Photos, story: Barry Irving BRADY Egan is the Rye Sports & Social Club’s senior sportsperson of the year. He was nominated by Rye Senior Football/Netball Club. Egan capped off a stellar year on the field by finishing eighth in the Fox8 production of The Recruit, in which AFL legend Mick Malthouse leads the search for Australia’s next sporting hero. He didn’t win the competition, but he was picked up by the North East AFL in Queensland and will play for Southport Sharks next season. Debbie Kennedy (nominated by tennis) was named sports administrator of the year and junior sportsperson of…
Year: 2016
SOCIAL media is being used to attract staff to work for Mornington Peninsula tourism operators. The mayor Cr Bev Colomb said the campaign being undertaken by Mornington Peninsula Shire and Mornington Peninsula Regional Tourism Board aimed to encourage and build understanding for people to consider the peninsula’s tourism industry as a career choice. She said a website would help to inspire job seekers and provide insight into career options and “lifestyle choices” within the industry. Executive chair of the MPRTB Tracey Cooper said the shire and the regional tourism board were working with tourism operators to promote how people can…
ANIMAL advocates are protesting against the number of cats being killed after being held at Mornington Peninsula Shire’s Community Animal Shelter. Around 25 people from across Melbourne attended the rally on Sunday 20 November at the Watt Rd pound. Many are in animal rescue groups or advocacy work and used the time to discuss best practice management with colleagues. The shelter, which holds animals found wandering on the peninsula, has been criticised for its alleged high-kill rates, barriers to adoption and limited public opening hours. Rally organiser Rosy Fischer, a former volunteer at the pound, said she spoke out “after…
MORNINGTON Secondary College students played an active role in establishing a new World War I avenue of honour. One Friday they hosted the Governor-General Sir Peter Cosgrove, Lady Cosgrove and Eastern Victoria MP and Parliamentary Secretary for Treasury and Finance Daniel Mulino at its official opening. The avenue of honour – with its 21 plaques – commemorates the 21 Mornington district soldiers who died during the war and four women who enlisted as volunteers. The idea came from the students. In 2012, a group, which included relatives and teachers, attended the dawn service and Lone Pine commemoration on the Gallipoli…
PARKS Victoria is conducting its annual summer fuel reduction program to maintain fuel breaks and fire access tracks, slash grass and remove weeds on public land. Prevention work is being done in 16 parks on the Mornington Peninsula and around Western Port. These include Mornington Peninsula, Point Nepean and Arthurs Seat state parks, Bald Hill and Buckley nature conservation reserves, Coolart Heritage Reserve, Crib Point and Tyabb bushland reserves, Devilbend and Warneet natural features reserves, French Island National Park, Kangerong and Main Ridge nature conservation reserves, Langwarrin and The Pines flora and fauna reserves, and Tubbarubba Reserve. “Fire can spread…
THIRTY years ago, when Graeme Innes finished university with a law degree and aspirations of a career where he could make a difference, he found a very different reality. Doors closed, employers baulked at employing someone who couldn’t see, and the future seemed bleak for a young man with a growing passion for human rights advocacy and workplace equality. Mr Innes eventually found work as a clerical assistant answering phones in a law firm, but the lessons learned from those early experiences fuelled his passion for advocating for the invisible and voiceless. He went on to become a successful lawyer,…
BASKETBALL By Jarrod Potter WHEN your first word is “ball”, a life on court is probably in the making. Tom Bahen, 14, a Western Port junior, has been basketball-crazy his whole life. There’s no other way to describe a Frankston kid who was bouncing a basketball before he was walking and telling everyone about his sporting passion. But his isn’t the textbook tale of rising through the ranks and dominating at every turn. He hasn’t been in the Jamboree mix. He hasn’t featured in Southern Cross Challenge yet. Realistically, he has never been on “the pathway”. Instead, his first foray…
SUB-DISTRICT HASTINGS will be keen to pick up an outright win on the second day of its match against Carrum Downs in MPCA Sub District cricket. The Blues bowled out the Cougars for just 62 runs in 27.3 overs on Saturday. Luke Hewitt set Thomas Barclay Oval alight with 6/22 from 13.3 overs, including seven maidens. Mitch Floyd did the damage at the other end with 2/19 from eight overs. Jordy Watters was the highest run scorer for the Cougars with 19, while David Dervan with 13 was the only on player to reach double figures. In reply, the Blues…
DISTRICT RED Hill bounced back on the first day of its round five match against at Red Hill Reserve. The Hillmen were less than average against Mt Martha in the last round, giving up top spot on the ladder, however, the home side hit back against the Ridge on Saturday. Red Hill rolled the visitors for just 103, Lincoln Toy the destroyer with 4/12 from 10.3 overs, while Glenn Collett was at his best also with 2/31 from 20 overs. Simon Dart is always in the game and his 2/12 was important. In reply, the HIllmen are cruising at 1/64,…
PROVINCIAL LANGWARRIN is in the box seat to win its match against Moorooduc in round five of MPCA Provincial cricket after having yet another good day in the field. The Kangaroos fielding and bowling has been a key to them sitting in the top four and it was at the forefront of their performance again on Saturday. The Ducs were bowled out for 155, Shamith Kannangara the top scorer with 38 after he was dropped on 30. Brett Wilson opened with 33 and David Greensmith put together 20. The home side just couldn’t put together a partnership (highest was 24),…
WORD has been received that Private Leonard Wilding was killed in action in France, on the 26th of October last. Pte. Wilding was well known in this district, having carried on the business of estate agent for some years previous to enlisting, residing at Bittern, and later on at Frankston. We offer our heartfelt sympathy to the widow who is left to mourn her sad loss. *** MRS Hewison was the winner of the cigar band table which was raffled at the Somerville Fete last Saturday, holding ticket No 8. *** MESSRS Alex Scott and Co. will hold their monthly…
Police are appealing for public assistance to help locate missing woman Madeline Baxter. Madeline was last seen on Jetty Road in Rosebud on 21 November and has not been seen since. Police have concerns for her welfare due to the amount of time she has been missing. The below image of Madeline has been released in the hope someone recognises her and can provide information on her current whereabouts. She is described as having fair skin, straight brown hair, blue eyes and a medium build. Madeline wears reading glasses and has a small mole on the left of her lip.…
ALL 11 of Mornington Peninsula Shire’s newly-elected councillors have been handed copies of a “Councillor and staff interactions policy”, which reminds them that the CEO is in charge of shire staff, not the ratepayer elected representatives. Councillors were not consulted about the policy before it was drafted and will now have to consult council’s governance department who will decide whether a request by elected representatives will be granted or denied. If a request is refused, councillors can raise the issue with council CEO Carl Cowie – the only officer appointed by councillors – or governance manager Joe Spiteri. The policy…
THE Antique Aircraft Association of Australia will be holding its annual toy run at Tyabb Airport on Sunday 27 November. This open day for the public will be hosted by Peninsula Aero Club. Gates open 10.30am, with a sausage sizzle from noon. The aim of the event is to collect unwrapped toys to be distributed to underprivileged children through the Food for All charity. Toys for 10 to 14 year old boys are the most in need. Unique and antique aircraft will be flying in from across Victoria to complement the collection of “warbirds” on display. Details: Ian Johnson, Peninsula…
GUESTS at the Helping Hands morning tea, Friday, at St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School, were challenged by speaker Jules Allen to stand if they knew anyone experiencing either depression, anxiety, drug and alcohol abuse, mental health issues, job loss, separation, loss of a loved one, or low self-esteem. “Wow, I think I can stop there,” she said, to a hall full of standing people. “Have a good look around, do a circle, look around the room. Where are they? They are right here, they are us and we are them, there is no them and us, there is only us.”…
THE Department of Defence has ordered a “detailed environmental investigation” in and around the HMAS Cerberus base after the discovery of traces of a chemical carcinogen outside the base. The per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) was contained in aqueous fire-fighting foams used in training and is suspected of infecting soil and ground water as run-off. Although phased out by the department in 2004, the chemical was used for decades at defence force bases throughout Australia. HMAS Cerberus is one of 12 sites under investigation, with some, such as the Townsville RAAF Base, and HMAS Stirling near Perth, already found to…
Enter your short film in the Peninsula Short Film Fest and you could win a share in up to $30K of cash and prizes. Get filming and enter now! 20 short listed films will be judged live on Saturday February 4, 2017 by top industry professionals with the winner taking out $5K in cash, second place $2.5K cash and third place scoring $1250 cash. There are plenty more cool prizes with awards for Best Animation, Best Documentary, Best International and the Woodleigh School Emerging Filmmaker Award (open to any Australian student under 18 years of age). There are also awards…
2 December 2016 to 12 February 2017 – A Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery exhibition Over 70 works by 50 contemporary and modern Australian artists will be brought together for this exhibition on the bird. Encompassing works from painting to sculpture, decorative arts, photography, print-making and installation, this exhibition, two years in the making, will explore the science, symbolism, beauty and curiosity of birds. Artists including Albert Tucker, Rover Thomas, Ginger Riley and contemporary artists such as Brook Andrew, Fiona Hall, John Wolseley, Ben Quilty, Christian Thompson, Kate Rohde, Petrina Hicks, Trent Parke and Louise Weaver consider birds as objects of…
PROVINCIAL LANGWARRIN sits in third position on the MPCA Provincial table after pulling off a remarkable victory against Long Island. The Kangaroos are far from the most talented list in the competition, however, they are playing a brand of cricket that is based on team spirit, pressure and taking pride in personal performance. Already this season the Kangas have beaten more fancied opponents Somerville, Crib Point and Long Island, all sides that played finals last season. On Saturday, Langwarrin had no right to beat the Islanders. Resuming at 9/101, the Kangas lasted another nine overs and added a further 27…
DISTRICT MAIN Ridge got its season back on track, picking up maximum points against Rye in MPCA District cricket. After losing the opening game of the season to Delacombe Park, the Ridge have had a draw against Rosebud and an unconvincing win against Boneo in round three. Rye resumed its first innings at 7/26 after the Ridge declared at 5/294. The Demons soldiered on early on the second day with Andrew Hitchener offering great resistance to score 76 and help his side get to 143. Hitchener scored another 25 in the second innings and Dean Collins top scored with 55,…
SUB-DISTRICT HASTINGS pulled off a thrilling three run win against neighbour Tyabb in the fourth round of MPCA Sub District on Saturday. After scoring 277 on the opening day of the clash with Luke Hewitt getting 71 and Nathan Hunt 59, the Blues’ bowlers needed to step up to the plate. The game was in the balance all afternoon with Tyabb’s middle order not able to capitalise on solid starts and the Blues’ bowlers picking up wickets at important times. However, with Tyabb opener Aidan Pateman scoring 106 at the top of the innings, the Yabbies were always in the…
SOCCER By Craig MacKenzie JOSH Hine could be the key to Mornington’s attempt to win a historic third straight State 1 championship in 2017. The 25-year-old English striker is believed to be in advanced negotiations with the Dallas Brooks Park outfit in what would be a major coup for local football. Hine’s CV includes spells with Burscough, Vauxhall Motors, Clitheroe, Skelmersdale, Chorley and Stalybridge Celtic and he currently is on the books of National League North outfit Salford City. He is one of four English-based players with whom Mornington is understood to have recently held discussions. One of them, 23-year-old…
With Rosebud’s long history as a great place to enjoy summer beach holidays, what better place to revive the fun filled 50’s & 60’s lifestyle? This new festival, Foreshore RockFest, will run over three days, 25th – 27th November and will involve a series of different music, dance, movie, car and vintage shopping events. All these activities will be based in Rosebud with the exception of the Drive in Movies. Fun starts on Friday evening with a Beach Party in the Rosebud Scout Hall plus the Mark Andrews Legends Show at GPO Hotel from 7pm. Mark is a renowned Elvis…
FRANKSTON, Mornington etc, have been visited by numerous picture shows, some good, others bad and indifferent. Controlled by amateurs who purchased a machine, tried a few films and inflicted themselves on the public, so to speak, they fell into the ‘Biz’. and, as usual with incompetent people, soon became extinct. We are now to be visited each week; Frankston, Friday, and Mornington Saturday, by the Majestic Picture company controlled by men who and have been professional all their lifetime and will bring leading and up-to-date pictures as long as the local patronage warrants it. They will open on Friday next,…
NEW 80kph speed signs went up on Mornington-Tyabb Rd between Peninsula Link and Coolart Rd, Friday 11 November. But, just as quickly, they were taken down again after it was discovered an over-zealous contractor had made a mistake. VicRoads media advisor Jarryd Stokes said the signs were put up a month early by mistake. He said they were changed back to the 100kph limit soon after. “VicRoads will make the [speed] changes from 12 December and we apologise if this confused local road users,” he said. VicRoads has flagged the trial of lower speed limits on several Mornington Peninsula roads…
A UNION raid on a large Boneo vegetable farm on Tuesday was prompted by fears that workers at the site were not receiving their legal minimum entitlements. The National Union of Workers – acting under the authority of the Fair Work Commission – sent delegates to A & G Lamattina & Sons, of Browns Rd, Tuesday 15 November, to investigate claims the workers were being “systematically underpaid”. The unionists are believed to have demanded to see employment records of all workers. But the company, which did not respond to inquiries from The News, rejected the charges in a statement released…
RESIDENTS’ plans for a walkway along the cliff-face linking the increasingly popular The Pillars diving rocks with South Beach, Mt Martha, may be scuttled because of impracticalities and high costs. The group said in a letter to newly-elected Briars ward councillors Bev Colomb, Rosie Clark and Sam Hearn that a “timber boardwalk, like that at the Balcombe Estuary, would protect vegetation and Aboriginal middens, prevent any further soil erosion along the cliff, and keep people off the Esplanade and out of local streets”. “Already a pathway runs halfway from South Beach to the Pillars. It would be fenced, like the Cape…
SCOTTISH soccer star Stuart Munro is appealing for the return of medals he won during a distinguished playing career in the UK. The Mt Eliza resident’s home was burgled recently and medals awarded to him during a successful seven-and-a-half-year stint with Scottish giants Rangers were among the items stolen. “Although they are probably not worth much in gold value they hold great personal value for me,” Munro said. “There were a couple of Scottish championship medals, a couple of League Cup winner’s medals, all in small blue boxes, and a larger medal in a red velvet box which was a…
THE full extent of Mornington Peninsula Shire councillors’ expenses during their 2012-16 term has finally been officially disclosed after months of stalling. The shire’s 11 former councillors, including three re-elected last month, racked up $616,712 on ratepayer-funded expenses over four years. Neighbouring Frankston and Kingston councils – with nine councillors apiece – spent $205,329 and $101,807 respectively over the same period. Those two councils, unlike the shire, published a breakdown of councillors’ expenses in annual reports in each year of the previous four-year council term. The expenses are separate to councillors’ $28,907 yearly remuneration plus 9.5 per cent superannuation; $92,333…
PULLING up at a foreshore car park and walking across the beach to the water’s edge is as natural as putting up a beach umbrella and spreading out a towel. But try enjoying those simple pleasures if you are in a wheelchair. Suddenly the beach becomes and obstacle rather than a pleasure. Saturday 12 November is likely to become known among wheelchair-bound residents on the Mornington Peninsula as the day they were first able to cross Mt Martha beach. They were able to confidently make their way to the water on plastic matting provided by Mornington Peninsula Shire in conjunction…