SORRENTO and Mt Martha beaches recorded the highest number of offences by jet skiers during the Water Police’s Operation Jetwash. Thirty-one offences were detected at each of those beaches in the operation which targeted unsafe behaviour over the holiday period. Twenty-five offences were detected at Rye, 24 at Martha Cove and 22 at Frankston during the six-day blitz. As the name of the operation suggests, the police’s major focus was on jet skis and their owners’ behaviour. More than 220 infringements were issued including 53 for speeding – the most common offence. This included 39 for exceeding five knots within…
Year: 2019
DESPITE work about to start on the footpath and road upgrade in Coppin Road, Sorrento, the gulf between those wanting it and those opposed is as wide as ever. Geoff Allen says the project was “ill-conceived, poorly planned and administered, and a significant waste of ratepayers’ money”, while Cr Hugh Fraser says it will “benefit residents, businesses and visitors; the Sorrento community is looking forward to seeing [it] come to fruition”. Works will start on the up-scaled $900,000 project next month, after almost four years of claim and counter claim. It will take four months to complete. Money has come…
A man has died in Port Philip Bay off Mount Eliza this afternoon. Police were alerted to the missing snorkeler in the water off Daveys Bay Road when he failed to return to shore just after 5pm. Water Police and the Police Air Wing conducted a search of the area and the yet to be formally identified man was located on the sea floor by the police helicopter just after 6pm. Police will prepare a report for the coroner.
Water police are appealing for public assistance following reports of a paddle boarder seen in distress at Rosebud this afternoon. Police received reports a man on a stand up board was seen in distress in the water approximately 500 metres from the Rosebud pier on Point Nepean Road about 3.45pm. Local police, water police and the PolAir helicopter searched the area and were unable to locate the man believed to be wearing a black wet suit. Police are keen to speak to anyone that may have been paddle boarding in the Rosebud area this afternoon or anyone that may know…
Eyes on the prize: Charlie Hollow, 10, gets ready for the National Hopes Challenge and the Melbourne Open. Happy with that: Georgia Hollow, 7, practises her table tennis prior to the Melbourne Open. Pictures: Supplied UP-AND-COMING table tennis siblings, Georgia and Charlie Hollow, headed into Melbourne for the Melbourne Junior Open and the National Hopes Challenge on Monday 21 January. The Mornington Peninsula table tennis juniors competed in the under-11s singles and doubles competitions at the Melbourne Open where they returned with some top results. Georgia, who is just seven-years-old, finished third in the under-11s Girls singles while her brother, Charlie,…
A SERIES of fires on the Mornington Peninsula had brigades on full alert over the weekend. Dromana CFA Captain Tim Desmond said crews were called out six times on Sunday 3 February – three times to tackle a “suspicious” grass and scrub fire at the foot of Arthurs Seat, Dromana, that had been set alight the previous day. Five CFA crews took 25 minutes to bring the original fire under control on Saturday, just after 9am. The fire below the Dromana cemetery was visible from Peninsula Link and fire crews were called to return several times on Sunday afternoon when…
BALNARRING residents opposed to the building of an aged care home in their street “will most definitely” fight the bid when it goes before the Victorian Civil Administrative Tribunal. The planning application by developer Arcare will be determined by VCAT because Mornington Peninsula Shire was unable to process it within the required 60 days. Jan Eyles, of Brooksby Square, said VCAT “will be the decision maker in the process”. The shire’s team leader planning services Lucas Gardiner confirmed the planning application was heading to VCAT as the shire was unable to make a decision within the 60-day statutory time…
Cruising while eating canapes and drinking while spotting waders was all part of a twilight cruise on Western Port last Friday to “celebrate” the following day’s World Wetlands Day (Saturday 2 February). The 90 or so paying passengers aboard the Kasey Lee were also kept mindful of the efforts by the Save Westernport group to stop power company AGL processing imported natural gas at Crib Point and plans by successive state governments for a container port at Hastings. World Wetlands Day marks the signing of the International Wetlands Treaty in Ramsar, Iran, on 2 February 1971. Western Port was listed…
PENINSULA RED Hill have worked hard to surpass their target of 200, as they took on Moorooduc in the second day of their two-day clash. Having finished day one on a high and restarting at 0/43, Red Hill quickly lost their first two wickets and were sitting a little more uncomfortable at 2/52. Simon Dart was their best batsman, as he scored 59 runs batting at number 4 to help guide the Hillmen to a three wicket win. At Ballam Park East, a pitiful Pines performance saw them waste a golden opportunity to defeat Long Island. Chasing just 110 runs…
SOCCER ROSEBUD has had its application to join State League 5 accepted by Football Victoria and it will compete in the South division in 2019. And club president Melissa Osorio confirmed last weekend that merger talks with neighbouring Rosebud Heart are ongoing. “At the moment we’re going through the 2019 season ticking all the boxes and working with Football Victoria and Rosebud Heart and looking to the 2020 season (to merge),” Osorio said. Rosebud returned to competition under the state federation’s banner last year finishing second in Metropolitan 2 South-East. The previous time the club played under the controlling body…
THOUSANDS of spectators flocked to the Emu Plains Reserve, Balnarring on Saturday 26 January for the Balnarring Picnic Racing Club’s traditional Australia Day meeting. A field of seven took to the track for the highlight of the club’s season, the Balnarring Cup, where Cranbourne-based trainer Cindy Alderson took out the main event with her low-flying mare My Clementina. Ridden by Maddison Morris, My Clementina scooped the prize to become the new ‘star of the picnics’, winning five straight picnic races – a maiden, Trophy 1, Trophy 2 and two Open Cups, which included the Healesville Cup at her previous start.…
PENINSULA Boxing will be out to kick off the year in style when they line up in the inaugural Wild Fighter promotions card held at new boxing venue The Timber Yard, Port Melbourne on Saturday 23 March. Commonwealth Games silver medallist and unbeaten cruiserweight boxer, Jason Whateley (2-0, 1 KO), is set to headline the card in his third career fight as a professional. His opponent is yet to be determined but it’ll be Whateley’s first time entering an eight round match-up. Fellow Peninsula Boxer, Lochie ‘Bubba’ Higgins (4-2, 2 KO), is also locked in to fight the “tough as…
Artists, especially when spotted at their easels in the open air, can be seen as adding a bit of interest to the landscape. But that feeling is not universal, Bittern artist Peter Woods has found out, especially in the home of what many regard as “must make” destination for artists – southern France. While working at his easel outside the picturescue village of Lourmarin, Woods was confronted by a woman who drove up in a car and “started to talk vigorously and gesticulate”. It was not until after hearing the word ‘’out” that he realised that he was being kicked…
FOR the very first time in Australia, and direct from Music City, U.S.A, the hit musical production Nashville Live delivers the energy, glamour and magic of a night out in the home of country music directly to you and totally live! Nashville Live takes you back to the world famous Grand Ole Opry, through the history of country music from golden greats like Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson and Dolly Parton, through to the contemporary platinum selling sounds of Shania Twain, Garth Brooks, Dixie Chicks and many more. Nashville Live is a celebration of the legends of country music and the…
MISSION Songs Project is an initiative to revive contemporary Australian Indigenous songs from 1900 to 1999, focusing on the Christian missions, state run settlements and native camps where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people were relocated. Searching for the family songs that were sung around the kitchen table, Jessie Lloyd explores the day to day life on the missions, settlements and reserves through music. From cultural identity to love and loss, these rare songs consist of almost forgotten stories that can now shed light into the history of our Indigenous elders, families and communities. Performed as a vocal quartet, Jessie…
MUSIC of the Night is an enchanting musical and visual spectacular presented by highly acclaimed multi award winning international pianist Joseph Fimmano. Joseph is joined on stage by the elite of Australian entertainment, stars of musicals and the concert stage, and the ultimate in Australia’s musicians with the Music of the Night Orchestra. Joseph debuted on Australian TV with his winning performances on piano accordion on Johnny Young’s Talent Time in the late 70s and has since matured into one of Australia’s finest performers. Music of the Night is a tribute to the musicals, opera and the beautiful melodies of…
SARAH Blasko, Tia Gostelow and Jackalope’s Rare Hare confirmed for Victoria’s favourite food, wine and music gathering off the back of a sell-out event in 2018, The Peninsula Picnic returns on Saturday 30 March, 2019 with an unprecedented line-up of Australian music acts, local restaurants, wineries and producers, bringing together the best of the peninsula to the one location, for one day only. Lead by indie rock five-piece The Rubens, playing alongside beloved song writing legend Sarah Blasko, indie prodigy Tia Gostelow, Latin outfit San Lazaro, and up-and-coming folk artist Fraser A. Gordon, music lovers will be wooed by the…
A SPECIAL meeting of the Frankston and Hastings Shire Council was held on Tuesday night last, when there were present Crs. Murray (president), J. Unthank, Oates, Mason, Hoare and Hoban. The president explained that the Council had been called together to consider the best means to adopt to combat the influenza epidemic. The real article was not in the district yet, and he hoped it would not come. Still, they must be prepared for it, and have everything in readiness in the event of a serious outbreak. The secretary (Mr. John E. Jones) read a communication from the Public Health…
This year’s Mornington Art show, presented by the Rotary Club of Mornington and ending on Australia Day, is being seen as the best show in its 47-year history with 15 per cent of works being sold. More than 860 art works, including paintings and photographs, were hung for sale and public viewing. The paintings by Mornington Peninsula, Victorian and interstate artists covered a range of media and genre. Several of the 42 photographs and works by VCE and other students were also sold. Rotary club member and one the show’s organisers, John Renowden, said selling 15.2 per cent of works…
POLICE would like to speak to any visitors to the Flinders blow hole and other back beach areas who saw a suspicious man loitering on Australia Day. He is believed to have broken into cars in the area. Police particularly want to speak to those who saw the man at the blow hole car park, 11.30am-12.30pm, Saturday 26 January, and who reported his behaviour to the park ranger. Anyone who saw a suspicious man at the Bushrangers Bay, Ti Tree Creek or Flinders Ocean Beach car parks on that day should also contact police. Leading Senior Constable Greg Wolfe, of…
TWO girls aged 17 were capsicum sprayed by police at Mothers Beach, Mornington and charged with being drunk and disorderly at 8.15pm on Australia Day, Saturday 26 January. The girls, of Mornington and Bittern, were taken back to Mornington police station and their parents called to collect them. They will be summonsed to appear at Frankston Magistrates’ Court. Sergeant Chris Stock said up to half a dozen girls drinking on the foreshore became belligerent when ordered to hand over their alcohol by police. The foreshore is an alcohol-free zone. He said an officer had a radio wrenched off a jacket…
THE Australia Day Long Weekend was a busy one for police in Frankston and on the Mornington Peninsula, with Operation Amity focusing on speed, fatigue, impaired driving, distraction offences and seatbelt compliance. Over the four days – Friday 25 January to Monday 28 January – police breath-tested 1161 drivers and drug-tested 38 drivers. Of these, 14 drink drivers and six drug drivers were charged. Police also detected 23 disqualified or unlicensed drivers and fined 116 drivers for speeding. Twelve drivers were charged with disobeying traffic lights and 33 were caught driving unregistered vehicles. Three vehicles were impounded. Police also focused…
THE driver of a freight train was taken to hospital after being hit on the upper body by a rock thrown by “young people”, 9pm, Wednesday 30 January. Hastings police said the train was travelling south from Leawarra station towards Baxter when the incident occurred. The driver continued on to Tyabb train station from where he was taken to Frankston Hospital in a stable condition. Rail, Tram and Bus Union secretary Luba Grigorovitch said on Radio 3AW the unprovoked attack was unacceptable and put the safety of both the train’s driver and its passengers at risk. “No one goes to…
SOLAR power to be installed on some of Mornington Peninsula Shire’s largest buildings is aimed at cutting carbon emissions and saving on power bills. In the second stage of the shire’s Solar PV project 584 panels will be installed at Rosebud Library, Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery and Pelican Park. This is tipped to provide annual savings of more than $30,000 while cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 250 tonnes. In stage 1 of the project last year, Rosebud Municipal Office, Civic Reserve Recreation Centre and Hastings Library went solar with 822 panels generating 250 kW. When the rooftop Solar PV rollout…
Clarification Nepean MP Chris Brayne wants to make it clear that he does not intend to hire his former Liberal opponent, Russell Joseph, as a consultant, although he is willing to “tap into” Mr Joseph’s “wealth of knowledge of the peninsula”. Updated, as published in the Southern Peninsula News – 12 March 2019 IT might have been just over two months ago but “new” MP for Nepean Chris Brayne still marvels at the emotions stirred within him on the “most intense night of my life”. The 25-year-old, of Balnarring, could be forgiven for having only a hazy recollection of election…
A YOUNG chef determined to set his own course instead of the more accepted school-followed-by-university route is reaping the rewards and kicking goals. Balnarring resident Kobi Watson, who runs his own restaurant, Kobi Jack’s at McCrae, said he had been determined not to embark on a “pointless” tertiary course just for the sake of it and coming out at the other end not really knowing what he wanted to do. Watson, 19, says he was an above average student at Dromana Secondary College when he “basically just got sick of school”. So, while going through the motions of getting ready…
JULIA Banks finally broke cover on Thursday last week with an “announcement” that had been rumoured for weeks: she will stand as an independent candidate for Flinders at the May federal election. In doing so, Ms Banks will campaign against her former Liberal colleague, Greg Hunt, who has held the seat since 2001. Adding fuel to the Flinders electoral ire, it was leaked Friday afternoon that Labor’s candidate would be broadcaster and head of journalism at the Australian College of the Arts, Tracee Hutchison. Labor sources would not confirm her candidature, but said the party’s administrative committee would make an…
DETECTIVES from the Mornington Peninsula and Frankston have charged 26 people as part of Operation Pandora which targets vehicle crime. Seventeen of those charged since the operation began on 7 January have been remanded in custody and several stolen cars and large amounts of property recovered. Charges include aggravated burglary, burglary, theft of a motor car, theft from a motor car, reckless conduct endangering life, and obtaining property by deception. Those charged will appear at Frankston Magistrates’ Court at a later date. They include a Frankston North man, 25, on 40 counts, a Hastings man, 27 (10 counts), a Langwarrin…
A yet to be formally identified man has drowned in Frankston South this afternoon. He failed to surface after swimming with people in a dam at Baxter Park just after 3pm. Emergency services searched the area for a number of hours. The man’s body was located in the dam just after 6pm. Police will prepare a report for the coroner.
Primrose’s pain: A hernia on Primrose has been operated on, and she is recovering well. Pictures: Supplied A CHARITY helping dogs who need life saving treatment has accused Frankston Council of cutting off communication with them after accepting their donation. Primrose was impounded by Frankston Council after being found with a huge growth next to her stomach, and council called charity service Rescued with Love to help pay for the necessary surgery. Rescued with Love founder Kae Norman said that Council cut off communication with the organisation once they accepted a $2000 donation for the dog’s surgery and had a…