DETECTIVES are investigating four commercial burglaries on the Mornington Peninsula in which thieves raided two post offices, a hairdresser and a Reject shop over three nights. Detective Sergeant Jason Hocking, of Somerville CIU, said two men used a sledgehammer to break into Dromana Post Office and steal 15 mobile phones valued at $7000, 2.50am, Wednesday 19 February. The same offenders are believed to have stolen 34 mobile phones valued at $8000 from the Rosebud Post Office, 1.30am, Saturday 22 February. The phones at both post offices range in price from $99 to $350. Soon after the second post office raid…
Year: 2020
CHARGES of negligence against a Rye carnival proprietor were dropped in Melbourne Magistrates’ Court last week. Worksafe had charged Wittingslow Amusements with failing to ensure people were not exposed to risks to their health or safety following the death of a boy on Easter Monday 2017. The six-year-old was flung out of the Cha Ch ride when he slipped under a guard rail. He died in the Royal Children’s Hospital four days later. The ride, built in 1961, was checked by engineers in December 2016 and no defects found. The ride was closed for two days after the fatality and…
THE screws are being tightened on Mornington Peninsula Shire councillors’ off-the-record expense claims. A three-part notice of motion put by Cr David Gill last week – and passed unanimously – will ensure councillors’ reimbursement claims and requests for training, personal development, entertainment or other expenses, including payments for tickets for functions, should only be claimable from their expense allowances and not through any other council accounts. Secondly, all past claims presented by councillors not claimable under legislation or Mornington Peninsula Shire Council protocols, must now be reported to council. The third part of the motion was to remind councillors that…
POINT Nepean Men’s Shed members are busy working on extra carts for competitors in the annual Billy Kart Derby to be held in Sorrento this month. Nearby primary schools have been informed the carts would suit younger age groups. Club vice president Terry Phippen said the club had been granted a permit for the Saturday 14 March event and that preparations are “in full swing”. “We have an extra 10 simple karts under construction and we have invited a lot of community groups to participate. “We are just hoping for good weather to attract a few interesting designs from these…
A RANGE of measures are being proposed to protect endangered wildlife on the Mornington Peninsula. While the focus is on the welfare of the dwindling number of koalas on the peninsula, the state government and Parks Victoria are being asked to help establish a hospital for injured and ill wildlife. Mornington Peninsula Shire councillors will be asked next week to seek backing for a wildlife hospital at Highfield Farm, part of the Greens Bush section of the Mornington Peninsula National Park near Cape Schanck. Cr David Gill said at hospital at Highfield would be a central location for the peninsula’s…
MARTHA Cove residents upset over unfinished landscaping following the construction of houses on Helm Avenue have called on Mornington Peninsula Shire Council to clean up the mess. Their primary concerns centre on the height and slope of mounded soil at the eastern end of the street and unkempt vegetation. They say the mound can’t be properly maintained and is a fire risk, harbours snakes and is detrimental to the amenity of the neighbourhood. The residents say they are “seeking clarity” on how their concerns will be resolved. “There is uncertainty around how this landscape feature will be maintained with the…
THE state government is being urged to use the Mornington Peninsula as a testing ground for a program aimed at reducing the road to nil by 2050. The “horror year” which in 2019 saw 14 deaths on peninsula roads combined with its own Towards Zero policy has prompted the shire to volunteer the peninsula as a site for the state Safe System trial. The move came as the council ratified an “ambitious” submission by traffic and transport team leader Tom Haines-Sutherland to a parliamentary inquiry into the increase in Victoria’s road toll to 266. It also follows a reduction in…
PENINSULA A CENTURY from Jake Theobald got Heatherhill over the line in a nail biter against Pines. Chasing 253 to win on day two, Heatherhill had a tough task ahead of them. Heatherill ended up in a difficult position at 7/156 before Theobald took control. He scored 102 not out. Heatherhill ended up getting over the line with just two wickets in hand and four balls left to spare. Things were more comfortable for Somerville on Saturday, as they put Moorooduc to the sword. Somerville had already wrapped up a win on day one, and were looking for an outright…
SOCCER SEAFORD United and Chelsea were the only local clubs to survive last weekend’s round of FFA Cup matches. Chelsea defeated Laverton 5-3 on penalties after the sides were locked at 1-1 after 120 minutes. Chelsea’s goal came from last year’s club top scorer Tom Woods seconds before the end of normal time. At North Seaford Reserve on Sunday the home side triumphed 3-0 over Albert Park in a match highlighted by the sending off of Albert Park’s Kyle Maclean in the 22nd minute, a twice saved penalty in the second half by Seaford keeper Justin Holland and the appearance…
HORSE RACING GRAHAME Begg’s talented mare, Miss Siska, will be out to win her third race in succession on Saturday 7 March when she lines up in the Group 1 Australian Cup at Flemington. The younger sister of the dual Group 1 winning sprinter, Hay List, defeated several key runners of the Australian Cup two weeks ago at Caulfield when saluting in the Group 2 Peter Young Stakes on Saturday 22 February. The six-year-old daughter of So You Think, who is trained out of Jonathon Munz’s Pinecliff property in Mt Eliza, is really starting to hit her straps this preparation,…
To the Editor Sir, Your article on the above matter in your issue of 6th inst. might have been ignored as beneath notice if it had not contained statements some of which were untrue and others very unfair comment. You infer that the stoppage of the work on the Friday night referred to might have been obviated if we had taken the trouble to order coal in time. Every effort was made to obtain the coal, but it was refused by the Coal Board. A further request was made on the preceding Wednesday, and again refused, and the writer left…
DIRECT from the USA “You Got It! – a salute to Roy Orbison” Live In Concert. Wesley Orbison, Roy Orbison’s eldest son is very proud to fully endorse and present this amazing live concert experience remembering his father as we relive the sound & all the magical hits of Music Legend Roy Orbison in an International production starring The sensational Voice From Downunder John Stephan. This is the only show of its kind in the world and is officially endorsed & presented by Roy Orbison’s eldest son Wesley Orbison. Featuring spoken word from Wesley with a very personal narrative of…
Fast-acting police have saved the lives of three male fishermen after they were swept from rocks at a Rye beach today. It is believed the men were fishing on rocks near Harold Road when they were swept into the water about 12.10pm. A nearby passer-by noticed the men struggling in the water and alerted emergency services who arrived on scene shortly after. Police Airwing searched the area for a short time before locating the three men with the assistance of local Mornington police. Police managed to winch two of the men to safety before attending to the third man struggling…
Mornington Peninsula Crime Investigation Unit detectives are investigating a burglary at a church in Red Hill on 10 February. It’s believed two unknown males have attempted to jemmy open the front doors of the Arthurs Seat Road church sometime between 12.10am – 12.30am. The males eventually gained access by forcing a side door. A distinctive religious icon that holds significant value to the church was stolen along with a green wooden donation box containing money. The silver icon was made in Greece in 1974 and would cost between $5,000 to $10,000 to replace. Investigators have released images and CCTV in…
THE Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) has chided Mornington Peninsula Shire Council for going over the top in its demands that Peninsula Aero Club satisfy stringent noise and master plan conditions just to move a shed beside a runway. The authority’s ruling, handed down Monday 17 February, centred around an amendment to a PAC permit to allow the maintenance shed to be moved from the north-east to the west side of the Tyabb airfield runway. VCAT member Christina Fong said the council was making a “deliberate attempt to impose conditions … and impose restraints on the lawful conduct” of…
A “DROWN-IN” by members of Western Port Extinction Rebellion at Balnarring last Friday aimed to raise “climate crisis as a local issue and not just city centric”. Organiser Murray Lindsell Turner said the action at the village shopping centre promoted the science behind climate change and asked people about their concerns about being in a time designated as a climate emergency. “Morning Peninsula Shire Council has already declared a climate emergency and are actioning the policies required to help future residents understand the effects of climate change at unprecedented rates,” Mr Turner said. “Already discussions of an 80 centimetre sea…
CAT and dog owners must renew their pet registrations with Mornington Peninsula Shire by Friday 10 April. It costs $45 per year to register a desexed dog and cat. Discounts apply for pension card holders. The current fine for owning an unregistered dog or cat is $330. In issuing a renewal reminder, the shire says registration fees enable it to provide such services as leash-free dog areas (mornpen.vic.gov.au/leashfree); the Community Animal Shelter and Pound for lost pets and finding new homes for unclaimed cats and dogs (mornpen.vic.gov.au/lostpets); rangers to respond to dog attacks and complaints; and, a state government levy.…
IT was 11 or 12 years ago that Ron Farnill was told he could expect to live “about another two and a half years”. Not one to give up on enjoying life so easily, Farnill decided to “paint, instead of spending time cutting grass or fixing up the house”. While still painting daily, he’s also spending time choosing 100 or so paintings for his upcoming exhibition, Sky, sea, sail and other things (93 years in the making). The exhibition at Oak Hill Gallery, Mornington is also a lead-in to his 93rd birthday. “People have talked about the need for me…
AS the summer bushfires raged and roared, TV news reports and images of the devastation caused to the flora, fauna and, of course, the people, in hard-hit areas were etched into the minds and souls of everyone watching. Personal accounts about those losing their homes and even their lives in the crisis areas stirred within viewers a mixture of helplessness and, in many, a strong desire to help. Especially vulnerable were children bewildered by the experience of being swept into the drama and not knowing what’s going to happen next, some losing everything, many worried if their parents are OK,…
SAILORS from the Mornington Yacht Club have arguably had their most successful sailing season in the club’s 74-year history. They won two world championships, one national championship and placed second in another national title. The club gives credit for the successful campaigns to its training and development coaches. They worked hard to develop the young sailors’ skills before they were selected for advanced training. Three were then included in the Victorian Institute of Sport program and another six in the Victorian Pathway program. Sophie Jackson won the world RS Aero 5 Title at Black Rock Yacht Club and Rhett Gowans…
IT was a case of winning once, winning twice for Amelia Martin who claimed the Australian National Squash Title in mid-February. The result was even sweeter coming as it did against her sister-in-law Melissa Martin who she beat 11-7, 11-7, 11-7 at Carrara, on the Gold Coast. At 36, Martin is a veteran of the sport having first won the women’s title 15 years ago. “I was very surprised to win,” she said from Tonic Squash and Gym, the Dromana business she took over five years ago. “I’d been training hard and it all just came together.” Martin started playing…
GET fit and get fearless is the theme of a women’s event at a Mornington kung fu school this month. With Sunday 8 March being International Women’s Day – a celebration of women’s achievements – Peninsula Kung Fu is inviting women to attend any women’s class for free during March. Instructor Sarah Hanna said this year she wanted to help as many girls and women as possible be safe by having the ability to defend themselves. She has “runs on the board” having organised an anti-bullying seminar 18 months ago. “I will be instructing the classes and offering a safe…
THREE teenagers from Mornington, Mt Eliza and Frankston have been arrested over a range of thefts from motor vehicles and burglary-related incidents. Detectives from Frankston Crime Investigation Unit charged the men – a 19-year-old from Mornington, 18-year-old from Mount Eliza and 20 year-old from Frankston with five petrol drive-offs in various suburbs, five thefts from motor vehicles overnight 11-12 February in Mount Eliza and Frankston South, and a burglary at Karingal Hub Shopping Centre on 11 February. All were bailed to appear at Frankston Magistrates’ Court on 4 August. First published in the Southern Peninsula News – 25 February 2020
POLICE on a drive-by say they spotted cannabis plants growing in the backyard of a house in Rye last week before arresting the occupant. Senior Sergeant Steve Duffee, of Rosebud police station, said the officers acting on a tip-off “looked over the fence” of the Dundas Street property before returning with a warrant, Saturday 9 February. As well as the six cannabis plants they allegedly found stolen tradies’ tools valued at $10,000. A 64-year-old Rye man was later charged with cultivating a drug of dependence and handling stolen goods. He was bailed to appear at Frankston Magistrates’ Court in July.…
ROSEBUD police stopped a bus last week to catch a couple of suspected crooks. A 35-year-old man and woman, 32, of Tootgarook, were later charged with theft from a motor vehicle, handling stolen goods and handling the proceeds of crime. A woman who spotted the couple loitering in a business park near Rosebud Plaza later realised items, including an iPad, portable speaker, and personal id, were missing from her car. She activated her Locate-My-Device App and tracked the items to a nearby bus stop where, coincidentally, the couple she saw earlier were waiting. When the suspects boarded the bus, she…
ANTONY’S eyes said it all – they were alive, shining, animated. The cerebral palsy sufferer was thrilled at being able to get to the water’s edge at Sorrento in a wide-tyred disability chair. That something so simple could mean so much speaks volumes about the significance of the chairs and how beneficial it would be to have them readily available. However, red tape – often involving Mornington Peninsula Shire Council – is restricting the chairs’ availability because the insurance and public liability concerns. Four of the chairs sit under the Sorrento Sea Baths with baths’ owners James and Helene Gibson…
AN “external planning expert” is being hired to review all permits relating to the development of Martha Cove at Safety Beach. The audit of the $650 million housing and marina project will go back 20 years. The Martha Cove investigation will run parallel to Mornington Peninsula Shire’s review of all planning approvals involving three Mornington-based companies, engineers, planners and developers Watsons, Schutz Consulting and Wolfdene Built. Frankston and Kingston councils are also undertaking similar internal investigations in the wake of last year’s hearings by the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (IBAC) which last week led to the state government sacking of…
PENINSULA Aero Club members were in shock last week following the tragic deaths during a training flight of respected members Peter Phillips, 47, and Ido Segev, 30. The men died when their Beechcraft Travel Air collided with another plane over Mangalore airfield, 11.25am, Wednesday 19 February. Their plane had left Tyabb airfield at 10.55am and was descending over Mangalore at about 4000 feet when the other plane, a Piper Seminole with two people on board, was about three minutes into its ascent. Cloud banks may have prevented the pilots seeing each other before impact, with both planes plummeting to the…
FEEDBACK from angry neighbours will be considered in a Mornington Peninsula Shire Council review of a noisy music afternoon at The Briars. Mount Martha resident Ken Anderson was furious at being subjected to the “disgusting noise which overwhelmed a large part of Mount Martha in the Bay Road area all day” on Sunday 16 February. “I demand that [the shire] never again issue a permit for such an inappropriate event at The Briars,” he said. The event was: “The Mobile Disco – Carl Cox and Eric Powell will be digging into their record collections and playing some of their favourite…
HOODED plovers are moving into Sorrento in a big way. The small birds are usually spotted darting around near the waterline or, when nesting, protecting their exposed eggs from predators and the elements (just 2.5 per cent of the birds survive from egg to fledgling). But now there’s no excuse for not knowing what a hoodie, as they’re affectionately known, looks like. Jimmy “Dvate” Beattie has used his aerosol paints and mural skills to cover a wall at Sorrento back beach with a hooded plover and chick. Beattie is known for his work on Victoria’s silo art trail and spaces…