Month: January 2018

PROVINCIAL FINALLY, there was some play in MPCA Provincial cricket on Saturday. It was a great week for Langwarrin CC, who jumped to the top of the table, relegating Peninsula Old Boys to second place after recording a seven wicket win at Peninsula Grammar. Meanwhile, there is now a 20 point gap between fourth-placed Mornington and fifth placed Baxter. Since being promoted back to Provincial, Langwarrin has struggled against POB and Baxter. On Saturday, however, the monkey was lifted off the Kangas’ back after winning comfortably against POB. The Kangas lost the toss and bowled first but got away to…

Compiled by Brodie Cowburn JOHN Stewart, of Carrum Vale Farm, Seaford, was shot on Sunday, through the foot, by a pea rifle carried by a youth named Shoall, the weapon accidently going off. The bullet entered Stewart’s foot above the ankle, coming out under the heel and lodged in his boot. Stewart is progressing favorably. *** WHEN the letter from Mr Jas Grice was read at the last meeting of the Shire Council, re the Crimean veteran J. Coleman, being well looked after at the asylum. Cr Longmuir said that he had been notified a few days ago that the…

A CHAMPION was recognised by thousands of well-wishers at the unveiling of boxer Johnny Famechon in Ballam Park on Sunday (21 January). The 2.5-high metre bronze sculpture was unveiled in an emotional unveiling ceremony to honour one of Frankston’s favourite adopted sons. The sculpture was commissioned by Rob McCarthy and the Australian Boxing Hall of Fame and was paid for by a tenacious fundraising effort by a passionate group of boxing fans keen to see Famechon immortalised in Frankston. The group of boxing aficionados, including Gary Luscombe, have raised nearly $180,000 themselves over seven years for sculptor Stephen Glassborow to…

A COMMERCIAL cafe on the lower ground floor of the building partially leased by the Frankston Yacht Club is paying a minimal “peppercorn” rent to Frankston Council. Boomtown Barbecue last month moved a pop-up food and drinks business into the Frankston waterfront building built last year at ratepayers’ expense. Peppercorn rent is very low or minimal rent and can be as low as $1 annually to lease premises. The foreshore building cost more than $11 million amid grand council plans to lease the upper floor to a restaurant business and the lower floor to a cafe operator. Neither proposal eventuated…

Flying through the air with the greatest of ease, Those daring young men (and women) on the flying trapeze THE song lyrics were the perfect description for young daredevils at the Fly Factory’s flying trapeze summer school outside Silvers Circus, Nepean Highway, Mornington, last week. Instructor Steen Shoar said his sold-out beginners’ classes for those aged seven and up proved the popularity of the flying trapeze among young people. Many participants get the bug and turn up multiple times. Over the three weeks of the trapeze course he says he taught about 140 enthusiasts in four two-hour lessons each day.…

A MT ELIZA boy was lucky not to suffer spinal injuries when he landed awkwardly after jumping from a 20-metre cliff at Moorooduc quarry, Mt Eliza, last week. Vincent Davies, 12, was swimming with friends, Wednesday 17 January, at the popular swimming spot accompanied by one of their fathers when he followed other boys to the top – and jumped. Vincent hit the water back first and was “severely winded”, his mum, Manon, said later. However, x-rays later revealed eight broken vertebrae. “He said he wanted to go swimming there and I said, ‘absolutely no jumping off anything high’, because…

A TEENAGE girl suffered two fractured ankles when she jumped into a rock pool at Blairgowrie back beach, Tuesday 16 January. The Surrey Hills girl – who is reportedly an elite diver – told Channel 7 news she was attempting a strata jump into a pin drop at the rock pool when she hit the sand hard. “I managed to swim up using my arms and screamed that my ankle was dislocated,” she said. “It was lucky I didn’t go head first.” Her family at the scene made an emergency call to the Air Ambulance. Paramedics winched her up to…

NEWLY arrived asylum seekers got into the spirit of an Australian beach holiday at Camp Manyung, Mt Eliza, last week. They took to the camp’s adventure-based activities, including the flying fox, giant swing and high ropes course. The refugee families were also taught water safety so they would feel safer and more confident at the beach. YMCA Victoria and the Department of Health and Human Services partnered with community group Life Without Barriers to host the asylum seekers in a fun, safe and engaging program, 15-17 January. About 100 campers stayed for the three-day program, with family members ranging in…

PRESSURE is building for Mornington Peninsula Shire to make public a register of “gifts” to councillors and council officers. Anything listed in the register under the terms of the shire’s Gifts, Benefits and Hospitality Policy is audited annually by the Victorian Auditor General’s Office. Audit results are passed on to council’s risk and audit committee, but not made public. Councillors are now openly questioning the policy and its statement that: “Gifts, benefits and hospitality received must not create a real or perceived sense of obligation that may lead to a perception of preference or conflict.” The policy also states: “Councillors…

AN anomaly in the way drug driver statistics are recorded mistakenly showed there were no drivers under the influence of drugs caught during a Christmas and New Year period police operation. Operation Roadwise, conducted from 15 December-7 January, targeted motorists drink driving, speeding and driving while unlicensed. Somerville Highway Patrol acting senior sergeant David Collins said last week a total of 59 drivers found to be under the influence of illicit drugs while driving listed in the Mornington Peninsula statistics included drug drivers nabbed in the Frankston area. People using mobile phones and devices while driving and trying to navigate…

WHILE last week’s heatwave caused a spike in the use of air-conditioners and put extra pressure on the state’s power supply, some Mornington Peninsula businesses helped out by supporting the new community grid project. This enables them to receive rebates for voluntarily reducing or delaying their call on power until the surge in demand eases. It frees up capacity for other less-flexible users saving them money. The Rye Hotel, Hotel Sorrento and the Peninsula Hot Springs are among the first to sign on to the project that aims to deliver a more reliable power supply during peak times while they…

RESIDENTS at the Sundowner Willows caravan park are nervous about their future after it was bought by neighbour The Village Glen retirement village just before Christmas. The mainly elderly residents – some living at the Eastbourne Rd caravan park for more than 20 years – are worried even though the Glen’s founder Chas Jacobsen assured them “nothing will happen for at least two years”. Resident Marilyn Pritchard said the sale of the 107-site park went through on 22 December after a hastily convened meeting of about 30 residents was held earlier in the week. “The general mood was that people…

CELEBRATIONS are planned right across the Mornington Peninsula for Australia Day on Friday. The national day will be bookended by barbecues and breakfasts at Mt Eliza, Hastings, Dromana and Rosebud and ending at night with fireworks at Rye and Mornington. In between those times there will be entertainment, food stalls and children’s activities at Mornington Park and a walk or run event at Rosebud, before breakfast. Members of the biggest mosque in Melbourne, the Baitul Salam Mosque (House of Peace) at Langwarrin have issued an invitation for the public to tour the mosque and meet local Muslims while enjoying a…

A MASTER plan for the development and use of Point Nepean National Park released on Sunday incorporates an “optimum mixed use scenario” that includes accommodation ranging from camping (short term and glamping but no long term caravans) to a boutique hotel. Two wings of the 1960s officer cadet accommodation and a former office building are targeted for demolition while space has been set aside for two new unidentified buildings. Much of the master plan will depend on private investors in partnership with the government. With the whole of Point Nepean and adjacent waters regarded as an area of Aboriginal cultural…

BLAIRGOWRIE sailors Laura Harding and Ella Grimshaw didn’t rest over the holidays. They raced their boat Sista Blossom to a silver medal at the International 420 Class World Championships off Fremantle. Competing against some of the best young sailors in the world in the lead-up national championships in December, the girls came in ninth overall and were second among the Australian boats to become the first female crew home. Then, in the women’s division of the ensuing world championships earlier this month, they tied first with a Western Australian crew but lost on a countback to come second. “We were…

SHOREHAM House, Balnarring, was overflowing with family and friends of Beryl Sheedy who celebrated her 105th birthday, Sunday 14 January. Congratulatory messages were received from Queen Elizabeth, Governor-General Sir Peter Cosgrove, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Flinders MP Greg Hunt, who dropped by to wish her a happy birthday. Ms Sheedy gave a speech and circulated among four generations of family and many friends. Four generations of her big family celebrated her birthday, including her five children, 14 grandchildren and 30 great-grandchildren. Born on 14 January 1913, Ms Sheedy says she owes her good health to a happy home life,…

THE views of residents and road users are being sought on speed limit reductions proposed in Bittern, Mornington, Mt Martha, Rosebud and Tootgarook. Roads under review are South Beach Rd, Bittern (Trafalgar St to Urquart Crescent); Davies Rd, Bittern; Bruce Rd, Mt Martha (Nepean Highway to east of Martha Cove Blvd); Watt Rd, Mornington; Truemans Rd; Tootgarook (south of Karella Drive to Belar Rd) and Jetty Rd, Rosebud (Old Cape Schanck Rd to Duells Rd). Factors such as the number of crashes, road environment, traffic volumes, abutting land uses, driveways and intersecting roads and the volume of complaints or requests…

By Barry Irving History was made at the Rye Gift run on Saturday. In a male dominated event Maddie Coates became the first ever female athlete to win the prestigious race. Maddie won the 120 metre open event  in 12.279 off a handicap of 15.00 metres. The Ladies Diamond120 metre event was won by Holly Dobbyn in 14.190 off a handicap of 3.75 metres. In another first Rye Football Club won both the junior and the senior footballers events. Despite the inclement weather the gift was well supported by leading VAL athletes and supporters and spectators. This annual event is…

AFTER narrowly missing out on qualifying for the past two Commonwealth Games, Peninsula Boxer Jason Whateley will join 13 of Australia’s top boxers at the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in April. Whateley is hoping to claim a gold medal in the Men’s heavyweight division (91kg) and will also be joined by Peninsula Boxing head coach Marcos Amado who has been appointed assistant coach of the Australian Boxing team. Coming off a silver medal at the 2010 Commonwealth Games Qualifiers and again earning silver at the qualifiers in 2014, Whateley made his biggest change to date and joined Amado at…

SOCCER THE draw for the 2018 Steve Wallace Memorial Cup has been conducted and this year’s tournament features eight clubs split into two groups. Group A comprises Langwarrin, Casey Comets, Peninsula Strikers and Baxter. Group B is made up of Mornington, Frankston Pines, Seaford United and Skye United. The annual fundraiser for the emergency department at Frankston Hospital will be held at Baxter Park on Saturday 3 February. The Bayside Football Association will again supply the referees and event organiser Tanya Wallace is seeking donations for the major raffle to be conducted on the day. She can be contacted on…

THE Mornington Peninsula Cricket Association has upheld its decision to strip Balnarring of all of its points for an “administration error” in playing an unregistered player, Mitch Klienig. Whilst the second round of 2018 was again influenced by the weather, Balnarring was left to lick its wounds in a decision the club has labelled “a farce”. The First XI was stripped of its points last year by the MPCA after they found that despite Klienig being registered with Balnarring, he was permitted out to Ivanhoe CC last season for the final three games of the year. Knowing Mitch Klienig was…

CRICKET MORNINGTON Peninsula Cricket Association round eight matches were rightfully called off last weekend due to 40 degree-plus temperatures. However, in complete contrast, most of the round nine matches on Saturday (13 January) were called off due to torrential rain. Despite rain-effected round across Provincial, Peninsula and Sub-District divisions, there were some little gems that emerged from the damp. Flinders beat Delacombe Park in District and Frankston YCW and Boneo drew in Sub-District. Dromana went agonisingly close to knocking over Carrum Downs. The game was called off when the Hoppers were 2-93, chasing just 116 for victory. The feel-good story…

Compiled by Brodie Cowburn AN OFFICIAL WARNING. With the dry weather and high winds serious losses through fire have occurred in several country districts of Victoria. A warning notice against careless use of fire was circulated by the Lands department in November last and the Minister of Lands is again publishing this warning and appealing to all persons to exercise the utmost care. *** PRIVATES Jerry O’Neill and Slocombe have been invalided home to Australia, after a long time on active service. *** FREDERICK Albert Gould, youngest son of Mr and Mrs T. M. Gould, Nolan Street Frankston has enlisted…

Art that stands out on a wall DUTCH born John Vanderwerf, above, arrived in Australia with his family in 1953 and has lived in Mt Evelyn for most of his life. He has worked as a visual merchandiser since he was 18, managing his own business for the past 28 years, including designing and building Christmas sets and exhibitions in major shopping centres and at trade fairs. Vanderwerf says he has experimented with painting as a hobby throughout his working life. In 2002 he began water colour lessons. Since then he has exhibited and sold some of his artwork in…

BOULDERS will be used in a bid to stop further erosion of cliffs at Mt Martha Beach North and damage to the Esplanade. Engineering consultants have warned that the ongoing loss of the cliffs between Alice and Augusta streets threatens to eventually damage the coastal road linking Mornington and Safety Beach. The bitumen is cracked in many sections of the road which has also been closed twice in recent years because of landslides Work on installing rocks at the cliff base will start in April, although 430 metres of the beach is likely to remain officially closed until the project…

WOMEN and chainsaws are not usually mentioned in the same sentence – except when the woman is chainsaw artist Angie Polglaze. The Hastings resident carves timber into eye-catching shapes and has won more awards than any other female carver in the world. Her skills have earned her a Service to the Arts Award from the United Chainsaw Carvers Guild in 2011 for her “encouragement and inspiration to women carvers everywhere”. Their challenge is to carve sculptures from a single piece of wood. This year’s theme is The Garden. “Chainsaw carving is mind-boggling,” said Ms Polglaze, who draws her inspiration “from…

THE way is open for girls to take part in the Blessing of the Waters in future after a girl pipped the boys for the Rye prize for the first time at this year’s Rye event. Emily Paxevanos, 16, of Whittlesea, was the only female in the usually male-dominated event when Red Hill Greek Orthodox priest Eleftherios Tatsis threw the wooden cross into the water, Saturday 6 January. Legend says good fortune will favour the winner of the annual event attracting thousands of competitors to the pier in anticipation. Frankie Ferraro, of Lysterfield, won the race for the crucifix at…

MORE than 140 students took part in the Peninsula Youth Music Society’s 38th Summer Music School at Mt Erin College in Frankston South last week. They enjoyed making music with their new friends, with some having just begun exploring sounds and creating music. Others expanded their skills in improvisation or tried out instruments that best suited their talents. The week-long program on 9-13 January aimed to provide those aged five-18 with an “enjoyable and rewarding” musical experience. Organiser Nora Morrisroe said activities ranged from Rhythm ‘n’ Beat, Movement and Dance, Try an Instrument, Sing a Song and Percussive Beat for…

ELVIS is on the way to Frankston in the form of Ben Portsmouth, officially crowned the king of The King tribute singers by Elvis Presley Enterprises six years ago. Portsmouth, from Berkshire in the UK, shook up the world of Elvis performers by being the first non-American to take out the Ultimate Elvis crown in Memphis in 2012. The singer’s success in the contest led to an appearance on The Late Show with David Letterman to perform An American Trilogy. “It was an incredible opportunity to do that on such a big show,” Portsmouth told The Times. He is bringing…

THE future is bleak for injured and displaced wildlife on the Mornington Peninsula, with Crystal Ocean Wildlife Shelter carer Brenda Marmion being forced to find a new home. The dedicated carer, who has been looking after distressed wildlife for the past 30 years, was recently asked to vacate her Golf Parade, Rye, rental property by April. This gives her four months to find a suitable base “somewhere on the peninsula” that will allow her to temporarily house and rehabilitate wildlife. She said she had good references. Ms Marmion, 74, said she was beginning to feel the pressure of finding a…