on Graydens Rd on 19 March. They queried the driver…

“WHY are we only now talking about family violence?” That’s the question put by Australian of the Year Rosie Batty to the VIEW Club’s International Women’s Day Lunch last month. Hastings and Mornington women were among the 170 VIEW club members at the event at Amstel Golf Course, Cranbourne. Ms Batty, whose son Luke was killed by his father Greg last year, said family violence “has gone on forever, but has always been hidden behind closed doors”. “Now is the time to bring that hidden truth into the open,” she said. “We are constantly being bombarded with statistics on traffic…

THE Mornington on Tanti Hotel’s request for another 17 poker machines – almost doubling its number to 40 – is following the community support fund route argued successfully by the Western Bulldogs-owned Peninsula Club, which was successful in lifting its pokie numbers from 20 to 35 a year ago. Tanti is proposing “to formalise an annual community support fund and undertake new works to improve [the] venue” if granted its additional electronic gaming machines (EGMs). The hearing was listed for 23 March but at deadline no one at the Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation was available to provide…

RESIDENTS on the southern peninsula have asked the shire council to “assist with improvements to the Colchester Rd pool” in Rosebud. The request came in a 125-signature petition presented to Mornington Peninsula Shire councillors two weeks ago. Its primary request was that the shire develop the Southern Peninsula Aquatic Centre (SPA) but if it did not go ahead or was subject to lengthy delays, the shire should put money into the privately owned pool in Rosebud’s light industrial area, the town’s only pool. The shire has done this before during the SPA saga, which has dragged on for almost 15…