By Bob Simpson PENINSULA Voice* this week hosts the launch of The Mouth that Roared, a book by social worker Les Twentyman. Twentyman describes issues concerning disengaged people and families around Melbourne. His stories are disturbing. If skimmed, one could lose all hope for disengaged people. Read more deeply and there are profound truths for redefining complex community issues. Previously, Peninsula Voice opened up conversations on complex issues, including youth depression. While individual stories are heart-breaking, disengagement, about which Twentyman writes, could leave readers generally at the point of despair. However, despite his earthiness, Twentyman has great faith and hope…
Year: 2017
SIX large signs telling the history of heritage-listed Ranelagh Estate have been installed at Mt Eliza. Ranelagh was designed in 1924 by world-renowned American architects, planners and designers Walter Burley Griffin and Marion Mahony Griffin, who came to Australia to direct their winning international design for Australia’s new capital city Canberra. Ranelagh is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register and classified by the National Trust. The signs, costing about $8500, were proposed in 2011. They were created by Mornington Peninsula Shire, Ranelagh Residents’ Association, and the Ranelagh Estate conservation advisory group, notably Meg Breidhal and Diane Dick, co-authors with Victoria…
By Barry Morris A WIRE cage outside the Mt Martha supermarket has for the past 15 years been a focal point of community concern for asylum seekers. Every day, shoppers buy and place food staples in the cage which is then taken to the Asylum Seeker Centre at Dandenong. The centre describes itself as a voluntary interdenominational Christian response to the needs of asylum seekers and refugees. It gives food packs to the asylum seekers who are onshore applicants for refugee status The cage outside the supermarket has undergone many transformations. Originally it was a silver colour and later became…
THE Mornington Peninsula and Frankston’s first entrepreneurship and technology festival starts on Friday with a business breakfast and a three-day “hackathon”. The event is a joint venture between the technology business hub Frankston Foundry, Mornington Peninsula Shire, Frankston City Council and sponsors including the state government’s start-up investment body LaunchVic. Kate Gittings of LaunchVic said the region’s first hackathon, PeninsulaHACK, aimed to “build solutions for regional problems such as high youth unemployment and job availability”. The three-day hackathon, 6pm Friday to 6pm Sunday, will see about 150 entrepreneurs, businesses and community leaders from Frankston and the peninsula “discuss and explore…
A SCHOOL car park in Mt Eliza will be redeveloped after Mornington Peninsula Shire and VicRoads reached agreement last week. Under the agreement, VicRoads has agreed to reduce rental for the site paid by the shire from $21,746 to $1900 a year. The 2500 square metre site is on the corner of Canadian Bay Rd and Nepean Highway. Dunkley MP Chris Crewther said the works would be paid for with a $280,000 federal government grant. He and Mornington MP David Morris joined Mt Eliza Primary School principal Brett Bell at the site, Thursday. “The current car park has long been…
THE number of young people committing suicide in Frankston and on the peninsula is causing alarm. The state government has announced funding for the South Eastern Melbourne Primary Health Network to deliver the Lived Experience project designed to “help reduce stigma and promote help-seeking in the Frankston, Mornington Peninsula and Dandenong regions”. Roses in the Ocean, an organisation supporting those with lived experiences of suicide, will provide training and mentoring to help people talk about suicide. A 2012 study by Communities that Care commissioned by Mornington Peninsula Shire revealed an estimated 25.5 per cent of students in years seven, nine…
POPULATION projections and demand for housing on the Mornington Peninsula over the next 15 years show there is no need to increase height limits, according to the mayor Cr Bev Colomb. “Restricting height limits encourages developers to consider smaller dwelling types that would increase housing diversity without having a negative impact on the character of our residential areas,” she said. Cr Colomb’s comments are the latest criticism by the shire of the state government’s decision to allow three storey dwellings of 11 metres in at least 10 towns – Capel Sound (formerly Rosebud West), Rosebud, Dromana, Mt Martha, Mornington, Baxter,…
By Jessica Mills* FROM running ironman triathlons to running the radiology department at Rosebud Hospital – Damien Barbour is a man on a mission to help improve health outcomes for people on the southern Mornington Peninsula. “Radiology has undergone some major changes since 2014 when we had one x-ray machine,” said Mr Barbour, who started his career at Peninsula Health 13 years ago. “At Rosebud radiology we now have an ultrasound machine and CT scanner. We have an outpatient service as well as providing services to in-patients from the wards and emergency department patients.” Last year the radiology team, including…
BURGLARS used a brick to smash the front door of the McCrae cafe Merchant and Maker last week. Cash was stolen in the robbery, early morning Monday 31 July. It was the second break-in at the cafe in several months. “Cash was stolen from the register and our crucial morning trade was completely disrupted,” head roaster Ryan Toleman said. “Police are here now dusting for fingerprints.” Another nearby Pt Nepean Rd cafe was also broken into at around the same time. Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential crime report…
A BAN on smoking in all commercial outdoor dining areas in Victoria came into effect last Tuesday, 1 August. The ban covers all restaurants, cafes, takeaway shops and licensed premises, including beer gardens, courtyards and footpath dining where food other than snacks is served. The ban applies to food fairs and organised outdoor events such as street and community festivals, school fetes, sporting events and craft markets with food stalls. People caught smoking in an outdoor dining area face a $159 fine, with a maximum court-ordered penalty of $793. Businesses face fines of $793, with a maximum court-ordered penalty of…
MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire has a new Alcohol Management Policy, but it reads the same as the one adopted this time last year. Just three submissions from members of the public were received before the shire made its annual review of the alcohol policy. One submitter was unhappy about not being able to take a bottle of red wine to the beach for a barbecue without breaking a shire local law, one complained about cigarettes at licensed outlets, and one wanted footpaths improved. The wine drinker stated: “I would like us to act as a mature community – I do not…
ARTIST Vicki Sullivan’s entry in this year’s prestigious Doug Moran National Portrait Prize is Professor Daniel O’Brien. It’s not a familiar name to most people but his work on the Bairnsdale ulcer is widely known, especially on the southern Mornington Peninsula, a hotspot for the skin disease. Professor O’Brien is an internationally known infectious diseases specialist focusing on HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and Mycobacterium ulcerans, the Bairnsdale ulcer. He works at Geelong and Royal Melbourne hospitals, holds a teaching and research position at the University of Melbourne, and advises Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders). Professor O’Brien, who lives in Geelong, conducts…
TWO men who robbed a pensioner while he was riding his mobility scooter and walking his dog along Rosebud foreshore last week have been described as “despicable” and “callous”. Barry Morris-Shaoul, 69, of Rosebud, was walking his dog Uke near the back of the bowling club when he was confronted by the pair wearing dark-coloured hoodies and jeans, 6.30am, Wednesday 2 August. “They came up to me and asked for a light,” the Vietnam veteran said. “That’s not unusual around here as some people are struggling, so I went to give him one and that’s when they started abusing me.…
LIMITING short-stay rentals on the Morning Peninsula to a maximum of two people a bedroom would be “overkill” and unlikely to reduce problems, the owner of an established holiday rental said last week. Christine Delamore, who said she had never had problems with tenants at her Dromana holiday house, said a “few bad apples” at other rentals were tarnishing the industry. Many holiday rentals have three beds a bedroom – such as a queen size for the parents and bunk beds for young people, she said. “It’s good to have regulations and high standards … but to limit bedrooms to…
MORNINGTON police were involved in a dramatic incident on Friday when a stolen car was driven up the wrong side of Bungower Rd – and even up onto the footpath on the wrong side of the road – during school pick-up time. Frightened parents and sobbing pupils from St Macartans Primary School scattered as the silver Holden Commodore – nicked earlier from Roxburgh Park – roared up onto the footpath in its efforts to get away. Senior Sergeant Steve Duffee, of Mornington police, said the “manner in which the car was being driven” brought it to their attention near…
ANIMAL lovers demonstrated outside the shire’s Mornington offices, Sunday 23 July, over what they say is secrecy surrounding the number of unwanted animals being put down at the community animal shelter in Watt Rd. Save Mornington Pound Animals organiser Rosy Fischer said the rally was a success. “More than 70 people braved the cold and rain to stand for the animals, along with their dogs – even a cat made an appearance,” she said. Protesters brought their pets and dressed up as their favourite animal for the protest, which comes just weeks before the shire prepares to unveil $900,000 in…
SPEEDSTERS beware, members of Somerville Highway Patrol are out in force for Operation Hisser. Their focus is on the Mornington Peninsula’s rural roads with speed limits of 80kph or higher. They are aiming to ensure that drivers obeying road rules. In the first week of the operation police detected 120 speeding offences, two drug drivers, four unlicensed drivers, one suspended driver and seven unregistered vehicles. Sergeant Peter Martin said Operation Hisser would continue over the next few months. “Drivers need to be aware of the speed zone that they are driving in and always drive to the conditions,” he said.…
FUNDRAISING for the third annual Sleep In Your Car event in Mornington on Saturday is in full flight as the shire’s mayor Bev Colomb throws her support behind the cause. Cr Colomb will join others at Mornington Park on Saturday night who are giving up sleeping at home for one night, and she aims to raise at least $1000. The mayor has a way to go to catch fundraising frontrunners, some of whom are halfway to their targets, but no doubt she can find plenty of sponsors among the shire’s 10 other councillors and 1000 plus staff. This is Fusion…
Mornington Peninsula Crime Investigation Unit detectives are investigating a robbery involving two men who targeted an elderly man in a mobility scooter this morning. Investigators have been told that a 69-year-old man was walking his dog at 6.15am when confronted by the two offenders along the Rosebud foreshore near the rear of the local bowling club and demanded his wallet. When the elderly victim told them he was not carrying a wallet, the two offenders assisted him from his scooter and removed his jacket. They took a mobile phone from the victim’s jacket and demanded he hand over his watch…
A RARE mistake from goalkeeper Robbie Acs led to State 1 South-East leader Langwarrin losing its second match of the season at Lawton Park last weekend. A corner from Warragul United’s Stephen Maselli in the 43rd minute was misjudged by the veteran keeper who tried to punch clear but the ball ended up in the back of the Langy net for the visitors’ third goal in four minutes during a frenetic finish to the first half. Langy had taken a 13th minute lead after gun striker Liam Baxter was felled inside the area and converted from the spot. Former Langy…
FOUR women from the Mornington Peninsula Hockey Club have been selected to join Victorian state sides playing in Newcastle, NSW, in late September. Emma Brown and Kim Trezise are in the over-35 Victorian Masters team. Trezise, 39, of Dromana will return to the over-35s after playing last year with the representative side while Brown, 35, of Mornington will be making her debut for the over-35 state team. “I started my family young and with university and then work, hockey took a back seat so I’m very happy to be in a representative side again,” Trezise said. “My family is very…
A MORNINGTON tennis player has made the most of a devastating situation. Riley Dumsday, 12, was diagnosed with a rare childhood condition called Perthes’ disease in 2011, which has made him unable to put pressure on his right leg and forced him to use a wheelchair. But Dumsday hasn’t let the condition hold him back and returned home with two trophies from the Queensland Wheelchair Tennis Open on 28 June. He took out the under-18 doubles with partner Marcus Lentini and finished runner-up in boys under-18s singles. Riley’s father, Steve Dumsday, said Riley had come a long way since starting…
AFL South East has continued to flex its muscle, informing clubs through the week that an integrity officer is about to be appointed and sent in to clubs to begin salary cap investigations. As part of the implementation and enforcement of the Player Payment Rules, AFL South East will conduct several club reviews during the remainder of this season. If not reviewed in 2017, clubs can expect to be reviewed over the next four or five years. AFL South East General Manager John Anderson said some clubs could possibly be reviewed on more than one occasion. According to Mr Anderson,…
“IN some undefined way a good many people here seem to think an Australian is an uncivilised sort of being, and get a pleasant surprise when they find out what a wrong impression they have had of our boys.” Thus writes from France Jas. R. Falconer, military secretary of the Y.M.C.A. “I have been able” he continues, “to get in touch with a large number of the boys, and I never lose an opportunity of doing all I possibly can to help them. “What has struck visitors to this hut has been the fervent attitude of the men while we…
POLICE are appealing for help to identify a man who sexually assaulted a teenage girl in Mt Eliza last year. The attack so traumatised the girl that she was unable to report it to police for more than a year. Just before midnight, Saturday 7 May, the 16-year-old left a party in a street near Toorak College to walk home with a few friends along Old Mornington Rd. Her friends were collected and she continued walking alone. Soon after, she heard two men calling out from behind. She turned but could not see them in the dark. The girl, now…
CONFUSION over which parts of the peninsula are subject to new rules allowing three-storey houses followed the first of three community meetings about state government planning changes. The shire has organised the meetings to explain the changes to residents. The first was held in Rosebud last Thursday night and was attended by an estimated 150-180 people. A second meeting, at Peninsula Community Theatre in Mornington, will be held tomorrow (6-8pm, Wednesday 26 July) with the third at Tyabb Community Hall at 6-8pm on Wednesday 2 August. The government’s changes will permit three-storey house of up to 11 metres high in…
Somerville Highway Patrol had their hands full over the weekend with three separate incidents occurring. The first incident occurred just after 10.20pm on Saturday 22 July on Bungower Road, Moorooduc. Police intercepted a Ford ute travelling at 130km/h in the 80km/h zone. The driver, a 20-year-old Mornington man, had his vehicle impounded for 30 days at a cost of $950. He is expected to be charged on summons with a range of traffic offences including speeding, probationary driver drive prohibited vehicle, fail to display P plates and overtake when unsafe. The second incident occurred just after 4.20am on Sunday 23…
A $5 MILLION gift from Brian and Margaret Goding has paid for most of the redevelopment of the maternity unit at The Bays Hospital, Mornington, which will be named in honour of Mrs Goding. The grant from the Goding Foundation – the Mornington family’s philanthropic arm – is the largest in the hospital’s history. Mr Goding said The Bays had an “essential role in providing healthcare services for future generations” hoped his family’s support will inspire others to do the same. The Goding family, which has run Moorooduc Timber & Hardware for 60-odd years and where Mr Goding is CEO,…
Police are investigating a series of thefts from a liquor store in Mornington. Investigators have been told three unknown offenders entered the store on three occasions on 29 April, 20 May and 1 July. On each occasion, the offenders have stolen scotch whiskey and champagne. The first offender is described as being Caucasian, aged between 35 and 45 years old, 170cm and 180cm tall with short shaved hair and was wearing dark coloured hooded jacket, an ‘Everlast’ t-shirt and jeans. The second man is described as Caucasian, aged between 35 and 45 years old, 155cm and 165cm tall, solid build, short…
PENINSULA LEAGUE SEAFORD coach Ben Murphy will look to continue to “change things up” at training following another disappointing loss on Saturday in MPNFL Peninsula Division. The Tigers have dropped off the face of the earth in the past six weeks after getting away to a terrific start this season. On Saturday at home it suffered perhaps its worse loss of the season, an eight goal thrashing at the hands of lowly-placed Mornington. Seaford went through a heavy training load for a period but that ceased three weeks ago, leaving Murphy to say that it had nothing to do with…