Month: August 2019

THE ability to communicate with others is a simple process for most people. We speak, others listen and, hopefully, understand what we are trying to say. But everyday words are mysterious unknowns for some Mornington Peninsula youngsters, especially those from low socio-economic backgrounds who are unable to enunciate, or even create basic sentences. They are unable to use words as building blocks to expand their vocabularies and tend to shy away from communicating because it exposes their poor literacy skills. Later in life they tend to be forced to the back of the queue when it comes to higher learning…

NEW interpretative signs on Tanti Creek, Mornington, explain the natural environment of the creek, and its use by traditional owners the Boon Wurrung through to white settlement. They offer interesting illustrations and descriptions of the plants and wildlife in the creek estuary. Members of Tanti Creek Friends Judith Martin and Jan Oliver oversaw the designs of the large format signs during 10 years of research. Their work was paid for with a Mornington Peninsula Shire community grant. The signs are near the estuary at Mills Beach, and at the well-used foot bridge at Stones Crossing. Some of the early grand…

By Danielle Kutchel VETS are upset by a push by Mornington Peninsula Shire to sign them up to an agreement setting out what they can do with stray animals. The non-mandatory 84Y agreement – included in the Domestic Animals Act of Victoria – requires that all cats and dogs found or seized be delivered to an authorised council officer, or to a council-approved organisation, including vets. If a vet practice has an 84Y agreement with a council it can retain, dispose of, or return cats or dogs to their owners. Vets without an agreement must hand strays over to the…

THERE will be no further steps taken to restore sand to the beach or protect beach boxes at Mt Martha North. A report released on Friday by the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) found that the most feasible options at the beach are to “monitor” and, if necessary, reinforce a rock wall protecting the bottom of the cliff and “allow natural processes to take place without further intervention”. “This option aligns with the Victorian Coastal Strategy’s directive to allow natural coastal processes as the preferred approach to coastal erosion management,” the report states. It also recommends Mount…

DIVISION ONE SORRENTO will head into finals with momentum on their side after easily defeating Pines in their last home and away match for the season. The Sharks put on a show in front of their home crowd at David Macfarlane Reserve. They took the lead early with an impressive first half, and never looked like giving it up. Sorrento went into half time comfortably six goals ahead, and didn’t let up in the second half. They were helped by three goals from Mitch Hallahan. Shannon Gladman, Nick Marston, and Chad Harris also had impressive games for the Sharks. Sorrento…

DIVISION TWO LANGWARRIN have got their finals campaign off to a flying start by securing an upset win over Karingal. Both sides travelled to Somerville on Saturday for the qualifying final keen to get a win. Both sides had a good season, and did well enough to to secure a double chance for finals. The Kangaroos got the early jump over the Bulls, and took a two goal lead into the first break. They managed to hold onto that lead throughout most of the game, and were still in the box seat by three-quarter time. Langwarrin led Karingal by 14…

SOCCER THE State 5 South championship and automatic promotion are within touching distance for Somerville Eagles after Saturday’s 3-1 derby success against Rosebud. Nearest challengers Old Mentonians continued to stumble after a second successive draw and even if the grammarians win their catch-up game this week against bottom team Hampton Park United they will be four points behind Somerville with three matches remaining. Somerville has an inviting run home coming up against three of the bottom four sides and the biggest challenge facing co-coaches Scott Morrison and Dave Greening is to ward off complacency among their players. Veteran striker Mark…

HORSE RACING THE John and Chris Meagher-trained mare, Pippie, is set to tackle black-type races in the Spring after running away with the opening race at Caulfield on Saturday 17 August. The four-year-old daughter of Written Tycoon raced away for a comfortable three-length victory over the Clinton McDonald-trained Diamond Effort and the ever-consistent Amy and Ash Yargi-trained I’m Telling Ya. Having also taken care of a ‘no metro wins’ race impressively at Doomben first-up, Pippie will attempt to emulate the efforts of the Meagher-trained Savanna Amour and be targeted towards the Cockram Stakes and How Now Stakes at Caulfield next…

ANOTHER Welcome Home, to five returned soldiers, took place at Mt. Eliza on Monday evening last the guests being – Major Geoff. Grice, M.C. and O.B.E., Capt. Hugh Davey, Lieut Claude Grice, Serg. J. Henley and Pte. F. Mitchell. The hall, which was tastefully decorated by Miss Poultney with Cootamundra wattle blossom, and many flags, looked at its best. Cr. Flannigan, (president of the Mornington Shire) acted as chairman, and carried out his duties in his usual, capable manner. The hall was filled to overflowing, also a large marquee in front of the door kindly lent by Mr Jas. Grice.…

CYCLING, cycle touring and mountain biking could grow to define the character of the Mornington Peninsula as much as its established attractions, such as the wineries, beaches, boating and fishing. The enjoyment of getting off the busy made roads, seeing the sights at a leisurely pace and spending money in shops, restaurant and cafes and on accommodation is being pushed by a group without business links or vested interests other than a love of the region and a wish that more people could enjoy its charms. “This is an activity that has huge potential as is evident from the growth…

MORNINGTON Peninsula community houses have tapped into the generosity of peninsula groups to collect donated goods and food items for struggling Pyalong farmers. This comes after Bentons Square Community Centre general manager Kelly Langdon and Becca Smith, of Mt Eliza Neighbourhood House, sat next to two women from Pyalong at the Neighbourhood Houses Victoria conference in May. “We introduced ourselves and congratulated Pyalong on their award for Community Resilience – Relief for Farmers,” Ms Langdon said. “This program donates goods to struggling farmers affected by drought. “Through the donations farmers and their families are empowered, despite their hardships, because they…

SUCCESSFUL applicants from the 2019 Live Music Professionals program held in July were at the Rye Hotel last week for a two-day engagement organised by Music Victoria. The program aims to help venue owners and managers, band bookers and independent promoters, match their services with skilled and experienced music industry professionals for one-on-one coaching, workshops, masterclasses, conferences and networking opportunities. “Over the past few years the program has yielded fabulous results, with participants reporting growth in ticket sales as well as growth in their businesses,” program co-ordinator Sarah DeBorre said. Those taking part in the event learned from A Day…

SOMERVILLE Highway Patrol night shift had a busy week setting court dates for 22 people. These included a 20-year-old Frankston man who was remanded in custody and had his car impounded after allegedly driving at up to 155kph while running red lights around Langwarrin and Frankston. The police helicopter was hovering overhead. Senior Constable Greg Wolfe said other incidents included a Wantirna man, 39, whose licence had been suspended who was “so fixated on getting his hit of drugs he didn’t notice the bag of ice sitting on his lap when police spoke to him through his driver’s window”. Also,…

CONCRETE dumped alongside roads is jeopardising driver safety. Hastings police and Mornington Peninsula Shire officers are seeking help from the public to find those responsible for the dumping concrete at 67 South Boundary Road, Pearcedale West; the end of South boundary Road. Pearcedale West; 109 Tyabb-Tooradin, Somerville; Boneo Road, Cape Schanck; and on Western Port Highway near Thompsons Road.. “The impact of this on our roads is an obvious risk to road users as well as the cost to have it cleaned and removed,” senior constable Ryan Blake, of Hastings police, said. He can be contacted on 5970 7800 or…

A NISSAN Skyline travelling south on Moorooduc Highway through the Frankston-Flinders Road roundabout allegedly accelerated to 146kph in an 80kph zone, 11pm, Wednesday 14 August. Somerville Highway Patrol members intercepted the car just before a booze bus which was set up around the bend near Sages Road. The Dandenong driver, 23, gave no reason for speeding, although police thought it “may have been a case of him trying to impress his girlfriend who was with him in the car”, Senior Constable Greg Wolfe said. “We assume she wouldn’t have been impressed at having to arrange alternative transport home. But it’s…

MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire’s youngest councillor, Sam Hearn has stood in houses flooded by storms that come now annually instead of once in 100 years. Cr Hearn last week gave a graphic account of the effects of climate change already being felt on the Mornington Peninsula when urging his colleagues to declare that the municipality is in the grip of a “climate emergency”. He says residents are removing tonnes of plastic waste from some beaches while other beaches are being lost to rising seawaters. “We are studying the effects of climate change inundation at Balnarring Beach, I’ve stood in homes with…

THE weather wasn’t ideal for a day out on the bay, but that didn’t stop fishing and boating minister Jaala Pulford, Nepean MP Chris Brayne and a host of other interested parties from lining up at the Rye boat ramp on Friday. The politicians were there to announce in person that parking and launching fees at Mornington Peninsula Shire boat ramps had been scrapped. Fees at Schnapper Point and Fishermans Beach, at Mornington, and at Rye, Safety Beach, Sorrento and Hastings were the first to go, with Tootgarook boat ramp to be free from 1 September and the Anthony’s Nose…

By Lance Hodgins Part Two The final showdown And so it comes down to a simple matter: which of two undefeated teams was the greatest …  1913 or 1948? One team (1913) was at the end of a dominant ten years for Hastings. It was in the middle of a famous “three-peat”, going on to win another flag the following year. Only the Great War would put the local football competition, and the reign of Hastings, into recess. The other team (1948) was the end product of a sporting build-up after a similar break for the Second World War. This…

By Lance Hodgins Part One HASTINGS Football Club has an outstanding history. Since its founding in 1889, there have been many premierships – and some legends, such as the great John Coleman. The Blues won their first flag in organised competition in 1905; since then there have been seventeen more. This makes an average of one every six years! So … which was the greatest side of all time? Measuring “greatness” I do not propose to open that age-old argument and put yesterday’s team on the field against one of today. Today’s footballers are taller and faster, train harder, have…

THE men behind sculptures of sporting icons John Coleman (Hastings), Lionel Rose (Warragul) and John Famechon (Frankston) are planning a similar honour for Mornington Peninsula athlete Debbie Flintoff-King. Red Hill resident Robert McCarthy announced the Debbie Flintoff-King statue project at a function at the Mornington Civic Reserve last week. Sculptor Stephen Glassborow – who designed and crafted the Coleman statue outside the library in High Street – took some final details and measurements of Ms Flintoff-King, 59, and proffered a sketch of the proposed artwork he and the multi-medal-winning athlete had previously discussed. “I have worked with Stephen and a…

A man has been caught drink driving after he crashed into a pole in Portsea Monday 12 August. Rosebud police were called to Defence Road after a man crashed his blue Holden Commodore sedan into a pole about 4.20pm. The driver returned a positive preliminary breath test and was taken back to a police station where he returned a breath test reading of 0.250. The 48-year-old man is expected to be charged on summons with drink driving offences. Victoria Police News – Monday, 12 August 2019

CIGARETTE butt bins installed for a second time outside Woolworths at Hastings were stolen within weeks, Mornington Peninsula Shire Council was told last week. The shire’s cleansing facilitator – roads, drainage and cleansing operations Krystal Millen said the bins were a “complementary service and not a waste management requirement of the store”. She said she had passed on details of a local bin supplier to store manager Chris Tatt who she said was planning to seek “vandal proof receptacle options”. “This will still need approval from Woolworths head office due to the additional costs and again, this is the responsibility…

POLICE are investigating links between teenagers who died in a two-car collision at Cranbourne, Sunday afternoon 11 August, and thefts from cars and theft of a car at Hastings, Somerville and Safety Beach earlier in the weekend. An 18-year-old Cranbourne woman and a 16-year-old Frankston boy died and three others were injured when the cars hit on the South Gippsland Highway, near Camms Road, about 4pm. Somerville CIU’s Detective Senior Sergeant Eddie Logonder would not be drawn on details other than to say detectives were investigating whether the thefts and the crash were linked. The driver of the stolen blue…

NASA scientist Dr Darlene Lim drew a packed house at the Science in the Park event at Coolart Wetlands and Homestead, Somers on Sunday 11 August. Described as a “rock star in the science world” Dr Lim spoke to a packed audience about her adventures to extreme Earth habitats and her role in Mars exploration. The homestead’s stables had to be been converted into an auditorium to accommodate the large crowd. The event, part of National Science Week, was attended by many scientific organisations. The Environment Protection Authority’s applied science division helped the children check the wetlands’ water quality using…

PENINSULA Aero Club has cancelled next year’s air show. Club president Jack Vevers said the club had been unable to reach agreement with Mornington Peninsula Shire over a permit for the event. He said the shire’s “new permit process” was “unworkable” and time had run out to organise the scheduled Sunday 8 March 2020 air show. The mayor Cr David Gill on Monday said the club’s cancelling of the air show was “game playing and childish”. “We offered to fast track a permit and give them a draft permit, but they’ve led us down the garden path so they can…

DIVISION TWO SOMERVILLE locked up a finals spot with a big win over Hastings on Saturday. The game was expected to be a close one, with both sides coming into the contest with an equal amount of wins. Somerville raced out of the blocks with a five goals to one first quarter, but the Blues wrestled back control in the second term. They were down by five at the main break. Somerville were the better side in the second half, holding Hastings to just one goal. It was a tough task at times, but Somerville eventually secured the win and…

DIVISION ONE SORRENTO have all but locked up the top spot on the ladder after a hard fought win against Mornington on Saturday. Sorrento made the big road trip to Alexandra Park keen to get a win over the bottom placed Bulldogs. A win would have kept them four points ahead of Pines on the ladder with just one game remaining in the season. Sorrento have a big percentage advantage over the Pythons, meaning top spot was theirs for the taking. The Sharks started well with a three goals to one first term, but the Bulldogs bit back in the…

SOCCER PENINSULA Strikers midfielder Jordan “Kaka” Avraham is on the verge of making his international debut for the Fijian Olympic team. The 22-year-old has been playing in annual Fijian club tournaments for the past few years and competed in the Pacific Cup last November against teams from Fiji, Australia, New Zealand and the US. “Kaka” played for Western Sydney in that tournament and the coach of Western Sydney arranged for him to try out with the Fijian Olympic squad. The Fijian connection is through his father, Israel, and the young midfielder attended a two-week training camp earlier this season. He…

HORSE RACING ONE-TIME Blue Diamond Stakes favourite, Brooklyn Hustle, is primed for her racetrack return after taking out a trial at Cranbourne on Monday 5 August. The Jason Warren-trained filly jumped out smartly with the addition of a barrier blanket before kicking clear under jockey Ben Melham to comfortably win the eighth heat of the morning. The striking daughter of Starspangledbanner is set to kick off her three-year-old campaign in the Group Three Quezette Stakes at Caulfield on Saturday 17 August. Brooklyn Hustle is expected to meet a strong field with the likes of the Anthony Freedman-trained and Blue Diamond…

SOMERVILLE extends congratulations to yet another returned soldier – Sgt A. Meldrum, who arrived by the Oxfordshire this week. Sgt Meldrum has been attached to the 8th Light Horse, and has been with them from the first, seeing service in Gallipoli, Egypt and Palestine. *** THE Westernport Progress Association moved in the matter of the reserved carriages of the 5.30pm Flinders Street, being rushed by passengers between Caulfield and Carrum to the discomfit of those beyond Baxter, for whom they were reserved. The result being that there is a lot of growling by those deposed and discomfit for those compelled…