Mornington Peninsula businesswoman Melissa Goffin has been endorsed by Independents for Mornington Peninsula to be their candidate for the seat of Mornington in the upcoming state election. “Melissa was selected following a rigorous application and selection process by a five-member panel appointed by the I4MP committee earlier this year,” said an email to I4MP members this afternoon. “We were looking for someone with the experience, independence, energy and community commitment to represent Mornington at the November state election, someone who lives in the electorate — and we believe we have found exactly that person.” Goffin is the founder and owner…
Author: Cameron McCullough
ONE Nation has announced lawyer Ashli Beards as their Mornington electorate candidate for the November state election. Beards, who has been a member of One Nation since December 2025, was selected from “quite a few” potential candidates according to One Nation’s campaign coordinator for the Eastern Region, Harry Mulry. “For me, becoming involved with One Nation was a very organic experience,” said Beards. “I had become fed up with the majors and the mismanagement of the state. I was sick of seeing what was happening day to day and thought the community needed a real advocate.” Before being pre-selected, Beards…
THE state election race for Nepean has a new entrant, with Safety Beach resident Kim Robbins throwing her hat into the ring as an independent candidate. Robbins decision to run comes despite the organisation she is a member of, Independents for Mornington Peninsula, electing to concentrate their resources in the Mornington electorate, and not run a I4MP endorsed candidate in Nepean and Hastings. “I live in Nepean, I vote in Nepean, and Nepean is my focus. I’m a member of I4MP and strongly support the community independent movement,” said Robbins. “As it stands, I’m not an I4MP-endorsed candidate. With I4MP…
CONFIRMED bird flu cases on the Mornington Peninsula have climbed to 18, with the City of Frankston recording their first case last week. Cases have been recorded in Dromana, Blairgowrie, Capel Sound, McCrae, Mt Eliza, Portsea, Pt Leo, Rosebud, Safety Beach, Sorrento, and St Andrews Beach. All the peninsula detections have been in either greater crested terns or silver gulls. The Frankston detection was in a greater crested tern. There continue to be grave concerns for Western Port Bay’s wetlands that are a critical habitat for wildlife, and home to 65% of threatened bird species in Victoria. Heightening the concern…
ENVIRONMENT group Save Westernport has appeared as the first witness at a Senate Estimates Hearing held at the Queenscliff Town Hall last week (24 August) into the planned disposal of Defence estate assets, including land at HMAS Cerberus. The hearing was held as it emerged a firm currently banned from government contracts is the “Strategic Industry Partner” for the divestment process. The planned “partial divestment” of HMAS Cerberus was announced by Defence Minister Richard Marles on Wednesday 4 February as part of a massive sale of 35,000 hectares of defence real estate – including some of the nation’s most historic…
COOLART Homestead has been closed indefinitely as the Parks Victoria rangers that manage the site take industrial action. The main gates were closed and locked on Friday (28 August), with rangers stating they will remain closed until their dispute is resolved. Across Parks Victoria, rangers and operational staff have been engaged in a long-running industrial dispute concerning pay, classification and recognition of the work they undertake. The Australian Workers’ Union has said the dispute follows more than 12 months of negotiations seeking greater recognition of the skilled and demanding work performed by frontline Parks Victoria staff. Friends of Coolart, the…
IN the wake of revelations developers have been lobbying for the rezoning of green wedge land for housing, both Labor and the Liberal Party have committed to not altering the current Urban Growth Boundary. The commitment would see the green wedge protected into the future, whether Labor or the Liberals win the poll in November. The move comes after The News reported a developer met with Mornington Peninsula Shire CEO Mark Stoermer with a plan to build 2000 houses in green wedge land between Mornington and Mt Martha (MP claims Labor planning to rezone large tract of green wedge, The…
ERAMOSA Rd East in Somerville is set for major rehabilitation after Mornington Peninsula Shire approved the appointment of a contractor for the long-awaited project. The decision was made at the 11 August council meeting following a tender process for the Eramosa Rd East rehabilitation project. The section of road between Lower Somerville Rd and Dandenong-Hastings Rd has been identified as being in poor condition, with investigations finding underlying problems with the road subgrades. The rehabilitation will involve a rebuild of the road pavement and reconstruction of a new road surface as well as drainage upgrades, safety barriers at high-risk areas,…
BIRD flu has continued to spread on the peninsula since the first detection on Wednesday 12 August, with the number of confirmed positive cases now sitting at eight as of last Friday. The spread on the Mornington Peninsula comes as there are reports of mass mortality events attributed to the virus with over 1000 bird deaths in South Australia last week. On Sunday (23 August), wildlife group Vic Wildlife Alliance reported a mass death event at Point Nelson near Portland in Western Victoria, calling for volunteers to help “humanely euthanase thousands of H5N1 infected birds which are being left to…
With only 100 days until the state election, things are off to a slow start in the three electorates on the Mornington Peninsula, with only a handful of candidates expressing their intention to challenge. In Nepean, incumbent Anthony Marsh heads into his second election campaign in six months with a handy 13.24% margin, after his by-election win in May. There will be at least one familiar face on the hustings, with his by-election opponent Darren Hercus contesting the seat again for One Nation. Hercus told The News “I am both honoured and humbled to have been re-endorsed by One Nation…
MEMBER for Nepean, Anthony Marsh, has made an explosive claim in parliament that a large tract of the green wedge is at risk of development, and suggested there may have been state government discussions to rezone the land to meet housing targets. Marsh claimed developers may have lobbied Sonya Kilkenny, Minister for Planning, after previously lobbying the Mornington Peninsula Shire to have green wedge land between Mornington and Mt Martha rezoned to accommodate 2000 new houses. In parliament on Wednesday (12 August) Marsh addressed the following to Kilkenny: “The minister’s department claims that Mornington Peninsula is 1700 homes short of…
Major Collision Investigation Unit detectives are investigating a fatal collision in Rosebud yesterday evening. It is alleged a vehicle went onto the wrong side of Jetty Road and collided with a second vehicle about 5.20pm. The driver and sole occupant of the second vehicle, a yet-to-be-identified man, died at the scene. The other driver and sole occupant, a 62-year-old Rosebud man, was not injured and he was arrested at the scene. He was interviewed and released pending further enquiries. The investigation remains ongoing. Anyone who witnessed the collision or with dashcam vision is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800…
FRANKSTON City Council officers, in conjunction with Victoria Police and support agencies, have undertaken an operation to reclaim the lower level car park at the Frankston Arts Centre after it was occupied by a number of members of the public. During July, a number of people that have residential addresses moved into the lower level of the car park, and partook in threatening and anti-social behaviour. The News believes that some patrons were accosted by the people prompting the council to remove vehicles they had stored in the lower level and close that level of the car park off. The…
Bird flu has been detected on the peninsula for the first time on Wednesday 12 August, raising concerns about bird colonies on the peninsula, Western Port Bay, and the highly suspectable little penguins at Phillip Island. The News believes the peninsula detection was at St Andrews Beach, and the Phillip Island detection was at Seal Rocks. The arrival of the H5N1 bird flu comes a day after the federal government announced vaccines would be made available for the colony of little penguins at Phillip Island. More than 5,000 penguins at Phillip Island and St Kilda expected to be vaccinated as…
NORTHERN Mornington Peninsula Tourism, the organisers of the Main Street Mornington Festival, have announced the event will not be held in 2026. The event was first held in 1998 and took a break during Covid. It came back for 2023 and 2024, but was also cancelled last year. In a statement on social media, the organisers said: “Despite our best efforts, we have not been able to secure the level of funding needed to make the event financially viable”. “We know our Festival is something many businesses, artists, performers, and people in our community look forward to each year, and…
He cut his teeth as Jimmy Giggle in the hit children’s series “Giggle and Hoot”, but after a decade in the role, constant travel, and a young family, Jimmy Rees wanted a change. It was time to move on. It was 2019, and Jimmy’s future was uncertain. He knew he wanted to stay in entertainment, but doing what? While on the hunt for his next role, he toyed with the idea of making a few funny videos. “I knew ‘Giggle and Hoot’ was coming to an end, and I had a considerable following because of the show, so I thought…
RSPCA Victoria’s annual Animal Cruelty Report has shown a huge jump in animal seizures and surrenders on the Mornington Peninsula in the last 12 months, placing it as the third worst Local Government Area in Victoria. While data from 2024/25 had animals seized or surrendered at 22, data from the 2025/26 financial year shows a 468 per cent jump to 103 animals seized or surrendered. Only the LGAs of Casey and Melton had higher numbers. A considerable number of the seizures can be attributed to a single property on Moorooduc Hwy in Mt Eliza which has been the source of…
THE Victorian government is reportedly considering reforms to the council rate cap that could see the annual limit imposed on councils removed or restructured. The rate cap, introduced in 2016, sets a maximum annual rate increase for all municipalities across the state, decided by the Minister for Local Government. This financial year the cap is set at 2.75%. The Mornington Peninsula Shire’s 2026/27 budget lifted rates by the maximum amount allowed but also contained a 17% jump in kerbside waste fee from $433 to $507 per annum. This amount was down from the $570 kerbside waste fee initially proposed in…
Two teenage boys have been charged over a spate of alleged robberies across a three day-period in the Mornington Peninsula. It will be alleged the pair threatened a 15-year-old boy with a knife on Main Street, Mornington on 7 July, where they made demands for his shoes before forcing him to transfer cash electronically. The next day, they allegedly robbed two 14-year-old boys at the intersection of Main Street and the Nepean Highway, taking off with the victims’ puffer jacket, shoes and necklace. Two days later, on 10 July, a 14-year-old boy was allegedly threatened by one of the teens…
Mornington Peninsula Shire has launched its “Shout Out for the Peninsula” advocacy campaign, calling on all political parties and candidates contesting November’s state election to commit to investing in the future of the peninsula. The campaign outlines key priorities across the peninsula’s three state electorates: Mornington, Nepean and Hastings, with a focus on improving safety, liveability, connectivity and support for vulnerable communities. In the Mornington electorate, a $14m commitment to complete the Mornington-to-Moorooduc section of the Peninsula Trail heads the shire’s election wish-list. The missing 8.3km section would bring the shire one step closer to delivering a continuous 170km trail…
A SOUTH-EAST Melbourne advocacy organisation has commissioned a survey that says 67 per cent of people living in south-east Melbourne are concerned about the cost of living. The survey was conducted by insights firm Redge for Greater South East Melbourne (GSEM) which states it “advocates for jobs, infrastructure, investment, liveability, sustainability and wellbeing for the southeast and everyone who works and lives in the region”. The survey uncovered hidden surprises in cost-of-living stress within seats that could decide the election with residents in Melbourne’s south east borrowing money to pay for groceries, relying on buses to cut costs and warning…
HERITAGE Victoria has told The News the reconstruction of Norman Lodge Gatehouse was set to commence last week, although by Sunday (19 July) there was no apparent activity at the site. The statement from Heritage Victoria came after a letter dated 25 May 2026 from Steven Avery, Executive Director of Heritage Victoria, seen by The News, stated “Reconstruction works are expected to commence no later than 29 June 2026”. The dismantling documentation was provided by the owner’s consultants in November 2025. Documentation pertaining to the reconstruction of the heritage-listed Norman Lodge gatehouse was submitted to Heritage Victoria in late February…
Ric de Vries has spent a lifetime around the water. It started when an 18-year-old Ric moved to Cape Paterson and landed a job with Fisheries. That was the beginning of a love affair with the water that eventually led him to Mornington and his true passion: abalone diving. Now 60, Ric has spent the last 30 years diving for abalone and has seen the market for the delicacy shift under his feet. “When I started out 30 years ago, all the abalone we caught was exported around the world at premium prices,” said Ric. “It was a huge, high-priced…
A man used loose footpath bricks in the early hours of Thursday (16 July) to smash around 30 panes of glass at around 12 shops in Sorrento. Residents were said to be in a state of shock as they surveyed the damage, while some stores face long disruption while waiting for suitable glass to replace broken windows. Under fire was the Mornington Peninsula Shire, with the loose bricks having been slated for a repair that had yet to eventuate. The News understands that, once made aware of the situation, shire CEO Mark Stoermer immediately organised staff to head to Sorrento…
MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire councillor David Gill is asking for peninsula residents to cast their vote in the Victorian government’s “Pick My Park” program. Gill is hoping “people power” will secure funding for Parks Victoria’s submitted proposal for $110,000 to upgrade the picnic area at Coolart Homestead, including new accessible picnic tables and chairs on concrete aprons. “The ‘Pick my Park’ project is a great opportunity for a much-needed upgrade for the popular Coolart venue as a picnic area, historical precinct and water bird sanctuary,” said Gill. “Funding of proposals is only determined by votes. Victorians aged sixteen years and over…
MORNINGTON Peninsula shire officers have prepared a draft submission regarding the partial divestment of HMAS Cerberus, with councillors unanimously voting to put it out for public consultation. In February, Defence Minister Richard Marles announced HMAS Cerberus would be “partially divested” as part of a massive sale of 35,000 hectares of defence real estate – including some of the nation’s most historic barracks – that is expected to raise almost $2b (HMAS Cerberus to be ‘partially divested’ in defence land sell-off, The News 10/2/26). At the time it was stated that 1164 hectares of the 1500 hectares that make up HMAS…
DEFENCE force personnel and dignitaries gathered last Friday (10 July) to commemorate the 84th anniversary of the loss of a Bristol Beaufort bomber that crashed on Arthurs Seat on 12 July 1942 with the loss of four crew. The crash was not the first, as another RAAF aircraft, an Arvo Anson A4 crashed into Arthurs Seat four years earlier, on 10 August 1938, also with the loss of four crew, with one survivor. Early on the morning of 12 July 1942, 100SQN Beaufort A9-64 launched from RAAF Laverton to conduct an anti-submarine patrol just off Philip Island. In the three…
HASTINGS Police station’s front lawn was dug up by hooning motorcycles not once, but twice last week. Investigators believe motorcycles were ridden across the lawn on 6 July about 9.30pm and again on 8 July about 5.40pm. Initially, police media told The News that investigations were ongoing, and that “officers have a number of enquires to make”. On Thursday (9 July), police executed a warrant at an address in Auburn Court in Hastings in relation to the vandalism. During a search of the property it is alleged police located a homemade firearm on the premises and arrested a 22-year-old man.…
A MORNINGTON dance teacher who recently lost an appeal against his conviction for indecently assaulting a 17-year-old girl is suing a volunteer-run, Mornington Peninsula-based community Facebook page, claiming it defamed him. In response, the admins of “Mornington Peninsula Noticeboard Vic”, which has over 112,000 followers, have launched a “Go Fund Me” campaign to raise money to cover their legal fees. The legal action stems from a post made onto the page in November 2024, and comments on that post, pertaining to the conviction of Jon “Jonny” Garnett, the owner of Mornington Dance Studio, for indecent assault. The material posted included…
THE new pier according to space tourism website space-axiom.com (left), and the new Dromana Pier according to Parks Victoria (right). Pictures: Space-axiom.com and Parks Victoria EDITORIAL MORNINGTON Peninsula News Group celebrates its 20th anniversary this August. It has been an incredible journey, and we are very proud that we have been able to continue through numerous challenges along the way. But perhaps the greatest challenge we face is the rise of artificial intelligence. Already on the Mornington Peninsula there is media that uses AI to write articles to keep you, the members of the community, informed. What’s the problem with…