MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire has dropped the municipal charge in favour of a waste service charge which it says will ensure a “fairer redistribution of the rate burden”. The mayor Cr Graham Pittock said the $193 a property waste charge would raise $19 million, an amount that “fully recovers the cost of collection and disposal of refuse”. The municipal charge for 2014/15 was $180. The proposed budget released for public comment last week includes raising an extra $5.269m from rates, for a total of $155.344m. The proposed general rate is .22670 cents in the dollar of a property’s capital improved value…
Day: April 11, 2016
THE contentious decision to change Rosebud West to Capel Sound will become reality if councillors back a staff recommendation. The call for change follows months of discussions, meetings, submissions, editorials and a public vote via a mass letter-box drop. Letters and surveys were sent out on 7 December with a 5 February closing date for surveys and submissions. Of the 5600 letters sent to residents, ratepayers and community groups, 1902 responses were received (or 33.9 per cent). In summary, 1065 replies favoured the change – 19.02 per cent of the total posted – or 56 per cent of those received…
A PLANNED burn on the slopes of Arthurs Seat two Sundays ago was designed to lessen the intensity of any future bushfire in the area. “The major benefit of the operation is that should a bushfire occur in the area in the future; it will be less intense, making it more likely that firefighters can contain it before it impacts on people, property and the environment surrounding Arthurs Seat,” forest fire management, metropolitan district manager, Dan White, said. “That’s because the burn has reduced a lot of the fuel that a bushfire relies on to sustain itself. It also complements the…
THE principal of Red Hill Consolidated School was confidant late last week that the school would reopen on time on Monday. In a letter to parents Leanne Marshall said the Department of Health and Human Services was still investigating an outbreak of gastroenteritis that affected more than 100 pupils and six staff and caused the school to close a day earlier for the holidays. “However, we want to reassure all members of the school community that we have followed closely the guidelines in regards to management and control of gastroenteritis outbreaks in children’s services, as supplied by [the] DHHS communicable…
MORNINGTON Peninsula mayor Cr Graham Pittock sees the state government’s decision to take over planning powers for the Arthur’s Seat Skylift project as a “slap in the face for local government”. Planning Minister Richard Wynne has virtually left council powerless by taking control of the $18 million project. “You can forget all about community consultation,” Cr Pittock said. “The community was happy with the way we were handling it. “I can’t think of any of the delays they are referring to.” The project consists of an all-weather gondola-style chairlift that will carry passengers to the top of the summit, a…
PENINSULA Health’s adult mental health unit at Frankston Hospital is about to undergo $1.5 million upgrade. Named 2 West, the unit it was built in the early 1990s but has seen little in the way of capital improvements over the past 25 years. The physical environment has been described by clients and their families as “dismal and prison-like”. “The funding announced will provide an immediate improvement to the environment in our acute mental health unit and the safety of clients and staff,” Peninsula Health CEO Sue Williams said. “Our staff do a fantastic job caring for our mental health clients,…
SCIENTISTS are predicting an end to the bumper season of fishing for King George whiting in Port Phillip and Western Port. Surveys have detected poor juvenile whiting numbers in seagrass nurseries in 2014 and 2015. Fisheries Victoria executive director Travis Dowling said natural climate-driven variation in juvenile whiting numbers that settle in the bay was entirely normal, but consecutive poor years would prolong the downturn and make it more noticeable to anglers. “The downturn’s impact will be lessened given that 87 per cent of the commercial netting catch for species also targeted by recreational anglers, including King George whiting, has…
A MORNINGTON coffee company was recently awarded Radio 3AW and Momentum Energy’s Small Business Achievement Award. It was presented on Denis Walter’s afternoon program. Mornington resident Sam Keck started Commonfolk Coffee Company coffee roaster and cafe in 2013. The 24-year-old zoology graduate wanted to introduce people to the concept of specialty coffee and connect them with all stages of its production – from the farmer to the importer and on to the roaster. “The company battled through archaic council planning regulations but, finally, got permission to open up in the Mornington industrial estate – far away from your typical Main…
AN office has been set up on the Mornington Peninsula to help low income earners buy household necessities. The StepUp project is run by not-for-profit Good Shepherd Microfinance, part of the Good Shepherd network. The group will provide loans for those with a Centrelink health care card or pension card or who qualify for family tax benefit A and can prove they have lived at their current address for more than three months. There are no fees, but a low-interest rate is charged. “We have been providing loans around Australia for 12 years,” financial security manager Sally Edwards said. “We’re…
CATS are being given away free by the RSPCA from Thursday 14 April to Sunday 17 April. During these four days, RSPCA Victoria will be waiving its usual $110 cat adoption fee. The organisation has more than 200 adult cats at its nine adoption centres and two RSPCA Pets Place Centres. There are also cats waiting in quarantine (at least eight days before being ready for adoption). During the no-fee period, normal adoption procedures apply, including matching each animal to the right family. Every cat available for adoption is desexed, microchipped and vaccinated. RSPCA Peninsula is at 1030 Robinsons Rd,…
THE historic 75-year-old steam train K163 is ready to fire up this Sunday 17 April for a kids fun run at Moorooduc Railway Station, on Moorooduc Highway alongside Mt Eliza Regional Park (Melway 105/K9). From 10am-1 pm children aged three to 12 will be able to run alongside the locomotive into the station on a purpose built and secure track. Distances will vary with age from 150 metres to 1200 metres. Organised by Mt Eliza Rotary Club, he event will be family friendly with children’s show bags, face painters, balloon sculptors and an animal farm along with food and drinks…
HMAS Sirius has sailed, but her presence off Mt Martha last week attracted many curious onlookers. The Western Australia-based supply vessel proved a drawcard for sailors from naval training base HMAS Cerberus’s engineering faculty who motored out from Rosebud pier on familiarisation tours. The auxiliary oiler was built as a double-hulled commercial product tanker, then named MV Delos, and bought by the federal government in 2004. Renamed Sirius, she underwent modifications, including the addition of a flight deck for helicopter operations. The ship can carry over 34,806 cubic metres of fuel, including 5486 cubic metres of aviation fuel for helicopters.…
FOUR teenagers were threatened with a machete in a failed robbery in Naples St, Mornington, on Monday night last week. The group was walking along Nunns Rd at about 10.15pm after buying take away when they noticed they were being followed. Two youths approached in Naples St and demanded their mobiles and wallets – one raising a machete to his victim’s face, causing a scratch. The victims refused to hand over any property and the offenders fled. Anyone with information should call Detective Senior Constable Andrew Hodgson, of Somerville police complex, 5978 1300 or Crime Stoppers 1800 333 000. First…
“I’M SORRY”, an anti-bullying event at Mt Eliza Secondary College on 17 March, coincided with the sixth National Day of Action against Bullying and Violence. More than 250 students, parents and teachers were joined by members of the Live Out Loud organisation at the day and night sessions. They aimed to equip students, parents, teachers and residents with a range of bully-prevention strategies, as well as the ability to stand up and eradicate bullying for good. Helping lead the event was Mornington’s 2016 Youth Citizen of the Year, 17-year-old Tia McLean. Last year, Ms McLean organised a youth summit at…
THE fire danger season on the Mornington Peninsula has officially ended, with fire crews thankful it’s been a rather quiet affair. Despite two short but intense blazes at Crib Point and one at Somerville, there were no long, drawn out fire battles over the summer period. Sadly, the Crib Point fires, which started at the same time a week apart and destroyed a home, cars and sheds, were deemed to be deliberately lit, although no one has been charged. Mornington fire station officer-in-charge Troy Thornton said the weather had played a role in quelling fires. “We did not have…
NEPEAN LEAGUE AS the old adage goes, a week is a long time in football. Two weeks is like an eternity. On Good Friday a fortnight ago, traditional rivals Rosebud and Rye played in a game where many would have been asking for their money back at the end of the two hours. Wind the clock forward 15 days and both clubs have their season well and truly back on track. Some of us can be absolute suckers for writing off teams too early. Frankston Bombers coach Beau Muston said on the RPP Footy Show on Saturday morning that players…
PENINSULA LEAGUE NEW Mt Eliza coach Troy Shannon had no idea what to expect from his team in the opening round of the season against Pines in Peninsula Division on Saturday. The Edithvale–Aspendale premiership and 2015 Vic Country coach had taken over a club that, from the outside looking in, was in some strife. There was a big clean out throughout the off–season and Shannon was going into the first game without key forwards Scott Lockwood (Sorrento) and Justin Van Unen. He was also going into the match without between four and six of what he believes could be in…
By Craig MacKenzie MORNINGTON, Strikers and Baxter have won their opening two games of the 2016 soccer season. But Mornington’s 3-1 win at home to Manningham United on Saturday masks the problems Adam Jamieson’s men had in the first half of their State 1 South-East clash. “Manningham missed a penalty early on and they really should have been 2-0 up. They’re a decent side,” said Jamieson. Mornington regained its composure and went in at the break with a 1-0 lead after a sweeping move involving Northern Irish import Sammy Stewart, ex-Manningham midfielder Chris Reid and Shane Tagliaferro with Wayne Gordon…
THE Frankston police have patrolled the beach at Carrum daily in the hope of finding the bodies of John Montgomery Robinson and Andrew McNeil, the two lads who are believed to have been drowned while fishing off the foreshore on 1st April, but so far the search has been without success. Anyone finding pieces of clothing or any thing in the locality that might help to determine the fate of the boys is requested to communicate with the Frankston police. *** IN accordance with our usual custom our next issue will be published on Thursday evening instead of Friday evening,…