Day: March 2, 2020

A PUBLIC rally is being held to keep the existing Centrelink and Medicare offices in Mornington. The rally will start outside the Centrelink offices, 332 Main Street, at 2pm Wednesday 18 March. The public show of support is the latest salvo in the fight to retain the busy offices which are slated to close 30 March and replaced by a part-time agency over 15 hours a week. Among those scheduled to attend are Mornington Peninsula Shire mayor Cr Sam Hearn, fellow councillors and Dunkley MP Peta Murphy. Anger at the forced closure is growing with a petition at the Mornington…

AN elderly man suffering from what he describes as the “worst pain known to man, or the suicide headache” is pushing for the most effective – but most expensive – treatment to be added to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. Pensioner Albert Mew, 77, said he could vouch for the grim depiction of the ailment after suffering extreme pain for years. “I have now been diagnosed as a chronic sufferer which means hardly a day goes by when I don’t get one,” he said. “Most days it is three or four and sometimes as many as six. There is no cure…

SOUTHERN Buoy Studios is holding a solo exhibition by artist Morano, pictured, until Tuesday 10 March. Originally from Barcelona, Morano now lives on the Mornington Peninsula and this is his first exhibition in Australia. Morano says the works come “from memories of my childhood in the suburbs of Barcelona, from the images that I keep in my head painting murals over the train rails”. These memories from “a childhood looking to overcome the lack of opportunities” include factory workers, street culture and buildings surrounded by industrial estates. Morano sees his paintings as “a reflection of me comprehending that part of…

EXPANDING public transport in Frankston has been listed as a “priority initiative” by Infrastructure Australia. Infrastructure Australia’s latest priority list shows that “optimising the existing bus network, increasing bus service frequency and coverage,” and “upgrades to rail services and infrastructure” are seen as ways of improving Frankston. The list includes 150 “priority” or “high priority” projects and initiatives throughout Australia. Committee for Greater Frankston CEO Ginevra Hosking described Frankston’s inclusion as “fantastic news and proof that solving the region’s lack of public transport is a state and nationally important project, one that’s vital to unleash the potential of our region”.…

SORRENTO has been chosen as the next location in the rollout of plastic beach matting as part of Mornington Peninsula Shire’s Disability Action Plan. The matting would make it easy for large mobility chairs to get across the sand and into the water. “Access for all of us to enjoy the stunning beaches and locations on the peninsula is important,” the shire’s community development manager Chris Munro said. “Installation of beach matting on our beaches is part of a range of measures we are undertaking to expand access for all.” Shire officers Virginia Richardson and Zach Grimes met at The…

THE Portsea Kings won the annual Blairgowrie Yacht Squadron 2020 team challenge last week. Members Andrew Nash, Peter Bolton, Drew McLennan and Nick Bowden came home in one hour, four minutes and 18 seconds. Challenge committee member Andrea Devereux said the event, in its fifth year, raises funds and awareness for vocation assistance and job opportunities for youth on the southern peninsula. She said all proceeds from the event will go to the new Headspace satellite at Rosebud. “Given the recent weather, it was a relief to have a glorious day for the event which saw 19 teams competing and…

DETECTIVES are investigating four commercial burglaries on the Mornington Peninsula in which thieves raided two post offices, a hairdresser and a Reject shop over three nights. Detective Sergeant Jason Hocking, of Somerville CIU, said two men used a sledgehammer to break into Dromana Post Office and steal 15 mobile phones valued at $7000, 2.50am, Wednesday 19 February. The same offenders are believed to have stolen 34 mobile phones valued at $8000 from the Rosebud Post Office, 1.30am, Saturday 22 February. The phones at both post offices range in price from $99 to $350. Soon after the second post office raid…

CHARGES of negligence against a Rye carnival proprietor were dropped in Melbourne Magistrates’ Court last week. Worksafe had charged Wittingslow Amusements with failing to ensure people were not exposed to risks to their health or safety following the death of a boy on Easter Monday 2017. The six-year-old was flung out of the Cha Ch ride when he slipped under a guard rail. He died in the Royal Children’s Hospital four days later. The ride, built in 1961, was checked by engineers in December 2016 and no defects found. The ride was closed for two days after the fatality and…

THE screws are being tightened on Mornington Peninsula Shire councillors’ off-the-record expense claims. A three-part notice of motion put by Cr David Gill last week – and passed unanimously – will ensure councillors’ reimbursement claims and requests for training, personal development, entertainment or other expenses, including payments for tickets for functions, should only be claimable from their expense allowances and not through any other council accounts. Secondly, all past claims presented by councillors not claimable under legislation or Mornington Peninsula Shire Council protocols, must now be reported to council. The third part of the motion was to remind councillors that…

POINT Nepean Men’s Shed members are busy working on extra carts for competitors in the annual Billy Kart Derby to be held in Sorrento this month. Nearby primary schools have been informed the carts would suit younger age groups. Club vice president Terry Phippen said the club had been granted a permit for the Saturday 14 March event and that preparations are “in full swing”. “We have an extra 10 simple karts under construction and we have invited a lot of community groups to participate. “We are just hoping for good weather to attract a few interesting designs from these…

A RANGE of measures are being proposed to protect endangered wildlife on the Mornington Peninsula. While the focus is on the welfare of the dwindling number of koalas on the peninsula, the state government and Parks Victoria are being asked to help establish a hospital for injured and ill wildlife. Mornington Peninsula Shire councillors will be asked next week to seek backing for a wildlife hospital at Highfield Farm, part of the Greens Bush section of the Mornington Peninsula National Park near Cape Schanck. Cr David Gill said at hospital at Highfield would be a central location for the peninsula’s…

MARTHA Cove residents upset over unfinished landscaping following the construction of houses on Helm Avenue have called on Mornington Peninsula Shire Council to clean up the mess. Their primary concerns centre on the height and slope of mounded soil at the eastern end of the street and unkempt vegetation. They say the mound can’t be properly maintained and is a fire risk, harbours snakes and is detrimental to the amenity of the neighbourhood. The residents say they are “seeking clarity” on how their concerns will be resolved. “There is uncertainty around how this landscape feature will be maintained with the…

THE state government is being urged to use the Mornington Peninsula as a testing ground for a program aimed at reducing the road to nil by 2050. The “horror year” which in 2019 saw 14 deaths on peninsula roads combined with its own Towards Zero policy has prompted the shire to volunteer the peninsula as a site for the state Safe System trial. The move came as the council ratified an “ambitious” submission by traffic and transport team leader Tom Haines-Sutherland to a parliamentary inquiry into the increase in Victoria’s road toll to 266. It also follows a reduction in…

PENINSULA A CENTURY from Jake Theobald got Heatherhill over the line in a nail biter against Pines. Chasing 253 to win on day two, Heatherhill had a tough task ahead of them. Heatherill ended up in a difficult position at 7/156 before Theobald took control. He scored 102 not out. Heatherhill ended up getting over the line with just two wickets in hand and four balls left to spare. Things were more comfortable for Somerville on Saturday, as they put Moorooduc to the sword. Somerville had already wrapped up a win on day one, and were looking for an outright…

SOCCER SEAFORD United and Chelsea were the only local clubs to survive last weekend’s round of FFA Cup matches. Chelsea defeated Laverton 5-3 on penalties after the sides were locked at 1-1 after 120 minutes. Chelsea’s goal came from last year’s club top scorer Tom Woods seconds before the end of normal time. At North Seaford Reserve on Sunday the home side triumphed 3-0 over Albert Park in a match highlighted by the sending off of Albert Park’s Kyle Maclean in the 22nd minute, a twice saved penalty in the second half by Seaford keeper Justin Holland and the appearance…

HORSE RACING GRAHAME Begg’s talented mare, Miss Siska, will be out to win her third race in succession on Saturday 7 March when she lines up in the Group 1 Australian Cup at Flemington. The younger sister of the dual Group 1 winning sprinter, Hay List, defeated several key runners of the Australian Cup two weeks ago at Caulfield when saluting in the Group 2 Peter Young Stakes on Saturday 22 February. The six-year-old daughter of So You Think, who is trained out of Jonathon Munz’s Pinecliff property in Mt Eliza, is really starting to hit her straps this preparation,…

To the Editor Sir, Your article on the above matter in your issue of 6th inst. might have been ignored as beneath notice if it had not contained statements some of which were untrue and others very unfair comment. You infer that the stoppage of the work on the Friday night referred to might have been obviated if we had taken the trouble to order coal in time. Every effort was made to obtain the coal, but it was refused by the Coal Board. A further request was made on the preceding Wednesday, and again refused, and the writer left…

DIRECT from the USA “You Got It! – a salute to Roy Orbison”  Live In Concert. Wesley Orbison, Roy Orbison’s eldest son is very proud to fully endorse and present this amazing live concert experience remembering his father as we relive the sound & all the magical hits of Music Legend Roy Orbison in an International production starring The sensational Voice From Downunder John Stephan. This is the only show of its kind in the world and is officially endorsed & presented by Roy Orbison’s eldest son Wesley Orbison. Featuring spoken word from Wesley with a very personal narrative of…