Month: March 2019

HEY Rock & Roll music fans the wait is over – “Let’s go back to where it all began” as we relive the magic & the great hits of legendary music icons Buddy Holly & The Beatles Together Live In Concert. Buddy Holly & The Beatles shook the world in the 50’s & 60’s with their massive chart hits that are still timeless & popular 50 years on with over 400 million record sales between them this will be a concert experience not to be missed with hit after massive hit. After sold out concerts in Australia audiences will absolutely…

TO All Whom It May Concern. I WILLIAM WILLIAMS, of “Rupertstan”, Langwarrin, desire to inform the Cattle Buyers of this district that a Cow, forming one of my well known Jersey herd, was, in December last, sent to the yards of Messrs Brody and Mason, in Langwarrin, for sale by auction. Mr Mason directed my representative to return the cow to “Rupertstan”, stating that the cow was diseased. This statement came to the knowledge of several buyers, and I immediately had the cow examined by Mr S. Sherlock, Veterinary Surgeon, of Frankston, who pronounced her in good condition and showing…

DIRTY dogs don’t come cheap if the mess caused by one large canine in Mornington is any example. Empire Walk retailer Lindy Clark was so appalled by the large, smelly dump outside her shop that she covered it with cardboard before calling in the big guns, Saturday 9 March. “The owner had simply let the dog do its business without making the slightest effort to clean up the almighty mess,” she said. “We called VicRoads and the shire but they wouldn’t help,” she said. “Then we called the Mornington CFA who sent down a crew of four big blokes with…

A PICTURE-perfect Red Hill day set the scene for the announcement of the 2019 Montalto Sculpture Prize winner: Moonah by Kylie Stillman (above). Montalto owners, the Mitchell family, were joined by fellow judges, artists and guests at the event, Sunday 24 February. The $40,000 acquisitive award aims to encourage artistic pursuit in a public forum. Moonah is a free-standing stack of hand-cut fence palings. The imposing work maintains Stillman’s use of everyday materials and follows her use of books and papers to form the objects into which she carves. These often enigmatic “blocks” have a presence in themselves. In this…

A 24 YEAR old Frankston man was arrested in Hastings on 11 March after a series of alleged car thefts. Frankston Crime Investigation Unit Detective Sergeant Luke Holmes said the man had been “prolific in his offending in the Frankston and Mornington Peninsula area.” It is alleged that the man would meet up with people looking to sell their cars on the website Gumtree, and ask to test drive their cars. The man would then allegedly drive off. Police allege his offences occurred in the Frankston, Seaford, and Hastings areas between 19 February and 11 March. The man allegedly would…

SOMERVILLE Highway Patrol nightshift had a busy time Wednesday 13 March pulling over five drivers with drugs in their systems. One had his car impounded. Leading Senior Constable Greg Wolfe said those intercepted included a 30-year-old woman from Southbank who tested positive to methamphetamines, and being an unaccompanied learner driver with no L plates. A Frankston North man, 39, tested positive for methamphetamine in Excelsior Drive, and a Baxter man, 24, tested positive for the same drug in Klauer Street, Seaford. His car was impounded as his licence had already been suspended. A Frankston man, 37, tested positive to methamphetamine…

Mornington Peninsula Shire has agreed to a developer paying $5000 for a thin strip of land overhung by a first-floor balcony. The balcony is part of a three-storey building on the Esplanade, Mornington that has been built next to the shire-owned car park in Vancouver Street. Senior property officer Jonathan Chivers told council’s Tuesday 12 March meeting that it “is not possible” to remove the offending tensioned steel reinforced concrete balcony. He said the solution to the overhanging balcony was to sell the developer a 25-centimetre-wide strip of the shire’s land. The development at 786 Esplanade has shops on the…

THREE men off Carrum were lucky a boat was passing when their five-metre Devil Cat sank one kilometre from shore, Sunday 10 March. Water was flooding both hulls and the boat was almost under when the trio of work colleagues jumped overboard and were picked up about 11am. The rescuing skipper, David Garrett of Pearcedale, reported the incident and stood by as Volunteer Marine Rescue vessel AK1 arrived from Mornington. VMR Mornington’s Tim Warner said “all occupants were found to be wet and shaken … but in good health”. With the upturned vessel getting closer to sinking, AK1 skipper Sean…

Labor candidate for Flinders, Joshua Sinclair, has moved quickly to climb aboard the electrification of the rail line to Baxter project. With the results of a $3 million federal government-financed business case due soon, Mr Sinclair last week “reaffirmed that a Shorten Labor government will move quickly to deliver the much-needed Frankston to Baxter rail upgrade”. “A federal Labor government will electrify and duplicate the track [from Frankston] to Baxter, giving commuters better access to high quality public transport and park-and-ride options,” he said. “Shadow Infrastructure Minister Anthony Albanese said the project was part of Labor’s commitment to increase public…

IT’S been an “extraordinarily busy” start to 2019 for members of the Rye CFA – and especially the 16 firefighters who have spent more than 650 hours fighting fires and saving homes outside the Rye area in the first two and a half months of the year. Their work was made even more difficult by hot and windy weather in a summer labelled by the weather bureau as the “hottest on record”. But Brigade Captain Glenn Diamond said the crews were still able to respond to more than 100 local calls, with most of the fires marked down as avoidable…

“IT was good to see people still have good hearts.” Elderly Rosebud resident Maureen Baldwin was speaking after strangers came to the aid of her husband Ron after he fell and cut his head last week. “They were holidaymakers from West Footscray camping on the foreshore for the weekend, but they came over and did all they could to assist us,” she said. “One went and got my car while the others comforted Ron and another waited at the end of the street to tell the ambulance where we were. “Even their little children came over to see if they…

SAFETY Beach will be the scene of frenetic athletic activity when the Sufferfest Triathlon takes over the foreshore on the weekend of 23-24 March. Organisers hope the new location will be more of a safe haven after they were criticised last year for basing their races in Mt Martha and closing the Esplanade between Mornington and Safety Beach on Clean-up Australia Day. Competitors dodged shoppers, beachgoers and clean-up volunteers and leading to Mornington Peninsula Shire amending its events policy to prevent any future clashes of dates (“Policy to avoid event clash” The News 3/4/2018).   The shire’s communications and events…

The left-wing lobby group GetUp! Has selected Flinders Liberal MP Greg Hunt as one of its main “targets” in the May federal election. The group says Mr Hunt’s “repeated attempts to block urgent action on climate change puts him at complete odds with voters in Flinders and it’s time he was turfed out”. Mr Hunt told The News that GetUp! had “only ever campaigned against Liberal members of Parliament and it uses viscous and false personal attacks”. Other candidates to have put their hand up for Flinders are the Liberal-turned-independent MP for Chisholm, Julia banks, Labor’s Joshua Sinclair and Nathan…

THE state government has been called on to declare the Mornington Peninsula “drought affected” to quickly help businesses hit hard by water shortages. The drastic move aims to gain easier access to cheaper water for drought-hit farms, businesses and recreational and sports grounds. Cr Antonella Celi moved the urgent item at last week’s Mornington Peninsula Shire Council meeting. The move also included a plea for the government to support the shire’s recycled water projects, including gaining access to the Class A recycled water flowing into the sea through to the South East Outfall near Gunnamatta. This Eastern Treatment Plant water…

BITTERN’S Patrice Hunder is writing her own chapter in the book of animal husbandry. There are no grand stud farms, DNA manipulation or special breeding techniques for this amateur cattle breeder who feels love on both sides is behind her success in the show ring. It must be working. Ms Hunder, who leases a small property at Balnarring, won the supreme champion at the All Breeds Beef Classic at Red Hill Show over the Labour Day weekend with her miniature Scottish Galloway Torcroft Sylvia. Nicknamed the “Animal Whisperer” by friend Bob Bates, Ms Hunder, 74, is a vegetarian and a…

FARMER Eddie Matt is leading the push by Mornington Peninsula farmers for easier access to Class A treated water going into the sea from the South East Outfall near Gunnamatta. His irrigated grazing and lucerne property at Rye has produced only half last year’s yield of hay and silage because of a lack of water, but he still faced the same high water and diesel overheads. “If you have got water you have got security,” he said. “In the peninsula hinterland there is no water and if the pasture is dry there is no feed and the hay is of…

FRANKSTON MP Paul Edbrooke has remained tight lipped on the progress of a business case investigating the extension of the Frankston line to Baxter. Mr Edbrooke did not answer questions from The News asking for an update of when the case would be completed. The $3 million business case, paid for with federal funding, was started in April of last year. The media release stated it was expected to be completed by “early 2019”. The state Labor government is the missing piece in the project, with both major parties at federal level committed to the project. Dunkley MP Chris Crethwer…

PENINSULA CRIB Point have fallen agonisingly short of Pines in the final match of the home and away season for 2019/19 MPCA Cricket. Batting first Pines were impressive in the one day match, putting 191 runs on the board off their 40 overs. Harley Peace-Stirling was pick of the batsmen, scoring 71 runs to help put his side in pole position for a win. In response Crib Point did not take the loss lying down, keeping touch with Pines and taking the match to the final over. With just two balls left to bowl and 4 runs left to chase…

SOCCER THE blue wave of Langwarrin engulfed much fancied opponent Bulleen at Lawton Park on Saturday and gave home fans a taste of things to come. Langy gaffer Scott Miller hasn’t hidden his ambition for the club he played for as a junior and his pre-season mantra of an up-tempo, slick, interpassing style of soccer rang true last weekend. Bulleen succumbed to the blue tsunami 4-1 in Langwarrin’s most impressive performance yet of the 2019 NPL2 East season. Spectators had been given an insight into Jordan Templin’s capabilities with two stunning goals against Northcote a fortnight back and he continued…

MORNINGTON Pirates Baseball Club has been part of the Mornington sporting scene since 1975. Based at C B Wilson Reserve on Wilsons Road, they fielded eight teams last year across mens, womens and juniors. With the 2019 season just around the corner, they are having two ‘come and try’ days to attract new participants to the sport. “We are hoping to grow the number of teams we field this year, so are calling for anybody out there who’d like to come and see what we are about”, said Jo Schutt from Mornington Pirates. Mornington Pirates pride themselves on being a…

THE newly re-branded Southern Peninsula Sharks could be in for a big year if their pre-season matches are anything to go by. The Sharks’ men’s Big V team have won all three of their pre-season games with their most recent victory coming over Mornington on Saturday 23 February while their women’s team is going just as well having won all bar two of their matches. Those two games were a draw against Frankston and a loss against Waverly who are both NBL 1 league teams. Despite losing several key players at the end of last season, Southern Peninsula Sharks basketball…

THE Pat Carey-trained mare, Swift Sis, broke through for her first victory in Victoria on Saturday 2 March. After making the move from Western Australia, the now eight-time winner stepped out for her second start in Victoria and stormed past her rivals to record a narrow victory down the Flemington straight (1100m). Donning the iconic Makybe Farm silks, worn by three-time Melbourne Cup champion Makybe Diva, Swift Sis lifted in the final 100m to nab the Jason Warren-trained mare Miss Toorak Flyer who had run past her at the 600m mark. Despite going around at the odds of $31, Mornington-based…

ITALIAN Opera is filled with popular and well loved highlights which have stood the test of time and remain the most beloved items in the classical repertoire. In this rousing afternoon, the acclaimed 40 piece Melbourne Opera Orchestra conducted by and introduced by Greg Hocking AM will perform the most popular operatic arias, duets and ensembles. Featuring stars from the opera, this concert will transport you to eras gone by and famous characters of the best known Italian operas. Highlights of the programme include from Verdi’s La Traviata the famous Drinking Song (Libiamo) and of course many of the most…

BY advertisement in another column Mrs J. H. Fielder announces that she is opening a school of graceful dancing for children, and will be pleased to interview parents of prospective pupils at “Erinville”, Playne Street, Frankston. Mrs Fielder, with her five years’ experience under J. C. Williamson’s former pupil, Miss Brennan, comes to the district with the highest credentials, and her advent will no doubt be welcomed by parents anxious for improvement in the general department of their children. Classes will commence on Tuesday, 25th March. *** ON Sunday next in the Frankston Methodist Church Harvest Festival Services will be…

Clean-Up Australia Day volunteers at Mt Martha are happy to report “significantly less rubbish” being found than in previous years. Registrar Jan Jones, a member of Mt Martha Yacht Club and Balcombe Estuary Reserves Group, said: “Let’s hope that future years of Clean-Up Australia continue to see a reduced need for this event. “We also hope this [less rubbish] is due to greater awareness of the environmental impact of careless rubbish disposal alongside the impact of the clean team funded by Mornington Peninsula Shire over the past few summers.” Volunteers from the yacht and lifesaving clubs, Rotary, BERG and residents…

THE proposal by German-based Kaufland for a super store at Mornington remains up in the air despite the company being given the go ahead for stores at Dandenong, Chirnside Park and Epping. The state government was last week boasting about attracting “one of the world’s largest retailers to Victoria in a move that will create more than 1500 jobs and inject almost half a billion dollars into the state’s economy”. Mornington Peninsula Shire and a growing number of residents are objecting to Kaufland being allowed to build on the Bata shoe factory in Nepean Highway. Economic development minister Tim Pallas…

REBEL Liberal-turned-independent MP Julia Banks and Victorian Liberal Party deputy leader Cindy McLeish headline a forum at Langwarrin this month designed to encourage more women to enter politics. The inaugural Louisa Dunkley Women in Politics Forum – organised by the Committee for Greater Frankston – is a 12-2pm lunch on Thursday 28 March at McClelland Gallery’s new Sarah and Baillieu Myer Education Pavilion. The committee’s chief executive Ginevra Hosking said public debate about the under-representation of women in politics had inspired the event. “Our two guest speakers will talk about their experiences in politics before we ask for questions from…

WITH no end in sight to the recycling crisis Mornington Peninsula Shire has backed the Municipal Association of Victoria’s plan for a “well-designed container deposit scheme”. This would go part way to preventing recyclable rubbish going to the tip. (“Recyclables go to landfill” The News 27/2/19). The shire’s executive manager infrastructure services Jessica Wingad said the move would “increase recycling rates and reduce litter by providing a financial incentive to consumers to return their cans and bottles”. Ms Wingad said councils were “stepping up to identify local solutions” in the row, which included more investment and greater regulation of the…

Politicians are being asked to forget their differences and adopt a bipartisan approach to provide the Mornington Peninsula’s “hinterland” with secure water supplies for agriculture and fire fighting. The authors of the Hinterland Environmental Water Scheme (HEWS), Steve Marshall and Russell Joseph, say political posturing should be replaced with election promises to finance feasibility studies and design of a system to use treated wastewater now being discharged into Bass Strait, near Gunnamatta. Some steps towards taking the politics out of the equation have already been taken with the newly-elected Labor MP for Nepean, Chris Brayne, saying he hopes “my government…

Slow ahead: The Safety Beach Coast Guard tows the stricken boat back to calmer waters out from the Rosebud Motor Boat Squadron, above; the rescued fisherman was hooked by his own line, top left, while his boat was left to sink off Rosebud with a marker buoy attached. Pictures: Supplied SHARP eyes at Rosebud Motor Boat Squadron helped save the life of a fisherman whose boat sank in rough seas last week. Member Mitch Delic saw the boat being swamped and raised the alarm with the Safety Beach Coast Guard and police before heading out himself, Wednesday 6 March. Gale-force…