Seven protesters arrested during an eight-hour sit-in at the office of Flinders MP Greg Hunt have been let off without penalty. Appearing at Frankston Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday after singing hymns and saying prayers in a small park behind Frankston police station, the group chose to have their say in court rather than accepting a “diversion” – something below the scale of a good behaviour bond. One of the seven, Baptist minister Simon Reeves, was not offered a diversion because of three previous court appearances for the same charge of trespass. He had no convictions or criminal record but had…
Month: May 2016
CRIB POINT FNC By Jared Newton NOT a happy day for the Pies as all teams went down against their feathered rivals from Somerville. The seniors were highly competitive without fully threatening with avenues at goal again being the biggest issue for the Pies. With Dean Warry back in the side the Pies looked much more potent up forward and he delivered with three majors. The Pies never gave up and poor kicking from the Eagles kept Crib in the game for much of the day before some late goals put a gap between the two sides. There’s no doubt…
HASTINGS FNC HASTINGS Football/Netball Club had a fantastic weekend on and off the field with all three football sides having great victories against Dromana Football/Netball club. Our C Grade netball team had a draw and unfortunately our B Grade girls only just went down. Off the field we had Neil “Knuckles” Kerley come and visit the club with his good mate John Schultz, former Brownlow Medallist, in what was a terrific lunch time event with “Knuckles” not disappointing. We are so lucky to have had these two men visit and thank them for taking the time out of there busy…
MERRICKS Pony Club was named inaugural winner of the Club of the Year at the Pony Club Australia Awards. And the club’s Lauren Clark won the award for Best Achievement by a rider 17-25 years. Club president Natasha Keetley, vice-president Roberta Clark and Lauren Clark travelled to Adelaide for the presentations on 28 May. Criteria for the club award included showing initiative to attract and retain members, delivering quality coaching, having the highest standards of safety and focusing on good governance at all times. The criteria for Ms Clark’s award included displaying pony club values, rally attendance, club citizenship and…
RESIDENTS had a chance to visit Melbourne Water’s Tyabb Reservoir renewal project, Friday 20 May, to gain a better understanding of the works in progress. Drinking water is piped to the reservoir from Melbourne Water’s Cardinia Reservoir and Tarago treatment plant. An embankment inside the reservoir will create two basins, with new covers and linings. Melbourne Water project manager Kerri Skelton said the opening gave residents a rare behind-the-scenes look into the project. “We wanted to invite our close neighbours to show them the scale of the construction of this important project,” she said. The works have already necessitated 1375…
FRANTIC efforts to raise money to save the Otama submarine from the wrecker’s yard may be paying off. Although falling far short of the estimated $50,000 needed to make its moorings safe, a new design and lower prices could see the submarine’s future more secure, at least in the short term. Max Bryant, president of the Western Port Oberon Association, was on Monday confident that a deal could be worked out by week’s end. As previously reported, Parks Victoria has ordered the moorings fixed or that the Otama be moved from where it now lies off Crib Point. Parks manager…
By LIZ BELL HASTINGS schools, early education providers and parents working together have shown how a community approach to literacy and social inclusion gets results and gives students “hope”. Since becoming involved in a project to develop the relationships between education services and families – Linking Schools and Early Years – the town’s literacy and school engagement levels have soared. Figures from the Australian Early Development Census show that the project has reduced the number of preps in the town who had poor language and cognitive skills by almost 20 per cent. Only around 17 per cent of preps are…
A CRIB Point junior footballer was airlifted to the Royal Children’s Hospital on Sunday afternoon after being knocked unconscious in a game against Pearcedale. Xavier Wilson, 12, had his head over the ball when an opponent rushed in and their heads clashed in an MPJFL game. Another player bumped the pair with his hip. Xavier blacked out and fell to the ground. Trainers from both sides were quickly on the scene. Club president Mark Wilson, Xavier’s father, was coaching an under-15s side at BlueScope when he learned of the incident. “I rushed over and the ambulance was already there. Xavier…
Colac Highway Patrol are investigating after a pedestrian died following a collision at Colac last week. It’s believed a man was crossing from the south side of Murray Street, at the eastern side of the Queen Street intersection, about 7.15am on Thursday 26 May. A Mitsubishi sedan turning right from Queen Street into Murray Street struck the pedestrian as he was crossing road. The 48-year-old pedestrian from Mt Martha was taken to the Colac Hospital then transferred to The Alfred hospital. The man died at The Alfred the following day. Police continue to investigate the circumstances of the collision. Anyone…
MORNINGTON Yacht Club has signed a new 21-year head lease with the shire. It has been a tough time, with commodore Graeme Alexander saying that since the Safe Harbour “debacle” of 2010-12 the committee had been struggling “to get the club back on track”. At that time, a planning scheme amendment was needed for Mornington Yacht Club and its associated company, Mornington Boat Haven, to build a $18 million 170-berth floating marina, but this was knocked back by the shire. It is believed the club spent about $500,000 on the ill-fated proposal, as part of $1 million spent by Parks…
GUITARIST Matthew Fagan and pianist Daniel Tucceri will perform Solstice, 3pm, Sunday 19 June at St John’s Church, Flinders. It’s being billed as a concert of classical music at its emotive and technical best – a musical journey into our mythology and a rediscovery of ancient music, using acoustic instruments from Celtic and Classical to Romantic traditions. Solstice will feature the works of classical masters Vivaldi, Beethoven, Rodrigo, Bach and Paganini, with new arrangements for 10 and six-string Spanish guitar and piano. Master works from Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 and Rodrigo’s Spanish guitar masterpiece Concierto de Aranjuez will be played.…
THE public “turned out in droves” for open tastings at last week’s 16th International Cool Climate Wine Show at Mornington Racecourse. More than 400 wines over many classes – with 20 per cent coming from the Mornington Peninsula – had earlier been appraised by a team of judges. Cool climate wines are produced on the peninsula by 170 wineries and sold through 50 cellar doors. Wine lovers at the show had the chance to compare and contrast these varieties with cool climate wines from around the world. The public tasting added a touch of mystery, with wine lovers bravely wending…
A MEMBER of the Southern Peninsula Victorian Masters Athletic Club has been told by a senior shire officer he will have to apply through freedom-of-information for information about contentious upgrades at the Trueman’s Rd track. Bryan Baldwin, of Fingal, said the Mornington Peninsula shire had spent $37,000 on “improvement” works at the Trueman’s Rd Recreation Reserve but, considering the “current state” of the surface, doubts the was money well spent. He wants to know where the money went and who authorised its expenditure. He says the track is now “unusable”. Trueman’s Rd Recreation Reserve is home to the Southern Peninsula…
SAFETY Beach residents are angry about loud traffic noise on the busy Mornington Peninsula freeway. One resident, Wayne Ashley, has set about galvanising public opinion to force the state government, or VicRoads, to introduce noise reduction measures. He is confident he can get up to 60 nearby residents to a public meeting at Safety Beach Country Club, Thursday 16 June, to mount an anti-noise campaign. Mr Ashley said the Mornington Peninsula Freeway, which was linked to Peninsula Link in 2011, was not designed to carry “the massive amount of traffic” it does now. “With the joining of Peninsula Link with…
SENIOR planning staff at Mornington Peninsula Shire may have been shown the door, with redundancies offered to long-standing team leaders and managers in the strategic projects and statutory planning departments. One senior manager has been offered a lesser role to stay with the organisation, which in its most recent round of staff cuts shed staff or downgraded positions at Hastings, Mornington, and Rosebud libraries. Mornington Peninsula Shire chief operating officer Alison Leighton would not be drawn on the extent of the redundancies last week. “The shire has been looking at ways to further improve the delivery of customer service by…
MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire has decided against pursuing Cr Antonella Celi for thousands of dollars she allegedly spent over her allowances. Councillors last week reversed an earlier decision for the shire to seek repayment of what appeared to be about $9000 over what was allocated to her for conferences and seminars. After the meeting, Cr Hugh Fraser told The News that the matter had been a ”whitewash”, with no information provided on the management decisions surrounding Cr Celi’s expenses claims. However, the matter is unlikely to be resolved soon, with Cr Fraser already planning to move a rescission motion at next…
AN Aspendale Gardens man weeding in his garden died after petrol fumes caught alight, Wednesday 18 May. Police said the 42-year-old was pouring petrol from a watering can onto weeds along his fence line unaware of the danger as he neared a gas heater. The pilot light ignited the fumes, setting the man, and the fence, alight. Witnesses said the man, of Waterdale Place, ran across the yard to grab the garden hose but had already suffered serious burns to his body. Neighbours ran to help and called an ambulance. The man was taken to The Alfred hospital with life…
MORNINGTON Peninsula small businesses Commonfolk Coffee, The Snake Hole, and agricultural advocate Indiblu have united in support of Victoria’s dairy community. “As you would be well aware the dairy industry is facing some of its most challenging times,” organiser Sam Keck, of Commonfolk, said. “The recent price drop has put unprecedented pressure on the finances and emotions of some of our most important primary produces.” The group’s unincorporated not-for-profit group MP4Dairy aims to raise much-needed financial support for struggling farming families. Their two main fundraising campaigns include a gofundme site to sell limited edition Snake Hole-designed t-shirts, with all profits going…
BEN Wild is the Animal Justice Party candidate for the federal seat of Flinders at the up-coming election. He is the third candidate to step forward against Liberal Greg Hunt, who has held the seat since 2001. Willisa Hogarth will contest Flinders for the Greens and Carolyn Gleixner for Labor. Ms Gleixner unsuccessfully stood for the state seat of Nepean against Liberal Martin Dixon in 2014 and Ms Hogarth is the state convener of the Australian Greens. Mr Wild said although the Animal Justice Party was seen as a micro party, “it looks as though we will end up being…
MORNINGTON Peninsula Chorale members will hit the high notes in New York next year. They have been invited to perform at Carnegie Hall in January with composer Sir Karl Jenkins. It is the trip of a lifetime for the choristers now need to raise the money for their travels. They will join other choristers from around the world to form the Distinguished Concerts Singers International, with Sir Karl composer-in-residence, and artistic director Jonathan Griffith as conductor of the performance. The venue will be the Isaac Stern Auditorium, Carnegie Hall. “We are seeking funding from all government levels, and exploring all…
By LIZ BELL SECURITY will be upgraded at The Briars homestead, Mt Martha, so that a priceless Napoleon collection of artefacts and artworks can be displayed. Burglars broke into the homestead in April, 2014, stealing 10 items, including locks of the French emperor’s hair, a silver inkwell, some gold Napoleons and a ribbon inscribed by Napoleon in 1815. The large collection had been housed at The Briars for about 20 years and is the largest Napoleonic collection outside of Europe. The theft highlighted a lack of security at the historic venue, with the thief entering the property through a bathroom…
STAFF at Peninsula Health have seen a 69.9 per cent increase in the number of breast cancer cases treated since 2008. Breast care nurse Rhonda Barnes predicts the trend is “set to rise even further over the next several years”. Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in Australian women and has the second highest mortality rate after lung cancer. Cancer Australia estimates that there will be more than 16,000 new cases diagnosed this year. The breast surgery team at Peninsula Health treats more than 130 women a year. As a breast care nurse, Ms Barnes is the linchpin…
PENINSULA LEAGUE THE MPNFL Peninsula Division season effectively became irrelevant on Saturday at Wooralla Drive. Frankston YCW travelled to Mt Eliza for a top of the table clash. What resulted was an embarrassing 94 point drubbing. The Stonecats are just so much better than any other team in the competition right now. That’s something the Stonecats’ brainstrust won’t want to hear, nor the rest of the competition. However, it’s reality. Let’s take the gloss off the promotion of the competition and admit what the whole footy community thinks. Frankston YCW are unbackable favorites for the flag and every other team…
NEPEAN LEAGUE THERE are only six teams who can win the MPNFL Nepean Division flag in 2016. One of the clubs that simply can’t win it is Rye. The Demons were smashed for the second week in succession on Saturday by Frankston Bombers and you can imagine that the wheels are about to fall off. It’s crisis time at RJ Rowley Reserve. The Demons were insipid against Sorrento two weeks ago in front of a packed house, including the 2006 Premiership side. On Saturday at Greg Beck Oval, they were humiliated by 75 points – that’s disgraceful. What’s worse is…
SOCCER By Craig MacKenzie TWO Frankston Pines players were given lengthy suspensions by Football Federation Victoria’s tribunal last week. Laban Stringer and Jordan Avraham were found guilty of involvement in a brawl that disrupted the National Premier League clash at Lakeside Stadium between South Melbourne and Melbourne Victory on Sunday 24 April. It is believed that Stringer and Avraham were with an extreme group of Victory fans, known as Northern Terrace, who charged South Melbourne fans in the second half forcing the referee to halt the match until order had been restored. FFV hired an investigator whose report resulted in…
RATEPAYERS are reminded that unless all rates are paid on or before the 10th of June, they will not be entitled to have their names placed on the ratepayers’ roll. In order to facilitate payment the rate collector will be at the following places on the under mentioned dates:—5th and 6th of June, at Hastings, 7th and 8th at Frankston, 9th and 10th at Somerville. *** AT the recent examinations in music of University Conservatorium, Miss Rose Farmer, pupil of Miss T. Carter, was successful in gaining a pass in pianoforte, Grade V. *** THE Rev A. P. Mc’Farlane will…
Missing Persons Squad detectives have charged a man with murder following the death of Chelsea Heights teenager Cayleb Hough. The 17-year-old boy’s remains were located in a shallow mineshaft in the Lerderderg State Park in Bacchus on Thursday 10 March and a homicide investigation was launched. A 28-year-old Kawarren man was arrested on Friday and charged with one count of murder yesterday. He was remanded in custody overnight and faced Melbourne Magistrates’ Court today. The man has been remanded in custody to re-appear at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Thursday 2 June 2016.
HASTINGS Mowers was burgled during the early hours of Monday 16 May. Two men in disguise forced their way into the business on Frankston-Flinders Rd and stole several Husqvarna chainsaws and Honda generators valued at several thousand dollars. CCTV footage shows them driving a champagne or silver coloured VX Holden Commodore (pictured) with distinctive black mag wheels, black tow ball and custom interior. Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers, 1800 333 000, or Leading Detective Senior Constable Rohan Brock, Mornington Peninsula Crime Investigation Unit, 59781400. First published in the Western Port News – 24 May 2016
A WESTERN Port kayaker was being blown out to sea towards the Nobbies when rescued by Volunteer Marine Rescue, Sunday afternoon, 22 May. The man’s worried wife, watching from The Pines beach, Shoreham, alerted emergency services that he was in trouble in the strong northerly winds. The 49-year-old, of Balnarring, was picked up by the rescue crews in what they described as “atrocious” conditions and taken back to Flinders pier for an emotional reunion. The rescue service’s Graeme McGillivray said the kayaker had left Balnarring beach and paddled to meet his wife and child at Shoreham. He started paddling back…
NEW signs are now pointing the way into Hastings. Two years in the planning, the signs have created an “iconic” entrance to the town and “pinpoint Hastings as the main gateway to Western Port”, says Cr David Garnock. He said the signs were the result of a partnership between Mornington Peninsula Shire, Western Port Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Western Port Tourism Association. The project aimed to create a sign that captured the “essence” of what makes Hastings “such a great place to visit”. Cr Garnock said this included the need to highlight the “historically successful co-existence of heavy…