Year: 2017

WORK will start on rebuilding the Somerville Recreation Centre early in January. A $1.3 million grant has been received from Sport and Recreation Victoria’s Better Indoor Stadiums Fund, with Mornington Peninsula Shire chipping in $4.3 million to rebuild the stadium which was destroyed by fire in May 2016. The council awarded the tender to the Lloyd Group on Tuesday 12 December for a bigger centre with four basketball courts, upgraded change rooms, kiosk, activity room and community spaces. The funding will also cover the planning and design of a new skate park as the existing skate park lies within the…

ALTHOUGH it was 50 years ago, many Australians can recall where they were when they heard that Australia had “lost” its 17th prime minister, Harold Holt. The news reverberated around the world, not necessarily because Mr Holt was known as a world leader, but because of the circumstances of his death: disappearing into the surf off a secluded beach within the restricted confines of the Portsea Officer Cadet School, at Point Nepean. Although his body was never found, the prime minister was presumed drowned and to most people it is memories of a leader who went missing rather than his…

ELVES at the Woodworkers of the Southern Peninsula have been busy throughout the year hand-making wooden toys. On Saturday 9 December Woodworkers’ president John Bayliss supervised the handover of the toys to charities Food for All, Salvation Army and Western Port Christmas Giving Program, charities which will distribute them to families and children in need this Christmas. At the handover were Flinders MP Greg Hunt, Cr Antonella Celi, and Bendigo Bank’s Rosebud, Dromana and Rye manager Gary Sandford. Mr Sandford said the bank had supported the woodwork club for the past 10 years. He said he was continually being amazed…

A SCUBA diver was lucky not to be washed out through The Rip in strong currents last week. The 51-year-old, of Springvale, was diving alone north of Rye pier when he got into trouble, 3.20pm, Thursday 14 December. The alarm was raised by a friend on the beach. “The Police Air Wing soon found the dive boat with the diver flag still flying, but no sign of the diver,” Senior Constable Paul O’Reagan said. “We were able to contact Peninsula Aero Club and confirm fuel was available, and were able to extend the search until the diver was found. He…

THE campaign to rid the Mornington Peninsula of plastic bags is being made easier by the work of volunteers who make Boomerang bags. The workers were eager participants at a presentation at La Casa Nostra deli, Rosebud, on Thursday, to celebrate the 1000th bag made since Rosebud Boomerang Bags was launched on 1 July. Organiser Gwen Giudici said the actual number of bags was 1168 bags – the making of which had diverted 42,138kg of waste from going to landfill. Rosebud Boomerang Bags has 150 Facebook members and 50 volunteers who sew, cut, number bags, run Instagram accounts and organise…

A CAPEL Sound man has been charged with aggravated burglary after a raid on a Carrum Downs house, 9.20am, Friday 8 December. The offender is alleged to have smashed a side window at the Shearwater Drive house and opened the front door. He is alleged to have searched the premises stealing jewellery and other items. When the homeowner awoke and confronted him the man fled. The Carrum Down divisional van intercepted the man’s car in Lyrebird Drive and found the booty inside. A 40-year-old man was bailed to appear at Frankston Magistrates’ Court at a later date. First published in…

THE long, slow crawl to a new aquatic centre at Rosebud is now focussed on public reaction to a business case comparing costs associated with building a 25 metre or a 50 metre long pool. Analysis of the business case presented last week to Mornington Peninsula Shire councillors shows a $700,000 a year deficit if the shire plunges into building the shorter pool – $132,000 a year less than the losses of a 50 metre pool. The larger pool will also cost an extra $8.6 million to build. Buildings and open space team leader David Hampton says the 2017/18 budget…

A GROUP of artists from the southern peninsula has made their colourful mark on the royal blue hoarding surrounding a development block at 2217-23 Point Nepean Rd, Rye. Their handiwork has come about after Jennifer Ellen, manager/owner of the neighbouring Flock of Seagulls indoor market and cafe became alarmed that graffitists would take to the “blank canvas” and make the wall an eyesore while the apartments were being built – and at a time when Rye is putting on its “best face” for summer visitors. The main theme of the work will be the artists’ interpretation of Rye as a…

SOCCER SOMERVILLE Eagles are flying high after last Friday’s announcement that goalscoring legend David Greening will be the club’s new player-coach for 2018. Greening is the second founding member of Rosebud Heart senior club to switch to Somerville after Neil Herd moved there at the end of the 2016 season. The switch leaves Heart firmly on the back foot without a coach, still searching for a suitable ground and now without the man who in three seasons delivered 108 goals from 57 league and cup appearances. Greening had been mentioned as a possible Heart player-coach, Baxter offered him a player-coaching…

SUB-DISTRICT TOOTGAROOK will spend the MPCA Sub District Christmas break on top of the ladder after recording a solid victory against Carrum Downs on Saturday. It was a tough task for the Frogs, chasing down 198 for victory on the second day of a match. However, they did it emphatically with a wicket and a massive 25 overs to spare. Travis French was again superb at the top of the innings for the Frogs, however, the match winner was Scott Stirling, who blasted 84 to get his side over the line. Stirling went out when his side was already four…

DISTRICT BADEN Powell has jumped to the top of the MPCA District ladder after beating Rye outright on Saturday. Whilst the victory seems like a big deal, it wasn’t really. The Demons were already shot after losing 13 wickets on the opening day of the match and still trailed by 50 runs heading into day two. Resuming at 3/9, the Demons were rolled for just 59 and Baden Powell finished the afternoon picking up the runs it needed to claim the outright. Rosebud went for the reverse outright against Mt Martha on Saturday and it went within four wickets of…

PENINSULA MAIN Ridge thrashed Red Hill in MPCA Peninsula cricket on Saturday in a day that was marred with controversy at Red Hill. It appeared on Saturday when the teams arrived at the ground that a Red Hill wine farmer might have got themselves lost on their ride-on mower and ended up at Red Hill Reserve. You see, when Main Ridge batted at the ground last week for its 214, the ground was described as a “cow paddock”. From all reports, council came and mowed the grass on Wednesday – a great result for the Hillmen. However, in controversial circumstances,…

PROVINCIAL LANGWARRIN and Mornington have staged a wonderful end to the 2017 calendar year in MPCA Provincial cricket with an epic draw at Alexandra Park. Chasing 264 for victory, Langwarrin needed just one run and Mornington one wicket heading into the final over of the match. Mornington quick Luke Popov stepped up to the plate and had Sam Prosser caught by Charlie Parker to see the game end in a draw. The match ebbed and flowed and for the most part, it appeared that the Dogs were on top and victory seemed imminent. At one stage the Kangas were looking…

THE referendum to decide for or against conscription was held throughout the Commonwealth on the 20th December, and the latest figures to hand show that the ‘No’s’ have a majority of 152,220 *** WITH the advent of hot weather there have been several fire alarms but no damage, so far, has resulted. On Monday evening a party of fire fighters who answered the call of the bell, were successful in subduing a fire at the back of the park which was raging uncomfortably near the homes of several people. It was not till after three hours strenuous efforts on the…

A MORNINGTON man who was forced to drain 2500 litres of water from his flooded backyard after heavy rain blames shoddy workmanship by the builder and is puzzled Mornington Peninsula Shire Council approved the work in the first place. Peter Molloy, of Seaview Av, Mornington, bought his rear townhouse in February and was preparing to move in a few months later during a week of steady rain. When he came to paint inside the garage he found the floor flooded with five centimetres of water. He was surprised there was no grill or grate running along the garage doorway to…

A MAN will face Frankston Magistrates’ Court tomorrow (Wednesday) over an incident in which the Hastings police divisional van was “totalled” after allegedly being rammed by a tow truck at Bittern, 12.30am, Wednesday 13 December. The 31-year-old Frankston North man has been charged with reckless conduct endangering persons and theft of the tow truck. The van’s crew had chased the allegedly stolen Isuzu tray truck after an earlier incident in which a Crip Point resident, 46, was allegedly struck in the face with a torch after complaining about the noise being made by several vehicles parked outside his house. The…

MORNINGTON Yacht Club has published a book covering its first 70 years. The book of 300-odd pages by author Stuart Gooley covers sailing at Mornington from the first recorded regatta in 1858, two years after the first 30-metre section of the pier was built. The early regattas were held by the established clubs at the top of the bay, such as Royal Brighton, Royal Melbourne and Hobsons Bay. These clubs staged races to Mornington at various times during the season, particularly at Easter. The regattas drew crowds of locals to the pier and surrounding cliffs to watch the races, which…

THE impact of European settlement on Australia’s Indigenous people, from Queensland to the Mornington Peninsula, was outlined in historic and personal terms when Peter Aldenhoven delivered this year’s Human Rights Oration in Mornington. His talk incorporated a series of stories illuminating the impacts of European “invasion” of his own people (the Nughi tribe from Quandamooka, Moreton Bay, Queensland), family experiences of racism and dislocation, and provided an historical context for the Bunurong and Aboriginal community now living on the Mornington Peninsula. Mr Aldenhoven, president of Willum Warrain Aboriginal Association and director of indigenous education at Woodleigh School delivered the Human…

THE Holiday Time road safety campaign is about to turn heads in high-pedestrian-activity areas. The program run by Mornington Peninsula Shire in conjunction with Little Blue Dinosaur Foundation and Victoria Police uses signs, education and publicity to improve road safety for children, pedestrians and cyclists. It featured in the Rosebud and Rye road safety campaigns last summer, with coloured banners and signs at key tourist spots and main roads appealing to drivers and pedestrians to monitor their behaviour. “Slow Down, Kids Around” and “Hold my Hand” signs along Point Nepean Rd, Dromana, Rosebud and Rye, will preach the road safety…

FORMER Mornington Peninsula Shire councillor Andrew Dixon is recovering after being viciously attacked – twice – by two gangs of street thugs earlier this month. Mr Dixon, 30, who represented Briars Ward from 2012-16, was walking to his car after a night out in Flemington, 12.30am, Tuesday 5 December, when a gang of men described as being of African appearance came out of a housing commission block. One of the gang allegedly kicked Mr Dixon savagely to the body causing him to fall down and then punched and kicked him to the head. Two others joined in the attack until…

MORNINGTON Peninsula and Frankston councils want to be able to take family violence and “alcohol-related harm” into account when considering applications for new liquor stores. The two neighbouring municipalities have joined seven others in lobbying the Planning Minister Richard Wynne for increased planning powers to control “packaged liquor outlets”. If their efforts are supported, liquor shops will have to provide social impact statements along with their planning applications. Under current planning laws “potential harm” caused by the proliferation of liquor outlets does not present a strong enough reason to refuse a permit. The councils want the planning rules changed so…

A RELIGIOUS leader of a Muslim community based in Langwarrin has accused other leaders of having “failed their people”. “Muslim scholars have failed their followers, hijacking a religion which literally means peace and leading masses astray for personal interests, pursuit of power and domination,” Imam Wadood Janud told a peace symposium at the Baitul Salam Mosque, Langwarrin. Imam Janud, leader of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Victoria and Tasmania, made his accusations while delivering the keynote address at the ‘World Crisis and the Pathway to Peace’ symposium which focused on the rise of extremism and nationalism. The Sunday 3 December symposium…

ROSA Mar Tato Ortega is setting up her studio at the historic Coolart homestead – her base for the next six months. As artist in residence at the property, it’s a return to a familiar location for Tato Ortega who spent her youth holidaying at Somers. During the six-month residency, sponsored by Parks Victoria, the artist hopes to produce site-related works which aim to explore and encapsulate the meaning and significance of Coolart, Somers and the local community. “Personal experience is at the centre of my sculpture practice,” Tato Ortega said. “My work unfolds through connections to community, site, and…

FIRE restrictions come into force on the Mornington Peninsula and in Frankston on Monday 18 December. This means fires cannot be lit in the open air without a written permit from the CFA or Mornington Peninsula Shire’s and Frankston’s municipal fire prevention officers. Lighting a fire in the open without a permit can bring a penalty of $22,000 and/or 12 months jail. Barbeques and fires for cooking and warmth do not need a permit, but must be lit in properly constructed fireplaces. I incinerators, chainsaw and lawn mowers, welding and grinding equipment and vehicles that come in contact with vegetation…

MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire Council has adopted the Tyabb Airfield Precinct Plan which came about as part of the need to address what officers say was the “ongoing uncertainty in the community regarding future plans for the airfield and concerns relating to potential loss of amenity, particularly from increasing aircraft noise”. The precinct plan was identified in the Tyabb Township Plan 2012. It aimed to address concerns of the operators of the airfield regarding future use and development that may compromise its safe operation. Consultants Arcadis and Trent Kneebush were selected on the basis of their “significant experience in aviation and…

SOCCER MERGER talks between Rosebud Heart and Bayside League club Rosebud have stalled after the latter recently applied to join FFV ranks. Rosebud is keen to join the Metropolitan Leagues so that it can continue to play on Sundays and give its players a more challenging level of competition. State 4 South outfit Heart has shown interest in merging with its neighbour and sees the move as a great opportunity to create a large club on the southern peninsula with over 300 juniors, and senior men’s and women’s teams playing out of Rosebud’s home at Olympic Park in Besgrove Street.…

SUB-DISTRICT FRANKSTON YCW is just three wickets away from victory in MPCA Sub District cricket against Tyabb. After being rolled for just 153 in 53.3 overs by the Yabbies, the Stonecats’ bowlers then came out and dominated the opposition, having the Yabbies 7/44 at stumps, still 109 short with just three wickets in hand. At the end of their batting performance, the Stonecats would have been satisfied with just a victory. Now an outright win must be in their sights. Callum Bradford-Briggs was the best of the Stonecats batsmen with 40 while Levi McLoughlin-Dore opened with 32 and Jeremy Daniel…

DISTRICT RYE has taken a step back in time after being humiliated by Baden Powell on day one of their MPCA clash at Overport Rd. In scenes of previous seasons, Rye embarrassed itself, losing 13 wickets in one afternoon of cricket. Batting first, the Demons were bowled out for just 73 in its first innings, all back in the sheds in 44 overs. Ryan Barnett opened with 4/28 from 16 overs, Michael Ballard claimed 3/27 from 17 overs at the other end and Craig Entwhistle picked up 3/2 from 4.1 overs. The Braves then came out and went wooshka, scoring…

PENINSULA MAIN Ridge skipper Nick Jewell has come to the rescue to give his side a realistic chance of beating Red Hill in MPCA Peninsula cricket. With his side in some early trouble, Jewell made 96 to help his side to a total of 214. James Abbott was also solid for the Ridge in the lower order with 45 and Sam Lyons batted well for his 27. The Hillmen were on top early, skipper Simon Dart claiming 2/28, Glenn Collett 2/41 and Brent Martin was the star witth 4/55 off 21 overs, including the wicket of Jewell, four short of…

PROVINCIAL AN unbeaten century to Mornington gun Matt Foon has placed his side in a dominant position in its Provincial match against Langwarrin. Together with Brad McDonald (79), Foon helped his side to an unbeatable 7/263 against the Kangas. Langwarrin started well, removing both openers Sam Wiese and Brad Wilson before the score had reached 30. Charlie Parker went soon after and Foon and McDonald were joined at the crease with the score on 3/54. Travis Campbell was good for the visitors, taking 2/57 from 22 overs, while Sam Prosser was an unlikely wicket taker with 2/22 from seven overs.…