Month: August 2017

JUST weeks after signing a new lease on his Mornington warehouse a businessman learned Mornington Peninsula Shire had approved a planning permit for an adjoining site which he says will hinder his ability to run his business. Tony Taylor says the permit for offices and storage units confirms his neighbour has sole rights over a side carriageway easement, which could mean he is prevented from unloading stock at his loading bay. He says the restrictions could jeopardise the viability of the business on the site he is now locked into for the next five years. Mr Taylor, of Direct Hospitality…

MEMBERS of St Macartan’s Catholic Church, Mornington are writing letters to members of parliament opposing the assisted dying Bill about to go before the Victorian Parliament. Melbourne Archbishop Denis Hart has urged all churches in his archdiocese to campaign against the Bill. If passed, the proposed legislation would open the way for Victorians to ask for a medically assisted death. Supporters of the Bill say terminally ill Victorians are sometimes taking their own lives, “alone and in violent ways”. MPs will be allowed a conscience vote on the Bill which, if adopted, could be in place by 2019. The Bill…

THE proposed demolition of what is described as “a rare example of an early 1900s timber cottage” in Sorrento’s main street has upset members of Nepean Historical Society. Ratio Consultants has applied to Mornington Peninsula Shire Council for a permit to develop a three-storey building with 16 dwellings and two shops at 141-145 Ocean Beach Rd. If approved, the development will involve the demolition of Sandarne, which was built about 1915 as the home of Swedish immigrant seaman and fisherman Albert Backius. He is said to have designed it and named it after his home town in Sweden. Historical society…

TIGHTER design and development rules are planned for the commercial heart of Sorrento – mainly along Ocean Beach Rd. They are part of a Mornington Peninsula Shire Council push to strengthen planning controls through an overlay. The council at its planning services committee meeting on Monday 31 July moved to adopt planning scheme amendment C204. The overlay aims to protect the distinctive character of the town through building height limits and setback controls. These would ensure a third storey is setback so as not to be visually prominent from the opposite side of Ocean Beach Rd. The amendment has been…

A RECEPTION for those who received honours on either the Queen’s Birthday or Australia Day was held at the Briars Homestead recently. Orders of Australia are the nation’s highest awards for outstanding achievements and service and are given only after vigorous scrutiny of the nominees. As well as the 11 peninsula recipients announced on Australia Day, five others were announced on the Queen’s Birthday in June. These were: Raymond Douglas Morgan OAM, of Hastings: for service to the community through health and education programs; Wayne Christopher Etcell OAM, of Somerville: for service to the community through a range of roles;…

ROSEBUD’S Mark Krieger has spent three years working on his latest book: High Spain Drifter, based around cycling in Europe. In the story, the keen cyclist sets off on another of his fascinating journeys – this time around Spain and Portugal’s Iberian Peninsula with Roz and daughter Emma in tow. The former teacher taught English and History at Mornington Secondary College for 22 years from 1992, after arriving in Rosebud the year before. “Of our five children, four have followed in our footsteps. Each has taught or is currently teaching on the Mornington Peninsula,” Krieger said. “Cycling-wise, I have spent…

A LACK of regular maintenance is the “crucial safety issue” at the Rye boat ramp, according to Rye Community Group Alliance, which opposes the contentious fourth ramp. Chair Mechelle Cheers said her group was angry that Mornington Peninsula Shire had backed plans to develop a fourth ramp when it was “rarely” needed. The cost of the works is about $1.2 million, with the shire receiving $588,000 from Ports Minister Luke Donnellan, on condition a fourth boat ramp is built. No additional car parking is planned. A council report said the project would “alleviate the on-land and on-water congestion experienced at…

FIVE years ago Mornington Peninsula Shire paid $5.1 million for a block of shops in Wannaeue Place, Rosebud. Rosebud Central Shopping Centre was promoted as an alternative site to the foreshore for an aquatic centre which the shire had been struggling to build in the face of state government restrictions and technical problems. A nearby shop housing a dry cleaners was also bought for $770,000. The face-saving entry into the commercial property market was made in late September 2012, just weeks before the shire would have moved into the pre-election caretaker mode. The shire has now been told it will…

Detectives from Mornington Peninsula Crime Investigation Unit have arrested a man following an alleged robbery at Rosebud last week. It is alleged a 69-year-old man was walking his dog about 6.15am on 2 August when confronted by two offenders along the Rosebud foreshore who demanded his wallet. The offenders allegedly stole the man’s jacket, mobile phone watch, ring and scooter keys. This morning investigators executed two search warrants in Rosebud and arrested a 37-year-old Rosebud man. He is currently assisting detectives with their enquiries.

MEMBERS of the lifesaving and aquatic community from the Mornington Peninsula were awarded for their dedication to saving lives at the 14th annual Life Saving Victoria Award of Excellence on Saturday 29 July. More than 280 guests, including Victorian lifesavers, aquatic industry members and dignitaries, attended the gala event. Bonbeach Life Saving Club collected three of the four major awards with Lloyd Thomas from Bonbeach LSC being awarded the John Wishart Memorial Medal as Lifesaver of the Year for his ‘outstanding contribution to lifesaving’. Bonbeach LSC was also presented with Outstanding Achievement of the Year for their 2017 CALD Surf…

PENINSULA Boxing has made another dent in the Australian boxing scene with all three of their boxers making it to the finals of the Australian Elite Golden Gloves in Western Australia on Friday 28 July. Representatives Jack Gipp, April Franks and 2016 Rio Olympian Jason Whateley left nothing in the ring to return home with two gold championship belts. Jack Gipp, who hadn’t fought since the Youth World Championships in Russia last year, made a dominant return, beating one of the local Western Australian favorites, Keira Ruston, on the Friday night. Gipp went on to defeat another tough Western Australian…

A WOMAN received neck and hip injuries when her car ran off Stanleys Rd, Merricks North, and hit a tree, 8.50am, Monday 7 August. A passing motorist saw the woman’s car off the wet road and called emergency services. Senior Constable Liza Shields, of Somerville Highway Patrol, said the woman, 20, of Dandenong, was still in the car when police arrived. She said speed was not thought to be a factor in the accident, and that the car was a write-off. The woman was taken by ambulance to Tyabb Airport and then airlifted to The Alfred hospital for treatment. First…

A HASTINGS man was stabbed in the shoulder and repeatedly punched in the face by an unknown man who came into his Thomas Place house, 8.35pm, Monday 31 July. Police said the 44-year-old victim was sitting in his lounge room when the man entered and punched him causing him to lose several teeth. A neighbour came in to investigate the noise and the attacker fled. The victim was taken to Frankston Hospital with serious facial injuries. Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential crime report at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au First published in…

UP to 200 litres of diesel fuel spilled from the United Terminals’ Hastings depot into Olivers Creek last week from what is believed to be a damaged pipe flange. Earlier, it was reported that 100-1000 litres had escaped from the Barclay Crescent site before the leak was stopped about 1pm on Monday 31 July. United’s COO David Szymczak said the seepage was mostly contained in bunds – protective earth or concrete walls – designed to trap fuel overflows. “All our tanks are in bunded areas but, on this occasion, a small amount – in the 200-litre category – seeped out…

TO BORROW from book terminology, there will be a lot of “lively reads” in High St, Hastings at the end of the month. As part of the town’s second annual book day traders will dress as book characters and read stories to pre-school and prep pupils. The pupils and their teachers will also be dressed as characters from books as they visit shops and businesses between 10am and 11.30 on Tuesday 29 August. Shop fronts will be decorated in book themes and students will also read to young pupils who will be touring the street with their teachers. The book…

PENINSULA LEAGUE PINES has lost four games on the trot in MPNFL Peninsula Division and is now in danger of missing the top five all together. After sitting a game clear at the top of the table at the midway mark of the season, the Pythons have fallen in a slump, generating the obvious question, ‘is it a case of no Aaron Edwards, no Pines’? While the brainstrust at Pines will have you believe that this isn’t the case, the fact is that Pines has not been able to win a match since the best forward in the game went…

SOCCER By Craig MacKenzie THE depth of Langwarrin’s squad proved crucial in Saturday’s come-from-behind 3-1 win over Caulfield United at Lawton Park. Star striker Liam Baxter had to be stretchered off in the 53rd minute with a hamstring injury and classy central defender Kieron Kenny had to be helped off 11 minutes later with a knee injury. Baxter is expected to miss up to three weeks while the extent of Kenny’s injury will be assessed this week. Baxter and Kenny are among a group of visa players who have powered Langy to a seven-point lead on top of State 1…

FRANKSTON Dolphins will return to the VFL competition next season after having their licence application approved by AFL Victoria. The Dolphins were stripped of their licence in 2016 after the club fell into voluntary administration under a massive debt of more than $1 million. The club has been fighting hard since that day to bring together key people and businesses to put together a strong case to re-enter the competition. Their application was submitted last month and granted on Friday afternoon. The application was spearheaded by former Hawthorn champion and recruiter Gary Buckenara. The pitch to re-enter included 1200 memberships,…

NEPEAN LEAGUE SOMERVILLE is no longer in the race for MPNFL Nepean Division finals after being overrun by a fast finishing Dromana on Saturday. With both teams being locked together on 32 points on the ladder, along with Red Hill, it was always going to be near impossible for the loser of Saturday’s game to make it. The Eagles have now fallen a game behind Dromana and Red Hill with just two games remaining. While Somerville is out of the equation, the race is hotting up between Red Hill (fifth place) and Dromana (sixth). There is less than one percent…

LAST Wednesday a band of “tin kettlers” went down to give the new bride and bridegroom, Mr and Mrs Hanton, a rousing welcome. The band was very hospitably entertained and a very pleasant evening was spent. *** ALL soldiers will be entertained at afternoon tea in the Hall this afternoon at the conclusion of the speeches in the Park. *** IT is the intention of Councillor Oates to call the ratepayers of the North Riding together at an early date to give a general resume of council matters during his last two terms of office extending over six years. The…

KATHRYN Whatmore knows all about the pressures felt by the wives and girlfriends of professionals cricketers – especially when their partners are on tour. “There’s a lot more expected of cricketers these days as they are full time and there is so much travel involved,” the wife of former Test cricketer and now international coach Dav (Davenell) Whatmore, said on Monday from their home in Bittern. “There are many more competitions now; people don’t realise how difficult it is for wives to have their men so far from home and away from their young families.” Players are required to arrive…

SPECIALISED assets continue to attract high demand from local and offshore interests, according to business brokers Fitzroys. The agency last week sold three sites in the south-east for a combined $12.4 million following a high number of inquiries – with the property which houses Kingswim swim school centre, Mornington, selling for $5.4 million. The other two properties were another swim centre and a child care centre. The 3796 square metre site at 2 St Catherine’s Court went to an investor after the agents received 70 registered inquiries from overseas, interstate and local buyer groups. Agent David Bourke said 10 genuine…

By Bob Simpson PENINSULA Voice* this week hosts the launch of The Mouth that Roared, a book by social worker Les Twentyman. Twentyman describes issues concerning disengaged people and families around Melbourne. His stories are disturbing. If skimmed, one could lose all hope for disengaged people. Read more deeply and there are profound truths for redefining complex community issues. Previously, Peninsula Voice opened up conversations on complex issues, including youth depression. While individual stories are heart-breaking, disengagement, about which Twentyman writes, could leave readers generally at the point of despair. However, despite his earthiness, Twentyman has great faith and hope…

SIX large signs telling the history of heritage-listed Ranelagh Estate have been installed at Mt Eliza. Ranelagh was designed in 1924 by world-renowned American architects, planners and designers Walter Burley Griffin and Marion Mahony Griffin, who came to Australia to direct their winning international design for Australia’s new capital city Canberra. Ranelagh is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register and classified by the National Trust. The signs, costing about $8500, were proposed in 2011. They were created by Mornington Peninsula Shire, Ranelagh Residents’ Association, and the Ranelagh Estate conservation advisory group, notably Meg Breidhal and Diane Dick, co-authors with Victoria…

By Barry Morris A WIRE cage outside the Mt Martha supermarket has for the past 15 years been a focal point of community concern for asylum seekers. Every day, shoppers buy and place food staples in the cage which is then taken to the Asylum Seeker Centre at Dandenong. The centre describes itself as a voluntary interdenominational Christian response to the needs of asylum seekers and refugees. It gives food packs to the asylum seekers who are onshore applicants for refugee status The cage outside the supermarket has undergone many transformations. Originally it was a silver colour and later became…

THE Mornington Peninsula and Frankston’s first entrepreneurship and technology festival starts on Friday with a business breakfast and a three-day “hackathon”. The event is a joint venture between the technology business hub Frankston Foundry, Mornington Peninsula Shire, Frankston City Council and sponsors including the state government’s start-up investment body LaunchVic. Kate Gittings of LaunchVic said the region’s first hackathon, PeninsulaHACK, aimed to “build solutions for regional problems such as high youth unemployment and job availability”. The three-day hackathon, 6pm Friday to 6pm Sunday, will see about 150 entrepreneurs, businesses and community leaders from Frankston and the peninsula “discuss and explore…

A SCHOOL car park in Mt Eliza will be redeveloped after Mornington Peninsula Shire and VicRoads reached agreement last week. Under the agreement, VicRoads has agreed to reduce rental for the site paid by the shire from $21,746 to $1900 a year. The 2500 square metre site is on the corner of Canadian Bay Rd and Nepean Highway. Dunkley MP Chris Crewther said the works would be paid for with a $280,000 federal government grant. He and Mornington MP David Morris joined Mt Eliza Primary School principal Brett Bell at the site, Thursday. “The current car park has long been…

THE number of young people committing suicide in Frankston and on the peninsula is causing alarm. The state government has announced funding for the South Eastern Melbourne Primary Health Network to deliver the Lived Experience project designed to “help reduce stigma and promote help-seeking in the Frankston, Mornington Peninsula and Dandenong regions”. Roses in the Ocean, an organisation supporting those with lived experiences of suicide, will provide training and mentoring to help people talk about suicide. A 2012 study by Communities that Care commissioned by Mornington Peninsula Shire revealed an estimated 25.5 per cent of students in years seven, nine…

POPULATION projections and demand for housing on the Mornington Peninsula over the next 15 years show there is no need to increase height limits, according to the mayor Cr Bev Colomb. “Restricting height limits encourages developers to consider smaller dwelling types that would increase housing diversity without having a negative impact on the character of our residential areas,” she said. Cr Colomb’s comments are the latest criticism by the shire of the state government’s decision to allow three storey dwellings of 11 metres in at least 10 towns – Capel Sound (formerly Rosebud West), Rosebud, Dromana, Mt Martha, Mornington, Baxter,…

By Jessica Mills* FROM running ironman triathlons to running the radiology department at Rosebud Hospital – Damien Barbour is a man on a mission to help improve health outcomes for people on the southern Mornington Peninsula. “Radiology has undergone some major changes since 2014 when we had one x-ray machine,” said Mr Barbour, who started his career at Peninsula Health 13 years ago. “At Rosebud radiology we now have an ultrasound machine and CT scanner. We have an outpatient service as well as providing services to in-patients from the wards and emergency department patients.” Last year the radiology team, including…