Year: 2018

DIVISION TWO IF the opening quarter was any indication of what was in store for Rye in 2018, fans would have been battling to hold back the grins. In the only match for the weekend in Division Two, the Demons smashed Dromana in the first quarter 5.5 (35) to 1.1 (7) leaving the Tigers bedazzled. But Dromana, who had the advantage of being on home turf, were not prepared to tuck their tails and give up, and pushed back hard during the second quarter to be only 11 points down at the long break. The battle continued in the third…

DIVISION ONE THE newly configured Division One of the MPNFL started with gusto on Friday 30 March and the first round threw up some very close finishes. Of the four games played by Saturday night, three of them had ten points or less in them at the final sirens. Meeting on Good Friday, Frankston Bombers and Mt Eliza kicked off the season. Mount Eliza jumped out the of the blocks and kicked four goals to one in the opening term, leaving Frankston Bombers stunned and set for a struggle. The stage was set though, and the Bombers trailed all day,…

Chocolate Starfish – regarded as one of Australia’s best live bands of the 90s boasting two Top 10 albums and six Top 50 singles – has released their first full-length album in twenty years. SPIDERfeatures ten piping-hot, brand-spanking- new tracks. It’s classic rock ‘n’ roll and Chocolate Starfish at the top of their game. And what a game it is. Chocolate Starfish powered on to the Australian music scene in the early 1990s and quickly secured themselves a space as an influential force with their cover of Carly Simon’s ‘You’re So Vain’, original hit ‘Mountain’ and perennial favourite ‘Four Letter…

When 5-year-old Dot gets lost in the bush, she is rescued by a kangaroo who gives her magic ‘berries of understanding’ that allow her to follow the languages of all the animals and insects around her. With this new gift, Dot and Kangaroo set out on an action-packed adventure to return her home – an adventure that changes the way she sees the Australian bush and her place within it forever. But how long before this unique native wildlife disappears as humans encroach on their habitat? Creature invites you to enter the magical world of the Australian bush to explore…

The Mavis’s announce a special 20th anniversary tour for those much loved Pink Pills. Darlings of a time when Rage and Recovery were a staple in the TV diet and Triple J was the on speed-dial… The Mavis’s rode the radio waves with their singles ‘Naughty Boy’ and ‘Cry’ on high rotation while they frequented the Hey Hey it’s Saturday stage. From Ballarat babes to national treasures, a tour with Kylie – the Impossible Princess and headliners of the summer festival circuit, The Mavis’s were a force to be reckoned with… Their sound was like ABBA through a Rock N’…

IN the 387th casualty list published on Saturday, appear the names of F. Garlick, Mornington, wounded, and T. W. Birch, Langwarrin, seriously ill. We trust both these Peninsula soldiers will have a speedy restoration to health. *** SERGEANT W. M. Green, son of Mr and Mrs W. M. Green, of Mornington Junction, has, after a course at New College, Oxford, gained his commission. Lieutenant Green enlisted in March 1915, and saw service in Gallipoli, where he was awarded the Distinguished Counduct Medal, and also in France. *** THE adjourned meeting for the purpose of deciding what form the proposed memorial…

POLICE are searching for a thirsty thief who used a stolen bank card to make a number of purchases, including a strawberry milk drink. Investigators have been told an offender entered the female change rooms of a soccer club on Monterey Boulevard, Frankston sometime between 3-4.15pm on Sunday 25 March. It is believed they went through a bag and took a number of items, including a black Mimco wallet, Tiffany necklace, bank cards, ID cards and a small amount of cash. A bank card was used later that day between 4.15-4.40pm at a number of locations in Frankston, including a…

By Michael Cummings* AS Geoff Nyssen, a towering figure in a bright orange t-shirt with a loud hailer in hand, marshalled hundreds of walkers and runners near the start line, no one would have suspected his cancer has returned. The organiser of the MY Mt Eliza Run & Fun Festival on Sunday 25 March was a ball of enthusiastic energy at the event he founded in 2017 to raise funds for the battle against myeloma, the terminal blood cancer he was diagnosed with four years ago. The event – attended by about 800 with 600 registered participants – is a…

EXTRA spending on capital works and community services are features of the proposed Mornington Peninsula Shire Council’s 2018-19 budget released last week. The document, which is on public exhibition until Thursday 26 April, reflects the priorities identified by members of the community, the mayor Cr Bryan Payne said. “It provides ongoing service improvements and infrastructure enhancements within the current financial environment”. The state government has again capped rate rises at 2.25 per cent. The mayor said the waste service charge, based on full cost recovery, was proposed to increase by 10 per cent – to $217 – driven by an…

A STROLL along the beach has often been credited with providing food for thought. The lapping of the water and a sunset can be inspiring. The beach is a place often sought out by Joel Mielle, but in his case beach walks provide thought for food. Mielle is a chef who offers his recipes to the world rather than on a particular restaurant’s menu. Cooking and preparing meals has been part of Mielle’s life for as long as he can remember. His parents owned the Douce France restaurants in Frankston followed by Provence in Mornington and it seemed more than…

ART enthusiasts flocked to hear British antiques expert Paul Atterbury speak at the March meeting of the Australian Decorative and Fine Arts Society in Mornington. About 230 members and guests enjoyed a fascinating and well-illustrated presentation on The Canal Age, Mornington branch chairman Peter McGinley said. Mr Atterbury gave insights into the development of the network of canals in Britain, 1760s-1840s, that he said was at the heart of the Industrial Revolution. Their development was said to have had a major impact on artists such as John Constable and manufacturers such as Josiah Wedgwood. The talk looked at those who…

PET Therapy Pals are making hospital and nursing home stays more enjoyable for elderly patients on the Mornington Peninsula. One patient, Alan Wardley, describes his therapy pal, Spotless, as a “wonderful, wonderful friend”. Mr Wardley, who has dementia, was a patient at The Mornington Centre when staff realised he would benefit from Peninsula Health’s Pet Therapy Pal program. The weighted stuffed animals remind patients of the feeling they enjoyed holding and caring for their real pets. They keep patients company and – like real pets – are ready for a cuddle at any time. “Patients who are very confused, who…

RON Gilbert was a bit of a joker. He saw the bright side of things. He wasn’t afraid to poke fun at society’s sacred cows and was irreverent to the end. Mr Gilbert, 94, died on 28 October last year, just on eight years after posing for photographs at Mornington cemetery next to a headstone that bore his name. “I’ve got one foot in a grave,” he said at the time, with a twinkle in his eye. He now has two. Mr Gilbert was practical and gave a stonemason instructions to include his name on a headstone that was being…

MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire will develop a “comprehensive events policy” which should go some way towards preventing a possible clash of dates between competing events as occurred last month. The policy will draw on the shire’s experiences in the 3-4 March “double booking” which allowed the Sufferfest Triathlon to be held on the same day in Mt Martha as the 19th successive Clean-up Australia Day event. Briars ward’s Cr Sam Hearn – whose ward hosted both events – last week moved that shire officers conduct a briefing and councillor workshop on the policy by 30 June. This will provide for a…

UP to 500 southern Mornington Peninsula residents will benefit from yet another piece of world-class medical equipment supplied to Rosebud Hospital through the support of Rye Op shop. The new orthopantomogram (OPG) will be added to the hospital’s suite of medical imaging tools thanks to the op shop’s $225,000 donation. “This machine is a huge boost for the community,” the hospital’s head radiologist Damien Barbour said. “It means [patients will not need to take] more trips to Frankston Hospital or inconvenient drives to private providers on the peninsula; it will help considerably in speeding up treatment times in the emergency…

DOG owners will soon be able to legally let their dogs off the leash during winter on a 300 metre strip of beach at McCrae. Mornington Peninsula Shire last agreed to loosen restrictions at the beach outside of the daylight savings time. However, dogs will not be allowed on the beach 9am-7pm during daylight saving. The council has also been told that more research is needed into whether the 300 metre leash-free strip of beach should be extended by 350 metres. Notice of the changes at McCrae will be published in the Government Gazette and community newspapers. Meanwhile, the shire…

HOMELESSNESS is surging with a 17 per cent increase in Frankston and a 10 per cent increase on the Mornington Peninsula in the five years from the 2011-16 census nights. Figures released by the Council to Homeless Persons show 546 people experienced homelessness in Frankston last year compared to 465 in 2011. On the Mornington Peninsula 298 people were homeless last year compared to 272 in 2011. State-wide, the census data shows that 24,817 Victorians were homeless in 2016 – up from 22,306 in 2011. SalvoCare Eastern Rosebud manager Loretta Buckley said the stigma of homelessness meant many people could…

MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire is opening a “satellite” office for its planners in central Melbourne. Councillors last week approved spending up to $60,000 to rent an office in the city for 12 months. They have called for a report on the “positives and negatives” after the office has been operating for nine months. Planning services executive manager David Bergin said the chance of working at a city location would enable the shire to retain “high performing staff”. “A number of staff resignations last year have identified a concern with distance from home, social life and family,” Mr Bergin said in a…

Change is in the air again for the Mornington Peninsula, with another town being granted the right to a name change. After a successful campaign to change its name from Rosebud West to Capel Sound in 2016 (“New name win, but don’t rush to change”, The News, 19 September 2016), other towns appear to want to jump onto the name change bandwagon. And it has taken a group of successful Rosebud businessmen to make it happen. “They say change is as good as a holiday” said Rosebud real estate agent Nathaniel Sminkins. “And boy, what a holiday Capel Sound have…

A TEENAGER has been charged with attempted murder after a man had a hand hacked off during a machete attack in Frankston North. Police called to a “domestic incident” at a home in The Pines at about 1.30am on Tuesday (27 March) found a man in his 40s missing a severed hand. The man’s 19-year-old nephew allegedly cut off the hand, located nearby by police, during a fight after an argument. Police seized a machete at the scene. Frankston crime investigation unit detective Senior Constable Ashley Eames said a 19-year-old Frankston North man was arrested and interviewed at Frankston Police…

Police are appealing for public assistance to help locate missing 11-year-old Ben Hodson. Ben was last seen on 25th March 2018 in the Mount Eliza area. Police have concerns for his welfare due to his age and the length of time he has been missing. Ben is 155cm tall with a skinny build, fair complexion and blonde hair. Ben is known to frequent the Hastings and Frankston areas. Police have also released an image of Ben in the hope someone recognises him and can provide information regarding his current whereabouts. Anyone with information about Ben is asked to contact Mornington…

WHITE bike rider Chris Savage rode into Canberra on Sunday night to complete his 1700 kilometre journey highlighting the need for improved road safety. His ride honoured former student Joel Hawkins, 17, of Mt Martha, who died in hospital after being struck by a car in Dromana in June 2015. A white bike marks the accident scene near the corner of Marine Parade and Nepean Highway. On Monday (yesterday) the cycling coach rode a 17-kilometre loop of the capital before meeting up with Flinders MP Greg Hunt and delivering his road safety message at Parliament House. Mr Hunt was among…

THE Royal Australian Navy’s largest warship HMAS Adelaide arrived in Port Melbourne on Friday after steaming from a temporary berth at HMAS Cerberus in Western Port. The Sydney-based frigate is 230 metres long and can transport 100 vehicles, 18 helicopters and 1000 troops. Captain Jonathan Earley skippered the vessel in her first return to Melbourne since she was assembled at Williamstown in 2012. The visit allowed the navy to resupply the vessel and give its crew some shore leave at a time when the city was hosting the Formula One Grand Prix, AFL round one and International Flower and Garden…

THE crew of a catamaran which capsized on Western Port Bay on Sunday 25 March were assisted by members of Pt Leo Surf Life Saving Club who saw the boat in trouble from the shore. The three crewmen, who had sailed the 5.8 metre craft from Phillip Island, were all wearing lifejackets and were in the water for only a short time before the club’s rubber ducky arrived at 12.30pm. A lifesaver jumped in to help get them get their craft upright and they then sailed it back to Ventnor. Sergeant John Cannon, of Hastings police, said “extremely strong winds”…

THE Fair Work Commission may be asked to intervene in the “restructuring” of a department by Mornington Peninsula Shire. It is understood that the nearly 40-strong shire’s rangers and local laws team have been told they may be facing redundancies or have to reapply for their positions. Environment protection manager John Rankine told The News on Friday 9 March that the shire was yet to make a decision. “The shire is currently undertaking a consultation process with its staff and it is inappropriate to comment while the staff consultation phase is underway,” Mr Rankine said. “The shire respects the consultation…

A SMOKING ceremony at Somerville Primary School last week was “one piece of a much larger picture at the school”, acting principal Andrew Haley said. Adam Magennis, of the Bunurong Land Council, conducted the ceremony at a special assembly with pupils’ involvement, Friday 23 March. “As a school we are focusing on acknowledging the traditional land owners, both past and present,” Mr Haley said. “It is vital as a school that we continue to raise awareness within our school community and acknowledge the Aboriginal people. “It is powerful for our students to know the customs and traditions of our traditional…

DROMANA Football Club will host the annual Good Friday clash against Rye Football Club on Friday 30 March. The “local derby” between the two division two sides will be played at Dromana Recreation Reserve with the O’Rourke-Matthews Shield up for grabs. Dromana Football Club president Chris Strange said it will be a great local rivalry and promises to be a great day. “We just missed out on finals last year and got put into Division Two this year so we are probably at the top of the hill when it comes to this division,” Strange said. “Rye has recruited well…

THE father-son combination of Jamie and Sam Hodic, from Crib Point, has created history on Sunday 18 March as they guided the Melbourne Glacier’s Ice Hockey team to their first national title. Jamie, who took up coaching for the first time this season, and his son Sam, who captained the under-21’s side, created a memorable comeback, from last to first, to claim gold in the grand-final at the O’Brien Group Arena in Melbourne. Having finished at the bottom of ladder for the 2017/18 season, the Glaciers scored a wildcard entry into the finals series having been the hosts for the…

THE WOMEN’S Peninsula Surfriders are set for the national championships next month after taking out the Victorian and South Australian Sailor Jerry Surftag Qualifier at Rye Back Beach on Saturday 17 March. The Women’s Peninsula team (29.69) consisting of Hannah Trigger, Vee Bieber, Claudia Daymond, Nina Sinclair and Charlee West charged the chunky conditions to finish nearly 20-points  clear of Torquay (10.33). Peninsula surfrider Charlee West was stoked with the victory and now has her sights set on the national championships at the Gold Coast on Friday 27 April. “It’s so special to be a part of this team representing…

BLAIRGOWRIE Boxer Jayde Mitchell returned in winning form on Saturday 17 March defeating South American boxer Ariel Alejandro Zampedri at the Melbourne Pavilion. Mitchell proved that his neck injury was no longer an issue, moving freely around the ring, and claiming victory in the third round of the fight. “The neck held up fine. I got clipped a couple of times and it held up brilliantly so there’s no issue at all and I couldn’t be happier with the way the night went,” Mitchell said. “It was all about recovering from the surgery and being comfortable and confident in the…