RYE Bowls Club has had another successful Pennant season with five of its six sides making the finals series of Saturday Pennant and the sixth one just missing out by finishing fifth. The fours and the fives went down in the semi and elimination finals leaving the ones, twos and threes to bring home the bacon in the grand final. So on Saturday 12 March, the third division defeated West Rosebud with a margin of 10 shots, at Rosebud Country Club Bowls Club and the second division was too good for Village Glen Bowls Club at West Rosebud by a…
Month: March 2016
FORMER Australian of the Year Rosie Batty will lead a new Victim Survivors’ Advisory Council as part of a state government plan to implement all recommendations of a Royal Commission into Family Violence due to hand down its recommendations this week. Premier Daniel Andrews said the advisory council will have a say on how the Labor state government ensures the Royal Commission’s findings are used to reform the family violence system across Victoria. Ms Batty’s son Luke was murdered by his father Greg Anderson, who had a history of mental illness and violence against Ms Batty, at the Tyabb football…
FOR eight decades the neon Skipping Girl Vinegar sign has delighted children and adults as it lights up the streets of inner city Melbourne, at Abbotsford. The girl known as Little Audrey – the original Skipping Girl – lives at Sorrento. Irene Barron, 94, was the model for what became Australia’s first animated neon sign while working as a young artist for Neon Electric Signs. “I was nearly 14 when I started there after winning a drawing competition. The prize was you got to work there,” Mrs Barron said. “I was the smallest there and so they wanted someone to…
MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire’s Red Hill ward may encompass more than half the municipality, if proposals put forward by the Victorian Electoral Commission are adopted. The VEC’s review of ward boundaries based on the number of voters, not size, is likely to mean that just one councillor will represent as much property as that of the other 10 councillors combined. Red Hill ward is currently represented by Cr Tim Wood, elected in a by-election in August 2014 following the resignation of Frank Martin. The VEC review of boundary changes – to ensure the number of voters represented by each councillor is…
PASSENGERS on the final ferry for the day on Tuesday were entertained by a pod of dolphins swimming alongside the vessel and leaping from its bow waves. Researchers believe the dolphins’ “bow riding” is a social activity often indulged in after a meal. “Without mind-reading a dolphin, it just looks likes good fun; the equivalent of a surfer catching the perfect wave,” Dolphin Research Institute research director Sue mason said. Coincidentally, Tuesday’s display was admired from the ferry’s aft deck by surfers Ted Bainbridge (founder Peninsula Surf), Laurie Thompson (founder Islantis Surfboards) and surfboard maker Mick Pierce returning from a…
NEPEAN LEAGUE THERE was an emergence of another major player in the MPNFL 2016 Nepean Division on Easter Saturday. Dromana may have gone through a lean period in the past couple of seasons following their premiership success, however, they announced their return on Saturday against Sorrento at Pier St Oval. The Tigers’ announcement was more than the 16.6 (102) to 11.11 (77) win – it was the way they went about winning. You hear coaches say all the time now that it’s “all about systems and processes” and the “results will take care of themselves”. While some of the Tigers’…
WHILE the AFL continues to debate whether to play Good Friday football or not, local football is thriving after the huge success over the Easter weekend. On Good Friday and Easter Saturday the local Mornington Peninsula Nepean Football League community celebrated the launch of the 2016 season. And what a celebration it was. It kicked off with the much anticipated Brendan Fevola show at Frankston Park, the home of the MPNFL finals. While the contest may have been a disappointment between the Frankston Bombers and Pearcedale, the ‘event’ was one to remember. Fevola, carrying a leg injury, booted six goals…
PENINSULA LEAGUE PINES made a big statement on Easter Saturday that it is ready to take another step in Peninsula Division after dishing out an old fashioned hiding to old foe Seaford. The Pines bookends were extremely impressive, booting six goals to one in the opening quarter and six goals to two in the last to run out 69 point winners, 18.15 (123) to 7.12 (54). Aaron Edwards was the star of the competition last season and he started 2016 in even better fashion than where he left off. Edwards booted five goals in a blistering opening term before finishing…
SURGICAL circles in Great Britain unstintedly attribute to Major Scot Skirving, of Sydney, the performance of a remarkable and successful operation at Millbank Military Hospital. The Major extracted a bullet from the heart of Private Houlder. Houlder was told he might live for two months, but he preferred to accept the surgeon’s offer to perform an operation, although he was told he had only a “100 to 1” chance. He said goodbye to his comrades in the ward cheerfully, and the operation was performed. Houlder survived, and he is progressing satisfactorily. *** MR W. J. Oates was sworn in…
RPP FM local radio have announced the launch of a new current affairs radio program on Tuesday, 29 March 2016 at 12noon. The half hour program, called Eye on the Peninsula will be presented by Piers Cunningham and produced by Debra Mar. The program will cover local current affairs, developing stories, live crosses and breaking news across Mornington Peninsula communities. Station Manager, Mr Brendon Telfer said, “It’s all about the peninsula and our talented team who will be able to tell important local stories and give them ‘voice’ – we don’t want to rely on the big news agencies defining…
CONSULTATION about options to separate road from rail at level crossings along the Frankston line has begun with a series of drop-in sessions held in suburbs along the rail line this month from Cheltenham to Frankston. Staff from the Level Crossing Removal Authority (LXRA), including engineers, were on hand to begin the process of talking to affected communities about possible design plans to remove level crossings including concern about the visual and noise impact of elevated rail along parts of the Frankston line. Opponents of elevated rail, dubbed sky rail, were unimpressed with the lack of detail on offer at…
ENGRAVER Perry Fletcher found his niche in the art world after completing a five-month tour of Vietnam during his two years as a national service conscript, or Nasho. Now living in Mt Martha, Fletcher says he was in need of rest and inspiration after those two years of army life and went to Europe. While touring the galleries and studying art he realised there was no shortage of good painters but saw few exhibited engravings “and none of any significant size”. Returning to Australia in 1970 he moved into a one-room flat in Hawthorn and bought five feet by two…
POLITICAL barbs continue to be exchanged over the Labor state government’s rate capping policy, dubbed the Fair Go Rates system by the government, for councils across Victoria. Local Government Minister Natalie Hutchins announced last week that the Essential Services Commission will publish its annual rate cap recommendation, based on the cost of inflation, each year. The ESC recommended councils should not increase rates by any more than 2.8 per cent for the 2016-17 financial year, based on the Consumer Price Index and Wage Price Index. Ms Hutchins decided rate rises should be limited to 2.5 per cent based on CPI.…
THE CFA volunteers’ association believes diversity is vital to CFA and its work of protecting the community. Volunteer Fire Brigades Victoria District 8 president Eric Collier says being a CFA volunteer is “about commitment, skills and professionalism”. “CFA brigades welcome volunteers of any gender, age or cultural background. The one thing we all have in common is a commitment to serve our communities,” Mr Collier said. “CFA Brigades are from the community and for the community. We want our membership to be as diverse as the communities of which we are part. “The jobs a volunteer can undertake are quite…
GETTING jet skis banned from Port Phillip could be a long, hard grind for its current sole public advocate, Cr Hugh Fraser. His first hurdle will be to persuade a majority of his council colleagues to support him. But Cr Fraser, veteran barrister at law, can be persuasive and determined. Mornington Peninsula Shire has no policy position on jet skis, says Cr Bev Colomb, currently president of the Association of Bayside Municipalities (ABM), through which Cr Fraser must advance his case for a ban. His first task will be to convince his councillor colleagues – a number of whom could…
Police are appealing for public assistance to help locate missing Hastings man Jaroslaw Malinovski. Jaroslaw was last seen in the early hours of Wednesday morning when he attended Frankston Hospital, seeking medical treatment, before leaving about 2.40am. Police and family are concerned for the 54-year-old who suffers from a medical condition and has been without his medication for three days. Investigators have released an image of Jaroslaw in the hope someone recognises him and can provide information regarding his current whereabouts. Jaroslaw is described as about 193cm tall with a medium build. He was last seen wearing a black and…
Trent Cotchin, Richmond Football Club Captain, will ‘kick off’ Premier’s Active April on the Mornington Peninsula on Saturday, 2 April. Premier’s Active April is part of the Victorian Government’s commitment to promote healthy and active lifestyles and get Victorians to join in the fun of increased physical activity. Trent’s on-hand to run a children’s and parents’ boot camp to get people into the active spirit, then cool off with some fan photos. Launch events will take place at Pelican Park Recreation Centre in Hastings and at Civic Reserve Recreation Centre in Mornington on the first Saturday in April. You can…
FOUR people survived a light plane crash at Tooradin Airfield on Sunday 20 March. Witnesses say strong winds appeared to buffet the Cessna 182T as it came into land. The plane struck three other planes as it came into the airfield, bending in half before it came to a halt. The four people aboard, a man in his 50s, another in his 20s, a woman, 31, and a four-year-old girl were all taken to Frankston Hospital and treated for light injuries, bruises and shock. The crash happened at about 1pm in full view of diners at the airfield restaurant. CFA…
AN irregular-shaped block of surplus railway land at Somerville is proposed to be sold for housing. For train aficionados this would represent a much sought-after opportunity to get close to passenger and freight services. Residents could look forward to unparalleled growth in container movements, based on the Mornington Peninsula Shire’s dream to help create a massive port at Hastings, with kilometre-long freight trains running day and night. The proposal, discussed at council on 15 March, comes from VicTrack, a state-owned business enterprise run by an independent board. It plays a pivotal role supporting the state government to provide improved public…
DIAGNOSED with multiple sclerosis (MS) at 13, Bobby Bajram, pictured above, knows what it means to face difficulties in life. But being a determined type, he’s now created another peak that has to be reached: climbing Mt Everest. “I promised myself that MS would not beat me, and that one day I would walk to the top of the world,” the now 48-year-old last week explained to Rosebud Secondary College students. Mr Bajram’s visit followed a chance meeting with a group of the college’s students while hiking near Mt Bogong last month. “Our paths literally crossed,” he said. “The students…
A MORNINGTON Peninsula councillor wants municipalities around Port Phillip to ban jet skis. Nepean ward councillor Hugh Fraser will try to drum up support for a jet ski ban from the 10-member Association of Bayside Municipalities. If they agree, the state government would then be asked to implement the ban. “This [ban] has been successfully accomplished on Sydney Harbour and I simply ask the question, as to whether that is a matter of interest to the association,” Cr Fraser said. He raised the jet ski ban at the 15 March council meeting, asking Cr Bev Colomb – Mornington Peninsula Shire’s…
MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire is under pressure to set aside more leash-free areas before dogs are banned from beaches between Flinders and Point Nepean. The total ban on dogs on beaches within the Mornington Peninsula National Park comes into effect in November. As well as banning dogs, the measures to protect the endangered hooded plover may also include laying poison baits for foxes and trapping feral cats. Groups that effectively lobbied the state government for the dog ban are now campaigning for more leash-free areas close to the beaches. The seasoned hooded plover campaigners dispute assurances from Mornington Peninsula Shire that…
SUB-DISTRICT ROSEBUD will play in MPCA District ranks next season after winning the Sub District premiership against Frankston YCW on Saturday. The Buds had to withstand a strong fightback from the Stonecats on the third and final day of the match to claim victory. It was one of the best of all time in Rosebud star Jason Nagel who contributed most significantly to the win for Rosebud. While rumours circulated on radio RPP about Jason Nagel’s cricketing future, he was going about winning a flag for his beloved Rosebud Cricket Club. Nagel bowled an amazing 38 overs, had 15 maidens…
FOOTBALL THE Mornington Peninsula Nepean Football League season kicks-off this Easter weekend with five matches being played across two divisions. The match with the biggest hype will be played at the home of peninsula football, Frankston Park, when Frankston Bombers tackle Pearcedale on Good Friday. Fresh from winning ‘Celebrity get me out of here”, former Carlton and Brisbane Lion full forward Brendan Fevola will be lining up for the Bombers. Frankston Bombers have invested enormously into the Fevola appearance and drawing a big crowd. For the Bombers’ sake, let’s hope a big crowd get down to Frankston Park on Good…
DISTRICT PEARCEDALE won back-to-back premierships on Saturday after dominating the third and final day of the MPCA District grand final against Flinders. After beating Frankston YCW in the Sub District grand final last season, the Panthers had an almost faultless 2015-16 season and capped it off with the District flag. For the first time in the clubs’ history, Pearcedale will play in Provincial next season. The win brought down the curtain on the career of Shane Maggs, who played juniors with Pearcedale before playing higher grade cricket. He took the final wicket of the match, knocking out the stump of…
BUILDING on the success of their inaugural summer lantern event, Boneo Maze is hosting a school holiday program to promote well-being, relaxation and connection for families. Commencing on Good Friday with kid’s yoga and nature craft activities, the program also includes a chocolate Easter egg hunt and indigenous cultural tours. Held in the heart of the park, the kid’s yoga is aimed at children from 5 to 10 years as a fun, mind-body activity. Available every day from Good Friday until Sunday April 3rd, the yoga is being offered free of charge (park entry fee required). The craft and chocolate…
APPROVAL has been given by the State Cabinet to the preparation of a scheme by the Water Commission for the supply of water to the Flinders Naval Base, and a number of towns in the Mornington Peninsula. The supply, it is suggested should come from the Bunyip River, but before this can be finally decided further surveys will have to be made. The cost of the scheme will probably run from £160,000 to £170,000. It has been intimated, however, that the State Treasurer is not willing to find that sum unless the Federal authorities are prepared to make satisfactory arrangements…
GRADUATION rates at the individual campuses of privately operated training colleges are not being monitored by the federal government despite billions of dollars of taxpayers’ money paid out to the college operators. The cost of VET FEE-HELP courses being offered by private education providers soared to $1.6 billion nationally last year with taxpayers footing the bill for loans to students to pay for vocational college courses. Most of this money is unlikely to ever be repaid since graduation rates at the private colleges are extremely low and some colleges have ceased operations recently after coming under scrutiny by the Australian…
IT WAS a small gallery that gathered at the shire’s Rosebud bunker for the council meeting of Tuesday evening, 15 March. And a diminished roll call of councillors: Anne Shaw and Andrew Dixon had been felled by ’flu; Lynn Bowden was also an apology. It was the day after the Labor Day public holiday and the festive feeling lingered. Fred Crump of Mornington had brought his kite, in the shape of an eagle, that had soared recently at the Rosebud kite festival. And he brought a question. Shire tree planting in Mornington Park, including a banksia that had been moved…
A WILD brawl in Melbourne’s city centre has put the focus on a gang involved in brazen violent burglaries and car thefts in the south east suburbs over the past few months. Members of the Apex gang clashed with police at Federation Square and surrounding streets last Saturday evening (12 March) as terrified bystanders attending the Moomba Festival fled for safety. The high-profile clash caused Premier Daniel Andrews to vow to get tough with violent gangs. “What happened on Saturday evening was completely unacceptable,” Mr Andrews said at a press conference the day after the brawl. “I will make sure…