It’s hard to pin down exactly what kind of impact Tex Perkins has had on the Australian music industry, or on music more broadly. He’s not your typical front-man superstar, yet he’d be more widely recognised than the lead singers of most modern-day pop groups. He’s been making music since for more than 30 years, but is barely a smidge over 50 years old. Although he did find his feet and a degree of early success with the group Thug, how did he gain so much fame and notoriety without a prominent campaign vehicle like Jimmy Barnes’ Cold Chisel, INXS’…
Year: 2016
30,000 CASES of fruit has been despatched from the Somerville station during the month of March this season. *** THE “Wattles” Club will hold one of their popular socials in the Mechanics Hall on Saturday (22nd inst) in aid of Australia’s Sick and Wounded soldiers. *** AT St Paul’s Church, Frankston there will be services on Good Friday and Easter Day, when the annual Easter Offering will be made. For times see our advertising columns. *** THERE will be no meeting of the Frankston Progress Association on Wednesday next, owing to the Easter Holidays. The next meeting will be held…
They shall not grow old, as we that are left grow old. Age shall not weary them or the years condemn At the going down of the sun and in the morning We will remember them. On every Anzac Day it is customary for these solemn lines, known as “The Ode of Remembrance”, to be recited. Quite often a speaker will then inform the assembly of Australia’s contribution to what was known as The Great War; of how a country of less than five million could put 416,809 men in uniform, over 60,000 of whom were not to return. Official…
OF the 120 listed on the honour roll in Mornington’s Memorial Park, a number were decorated for bravery under fire. One of those was Robert Bates of the Australian Army Medical Corps who returned home with a Military Medal (won at Lone Pine) and Bar (won at Pozieres.) What makes his record different to the other 119 is that he was a pacifist and never fired a shot during his years of service. ROBERT Bates was born at Kew in 1887, the only son of Alfred and Isabella (nee Bartlett). The war was only a few weeks old when Robert…
BEFORE moving to Mornington the Bates family lived in Frankston and Robert played for that team. The Mornington Standard of 7 September, 1912 carried a lengthy report of proceedings before the Frankston Court of Petty Sessions where “Leonard Incigneri, captain of the Hastings team, and captain of the Richmond team in the League competitions last year, was charged with unlawful assault during the progress of the Frankston and Hastings match at Somerville on 24 August.” The player subject to assault was Robert Bates. Dr Charles Maxwell, the first witness, gave the following evidence: “… Saw the incident that Bates and…
THE father of Robert Bates, Alfred Edward Bates was the son of Robert Jackson Bates, a leading English cotton manufacturer. Born in Manchester in 1850, Alfred Bates came to Australia in 1875 and worked as a commercial traveller for wholesale drug houses for a number of years before buying a farm at Moorooduc. The family eventually settled in Mornington where Alfred became a shire councillor and was treasurer of both Mornington Progress Association and the fire brigade. With the outbreak of war the whole family, which included three daughters, became heavily involved in the Red Cross as a support to…
IN a quiet corner of the Tyabb cemetery in Hastings can be found the grave of Leading Signalman Albert Norman Charles Thomson. For decades the grave had no means of identification but about eight years ago a headstone was erected. So much time had elapsed since Thomson’s death in 1922 that an error has occurred and he is identified as “Norman Albert” instead of “Albert Norman.” However the line below the name reflects the role that this sailor played in our history: he was a submariner on the AE2 and, subsequently, a prisoner of war in Turkey. What was the…
HMAS Goorangai was the first Royal Australian Navy ship lost in World War II, the first RAN surface ship lost in wartime, and the first RAN surface ship lost with all hands. What makes this tragedy of special interest is that it occurred inside Port Phillip. Origin THE Goorangai was built in Newcastle in 1919 for the New South Wales government, then sold in 1926 to Cam and Sons where it was refitted as a fishing trawler. At the outbreak of war the Goorangai was one of 35 privately-owned vessels requisitioned by the RAN as auxiliary minesweepers. Eight of these…
IN his book “Those We Forget”, published in 2014, David Noonan comments on the “casualties” which occurred after the cessation of hostilities in 1918 amongst the AIF men who were wounded or gassed: “… it is estimated that they now number 62,300 (plus or minus 400), about 550 by their own hand, mainly in 1919 and 1920, and a further 8000 men would die a premature death due to war-related causes in the post-war years.” In 1918 an entire government department – subsequently the Department of Veterans’ Affairs – came into being in Australia to try to look after…
THIS recent publication, Great courage and initiative – The heroic life of George Ingram VC, MM, by A J McAleer, records the life of George Mawby Ingram who was awarded the VC for his actions at Montbrehain in October, 1918. He was the last Australian to win this award in World War I. George’s family had orchards at Bagshot, near Bendigo, and later at Seville. On leaving school he joined the militia (Australian Garrison Artillery), became a carpenter and volunteered for overseas service when war broke out. He was sent to Rabaul where he contracted malaria and was invalided back…
There was a fatal collision on in Tuerong on Saturday 16 April. It is believed a car travelling on a private property in Hunts Road collided with a tree about 5.30am The male driver of the car, who is yet to be formally identified, died at the scene. The passenger in the car was airlifted to hospital with serious injuries. The exact circumstances of the collision are being investigated. As this incident occurred on a private residence it will not be included on the road toll. Anyone with any information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000…
Police are searching for the driver of a car that rammed a police divisional van in Langwarrin early this morning. Police were called to a report of a suspicious vehicle at a hotel car park on Cranbourne Road about 3am. Officers were making enquiries into the suspicious vehicle when a maroon Ford sedan sped past police. The Carrum Downs divisional van patrolled the area and found the Ford in a driveway at Wahgunyah Crescent a short time later. The driver of the vehicle reversed and collided into the front of the van, causing significant damage. The two officers were not…
TYABB and District Ratepayers Group members affected by the ramping up of clay mining operations near their homes were yesterday (Monday 11 April) awaiting documents proving the owner’s continuous use of the site. Spokesman Alan Robinson said he had made application under freedom of information for the documents and had been advised they “are imminent”. Continuous use is regarded as the linchpin in Bayport Group’s securing of an ongoing quarrying permit for the Pottery Rd site first mined in 1964. He said shire officers had earlier claimed they had “no choice” but to confer mining rights because Bayport was able…
ANYONE seeking to meet a potential match online should be aware after cars were stolen earlier in the year. Detective Leading Senior Constable Richard Thomson, of Frankston CIU, said people inviting unknown possible love interests into their homes – usually at night – were courting disaster. “The victims are often too embarrassed to come forward after their assignations,” he said. “And it looks like it’s becoming a little bit more common.” In one case in Langwarrin on Sunday 3 January a man arranged to meet a potential love-match in the woman’s home before pinching her car keys and stealing the…
WHILE officialdom tries to draw a line under the spread of graffiti, private enterprise has its own way of dealing with paint splattered walls. David and Anita Hilet of Hastings-based printing firm Galaxy Print & Design, decided to enlist the help of self-confessed (but now reformed) graffiti tagger Michael “Mikey” Newman, to do a bit of signwriting and art on the side of their Reid Pde factory. The large wall facing the Frankston-Stony Point railway line was an eye catching fixture, but for all the wrong reasons. Its duck egg blue colour had been irresistible to graffiti taggers wanting to…
MORE than 96 per cent of French Island’s population supports a plan to eradicate feral cats – and that’s music to the ears of the federal government’s threatened species commissioner Gregory Andrews. During a visit to the island last week Mr Andrews met with the island’s Landcare, Parks Victoria officers and community groups to discuss ways to make the island safer for wildlife by removing feral cats. There has already been some success, with about 1300 feral cats culled over the past five years making life safer for threatened species, such as the long-nosed potoroo, eastern barred and southern brown…
SOMERVILLE historian and author Leila Shaw has died at age 88 after a short illness. Mrs Shaw founded the Somerville, Tyabb and District Heritage Society 20 years ago and material she donated became the Leila Shaw Collection. In 1996 she wrote and self-published She’s Apples 1853–1994: A History of Fruit Tree Nurseries, Orchards & Coolstores, which detailed the district’s world renowned fruit-growing industry. This was followed two years later by The Way We Were: Adventures, Feats and Experiences of Pioneering Families of the Mornington Peninsula, also self-published. A limited hardback edition was later published by the heritage society. Mrs Shaw…
CRIB POINT FNC By Jared Newton DIRTY day at the nest on reunion weekend which was celebrating the 66, 67, 68 three-peat powerhouse side of half a century ago. There were a few moist eyes among the older stalwarts as they came from all over Australia to watch all three teams go down. The under 19s were jumped early and were battling against the tide right from the start but poor kicking kept the Pies in the game longer than they deserved to be. Thirty-two scoring shots to four showed the dominance as Red Hill kicked away in blustery conditions…
HASTINGS FNC THE Hastings Football/Netball Club made the trek down to Sorrento on Saturday to play our rival the Sorrento FNC in what was a massive game for the club. Having not beaten Sorrento FNC at Sorrento since 1984 its always a huge ask to beat this well-drilled football club. But guess what? Our boys came out and played four quarters of intense pressure that hasn’t been seen at the club for a long time. The boys played with spirit and teamwork which was outstanding to watch. In turn that spurred on the supporters to believe it was going to…
MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire has dropped the municipal charge in favour of a waste service charge which it says will ensure a “fairer redistribution of the rate burden”. The mayor Cr Graham Pittock said the $193 a property waste charge would raise $19 million, an amount that “fully recovers the cost of collection and disposal of refuse”. The municipal charge for 2014/15 was $180. The proposed budget released for public comment last week includes raising an extra $5.269m from rates, for a total of $155.344m. The proposed general rate is .22670 cents in the dollar of a property’s capital improved value…
THE contentious decision to change Rosebud West to Capel Sound will become reality if councillors back a staff recommendation. The call for change follows months of discussions, meetings, submissions, editorials and a public vote via a mass letter-box drop. Letters and surveys were sent out on 7 December with a 5 February closing date for surveys and submissions. Of the 5600 letters sent to residents, ratepayers and community groups, 1902 responses were received (or 33.9 per cent). In summary, 1065 replies favoured the change – 19.02 per cent of the total posted – or 56 per cent of those received…
A PLANNED burn on the slopes of Arthurs Seat two Sundays ago was designed to lessen the intensity of any future bushfire in the area. “The major benefit of the operation is that should a bushfire occur in the area in the future; it will be less intense, making it more likely that firefighters can contain it before it impacts on people, property and the environment surrounding Arthurs Seat,” forest fire management, metropolitan district manager, Dan White, said. “That’s because the burn has reduced a lot of the fuel that a bushfire relies on to sustain itself. It also complements the…
THE principal of Red Hill Consolidated School was confidant late last week that the school would reopen on time on Monday. In a letter to parents Leanne Marshall said the Department of Health and Human Services was still investigating an outbreak of gastroenteritis that affected more than 100 pupils and six staff and caused the school to close a day earlier for the holidays. “However, we want to reassure all members of the school community that we have followed closely the guidelines in regards to management and control of gastroenteritis outbreaks in children’s services, as supplied by [the] DHHS communicable…
MORNINGTON Peninsula mayor Cr Graham Pittock sees the state government’s decision to take over planning powers for the Arthur’s Seat Skylift project as a “slap in the face for local government”. Planning Minister Richard Wynne has virtually left council powerless by taking control of the $18 million project. “You can forget all about community consultation,” Cr Pittock said. “The community was happy with the way we were handling it. “I can’t think of any of the delays they are referring to.” The project consists of an all-weather gondola-style chairlift that will carry passengers to the top of the summit, a…
PENINSULA Health’s adult mental health unit at Frankston Hospital is about to undergo $1.5 million upgrade. Named 2 West, the unit it was built in the early 1990s but has seen little in the way of capital improvements over the past 25 years. The physical environment has been described by clients and their families as “dismal and prison-like”. “The funding announced will provide an immediate improvement to the environment in our acute mental health unit and the safety of clients and staff,” Peninsula Health CEO Sue Williams said. “Our staff do a fantastic job caring for our mental health clients,…
SCIENTISTS are predicting an end to the bumper season of fishing for King George whiting in Port Phillip and Western Port. Surveys have detected poor juvenile whiting numbers in seagrass nurseries in 2014 and 2015. Fisheries Victoria executive director Travis Dowling said natural climate-driven variation in juvenile whiting numbers that settle in the bay was entirely normal, but consecutive poor years would prolong the downturn and make it more noticeable to anglers. “The downturn’s impact will be lessened given that 87 per cent of the commercial netting catch for species also targeted by recreational anglers, including King George whiting, has…
A MORNINGTON coffee company was recently awarded Radio 3AW and Momentum Energy’s Small Business Achievement Award. It was presented on Denis Walter’s afternoon program. Mornington resident Sam Keck started Commonfolk Coffee Company coffee roaster and cafe in 2013. The 24-year-old zoology graduate wanted to introduce people to the concept of specialty coffee and connect them with all stages of its production – from the farmer to the importer and on to the roaster. “The company battled through archaic council planning regulations but, finally, got permission to open up in the Mornington industrial estate – far away from your typical Main…
AN office has been set up on the Mornington Peninsula to help low income earners buy household necessities. The StepUp project is run by not-for-profit Good Shepherd Microfinance, part of the Good Shepherd network. The group will provide loans for those with a Centrelink health care card or pension card or who qualify for family tax benefit A and can prove they have lived at their current address for more than three months. There are no fees, but a low-interest rate is charged. “We have been providing loans around Australia for 12 years,” financial security manager Sally Edwards said. “We’re…
CATS are being given away free by the RSPCA from Thursday 14 April to Sunday 17 April. During these four days, RSPCA Victoria will be waiving its usual $110 cat adoption fee. The organisation has more than 200 adult cats at its nine adoption centres and two RSPCA Pets Place Centres. There are also cats waiting in quarantine (at least eight days before being ready for adoption). During the no-fee period, normal adoption procedures apply, including matching each animal to the right family. Every cat available for adoption is desexed, microchipped and vaccinated. RSPCA Peninsula is at 1030 Robinsons Rd,…
THE historic 75-year-old steam train K163 is ready to fire up this Sunday 17 April for a kids fun run at Moorooduc Railway Station, on Moorooduc Highway alongside Mt Eliza Regional Park (Melway 105/K9). From 10am-1 pm children aged three to 12 will be able to run alongside the locomotive into the station on a purpose built and secure track. Distances will vary with age from 150 metres to 1200 metres. Organised by Mt Eliza Rotary Club, he event will be family friendly with children’s show bags, face painters, balloon sculptors and an animal farm along with food and drinks…