Day: February 12, 2018

ROSEBUD locals and visitors alike finally have the chance to take part in parkrun, taking advantage of the glorious location with a five km run or walk along the beach. Launching in Rosebud on Saturday February 17, parkrun is part of Medibank Free + Active, an ongoing program that aims to tackle physical inactivity and promote community connection, with the goal to help 1.5 million Aussies get active in mind, body and community. Under the program, Medibank will launch hundreds of free, community-based events and wellness initiatives, in partnership with organisations who share the Free + Active vision.  Rosebud has…

SOCCER ROSEBUD Heart dropped a bombshell last week when it told Football Federation Victoria it will not field a senior team in State 4 South this year. The decision to quit FFV after just three seasons of senior competition has stunned the local soccer community but the club was left with no choice due to a lack of players. “The big issue we had with FFV was fielding both seniors and reserves,” Heart president Tracy Riley said. “We had enough players for one team but not for two teams. “We had some players who were playing with Rosebud soccer club…

SUB-DISTRICT BONEO will need to be its absolute best with bat in hand this Saturday when it sets out its run chase of 271 against Dromana in MPCA Sub District cricket. Dromana lost the toss but took advantage of getting out in the middle lasting 9/270 in 80 overs. Blake Pappas has been a revelation since crossing from District opening the Dromana innings with 83. The middle order also fired, Jack Fowler the best of them with 35, while Ben Bradley-Bridge scored 32. The Pandas certainly have their work cut out for them this week. Likewise, Skye has some work…

DISTRICT HASTINGS and Seaford Tigers are in embattled in an enthralling MPCA District clash after an amazing 23 wickets fell on the opening day. The Blues batted first after winning the toss but were run through by a locomotive as they were rolled for 90 in just 37.5 overs. Mitch Floyd was run out on twenty-seven while Nathan Hunt opened with 20. Jack Brooking was the best of the Tigers bowlers with 5/25. No doubt fancying their chances the Tigers attacked hard early before losing 3/6 and eventually being bowled out for 68 off 21.4 overs. Leading by 22, Hastings…

PENINSULA MAIN Ridge has made its intentions well and truly clear in its round 12 MPCA Peninsula Cricket clash against Mooroduc. Moorooduc won the toss and elected to bat but lasted just 25 overs as Luke Collins (3/15) and Gareth Wyatt (4/7) tore through the Duck’s batting line up. Nick Williams top scored for the Ducks with 13. Main Ridge came out swinging in their first innings with Wyatt scoring 55 and Shaun Foster hitting 43 before declaring at 7/141. With 19 overs left in the day Main Ridge was able to pick up 3/64 leaving the Ducks with 40…

PROVINCIAL MORNINGTON’S bowlers will need to bring everything and more to Baxter Park this Saturday when it tries to defend 122 against Baxter in MPCA Provincial Cricket. The Doggies won the toss and elected to bat at Wayne Landry Reserve and things didn’t start well when Doggies skipper Sam Wiese was trapped leg before by Dale Irving for five. This dismissal caused general rot throughout Mornington’s innings with Charlie Parker the only batsman making a solid contribution with 34. The Brittain brothers were at their best with the ball for Baxter, Chris snaring 3/25 from 16 overs while Ben helped…

The Pier Street Party is officially set to shake up Melbourne’s outer suburbs once again on February 24, 2018.  For the second year running, the outdoor festival will be jam-packed with incredible music and summertime fun for all.  Headlining the street party will be Sydney hip hop superstars Thundamentals, with support from a heap of Aussie legends – Art vs Science, Gyroscope, The Getaway Plan, Rackett and Jesswar. Held outside The Pelly Bar & Pier Bandroom in Frankston, this epic street party will be the talk of the summer.  Bringing the local community and music fans together for such an…

Compiled by Brodie Cowburn A STORM of great violence, for which no precedent can be found in the history of Melbourne, swept over portion of the suburban area late on Saturday afternoon. In comparison it was comparable with the tempest which caused so much havoc in Queensland a few days previously. Two lives were lost, and twelve people were Injured. At Brighton a boy was decapitated by a descending sheet of iron from the roof of a wrecked building. At Point Ormond a boat, in which three men were fishing, was capsised. and one of the occupants was drowned. The…

UNMADE roads are being blamed for the increasing sediment in the Balcombe Creek estuary at Mt Martha. The environment group BERG Mt Martha says “analysts” recorded 14 tonnes of sediment flowing into the estuary during three storms between 28 September and 23 October 2016. It believes a similar amount of gravel and dirt was washed into the creek from surrounding roads by heavy rains at the beginning of December last year. BERG Mt Martha says the sediment threatens the survival of the estuary’s native birds, fish and other wildlife. The environmental group is campaigning to raise awareness of the problem…

THE shortage of safe, long-term accommodation for those affected by mental illness in Frankston and on the Mornington Peninsula has one man fearing for the plight of a family member. John Bradford, of Mt Martha, said “issues with drugs and alcohol” five years ago had forced him to try to find alternative accommodation for a relative with a mental condition. A search for suitable government-run accommodation proved fruitless and the alternatives, such as privately-run boarding and rooming houses, were often unsafe and cramped. The family member, a man whose name has been withheld, prefers to sleep on the streets of…

COASTAL protection works being designed to protect cliffs and the Esplanade at Mt Martha North Beach have revived calls for the permanent removal of beach boxes. Port Phillip Conservation Council says laying rocks and boulders at the base of the crumbling cliffs is “a short term reactionary response”. The PPCC says the latest consultants’ report recommending removal of the bathing boxes at Mt Martha North is a repeats of one made in 2002 by the former Department of Environment and Conservation. “Unfortunately, this sound solution was overturned … following sustained political pressure from the newly-formed Mornington Peninsula Boatshed Owners Association,…

RESIDENTS opposed to a proposed $50 million “retirement village” in Roberts Road, Mornington, say it will look like a “trailer park”. The land is in a recognised horse precinct with easy access to Mornington racecourse. “According to the developers’ plans, the 371 two-and-three bedroom dwellings will be constructed of Colorbond and timber. That’s similar to caravan park units. Their design will devalue properties in the area,” nearby resident and spokesperson Christine Pingiaro said. “There will be loss of native habitat, potentially massive impact on the Balcombe Creek catchment, and encroachment on conservation reserves. There is no plan about what vegetation…

THEY may be out of sight and hard to access, but the produce from hundreds of hectares devoted to undersea farming off the Mornington Peninsula have retail outlets in very public places: car parks. Paying Mornington Peninsula Shire $3780 this year, the car park seafood retailers are based at Flinders, Safety Beach and Hastings. The retailers are seen as operating with Seagate permits, compared by the shire’s property operations team leader Greg Collins to the longer running farm gate system. “The purpose of the Seagate trading sites is to provide local aquaculture producers with an opportunity to sell their produce…

WILDLIFE groups are breathing a little easier after a meeting with VicRoads officers on Tuesday 9 January thrashed out a “redesign of works” for clearing trees from the median strip on the Mornington Peninsula Freeway. In what was slammed as a “scorched earth” vegetation clearance last October, the authority’s “forestry machine” mulched its way through hundreds of metres of established median-strip trees and shrubs in preparation for the laying of steel-rope barriers along the length of the freeway. As the barriers require at least three metres of “flex” space, wide swathes of bushland became collateral damage with stressed animals and…

VANDALS trashed and robbed the historic old shire offices at Dromana, overnight Wednesday 7 February. Mornington Peninsula Shire officers said “significant damage” had been caused to the well-used community space in Pt Nepean Road. The offices house the Rotary Club of Dromana, Port Phillip 4WD Club, U3A Southern Peninsula, Dromana and District Historical Society, Dromana Potters Group and Country Women’s Association. During the break in, several valuable pieces were stolen from historical society collections. “I am angered by this senseless act on such a well-loved community space,” Cr Simon Brooks said. “We will work to help rectify the situation wherever…

MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire is choosing five “key actions” after joining the Australia-wide Climate Council’s Cities Power Partnership. The shire’s membership was announced at a ceremony in Lismore, NSW making it one of 70 municipalities networking to tackle climate change. While there were no shire representatives at Lismore, the mayor Cr Bryan Payne said “we are excited to be a part of such an important initiative and to be working in collaboration with other local councils to take the next step towards a sustainable, non-polluting energy future”. Councillors agreed to join the climate council last October. “Cities Power Partnership offers the…

RUPERT Norman Debney was a gunner in the 4th Battalion, 2nd brigade, of the Royal Australian Field Artillery, who retired to his parent’s holiday house at Dromana after World War I. A diary of his experiences while fighting in France in 1917 will be displayed at Mornington library as part of the Writing the War: Personal Stories from WWI exhibition, 17 February-31 March 2018. The exhibition will feature diaries, letters, artefacts and photographs taken from the State Library of Victoria’s archive. Seven personal stories from this collection have been selected for the touring exhibition. Mornington Peninsula Shire has invited the…

THE futile search for a swimmer missing off Portsea back beach on Sunday last week was an emotionally and physically draining exercise for Volunteer Marine Rescue crews from Mornington and Hastings. They were unable to find missing Narre Warren engineering student Khalil Nabizadah, 23, whose body was washed up at Portsea on Wednesday afternoon. Police are preparing a report for the coroner. Two other men were rescued: a 22-year-old Cranbourne West man was taken to the Royal Melbourne Hospital and said to be in a stable condition, while a 23-year-old Cranbourne man did not require medical treatment. The rescue attempt…

MORNINGTON Peninsula residents are being invited to have their say on plans for the proposed $30 million Rosebud aquatic centre. A business case on the proposed Rosebud Aquatic Centre handed to Mornington Peninsula Shire councillors late last year outlined three concept plans: a 25-metre indoor pool; 50-metre indoor pool; and a 50-metre outdoor pool with associated health, fitness and wellbeing facilities. Residents provide feedback on the summary and key findings of the business case and indicate their preference for either a 25-metre or a 50-metre pool. The deadline is Wednesday 28 February. The decision for a 50-metre indoor or outdoor…

TWO “sizeable” cash donations have enabled Crystal Ocean Wildlife Shelter’s Brenda Marmion to move house. The animal rescuer and advocate, 74, grappled with uncertainty after being asked to vacate the Golf Parade, Rye, property she and many lost, starving or injured native animals have called home over the past four years. Ms Marmion, a pensioner and in poor health, said her new Rye bush-block home in Highbury Road was “a bit rough but absolutely ideal” for her needs. She will move in on 21 February. She said the lead-up to finding the fibro-home was made possuble by donations which allowed…