Police and emergency services are currently at the scene of a fatal crash in Tyabb. The crash occurred when two vehicles collided at the intersection of the Tyabb-Tooradin Road and Westernport Highway at 7.30am. The driver of a Toyota Land Cruiser was travelling north on the Westernport Highway and a Hyundai sedan was travelling west on the Tyabb-Tooradin Road when the collision occurred. The driver of the Land Cruiser was not injured but unfortunately the driver of the Hyundai sedan, who is yet to be formally identified, died at the scene. The exact circumstances surrounding the crash are yet to…
Year: 2019
HORSE RACING IT took just five rides for 18-year-old apprentice jockey, Campbell Rawiller, to ride his first career winner at Moe on Tuesday 24 September. After making his race riding debut at Jerilderie, NSW (a non-TAB meeting) on the previous Saturday, Rawiller made the most of his sole ride at Moe aboard the Cameron Templeton-trained Girl On a Train. Despite not being wanted in the market and jumping at $31, Rawiller entered the race with hope and settled his mount down at the rear of the field. Utilising his lightweight, Rawiller stormed home down the outside fence to score an…
SOCCER DAVID Stirton has left Langwarrin while Josh Hine has agreed terms for a second season at Mornington. Stirton contacted head coach Scott Miller and club president Tanya Wallace last week to inform them of his decision. The 28-year-old was one of the more experienced NPL players on the club’s books having had stints with South Melbourne, Bentleigh Greens, Dandenong City and Port Melbourne and is regarded as one of the best set piece specialists in the competition. “It’s just about game time,” Stirton said, a reference to the number of matches last season in which he failed to make…
DIVISION ONE SEASON WRAP WINNERS: Dromana THE Tigers came into division one full of confidence after winning promotion last year, but not even their most optimistic fans could have predicted the success to come. Dromana were impressive in 2018 and ran out deserving premiers of the second division. They made history by becoming the first side to be promoted in the new two division MPNFL format, and their performance in division one would prove to be an interesting insight into the gap between the two competitions. Dromana didn’t miss a beat and relished the opportunity to play against the best.…
TIM Freedman has been talking about impending new songs for years. Now he is putting it in writing that he will perform some new material in his solo tour this October and November 2019, and that he is prepared to be run out of town if he doesn’t deliver. “Hopefully the new songs aren’t too successful though, otherwise I’ll earn too much to retain my franking credits. Unfortunately, like every one else in the world, I just had to express myself.” Freedman is best known as the front-man and songwriter of Australian band ‘The Whitlams’ – an Australian Recording Industry…
THE grand final of the Peninsula Association was played on Saturday at Somerville, Frankston winning the premierships after a strenuous contest was manifested, and a large crowd assembled to witness the match. Mornington, who at the beginning of the season were apparently invincible, had lost a lot of their dash, and the team lacked cohesion and system. Frankston, on the contrary, had improved on every day’s play, and on Saturday were undoubtedly the superior side. Moon, Gregory, and P. Darcy were out, and, Reddick, Tevendale, and E. McComb took their places. Except for these alterations, the team was the same…
PERMITS have been issued for the Peninsula Aero Club’s 2020 air show to be held in March. The mayor Cr David Gill said Mornington Peninsula Shire Council was “always committed to seeing the air show proceed”. “It is a great event for the peninsula, providing significant charitable donations for the local community and a showcase for aero enthusiasts,” he said. The issuing of permits shows a thaw in relations between the club and the council after the club moved to cancel the event. (“Club abandons air show” The News 13/8/2019). At the time, PAC president Jack Vevers said he had…
MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire says survey results “show the community believes [the council’s] overall performance, customer service and waste management are all positive”. The annual community satisfaction survey, independently conducted by telephone across shire households in February and March for the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, measures community perception on the performance of Victorian councils across a range of measures. While a minimum of 400 interviews were conducted in 63 municipalities for the survey, the results for each council have not been published for the public by DELWP. The mayor Cr David Gill said results for the peninsula show…
AN incentive program at Mornington Park Primary School in which students earn points towards owning a new – restored – bike is both insightful and productive. The Wheeling It Forward program run by physical education and sport coordinator Tim Fitzpatrick encourages the students to “do the right thing” and, in this way, earn points from a teacher towards reaching the magical 100 points target. They are then able to choose a bike rebirthed and repaired by New Peninsula Mt Martha Men’s Shed members as their reward. The students build up points, called tokens, for good behaviour, such as displaying school…
POLICE are searching for a man who left a service station without paying for petrol, around 1.30pm 26 August. The man filled up a white VR/VS Holden commodore with stolen plates with about $64 worth of fuel. The man then left the Baxter petrol station without attempting to pay. An image (above) has been released of a man police wish to speak to. Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential crime report at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au First published in the Mornington News – 1 October 2019
THE Mt Martha branch of the Bendigo bank is the drop-off point for plastic bread tags which are part of the Bread Tags for Wheelchairs campaign. Created in South Africa in 2006, Bread Tags for Wheelchairs sells used bread tags to plastic companies and uses the proceeds to buy wheelchairs for disadvantaged South Africans with disabilities. The plastic company then recycles the tags into seedling trays and doorknobs. The volunteer run organisation collects 500kg of bread tags each month in South Africa, contributing to two to three wheelchairs. Retired nurse Mary Honeybun started the program after realising how important it…
A Mt Eliza Man has been fined $500 after he pleaded guilty to keeping an illegal and high-risk invasive snake. The 20-year-old, who exchanged a PlayStation for a milk snake on Facebook last year, was fined without conviction at Frankston Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday 17 September. The maximum penalty for importing, keeping or selling a controlled pest animal in Victoria is $39,652. “We are very concerned when we get a call about an exotic species being found in Victoria because of the enormous potential to threaten our native species and agriculture,” chief conservation regulator, Kate Gavens said. “Our investigators received…
IF there is anything a golden retriever likes more than a swim it’s food. And when your owner decides to sit on a bench during Mornington’s Wednesday street market you can be sure there’s food involved. Last Wednesday was the first week of the school holidays and the sun was shining as shoppers roamed Main Street during the regular market. But while stallholders and their customers strived to provide and buy such things as food, art items and clothing, few would have known it was the market’s 40th anniversary. The longest running street market in Victoria began on Wednesday 26…
A LIMESTONE cottage in Ocean Beach Road, Sorrento, and cargo shed have jointly won the Creative Reuse of a Heritage Place category in this year’s Mornington Peninsula Heritage Awards. The 1905 limestone cottage Carmel was originally run as a boarding house by two women and is now used as a reception area for holiday accommodation at the rear of the building. Women are running the venture these days, too – Philippa Chalkitis and Allison Manning – which is continuing the tradition in both senses. The cottage has two rooms for community use and sits in front of extensive accommodation areas…
RECREATIONAL divers are being urged to join a citizen science dragon hunt. The call to join in the research is not associated with any mythical creature, but the weedy seadragon. Although the weedy seadragon is the state’s marine emblem, little is known about how many of them reside in Port Phillip. “Weedy seadragon numbers in some locations in Australia have declined, however the population in our own backyard, Port Phillip Bay, has rarely been studied and we do not know if they are suffering the same fate” Victorian National Parks Association (VNPA) ReefWatch coordinator Kade Mills said. “The first step…
SHARKS were seen eating a dead whale before it was washed ashore at Boags Rocks, between Gunnamatta and St Andrews beaches. The 11-metre humpback carcass bore the marks of bites from large sharks and was covered in crustaceans as it lay high and dry on rocks, Monday 23 September. “We could see the sharks lunging and spray coming off them, their fins rising up out of the water – it was pretty full on to watch,” said environmental advocate Josie Jones who first saw the whale drifting in on the Sunday night. DELWP incident spokesperson Kylie Hyland said: “The beach…
THE Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) is repairing the sandbag seawall at Portsea front beach. Sandbags were installed at the beach in 2010 to try to prevent further erosion. The pre-summer repair work will not affect pedestrian access to the pier except when trucks are using the pier access lane. “The sandbag wall was established in 2010 and has since helped protect the Portsea foreshore against the impacts of storm surges, waves, tides and wind,” DELWP Port Phillip regional director Stephen Chapple said. “The outer layer of the wall is in poor condition, as a result of…
TWO men were charged late last week over a series of burglaries and thefts in Frankston and on the Mornington Peninsula in the past three weeks. A Rosebud man, 23, and a Port Arlington man, 32, were arrested at a Mornington McDonald’s car park by members of the Somerville Highway Patrol and Mornington police, 11.30pm, Thursday 26 September. The allegedly stolen car they were driving had been seen earlier at Mt Martha and again in the restaurant car park. The Rosebud man is facing 15 charges, including aggravated carjacking, firearms offences, theft of a vehicle and handling stolen goods. The…
PLANNING and regulatory authorities are running two separate investigations into the demolition and rebuilding of private jetties on a public beach at Sorrento. Work has been stopped on a replacement for a demolished jetty while inquiries are conducted by Heritage Victoria and Mornington Peninsula Shire. The shire says it is awaiting a planning permit application for a new jetty and is investigating the construction of two new jetties in Sullivan Bay. Heritage Victoria, the state government agency which administers the Heritage Act, says it has “initiated enforcement proceedings” over the works at Iluka, on the historic Collins Settlement site. A…
FIVE diesel-powered generators are being installed this month to help avoid summer power shortages or blackouts across the Mornington Peninsula. The temporary power sources will be installed by energy generation and distribution company GreenSync at Rye, Boneo and Dromana and removed when demand drops in April. While batteries or “renewables and demand response technologies” may eventually replace the generators, metering devices, a switchboard, concrete foundations and underground cabling will be permanent. When approving the generators at their 16 September planning services committee meeting Mornington Peninsula Shire councillors agreed to keep pressuring the federal and state governments to pay for “plug-in…
DEVELOPERS may eventually find it more expensive to build apartments on the Mornington Peninsula than in municipalities closer to Melbourne. Mornington Peninsula Shire councillors want apartments on the peninsula built with materials that protect towns’ “valued character”. They say apartments designed for inner suburbs may not be suited to the peninsula. Changes to existing apartment guidelines proposed by the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) recommend using “low maintenance and durable” materials. However, shire councillors want developers to use “coastal” materials, such as stone and wood. While being more expensive and not regarded as being low maintenance, stone…
Police are appealing for public assistance to help locate missing 12-year-old Hastings boy Kayil Blundell. Kayil left his Penshurst Avenue home about 7pm last night. He has not been seen since and has not been in touch with his family. Police and family have concerns for Kayil’s welfare due to his age. Kayil is described as Caucasian with freckles, red hair, green eyes, 165cm tall and a solid build. Investigators have released a photo of Kayil in the hope someone may recognise him and be able to provide information on his whereabouts. Anyone with information is urged to contact Hastings…
CRIB Point RSL ran a sausage sizzle recently with all proceeds going to a worthy cause – the Western Port Support Group which assists those in need on the peninsula. The event did well with RSL social club members rounding off the amount raised to $2000. The money is for a good cause: Western Port Community Support – established 40 years – is the largest provider of emergency relief in the Western Port region. The not for profit volunteer organisation provides emergency relief, such as food and fuel vouchers, fruit and vegetables, medication, basic essentials and personal support to those…
TENSIONS are rising between those for and against the Tyabb airfield expansion, with one long-time Tyabb resident, who did not wish to be named, saying the town has “never been so divided – it’s getting very ugly”. While tensions have been simmering on and off for years, the issue has reached a new peak with vandals destroying, and in one case burning, signs opposing any expansion of the airfield. Up to 100 blue and white signs opposing any expansion of the airfield were erected throughout the Tyabb area, most on private property. Two weeks ago airfield supporters printed and distributed…
A DEAD humpback washed up onto the beach at St Andrews over the weekend had been a meal for sharks as it floated in to shore. The 11-metre whale was gouged by large bite marks and covered in crustaceans. Environmental advocate Josie Jones spotted the whale out in the water on Sunday night. “We could see the sharks lunging and spray coming off them, their fins rising up out of the water – it was pretty full on to watch,” she said. Cetacean scientist Sue Mason said the whale must have died only recently as the carcass had not begun…
TOUGH laws aimed at protecting farmers and farm businesses against people inciting farm trespass have passed the federal parliament. The new laws mean anyone sharing farmers’ private details online to incite farm trespass will risk jail time. A similar law is also on its way through state parliament. The changes to federal law will strengthen the consequences for incitement to trespass, property damage and theft on agricultural land. Eastern Victoria Region MP Melina Bath said: “These strong new laws are a huge win for farmers, their families and regional communities not only in Victoria, but Australia-wide. “They send a clear…
DIVISION TWO SEASON WRAP WINNERS: Red Hill THE Hillmen had a game plan in 2019. They worked hard in defence all season long, and it paid off handsomely. Although it may not be the most attractive brand of football, the Hillmen found success by keeping their opposition off the scoreboard. It worked wonders, as the finished top of the ladder with just two losses to their name and nearly half as many points conceded as their next best rivals. Their toughest task was facing Karingal in the grand final. The Bulls’ firepower in their forward line might have been enough…
SOCCER PENINSULA Strikers announced the lowest junior fees in NPL Victoria history last week and threw down the gauntlet to local rivals Langwarrin and Mornington. Strikers and Mornington recently were granted NPL junior licences and had to stump up $20,000 each for the privilege. Most NPL clubs charge the maximum junior player fee of $2200 for a season. That is the case with Langwarrin while Mornington has set its player fee at $1800. But Strikers have outdone their rivals by charging junior players $1090 to play for the club in the under-13, under-14, under-15 and under-16 elite NPL competition next…
HORSE RACING ASTUTE Mornington trackwork clocker Les Obriem passed away on Sunday 15 September after spending more than four decades applying his trade. The old-school clocker, who also wrote under the nom de plume Craftsman, passed away aged 74 due to health issues. Throughout his time Obriem worked for various media outlets including the Sportsman, the Sporting Globe, The Herald, The Truth and the Winning Post as well as being heard on radio stations, 3UZ with Bert Bryant and 3DB with Bill Collins. In recent years, Les had a passion for going to Sandown and then Werribee to clock and…
IT is with deep regret that we announce the death of an old and respected pioneer, in the person of Mr. Joseph Haddock of Forest Lodge, Hastings at the age of 75 years. Deceased was a man of indomitable will, and always accomplished, however difficult, anything he undertook to carry out. He was born at Mount Prospect, in New South Wales, in 1844. Losing his parents during childhood, he had to battle for himself at an early age. After working in parts of New South Wales for a few years, he finally settled in Victoria, coming to Hastings forty-eight years…