THE world’s first underwater White Night will be held at Blairgowrie Yacht Squadron, 7-9pm, Saturday 17 February. All are welcome to the diver-friendly event which aims to highlight the “colours of the bay” and share the beauty of the bay’s marine life. The light display will be visible from the beach and pier as well as on TV screens live feeding the view from underwater with a marine scientist on site pointing out sea life and answering questions. “It will be the first underwater White Night and help raise awareness and show appreciation for a world that not everyone gets…
Year: 2018
MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire has knocked back an offer from the state government to take over responsibility for property valuations. The shire has taken the opt-out option under the State Taxation Further Amendment Act until 2022, the “sunset date” when the state takes over valuations. However, legislation passed in December requires the shire to conduct annual valuations rather than every two years. The valuations are used for setting council rates, land tax and fire services levies. Councillors last week agreed to delay state-run valuations until 2022. In a report, they were told by shire financial controller Bulent Oz the state government…
FOUR men were arrested for being drunk in Mornington on Friday and Saturday morning, 26-27 January. Sergeant Daniel Patten, of Mornington police, said one of the men had been in a fight, and that police had beer glasses thrown at them when they attempted to make the arrests in Main St just after midnight. The men, from Merricks, Safety Beach, Somers and Mornington, are aged 19-23. They each received $700 penalty notices. First published in the Mornington News – 6 February 2018
STRONG demand for long term rental properties on the Mornington Peninsula has created a tight vacancy rate. Some real estate agents have no places available and others just a few. Vacancies are usually snapped as soon as they are advertised. The demand has allowed landlords to push up rents by 10 per cent in some areas, making it hard for tenants to afford the property they want. Harcourts rental department manager Shae Trewin said the throng of prospective tenants meant vacant properties go straight onto a data-base. Those who have already been vetted are notified immediately – without the property…
THE public is finally being given free access to a register of gifts and benefits received by Mornington Peninsula Shire councillors and council staff. The information was previously only available through the costly and time-consuming Freedom of Information process. Last week’s decision by councillors to open the gifts register follows revelations that the shire CEO Carl Cowie accepted an invitation to join a Mediterranean cruise on a ship hired by businessman and Portsea property owner, Lindsay Fox (“Shire boss on Fox party cruise” The News 11/12/17). Mr Cowie last week told The News he would not be listing the cruise…
A search will recommence this morning for a man who went missing while swimming off London Bridge Road at Portsea. Surfers spotted the 23-year-old man, who appeared to be in trouble, about 5.30pm yesterday (4 February). Moments later, the Narre Warren man had disappeared from sight. A search was conducted by emergency services however they were unable to locate the man. The search has recommenced this morning with Police on the ground along with Search and Rescue Police, Water Police and the Police Air Wing as well as SES and Life Saving Victoria around the Portsea area. Source: Victoria Police…
Stunning Point Nepean National Park at Portsea will play host to the Mornington Peninsula Food+Wine Festival on 24 February 2018. For one beautiful summers day, the historic grounds of Portsea’s Point Nepean Park will be transformed into a giant outdoor lounge for a sensational day of food, wine and entertainment – the best part is, you’re invited! Having grown up on the Peninsula and lived in the area for most of his life, Tristan Clarke, of Nepean Events, is realising his vision for a festival celebrating all that the Peninsula is famous for. Having attended festivals all over the country,…
Peninsula Film Festival is FREE, in Rosebud at the Village Green on Saturday February 10, 2018 4pm-10.30pm. Bring a blanket, a few friends and come and see some of Australia’s best short films and they compete for a $30K prize pool. See www.peninsulafilmfestival.com.au for more details. Judging Panel includes Isabel Lucas, Michala Banas (above), Lachy Hulme and Leah Purcell. Mick Molloy will MC. First published in the Western Port News – 30 January 2018
THE Habitat Restoration Fund will receive $6600 to help eradicate woody weeds in Red Hill South’s remnant forests this year. The grant is among a $250,000 program of community environmental projects in the Port Phillip and Western Port region. The grants were announced just before Christmas. The Western Port Swamp Landcare group will receive $8680 for its Cardinia Creeks Nature Link Plan and the Safety Beach Foreshore Landscape Committee $6046 for habitat rehabilitation work on the Safety Beach foreshore. Up to 15 community organisations will receive a share of $250,000 from the National Landcare Program for environmental projects in the…
A PASSING boatie who “rescued” a stricken man after a boat explosion at Blairgowrie on Australia Day thought he was doing the right thing spiriting him away from the crime scene. The boatie dropped the heavily-tattooed man back at Sorrento beach where he said he had left his things, Friday 26 January. The boatie later spoke to Mornington detectives about the explosion at the Blairgowrie Yacht Club which destroyed the 5.8-metre fibreglass a boat in a deliberately-lit inferno. Smoke could be seen billowing from all over the southern peninsula. The owner later made a statement to police. The man was…
WHEELCHAIR tennis player Riley Dumsday has broken into the top 10 world junior boy’s rankings after taking out the Melbourne Open the week before last. The Mornington Elite Tennis Academy junior pushed through the scorching conditions at the Hume Community Tennis Centre to win the under-18 boys singles and finish runners-up in the mixed doubles. Riley, 12, is now ranked 10th in the world and said he was really happy to win the tournament but even happier to have ticked off one of his main goals for the year. “I’m really happy to make it into the top 10,” he…
SOCCER SCRIPTWRITERS for the hit TV series Vikings could draw inspiration from the goings-on at Southern United. The NPL women’s club came into being in late 2015 as a consortium comprised of representatives from Langwarrin, Casey Comets, Mornington, Peninsula Strikers and Seaford United. There was much fanfare and high expectations for a club with the largest catchment area in the elite competition. But while trying to find its feet in the newly created league Southern found itself slowly but surely immersed in a civil war that would have brought a smile to the face of Ivar the Boneless. The club’s…
SUB-DISTRICT DROMANA is just 14 runs shy of victory with six wickets in hand against Tyabb in MPCA Sub District cricket. The Yabbies batted first and faced just 50 overs. Brodie Bennett hit 36 off 34 deliveries including three sixes. Nick Toranto was the next best with 21. Jeff Bluhm was superb for the Hoppers bowling 20 overs and picking up 4/24. Jye Voelkl was also impressive with the ball picking up 3/24 off nine overs. Dromana batted the final 30 overs of the day and despite a horror start (3/25) they recovered to be 4/115 at stumps. Jack Fowler…
DISTRICT FOR one of the first times this season Hastings has placed itself in a strong position to win after batting first against Mt Martha in MPCA District cricket. The Blues were sent in to bat by the Reds, clearly aware of the Blues’ recent batting form. However, Nathan Hunt opened with 49 and Luke Hewitt contributed 40 while the middle order picked up some handy runs as well, to help the Blues to 187. Kade Bendle sent down 25 overs and was rewarded with 4/71. Brad Schreuder was the next best for the Reds with the ball snaring 4/56.…
PENINSULA RED Hill was back to its run machine best, smacking 7/313 against Moorooduc in MPCA Peninsula cricket. Matt Merifield was back to his vintage best with 83 off 93 balls, while Brent Martin also played a significant role scoring 88. The evergreen Kenny Cremen wound back the clock opening with 16 overs and snatching 4/48. Long Island and Pines are locked in a dour struggle at Eric Bell Reserve. The Islanders batted first and didn’t set the world on fire with the bat, scoring just 154 despite a number of players getting starts. Captain Aaron Paxton opened with a…
PROVINCIAL MT Eliza and Peninsula Old Boys are locked in an epic battle in the match of the day in MPCA Provincial cricket. The Mounties lasted just 54.1 overs before being bundled out for 151. The top order did OK, but the Mounties were failed by their lower order. Tim Clarke top scored the Mounties with 41 while Lyle House contributed 30. Surprisingly, POB skipper Wade Pelzer was the pick of the bowlers, snaring 3/24 from nine overs. Jon Forrest was at his best picking up 3/24 off 18 overs. James La Brooy also claimed 3/38. POB was forced to…
The legendary Elvis Presley has been celebrated worldwide – he was one of the biggest and most important stars of the 20th Century pop culture. A cultural Icon who was often referred to as the “King of Rock and Roll” and now direct from the U.S comes the Ultimate return Australian Concert Tour 2018 of “ELVIS – AN AMERICAN TRILOGY” – the Complete Story that takes three of the World’s leading Elvis Tribute artists starring in one of the most spectacular live concert production that takes you on a journey through the music of the “The King” in the history…
TOOL tribute act, “THIRD EYE’’ from Melbourne, Australia have been praised for not only the musical likeness of TOOL, but also for their re-creation of TOOL’s live show. The band incorporates breathtaking lighting and laser effects, Visual displays incorporating video clips and other TOOL related artwork, and musicianship unlike any other TOOL tribute band you have seen. This combination of aural and visual stimuli result in complete immersion into the TOOL experience. It is understandable then that they have quickly emerged as ‘Austalia’s Premier Tool Tribute Show’. TOOL fan or not, the “Third Eye” show is one not to be…
Compiled by Brodie Cowburn A CHILD of five years has been missing from Frankston since Saturday afternoon. The foster mother, Mrs Rose Priest of Gwynne Avenue, Frankston Heights, states that the child was taken away in a buggy by a soldier from Broadmeadows camp and no trace of him had since been obtained. He was in no way related to the child but had been boarding with Mrs Priest. He is supposed to be a deserter from the camp, as on inquiry there it was ascertained that he should have returned last week. His wife resides at Carlton but he…
NEW Mornington Yacht Club CEO Wayne Holdsworth has spent the past 10 years leading sports, shooting and motorcycling associations. He also has an AFL background through AFL Victoria, as CEO of the Southern League. “My experience is largely in governance and management within the sports market,” he said. “I have consulted to the corporate sector, including Coles-Myer, Toll and Colonial First State.” And, although he does not have an extensive yachting background he says he is “learning very fast”. Mr Holdsworth described the 72-year-old club – awarded the 2012 Victorian Yacht Club of the Year and 2012 Yachting Australia’s Training…
A FRANTIC mother whose toddler was locked inside her car with the keys at Mornington was overjoyed by the quick response from emergency crews, 11am, Thursday 18 January, “We were there within three minutes of her call,” Mornington Fire Brigade operations officer Stuart Walker said last week. The woman had parked above Fishermans Beach on the Esplanade when she realised her child was alone in the locked. The temperature was in the mid-20s – meaning it could quickly rise to the mid-30s inside the car. A passer-by said rescue crews covered the roof of the car with sheets and…
STATE Opposition Leader Matthew Guy was in Frankston last week bearing gifts in the form of election promises ranging from extending train services to building bridges to ease traffic congestion and reviving expansion of the Port of Hastings. Mr Guy made an election pitch tailored to a Frankston audience when he addressed a Committee for Greater Frankston lunch at McClelland Gallery. (Premier Daniel Andrews will address the committee at a public event in May.) The Liberal leader said electrification of the rail line from Frankston to Langwarrin and on to Baxter was one of two major rail extension projects in…
AUTHORITIES are still struggling to find ways of reducing anti-social behaviour at what has become a major tourist attraction – The Pillars, off the Esplanade between Mt Martha and Safety Beach. The rocky outcrops which provide ideal jumping off platforms into the water are a magnet for visitors but cause problems for nearby residents. Located between Deakin Drive and Marguerita Av, there is little parking nearby and the many people wanting to enjoy themselves at The Pillars can only do so by walking along alongside a narrow busy road and then scrambling across a precarious clifftop. Other rock jumpers come…
ORGANISERS hope accessing the beach at Point Leo will be made easier for the next event being held by the Disabled Surfers Association Mornington Peninsula. Plans have been approved for a boardwalk providing wheelchair access from Point Leo Lifesaving Club. DSAMP secretary Bill Hallett hoped the boardwalk would be finished in time for the association’s next surf day, Saturday 3 March “but certainly before the end of March”. When completed, the boardwalk will have a 1.2 metre wide wheelchair ramp leading to the beach from a six metre by six metre viewing platform. Two metre wide steps will also provide…
HOT weather over the holidays has prompted Life Saving Victoria to urge beachgoers to keep water safety “front of mind” at beaches and in pools. “It’s important people realise just how dangerous all waterways can be, even in calm conditions,” lifesaving operations manager Greg Scott said. “Whether you plan to cool down with a swim, paddle or surf, make sure you’re with a friend.” Mr Scott said water users should “be prepared before heading to the water, and to read and obey safety signs when they get there”. “It’s also important drink plenty of water and keep an eye on…
IF you’re unhappy with decisions made by the state planning minister, try to get him sacked through the ballot box. At least that’s the thinking of Mornington Peninsula Shire councillor David Gill. Cr Gill has outlined a plan to seek public funding for an assault on Planning Minister Richard Wynne’s seat of Richmond at the November state election. “I’m not too familiar with crowdfunding, but I’ll find someone who knows the technical parts of setting up an online way of raising money to make sure he’s not re-elected,” Cr Gill told The News. He said trying to influence the outcome…
MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire sees the latest master plan for the 512-hectare Point Nepean National Park as providing “a strong basis” for the park’s future use and management. The mayor Cr Bryan Payne said the shire was “delighted” to see some of the shire’s suggestions in the final plan. “The advisory group [suggested by the shire] will comprise a mix of technical experts, local interest groups, and stakeholders, and is intended to provide technical expertise and advice to Parks Victoria to assist with implementation of the master plan,” Cr Payne said. The plan has also been given a tick of approval…
WHILE the Mornington Peninsula Shire seeks public feedback on the size of a swimming pool at Rosebud one prospective user is strongly pushing his case. Peninsula Hurricanes swimmer Oliver Whelan, 11, of Rye, says he is training hard to realise his dream of representing Australia in backstroke at an Olympics or Commonwealth games. But while he should be training up to six sessions each week, the lack of a 50-metre pool on the southern peninsula means his parents struggle to get him to three sessions a week because there is nowhere for him to train locally. “My training sessions go…
KAREN Fankhauser has been named Mornington Peninsula Shire’s 2018 Citizen of the Year. The shire’s Young Citizen of the Year is Matthew Mayne. The Australia Day winners were presented with their awards at a ceremony on Friday at Rosebud Memorial Hall. Ms Fankhauser was born with muscular dystrophy and started using a wheelchair four years ago. She grew up in Main Ridge but now leads an active and independent life in McCrae. She is an inclusion advocate, qualified tax accountant, and vice-chairperson of the shire’s All Abilities Consultative Committee (AACC). As part of her AACC role, Ms Fankhauser is involved…
A P1 probationary driver was at the wheel of a car allegedly travelling at 107kph in a 70kph zone on Nepean Highway, Mornington, 3am, Sunday 21 January. Somerville Highway Patrol police found four passengers on board – one tucked into the front passenger foot well. The police were left shaking their heads when the 18-year-old returned an alleged blood alcohol reading of 0.155 per cent. Police media officer Natalie Butler said the Mornington man’s licence was immediately suspended – just days after he received it. He is expected to be charged on summons with speeding, drink driving, exceeding number of…