A DRIVER charged over the death of Mornington Cycling Club member Joel Hawkins in June last year has been bailed to appear at the County Court in April. The Rosebud man, 47, fronted a committal hearing at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court last week on charges of culpable driving causing death, dangerous driving causing death and summary charges. A “ghost bike” memorial near Ponderosa Place, Dromana, honours the memory of the 17-year-old, of Mt Martha, who was a popular clubman and member of the Victorian cycling team. “Joel was an extremely talented rider with dreams of riding in the Tour de France.…
Day: August 1, 2016
TWO people are in custody after police found a “clan lab” – possibly used for manufacturing drugs – in Rosebud. Detective Senior Sergeant Miro Majstorovic, of Mornington Peninsula CIU, said the clandestine drug unit, as well as a large amount of fertiliser, was found at the house in Balaka St, Wednesday 27 July. A Rosebud West man, 48, has been charged with drug-related matters and possession of possibly explosive materials. He appeared at Frankston Magistrates Court, Wednesday, and was further remanded to appear on 25 August. A Rosebud woman, 37, was released pending further inquiries. First published in the Southern…
A FRANKSTON South man hid from police for more than an hour in the dark, cold waters of Martha Cove, 5.30am, Saturday 23 July. Police called in the Air Wing to help search for the man, 21, and he was soon hauled aboard a pontoon after 90 freezing minutes. Police allege the man and a mate, 24, of Patterson Lakes, stole a white utility in Frankston and drove to Safety Beach where they stole another car after pushing it down a driveway. Martha Cove security staff intervened and called Rosebud police when the men “did a runner” – straight into…
THE Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal has refused permission for a bottle shop to be added to the sales and restaurant activities at Tully’s Shed, in Moorooduc Highway, Mornington. The decision follows a site inspection by VCAT senior member Russell Byard who described the “shed” as a supermarket offering goods from around the world. The decision to not allow the bottle shop can only be overturned by the Supreme Court or VCAT. The 17.3 hectare property at the Wooralla Drive intersection is within a Green Wedge zone which bans shops but allows plant nurseries, sales of primary produce and restaurants.…
RESIDENTS who successfully stopped a quarry at Dromana from being used as a tip are now gearing up to oppose approval being given to extend the life of the quarry. If approved as requested, there would be no expiry date on the permit, allowing quarrying “for the life of the resource at the quarry”. A previous planning permit expired on 23 March 2004 although Hillview says the quarry is allowed to operate under Work Authority 380. Objectors will be arguing that the quarry is uneconomic and that by having an “open” permit its owners will not be required to spend…
ROSEBUD Police Senior Citizens Register has clocked up 21 years of providing peace of mind to more than 3500 older residents of the southern peninsula. Since 1995, co-ordinators Marie Parkinson and Elaine Wallbridge have worked with 35 other volunteers to provide assurance and security among senior citizens from Mornington to Portsea. For 21 years Ms Parkinson has been overseeing and updating the growing client list, ensuring the welfare of disabled, retired or isolated elderly via regular phone calls and home visits, as well as providing ongoing support and coordination with Rosebud Police. Ms Parkinson has been running things out of…
CONTINENTAL Hotel developer Julian Gerner says Mornington Peninsula Shire’s approval of his development application gives him “something tangible to show financiers” in the lead-up to starting the $50 million project. “I am pleased that the overall scheme has been endorsed,” he said. “I am excited, but there’s an awful lot of work to do – much of it well advanced.” The council at last week’s meeting backed an application by Mr Gerner’s Continental Development company for extensive alterations and additions to the historic hotel. This paves the way for the creation of 24 new hotel rooms, four-storey above-ground building with…
A CHANCE encounter between a group of scuba divers and a yacht club operations manager may have ecological benefits for Port Phillip Bay’s marine life. Dive2U’s Nicole Morton, a company which does dive training, marine science education and scientific diving and support, was taking a filmmaker from Old Pal Productions out to see the world famous spider crabs near Blairgowrie pier. “We got chatting with the yacht squadron’s operations manager, David Opie, better known as ‘Soapy’, who told us that the north-south trending wave wall had been destroyed by teredo navalis – or shipworm – and was no longer protecting…
A PLAN to halve Victoria’s suicide rate over the next decade by following up on hospital patients with mental health issues and increasing awareness in the community was launched by the state government in Frankston last week. Premier Daniel Andrews visited Frankston Hospital last Thursday (28 July) to announce a $27 million program, funded in this year’s state budget, aimed at increasing workforce training, school-based support and mental health literacy program within several regions including Frankston and the Mornington Peninsula. Suicide was the cause of death of 646 people across Victoria last year, more than double the road toll of…
ANOTHER big blow on Monday last week gave Mornington pier its second storm battering in two weeks. Huge seas and strong winds again smashed over the concrete structure which just two weeks before had seen nine 15-tonne concrete panels torn off in 60-knot winds. Top deck planking, handrails and a seat were also damaged. Since that storm the outer section of the pier has been closed to the public. The damaged panels were recovered by divers and a crane on a barge and taken away for inspection. No details of what caused the pier to break down have been released…
A WOMAN who has loved opportunity shops all her life – “getting a bargain, finding a treasure and being able to afford it because of the prices” – has opened her own op shop. Trudy Lennon-Bowers, of Mornington, said her “life changed” when her father passed away last year. “I started to think about exactly what was important in my life and what wasn’t,” she said. “I was working three 12-hour days as a development chemist for Dulux, driving two hours a day and never seeing my husband or kids, and thought to myself: What am I doing? “I was…
A LOVE of crafts – particularly knitting and crochet – was behind Lynda Sibbald’s decision 18 years ago to take over the Mornington Wool Centre, which had been a feature of the town since 1971. Business grew steadily and she found it necessary to move to new premises in Yuilles Rd, Mornington, to cater for the rise in demand. Now this “hidden gem” – tucked in between a plumbers’ supply and power tool outlets – is able to take whole bus tours, prams, walkers and wheelchairs. It offers loads more room to display stock and samples and the huge glass-fronted…
THE Victorian Ombudsman has interviewed Mornington Peninsula Shire mayor Cr Graham Pittock, CEO Carl Cowie and governance manager Joe Spiteri as part of an investigation into secrecy in local government. Complaints about the shire have been made to the Ombudsman’s office by several individuals and community-based organisations. The Ombudsman Deborah Glass announced in March that she was making an “own motion” investigation into Victorian municipalities after receiving complaints. “Secrecy in local government can create conditions in which improper conduct and poor administration can flourish,” Ms Glass said. “It also fuels suspicions of wrongdoing and erodes community trust. “Members of the…
‘Human sound-effects machine’ Michael Winslow will be back in Australia this July and August for his most extensive stand-up tour of our shores to date. Winslow’s mastery of vocal gymnastics first came to prominence on the stand-up circuit in the early 80s after doing voiceovers for both Disney and Universal Studios for films like Back to the Future and Terminator. His performance as Sgt. Larvelle “Motor Mouth” Jones in the Police Academy movie series saw Winslow become a household name, a role specifically created to showcase his vocal talents. Notably, his is the only character to appear in all instalments…
Locals will be able to hear tracks from ‘Strange Loop’ live as Paul Dempsey heads to The Grand Hotel in Mornington on 9 September. Arriving seven years after the Something for Kate front man’s acclaimed solo debut, 2009’s top five ARIA charts success ‘Everything Is True’, ‘Strange Loop’ –is freewheeling in form but precisely executed; it’s a record that knows what it wants to say, what it needs to be – 11 tracks that enclose surreptitious dry wit, the irregularity of the everyday, and the pathos of longing in a mix of magic hour melodies, striking instrumentation, and tenderly charged…
The Bennies recently wrapped up their Wisdom Machine Australian tour in Maroochydore on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast. Two weeks and 15,000 kilometres later they were playing a festival in Berlin, Germany. It’s indicative of the work ethic for the Melbourne band who have earnt a reputation for not only hard partying but heavy touring. So far 2016 has been a whirlwind for the band. In January, Wisdom Machine’s first single ‘Party Machine’ reached number 88 on triple j’s Hottest 100, some two months before physical copies of the album were even available. They toured the country and sold out shows wherever…
NEPEAN LEAGUE IT was mixed emotions for Sorrento Football Club on Saturday. While a legend of the club in Brent ‘Sticks’ Kenyon was breaking the 25-year games record of Bernie Lynch of 263 games, reigning premier Rosebud was ending a finals streak which dates back to 2007. While it’s mathematically possible that Sorrento can still make finals, they must beat Red Hill in their one remaining game of the season in the final round and hope that Hastings gets belted by Crib Point and Frankston in their final two matches. Sorrento got a taste of finals when Tony Blackford took…
PENINSULA LEAGUE PINES coach Pat Swayne will invite South Umpires Association boss Mark Mounsey to the club this week to explain some rules to his charges after he was left frustrated and bewildered after his side went down to Mornington by 17 points in MPNFL Peninsula Division on Saturday. Swayne said that in his 18 years in senior football, never has he used poor umpiring as an excuse to his players. Things changed on Saturday, Swayne conceding that he could “legitimately” use the umpires as an excuse in their loss to the Doggies. “We were bad at times, however, our…
WHEN MPNFL Nepean Division clubs instigated a vote of no confidence that eventually saw the sacking of the board and administration this time last season, the reason for doing so was “change”. Nepean Clubs were no longer prepared to accept a dictatorship that constantly stripped them of having a voice and they got on the front foot to do something about it. Peninsula Division clubs followed later. AFL South-East General Manager Jeremy Bourke and his team of regional managers were like politicians before an election, campaigning and meeting with clubs, standing on the platform of ‘being heard and having a…
SOCCER By Craig MacKenzie ROSEBUD Heart maintained its push towards a maiden championship by smashing arch rival Baxter 5-0 in their State 5 South showdown at Baxter Park on Saturday. Baxter has been smarting ever since losing 4-2 to the champion elect earlier in the season in a fiery encounter that saw two Baxter players sent off for violent conduct. Baxter thought that it was the better side that day and few at the club could have anticipated Saturday’s whitewash. Heart star Dave Greening missed two chances in the opening 20 minutes but in the 40th minute made no mistake…
MR JOHN E. Jones (the Shire Secretary) is still suffering from the attack of influenza that he has been the victim of for some weeks now, and was unable to take up his duties at the Council meeting on Thursday. Mr W. G. Sanders, of Mornington, acted as locum tenens in Mr Jones’ absence. We hope soon to see the latter again able to take up the duties of his office. *** MADAM Emily Benson, the Melbourne Society entertainer will sing at the concert in aid of the Frankston District Roll of Honor. *** IN our last issue Mrs A.…