Month: January 2018

THIS long-stay camper went all out to feel at home on the Rye foreshore by establishing his own garden. The camper is among a small number who, perhaps unthinkingly, dig up the foreshore, introduce weeds, and prune indigenous vegetation so they have a better view of the water. Others throw exotic pot plants into the bush when they leave. Mornington Peninsula Shire’s buildings and facilities manager Davey Smith said foreshore camping was renowned a family-friendly experience where campers create a homey environment. “While management doesn’t allow any planting into the ground, some campers do choose to decorate their sites with…

THERE was little rest for many police highway patrol officers over the festive season. Victoria Police’s 24-day Operation Roadwise blitz over the Christmas and new year period nabbed 39 drink drivers in across the Mornington Peninsula amid a total of 1045 detected driving offences in the region. A total of 59 drivers found to be under the influence of illicit drugs while driving. Police said the operation aimed to “take dangerous, impaired and irresponsible drivers off our roads”. The operation from 15 December-7 January targeted motorists drink driving, speeding and driving while unlicensed. There were 33 disqualified and 39 unlicensed…

MORE than 270 eager beach cleaners got into the spirit of things at the third annual Seaside Scavenge Festival at Rye, Sunday 7 January. They collected 770 kilograms of litter in three hours – including 10,000 cigarette butts. Rye Scavenge chapter leader Sacha Guggenheimer said after three years of collecting data the butts “appear to be Rye’s signature littered item”. “High litter categories are single-use items, such as straws, coffee cups and lids, plastic bags, plastic food wrapping, plastic ice-cream spoons and bottle tops,” she said. In the water, more than 80 metres of fishing line was gathered near Rye…

MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire will compulsorily acquire a large section of Tootgarook Swamp to save it from housing development. About 30 hectares (70 acres) at 92 Elizabeth Av, Capel Sound (Rosebud West), will be acquired from property developers who wanted to build a retirement village of 80 units plus a 75-room hotel and a recreation centre. Earlier plans sought permission to build 99 units and 163 units. The land consists of 5.7 hectares zoned general residential, where the village was to be built; 21 hectares of “wetlands recreation area”; and 1.5 hectares split between a road reserve (VicRoads’ future freeway) and…

HUNDREDS of workers stand to lose their jobs as Mornington Peninsula Shire looks to contract out its school holiday programs and aged care and disability services. Private operators will run children’s activities from this year’s first term school holidays. The shire announced last week it was “transitioning” out of the school holiday program business before the end of this year’s first term. The current school holiday program – the shire’s last – ends Thursday 25 January. The move comes at the same time that the shire is also looking at “all options” for the delivery of its aged and disability…

SOCCER SKYE United completed the first signing coup of 2018 when it convinced scoring legend Caleb Nicholes to come out of retirement and join the State 3 South-East promotion candidate. Nicholes, 35, had three stints with Langwarrin having first joined the club in 1999. He has also played with Fitzroy City, Frankston Pines, East Richmond and Springvale White Eagles and scored 192 goals for Langy. Nicholes made 249 league appearances for the Lawton Park outfit and won an unprecedented 10 club Golden Boot awards. He retired after playing in last year’s State 1 South-East championship side and scored in the…

THE Mornington Racecourse Sunset Cinema experience returns to the Peninsula this summer in January. Popping up on Thursday 25th January, Sunset Cinema at Mornington Racecourse is a one night only outdoor cinema event perfect for the whole family. In addition to the feature film, Despicable me 3, screening from 7pm, there’ll also be rides and activities for the kids, catering and snack bar options from the Mornington Racecourse team, and a stocked beer and wine bar for the parents. Supported by local businesses Jacobs & Lowe, Steller and Peninsula Kids, and set upon the lush grounds of the racecourse, it…

FOR over 200 years, the Mornington Peninsula has been a muse and haven for artists.  Attracting a stellar roll call of some of the most recognisable names in Australian art, the wild and rugged coast has inspired works from artists such as Eugene von Guérard, Nicholas Chevalier, Louis Buvelot, Violet Teague, John Perceval and Albert Tucker.    This ambitious exhibition brings together masterpieces from these iconic artists as the basis of an extended conversation, considering our relationship to the coast, to the Australian landscape and our environment.  Newly commissioned works from GW Bot, Megan Cope, Raafat Ishak, Euan Macleod and…

Compiled by Brodie Cowburn DURING the early hours of Wednesday morning (Boxing Day) 4 boys, who were amongst the lads detained at the training farm on Tortoise Head Island, escaped to the mainland. One lad swam out to a boat which was anchored some hundreds of yards from the shore. He then picked up his companions and they sailed to Stony Point, a distance of five miles. One of the lads William Hennessy, aged 16 years made his way as far as Frankston where he was promptly arrested, as the police had been warned of the boy’s escape. So far…

THE opening night of the annual Mornington Art Show has become recognised as a gala occasion not to be missed. Traditionally these opening nights are social highlights for the Mornington art loving community and this year’s opening on Thursday 18 January will be no exception. Entertainment will be provided by the Bakery Jazz Trio whose members select music to suit the mood of the evening. Gourmet finger foods will be distributed by roving waiters from 7pm when the evening starts and refreshments are served. The art show will officially be opened around 7.20pm after which guests can wander through the…

SOMERVILLE Highway Patrol members nabbed a speedster allegedly travelling 88km/h over the speed limit on the Mornington Peninsula Freeway overnight Friday, 29 December. The car was allegedly detected travelling at 188kph in a 100 zone just north of the Nepean Highway near Dromana shortly after 1am. The driver, a 32-year-old Rowville man, was intercepted and his vehicle impounded. He is expected to be charged on summons with speeding. The intercept was made as part of the Victoria-wide 15 December – 7 January Roadwise campaign aimed at reducing road trauma and improving road user behaviour. During the “high risk” time police…

A HANDBOOK produced by Mornington Peninsula Post Polio Support Group to help polio survivors, has turned out to be the best seller for 2017 for Random Harvest e-library. “We have sold downloads of ‘Life Skills for Polios’ to Djakarta, Harare, Wales, various states of America and hard copies all around Australia,” its author Fran Henke said. “When postage turned out to be twice the cost of the book, we were relieved that Random Harvest based in New Jersey, US, offered to include it on the International Centre for Polio Education’s e-list.” Mrs Henke, of Hastings, said Random’s editor-in-chief “advised last…

KAYAKS and canoes can be fitted with small electric motors without being registered. The trial aims to reduce red tape for low-powered vessels travelling up to five knots and ends 31 December. The exemption is for kayaks and canoes with electric motors of up to 40 pounds thrust (or one horsepower or 750 watts). “If the trial period shows that the safety of paddlers is not compromised in any way, this exemption is likely to become permanent,” Maritime Safety Victoria director Peter Corcoran. “This will also enable an easier process for people taking their paddle craft interstate.” The trial is…

THANKFULLY it took less than 1001 nights to build the latest attraction on Frankston’s foreshore telling the tales of Aladdin, Sinbad the Sailor, Ali Baba and the forty thieves and other Arabian Nights stories. Twenty skilled sculptors put in more than 5000 carving hours over 30 days using 3500 tonnes of brickies’ loam sand to build the Sand Sculpting Australia exhibition illustrating the stories of the Arabian Nights. Sandstorm Events director Sharon Redmond says the exhibition is open to visitors until 25 April. “Our aim is to capture the imagination and provide a unique experience that reappropriates the natural environment…

POLICE are warning potential buyers of online goods to be wary of scams involving items advertised on widely used social media sites and common online auction websites. The warning follows a number of robberies reported to police after several victims had arranged to meet with fake online sellers to pay for and receive goods. On Christmas Eve police arrested three men after they allegedly attempted to rob two men, in separate incidents, who they had arranged to sell smart phones to. Detectives are investigating two similar incidents reported in December. “If the price seems too good to be true, it…

A WOMAN and her 20-year-old son have been left homeless after fire destroyed their house at St Andrews Beach on Tuesday 2 January. Sharyn Cook believes the fire in their Alex St home was caused by a knocked over candle. Ms Cook was sleeping outside the house while her son Callum was inside on the lounge room couch when the blaze broke out at about 11pm. The house was completely destroyed by the fire and Ms Cook does not think it is covered by insurance. Power has been cut off from the property since March last year and she has…

MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire mayor Cr Bryan Payne wants the public to be able to see a register of gifts made to council officers. “I personally agree that the gift register should be available for public inquiry and I will raise that matter with my fellow councillors,” Cr Payne said last week. The move for greater transparency around gifts to council officers follows revelations that shire CEO Carl Cowie in July 2016 was a guest aboard a cruise ship hired by prominent businessman and Portsea property owner, Lindsay Fox (“Shire boss on Fox ‘party’ cruise”, The News 11/12/17). Mr Cowie says…

WHILE local laws officers are warning dog owners about regulations for walking their pets on beaches throughout the Mornington Peninsula, a survey is underway to gauge opinions about dogs at McCrae. The current controls vary at McCrae beach depending on the location and the time of year. The shire has been asked to increase the length of the leash-free area to the west of the Margaret St car park, improving access to the leash-free area for people accessing the foreshore from the Beverly St crossing on Point Nepean Rd, McCrae. It has also received requests to consider removing controls outside…

MEN make up the majority of road deaths in the past year, accounting for 186 of the 255 fatalities in Victoria. The number of lives lost includes 151 lives lost on country roads and 104 in metropolitan areas. Road Policing Command Assistant Commissioner Doug Fryer said while the road toll was down for the first time in four years, “it’s sobering to reflect that 255 families move into the new year without their loved one”. “My deepest condolences to each of the families who I can only guess continue to contemplate why, why have they been thrust into the sadness…