IT’S doubtful if anyone’s centenary has been more grandly celebrated – or its recognition more justly deserved – than that given to Capel Sound resident William Lumley AM, who turned 100 last week. By any account Mr Lumley has led a life of outstanding service to the community. He was the first president of the National Pharmacy Students Association of Australia, Chelsea councillor and mayor, Justice of the Peace, inspection pharmacist for the Commonwealth Department of Health, board member and president of the Chelsea Bush Nursing Hospital for 31 years, as well as being on school, lifesaving and community boards…
Day: June 22, 2020
MORNINGTON Peninsula Regional Gallery is set to reopen to celebrate its 50th anniversary with an exhibition that follows the development and growth of its collection, 1 July-22 November. The upcoming FIFTY exhibition features about 100 artworks of significance. They include eX de Medici’s Red (Colony) 2000, Arthur Boyd’s iconic Mt Martha from Rosebud Beach 1938, Lisa Roet’s giant primate finger Orang-utan Index 2001-03 and Locust Jones’ epic Geronimo 2011. Founded in 1969 by Alan McCulloch, the-then Mornington Peninsula Arts Centre acquired its first artwork in 1970. Its collection has grown to include more than 1800 paintings, drawings, prints and sculptures.…
SOUTHERN Peninsula Rescue Squad former president and current committee member Eileen Murray was awarded an Emergency Services Medal (ESM) in the recent Queen’s Birthday Honours. Ms Murray was honoured for her service and commitment to Marine Search and Rescue Victoria, and to the safety of her community, over the past 18 years. Ms Murray was president of the Southern Peninsula Rescue Squad for 14 years up to 2019 and “led it through a range of improvements which has resulted in it being one of the leading marine rescue operations in Australia”. Southern Peninsula Rescue Squad secretary Denis Baguley AM said…
SILHOUETTES along the Western Port shoreline on Saturday marked the shortest day the of year and underlined opposition to AGL’s plans for a gas import terminal at Crib Point. Save Westernport members saw the winter solstice as symbolic of the outcomes they fear from the gas plan. Socially distanced, many of those on beaches from Flinders to Hastings and on French and Phillip islands held lighted candles “in a show of appreciation for Western Port’s unique ecology and solidarity against AGL”, Julia Stockigt of Save Western Port said. Ms Stockigt said the beach vigil “symbolise their determination to stand by…
THE theft of two sets of expensive timber gates from properties at Mount Martha and Main Ridge has prompted Red Hill Country Gates proprietor Gabby Goodon to warn customers to be on the lookout for the thieves. She said a set of $6000 timber gates was stolen from the entry to a Forrest Drive property 1am, 25 May, and a $2500 set was stolen from a Main Creek Road property, about the same time, 10 June. “I’ve emailed people to warn them,” Ms Goodon said. “I want to get it out there. I want people to keep an eye out.”…
POLICE would like to hear from anyone who saw a white Nissan Patrol four-wheel-drive tradie’s ute overtake other cars outside Dromana Primary School, 8.50am, Wednesday 9 June, at the intersection of McCulloch and Ligar streets. Police in an unmarked black Volkswagen station wagon activated their lights and siren and intercepted the ute just past the McCulloch Street crossing which they say may have caught people’s attention. The intersection was said to have been busy at the time. Anyone who saw anything is asked to contact Leading Senior Constable Rob Dukes (VP34284) at Somerville Highway Patrol, call 59781368, or email your…
SORRENTO Portsea RSL sub-branch’s bushfire dinner and auction in February raised $28,500 as the final event in a fundraising campaign beginning when the fires started in early January. But rather than donate the money to one of the many larger funds operating at the time, Sorrento Portsea RSL president John Prentice said the committee decided on a different tack. “We wanted to select a community cause that was badly affected by the fires and where a financial contribution would make a real difference,” he said. Four months later the committee agreed to share the money equally among six small East…
AS the time for voting on a name for the $50 million aquatic centre draws to a close Aboriginals and their supporters are making it clear that Yawa is their preferred title. Mornington Peninsula Shire councillors last month rejected a recommendation that the aquatic centre be called Gunawarra and instead shortlisted five names for a public vote. However, the councillors gave no guarantee that the most popular name would be adopted. The five shortlisted names are: Gunawarra Aquatic Centre; Rosebud Aquatic Centre; Barbawar Aquatic Centre; Yawa Aquatic Centre; and Tides Aquatic Centre. Gunawarra means black swan, barbawar stingray and yawa…
DESPITE their admitted lack of the required scientific expertise, Mornington Peninsula Shire officers have been ordered to investigate alleged health issues surrounding the 5G telecommunications network. The councillors’ decision to investigate what is essentially a federal government responsibility was made in response to 700-signature petition expressing concerns that the introduction of the 5G technology could endanger health. Fears of health risks from 5G have sparked street protests in Australia, including Melbourne, where marches have often been combined with those opposing vaccines. Overseas, demonstrators have set fire to 5G telecommunications towers. The petition was received in January and at that stage…
OPPONENTS of the harvesting of moulting crabs at Rye say Victorian Fisheries Authority regulations are “out of step” and “urgently require review”. They say thousands of crabs congregating under piers in late autumn-early winter are being plundered at their most vulnerable moment. Rye pier was so crowded on Queens Birthday Weekend 7 June that it was closed by police over fears crab fishers were breaching COVID-19 restrictions. Since then, divers have found up to 80 chicken carcasses used as bait littering the sea floor and attracting sharks which are endangering snorkelers, and causing environment pollution. Mornington Peninsula Shire Council on…
Mornington Peninsula Shire has unveiled a plan for a 192-hectare industrial area on the outskirts of Hastings. The plan to provide enough industrial land for the next 15 years follows the steady loss of unoccupied industrial land across the peninsula. The Draft Mornington Peninsula Industrial Areas Land Use and Infrastructure Assessment and Rezoning Strategy will be on exhibition for comment for six weeks. The shire’s strategic projects manager Allan Cowley says that allowing a shortage of industrial land would lead to a “constrained” market, with high prices impeding the development of new businesses. Due to changes in uses allowed in…
BOTH state and federal governments are being asked to launch a life raft to ease economic and social hardship on the Mornington Peninsula in the wake of the coronavirus emergency. The shire’s $320 million recovery wish list ranges from housing for the homeless to a technology park. Estimated costs are just as variable, with the homeless “package” put at $2.5 million, a plan to use recycled water coming in at $27.3m and road safety $130m. In its approach to both governments the shire says the Mornington Peninsula has “suffered one of the heaviest hits to employment in the state”, with…
MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire libraries at Mornington, Rosebud, Somerville and Hastings are open but with controls on numbers allowed inside after COVID-19 restrictions were eased on Monday (22 June). Libraries will continue to run at reduced hours until 4 July when hours are expected to return to normal. All public programs, including Storytime, will continue online “for the time being”. Safety measures are in place with a concierge at the door to track numbers and to record visitors’ details. Hand sanitiser will be available and extra cleaning of all high-touch surfaces, computers and self-serve checkouts, will be done. The Mobile Library…
POLITICAL differences have been put aside and municipal transport priorities tempered in the quest to extend the railway beyond Frankston. A regional advisory committee will report to Infrastructure Australia that the key to solving inadequate public transport connectivity in the region hinges on building a double-track rail extension to Langwarrin at least, or potentially Baxter, with trains running every 15 minutes. Earlier this year, Infrastructure Australia (IA) listed “Frankston Public Transport Connectivity” as one of its six key “near-term” nation-building projects in Victoria. The national infrastructure body then tasked a local advisory committee to explore 23 ideas that would significantly…
By Danielle Collis AS experts are calling for federal government action plan to strengthen Australia’s weak environment laws, Mornington Peninsula residents Lorinda Hartley and Theresa Jenson have formed a new climate action group. Mornington Peninsula Australian Conservation Foundation founder Theresa Jenson said the condition of the environment is concerning for the peninsula community. “A lot of governments are trying very hard to deal with the environment, it’s just about trying to get our voice across too,” Ms Jenson said. The group is part of the Australian Conservation Foundation, a nationwide network which aims to protect Australia’s environment. Co-founder Lorina Hartley…
KEEN cricketers are being invited to pursue their passion with others at Mornington Peninsula Veterans’ Cricket Club. In the lead up to the season practice sessions for the over 60s team are held at Saxon Sports, Frankston, on days and times to be advised. New member Neville Smith is also keen to recruit players aged 50 and over to start up an over 50s team this summer. He said he was “welcomed with open arms” at the club and is keen to extend the courtesy to other new members. “Training has been exhilarating in the outdoors doing something we love,”…
SOCCER FOOTBALL Victoria announced a July start to the 2020 season late last week for all senior and junior competitions. The announcement came a day before the state government withdrew from lifting some pandemic restrictions but as we went to press there was no indication of any change to FV’s restart dates. NPL junior boys are scheduled to return to competition on the weekend of 4/5 July, NPL junior girls, community club juniors and MiniRoos on the weekend of 11/12 July with senior competitions back in action on the weekend of 25/26 July. However doubts over the NPL1 season continue…
HORSE RACING DAVID and Coral Feek’s talented filly, Ocean Miss, made a winning return to racing on Thursday 18 June by scoring a decisive win at Seymour. The fourth placegetter in last year’s Group Three Ethereal Stakes, showed her class to win over 1300m with 60kg in what was a tight drive to the line. Coming from off midfield, the three-year-old daughter of Ocean Park got to the outside and hit her straps in the straight to hold off the fast-finishing challenge from the Busuttin/Young-trained The Executioner. Despite failing to fire in the Group One Kennedy Oaks in the Spring,…
By Molly Haines IT’S A Blaze has just done a great thing. Well a brilliant thing, broken Cranbourne’s 520 metre track record in his second career start. Previously held by Pop The Cork, the track record now stands at 29.541sec. Amazingly, this wasn’t the first time It’s A Blaze has broken the track record. He first did so unofficially in May during a clearance trial to use blinkers, stopping the clock in a time of 29.578sec. “It wasn’t a surprise he broke the track record because he can run, but you never expect a track record,” trainer Kel Greenough said…
AT Frankston last Monday night the initial meeting took place of the sub-committee appointed to give effect to the resolutions passed at the public meeting held at Seaford last month to secure the improvement of the Kananook Creek. The following representatives were present: Crs W. P. Mason and J. B. Howell (Shire Council): Messrs Hunter and Cotton (Seaford Progress Association) : Messrs McCullloch and Jennings (Public nominees); Messrs P. Wheeler and W. Crawford Young (Frankston Progress Association). Cr Mason was voted to the chair, and, by request, Mr W. Klauer consented to act as secretary to the committee. The question…