Day: September 9, 2019

ROSEBUD Girl Guide Sarah Wallace is getting a name for herself as a quiet achiever. This comes after she completed a range of challenging guiding activities over many months, including outdoors, service, world guiding, The Guide Promise and Guide Law, Guiding Traditions, and the system where girls learn to be leaders – The Patrol System. Last week plans were underway to reward her with guiding’s highest honour – the BP Award – at a special ceremony at Rosebud Guide Hall, Saturday 31 August. “From the time she began as a youngster at Rosebud she has quietly set herself many new…

A MAN allegedly riding a monkey bike without a helmet was later found to be unlicensed, and, when drug tested, proved positive to methyl-amphetamine. Police say they saw the bike on Graydens Road, Hastings, 8.35pm, Tuesday 3 September. The 32-year-old rider, of Mornington, will be summonsed to appear at Frankston Magistrates’ Court in relation to drug driving, unlicensed driving, riding an unregistered motor vehicle and not wearing a helmet. His monkey bike was impounded for 30 days for a cost of $1075. “Police receive constant complaints from the public about unregistered monkey or trail bikes due to them being ridden…

A TOYOTA Land Cruiser was stolen from the car park at the end of Dundas Street, St Andrews, while its owner was walking along the beach, Thursday 5 September. The owner is offering a reward for the return of the $20,000 car with registration AGC422. Anyone with information on any of these incidents is urged to call Crime Stoppers 1800 333 000. First published in the Southern Peninsula News – 10 September 2019

A YOUNG driver showed the steps required to get pulled over by the police on the Mornington Peninsula last week: Exceed the speed limit, have the car lowered so it has less than 100mm ground clearance, and have a bumper sticker saying “Cops don’t like this” on the back. The 24-year-old driver, of Mildura, was intercepted by Somerville Highway Patrol travelling at 115kph in a 100kph zone on the Mornington Peninsula Freeway at Dromana, Sunday 1 September. The driver said he was on his way to a car show. A bright yellow vehicle defect notice was stuck on the windscreen…

A MASERATI was nabbed on mobile radar travelling at 189kph in a 100kph zone along Mornington-Flinders Road, Flinders, Saturday 31 August. Asked by Somerville Highway Patrol police why he was speeding, the 29-year-old, of South Yarra, said he was running late to visit his sister. Like all drivers intercepted for any reason he was drug-and-alcohol tested with both tests proving negative. “Some people seem to think they can drive at these crazy speeds because they have a good car and they think they’re good drivers,” Acting Sergeant Anthony Deason said. “How someone can think 189kph on Mornington-Flinders Road is OK…

STUDENTS at St Joseph’s Primary, Sorrento, celebrated The United Nations International Year of Indigenous Language by researching and designing their own indigenous sensory, edible and medicinal garden using the indigenous plants of the Mornington Peninsula. The colourful gardens, as well as looking spectacular, encourage birds, native bees and insects to visit their school grounds. The students’ efforts have led the school to being a finalist in this year’s Tidy Town Awards. Sustainability teacher Jane Byrne said the project began following a visit by nine years five and six students to the Royal Botanic Gardens at Cranbourne. On their return the…

ON a cue of “Let’s clog Shirl,” Judy Phillips, stroke survivor, and Shirley Cheah, Peninsula Health physiotherapist, performed a type of folk dance called clogging before a large group of Allied Health staff at Peninsula Health’s Golf Links Road Rehabilitation Centre. Comfortable in the limelight after a career as a children’s television presenter, Ms Phillips said she had one clear goal after her stroke last June – “I really wanted to get back to clogging.” The toe-tapping show and lunch on Wednesday 4 September was organised as part of Stroke Week and most of Peninsula Health’s Stroke Detours team members…

A $10,000 FINE and an order to pay $10,000 in costs to Mornington Peninsula Shire Council was an expensive lesson in planning protocols for Portsea resident Lindsay Fox last week. This came after one of the trucking magnate’s private companies pleaded guilty to two charges of failing to comply with the council’s planning scheme at Dromana Magistrates’ Court. Photographs of a 4600 square metre area of foreshore outside the Fox property show it had been levelled and irrigated turf laid without shire approval and that protected native plants and grasses had been removed. The area is covered by overlays requiring…

CONCERNS about the plight of women – and especially girls – in less developed countries has prompted Sorrento resident Bruce Grey to once again get out of his comfort zone and challenge his physical capabilities. At 70 years old, the retired air force chaplain is leading a team in next month’s Tough Mudder Challenge – an event in which Mr Grey competed in each of the past two years when he was a spritely 68 and 69 years old. The famed endurance event being held at Lardner Park in Gippsland 19-20 October is contested by teams which raise money for…

ROSEBUD Secondary College students took a peek into the fascinating world of biomedical sciences at the fifth annual Biomedical Sciences Day in Parkville last week. They were among 60 years 10 and 11 students from regional and rural Victoria to attend the event which gave them a rare opportunity to experience life as a biomedical scientist. The event was presented by the School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Melbourne, and the Gene Technology Access Centre (GTAC). Professor Matthew Watt, head of the university’s Department of Physiology, encouraged the students to think about the science behind what creates, sustains and threatens…

A “LOCAL private developer” has bought Sorrento’s heritage-listed Continental Hotel after a two-month sales campaign by Colliers International. Vendor Julian Gerner on Friday would not disclose the buyer’s name or the price, which is tipped to be about $22 million. The sale of the four-storey limestone building at 1-21 Ocean Beach Road includes an adjoining former public car park at 23 Constitution Hill Road. Colliers International’s Guy Wells said the sale was a “significant win for both the much-loved hotel and the wider community, as the purchaser has committed capital and the ability to bring this iconic asset back to…

TWO dogs seized over the mauling and killing of two pet alpacas at Fingal last week will have their fate decided by a magistrates’ court. Mornington Peninsula Shire’s environment protection manager John Rankine said investigations were continuing into the incident Sunday 1 September when a “pit bull terrier or bull terrier dog” was seen mauling the alpacas at a Harmony Road property. “Officers are busy with the investigation collating evidence for prosecution in court,” Mr Rankine said. “The decision about euthanasia is pending on this evidence and the court decision. Until such time the dogs will remain impounded.” Two shire…

MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire Council has written to planning minister Richard Wynne to personally thank him for “rejecting plans for an inappropriately-sited Kaufland supermarket proposal” at the gateway to Mornington. This follows Mr Wynne’s rejection of the company’s bid for a 4000 square metre retail mega-hub at the corner of Oakbank Road and Nepean Highway, Mornington – the Bata Shoes site. The minister had said he made the decision after “community consultation raised concerns about the nature of the development and the site’s proximity to the green wedge”. “We’ve listened to the community and ensured the gateway to Mornington is properly…