After an increase of just three cases in ten weeks, the Mornington Peninsula has now had eight new cases in a week. And as the state’s total climbs dramatically higher, it seems the peninsula may not be immune from the second wave. Only last week, the Mornington Peninsula Shire and organisations like the Committee for the Mornington Peninsula were lamenting being bundled into the metropolitan Melbourne return to level three restrictions, arguing that the peninsula was not part of metro Melbourne. Who could blame them? Virus free, and having to suffer the economic and social restrictions of metro Melbourne seemed…
Month: July 2020
THE Telstra store at Mornington Central shopping centre was temporarily closed today (Thursday 16 July) after a staff member contracted coronavirus. Spokesperson Matt Smithson told The News: “A staff member at one of our licensee stores, who worked last Friday, has tested positive to COVID-19.” Mr Smithson said the staff member did not attend the store again before calling in to report a positive diagnosis last night (Wednesday 15 July). Staff members were being tested and have been provided help under the company’s Employment Assistance program. Mr Smithson said: “The store is currently being deep-cleaned over the next 48 hours…
SCIENTISTS are trying to find out if there is a link between climate change and the food of choice for little penguins. With rookeries at Phillip Island and on a breakwater near St Kilda, the penguins are frequently seen in Port Phillip and Western Port. Although it is estimated the penguins eat more than 100 tonnes of sardine each breeding season, their popularity with tourists earns more money for Victoria than all its commercial fisheries. Their diet has proved to be more varied than previously known and researchers say future-proofing their prey is essential for the penguins’ long-term survival. The…
IT can be hard to keep track of hooded plovers as they flit around from one place to another, unrestrained by any travel bans. But, dedicated followers of the locally endangered birds can sometimes manage to build up a character study of individual birds. One such bird, UJ, was first tagged as a 28-day-old chick on 5 April 2013 at Hamers Haven, on the Bass Coast. Last week, she was near Mushroom Reef, Flinders a place that in some ways UJ has come to call home. Although a blood sample was taken from UJ seven years ago bird banders were…
CREWS from Sorrento SES were involved in another successful rescue after an accident on the Red Hill mountain bike trail, 3pm, Sunday 12 July. Whereas last week they used their “mule litter wheel” to evacuate a young rider after he crashed over a jump, this time they drove their four-wheel-drive up the track to rescue an 18-year-old man with a broken collar bone. SES controller Mark Daw said crews made it up the track near Boundary Road, Dromana, before Ambulance Victoria arrived. “We assessed the patient who was suffering a broken collarbone after going over the handlebars,” he said. “He…
CAR thieves trying to steal a 2020 Porsche from the garage of a Portsea beachfront house early Monday morning may have panicked before driving the car over a 2.5-metre cliff. Unable to drive the Porsche, the offenders then made their getaway by stealing a Mercedes Benz. Detective Leading Senior Constable Shane Moodie, of Somerville CIU, said two or possibly three offenders entered the garage of the Point Nepean Road property, 2am, Monday 13 July. “It appears one of the offenders reversed the new Porsche out of the garage and over the cliff where it remained,” Detective Moodie said. The car’s…
A VOLUNTEER Marine Rescue crew from Hastings found the water at Middle Bank in Western Port too shallow to assist a boat which had run aground, just after midnight, Sunday 12 July. “The occupants were concerned about waves breaking over the 6.75-metre vessel,” VMR president Neil Cooper said. “When VMR’s TX1 arrived, the boat was in too shallow water to assist. However, with an incoming tide, they were able to get themselves off. “This is an extremely dangerous piece of water and it is best to give it a very wide berth. “VMR has assisted many vessels there, some, unfortunately,…
NAVIGATION technology company Sealite is the major player behind plans for a $540 million technology park at Somerville. The company says the proposed Mornington Peninsula Technology Park will activate projects and deliver jobs and growth as part of an “urgent pandemic recovery”. Backing for the plan is being sought from Mornington Peninsula Shire and the state government as part of the Building Victoria’s Recovery Taskforce. The shire claims the peninsula has “been hit harder than most areas of Victoria in terms of job losses and general economic downturn” (“Shire seeks $320m rescue package” The News 22/6/20). However, the shire has…
MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire CEO John Baker has ended a bid by Cr Hugh Fraser to have the council take a step back and reject a budget adopted at its 23 June meeting. Cr Fraser had sought to overturn decisions which included abolishing the contentious rural living rate and excluded the fees and charges schedule. However, Mr Baker last week used his powers to block Cr Fraser’s plan, last month’s resolution had already been put into motion and a statutory process commenced. “Accordingly, I consider this matter to be outside the powers of council and vague and unclear,” he said. Cr…
A CAR driven by an elderly woman mounted the kerb and smashed the side window of a real estate agency at Rye last week. SES and Rosebud CFA crews rushed to assist the woman who was uninjured and did not require an ambulance, 6.30pm, Wednesday 8 July. Granger Estate Agents director Darren Sadler said the damage bill was around $30,000. He said debris had to be cleaned up and brick work replaced. The front door was hanging off its hinges and plywood panels used to cover the broken window before it was replaced. First published in the Southern Peninsula News…
A 60kph speed limit near the Bushrangers Bay car park entrance is designed to improve the safety of large numbers of people parking and walking next to a former 100kph section of Boneo Road. The lower speed limit at Cape Schanck will be in force until the end of September. It will operate all day, every day. Speedsters sailing through at the old speed risk a $702 fine and six-month licence suspension. Truck drivers could be fined $1652 with the same licence suspension. First published in the Southern Peninsula News – 14 July 2020
IT’S not an accomplishment he aspired to, but Rosebud man Glen Grumont’s long road to recovery from illness has set a record. He was released from Rosebud Hospital last week after a combined seven months’ treatment and rehabilitation. Mr Grumont looks back at those lengthy stints first at Frankston and then Rosebud hospitals with a sense of satisfaction and a high regard for the medical professionals who brought him back to health. Along the way he proved to everyone that is a fighter and worthy of a little respect himself. The journey began when Mr Grumont walked into his GP’s…
By Danielle Collis ALICIA Edwards is determined not to be left in the dark despite having her request for lighting in an overgrown path rejected by Mornington Peninsula Shire. She says the popular path between Hazeldene Way [at the end of Ellaswood Mews] and Parkedge Circuit, Rosebud is overgrown and dark. “The safety of the neighbourhood is our main concern and having a well lit and maintained walkway would drastically reduce the risk of our personal safety being compromised,” she said. Ms Edwards says there are too many incidents occurring in parks, walkways and footpaths due to lack of lighting…
THE Mornington Peninsula should be excluded from the metropolitan “lockdown” areas to prevent infected outsiders coming in, the mayor Cr Sam Hearn said last week. He fears residents from hard-hit areas of inner-Melbourne may interpret the “one-region” status as a “reason to travel to the peninsula and inadvertently put our local community health containment at risk”. Cr Hearn was speaking after the state government reintroduced stage three COVID-19 restrictions and included the peninsula as part of the Greater Melbourne urban area. Television news bulletins on Thursday showed hordes of visitors making the most of the warm weather in peninsula towns…
POLICE checked and cleared all passengers for travel on the Sorrento to Queenscliff ferry after stage three coronavirus restrictions came into force on Thursday 9 July. The ferry is classed as an essential service, linking the Mornington and Bellarine peninsulas. Although the Mornington Peninsula is subject to the restrictions Geelong and the Bellarine Peninsula are not within the Melbourne metropolitan area. “During the next six weeks we expect that the only travellers on our service will be people that have a need to travel for one of the three permitted reasons,” Searoad Ferries’ operations general manager Wes Oswin said. “The…
THE impact of tougher COVID-19 restrictions is “having a dire impact” on Mornington Peninsula businesses”. The doomsday scenario described by the mayor Cr Sam Hearn followed the state government’s inclusion of the shire in the greater Melbourne lockdown area. Cr Hearn said the peninsula had lost up to 6000 jobs, seen a 21 per cent drop in gross regional product (compared with 6.9 per cent for Australia) and an 11 per cent fall in job prospects. Statistics released over the weekend show that Victoria and New South Wales have only one job vacancy for every 10 people registered as unemployed.…
SAFETY Beach businesses fear the establishment of a McDonald’s Restaurant or any large fast food outlet at a busy intersection will ruin their trade and litter the beach. It is believed that AA Holdings, which owns the BP service station at the Nepean Highway and Marine Drive corner, wants to redevelop and combine it with a McDonald’s outlet although, at this stage, the identity of the prospective eatery is unknown. Cr Antonella Celi, who said she was “aware of the community’s concerns”, said an application by Insight Planning Consultants to Mornington Peninsula Shire’s planning committee could be referring to any…
HISTORY buff Margaret Howden is waiting to hear back from Heritage Victoria about saving a Mornington shop front from demolition. Ms Howden said the “gorgeous” old hardwood frontage at 27 Main Street was due to be pulled down and replaced as part of a redevelopment. She said the builder was amenable to her plans to preserve the facade if she can have it removed. “I have got friends of friends finding a builder to do the removal and a truck to take it away,” she said. Ms Howden said she had contacted Cr Bev Colomb who discovered that other shop…
THOUGHTS of the COVID-19 crisis and the latest restrictions were able to be pushed aside on Thursday (9 July) when word of a whale in Mornington harbour quickly spread. Hundreds of onlookers flocked to the pier and Mothers Beach cliffs as the whale took its time moving through the shallow waters. It is thought the whale was the same one that had attracted attention (including close-up canoeists and paddle boarders) the previous day off Aspendale and Edithvale. The state’s conservation regulator program manager Paul Hutcheson said recreational boaters must stay 200 metres away from whales and jet skis 300 metres.…
WHEN the Premier Daniel Andrews announced a return to stage three restrictions last Tuesday, he also tackled the vexing question of what to do with the hundreds of thousands of students due back at school this week for the beginning of term three. The premier’s solution was to get VCE and specialist school children back, but to extend school holidays for those in prep to year 10. Peninsula Grammar, Mount Eliza, is one of a handful of Independent schools that will return to its online learning program today (Tuesday 14 July), rather than giving students an extra week of holidays.…
HORSE RACING IT’S been just over a year since her last winner, but Mornington-based trainer Rachael Frost was back with a bang on Saturday 11 July breaking through for a comfortable victory at Caulfield. The former New Zealander saddled up her highest rated runner, Travimyfriend (88 rating), in the $100,000 Handicap race and finally got all the conditions to suit her seven-year-old gelding. Having been up against the race shape and pattern at his past three starts, Travimyfriend finally drew a gate (barrier 2) and had the soft conditions to suit on Saturday. The son of Tavistock was given a…
THE Frankston Dolphins will not get the chance to play this year, after the cancellation of the 2020 VFL season was made official last week. The 2020 VFL season was scheduled to get underway on 1 August, before the latest spike in Victorian COVID-19 cases put a stop to those plans. AFL clubs had to fly out of Victoria during the week to ensure they could continue to play. Frankston FC were set to be one of seven teams that would compete in this year’s VFL competition. Dolphins players returned to training at SkyBus Stadium on 2 June with a…
THE Frankston and Mornington Peninsula junior football seasons have been cancelled. A statement released by AFL South East last week read that all of their 2020 junior football seasons would be called off. They include the Frankston and Districts Junior Football League, South East Juniors, and AFL South East Top-Age. AFL South East’s Richard Black said “whilst we are disappointed to cancel junior football this year, the health and wellbeing of the community have always been our top priority.” “COVID-19 has presented a very unique set of circumstances and we need to ensure that our participants and volunteers emerge from…
SOCCER WHILE Adam Jamieson thinks the 2020 season is all but a write-off he has an idea how Football Victoria could salvage something from the wreckage. The Mornington gaffer has called for the state body to make the most of the opportunity to align elite junior and senior competitions for 2021. “I think the season is pretty much done now,” Jamieson said. “But this is a chance for FV to address what I think is a real disconnect between what they’ve done with the NPL junior season and what the seniors are doing. “I don’t understand how juniors play 33…
AWAY in the bygone past, when the pioneering stalwarts battled grimly with Nature and misfortune to make the Mornington Peninsula a fit place for the orchardist, the pastoralist, and the agriculturist, some doughty old settlers smiled meaningly at the hardships of the pioneering life. They worked day and night, from sunrise to sunset, and late into the night. They smiled in those days of woe, simply because they were peering into the microscope of the future, and there they detected visionary glimpses of those more successful days which ultimately became realities. Much the same today, we are peering into the…
Police intercepted a Mazda 2 allegedly driving erratically on Nepean Highway about 11.40am today. The male driver failed a roadside PBT and was requested to accompany police to a nearby police station where he returned an alleged reading of 0.277. The 45-year-old Frankston man was charged with drink driving and unlicensed driving and was bailed to appear at Frankston Magistrates’ Court in February. Police are hoping to speak to a female driver in a silver/white 4WD that may have been overtaken by the Mazda prior to the incident. Anyone who witnessed the incident or with information is urged to contact…
A $1.6m upgrade for Hastings boat ramp starting this month is scheduled to be finished in October. Stage one of the works by the state government will include replacing the existing boat ramp with a longer ramp and a connecting walkway between the new boat ramp and the existing floating pontoon. Stage two will involve dredging to accommodate the extended ramp and enable access during all tides. Meanwhile, a camera showing conditions at the boat ramp is now showing at Maritime Safety Victoria’s Boating Vic trip preparation website and app. Weather information is also available at the site. A similar…
SES Sorrento crews used their “mule litter wheel” to evacuate a young mountain bike rider after he crashed at on the weekend. The 15-year-old came over a jump on the steep tracks near Red Hill and landed badly, injuring his pelvis and shoulder, early afternoon, Sunday 5 July. SES controller Mark Daw said volunteers walked a “good kilometre and a half of steep, muddy track” to rescue the biker and take him to a waiting ambulance which took him to Frankston Hospital. Mr Daw urges riders to know their capabilities and stay in groups, so help can be called for…
A NEW design for Balnarring Recreation Reserve is aimed at taking the ground to the next level. Mornington Peninsula Shire says an improved surface and updated infrastructure will provide a safe and accessible high-quality sports ground. The mayor Cr Sam Hearn says council supported the project while recognising the importance of quality sporting venues across the shire. “Sport is such a fundamental part of our culture and with the recent coronavirus lockdown, our community is more excited than ever to bring it back into our homes.” Cr David Gill said the works are giving “our local sporting teams something to…
YEARS of car stickers, protests and petitions are about to culminate with lengthy submissions against the floating gas import terminal planned at Crib Point by power company AGL. The state government has announced that the environment effects statement for the gas terminal and a 57 kilometre pipeline to Pakenham is open for public comment until 26 August. However, the process could be disrupted by Viva Energy’s announcement that it too wants to develop a gas import terminal at its Geelong refinery. A rival power supplier to AGL, Viva sees the refinery as establishing Geelong as a future “energy hub” for…