Year: 2020

A NEW work ute given to a Mornington Peninsula men’s charity will help it spread a positive mental health message. HALT (Hope Assistance Local Tradies) project worker Mick Simmons took the keys to the Mazda BT50 XT from Mornington Mazda general manager Michael Tidball last week. Mr Simmons says this type of community support is vital to the work he does on the peninsula and south east Melbourne suburbs. “Without this amazing support we wouldn’t get to talk to thousands of tradies at hardware stores and at building sites,” he said. Mr Tidball said: “We decided to support HALT and…

BALNARRING conservationist Belinda Eden received some “lovely news” over the weekend. “On Saturday [we had our] first report of a koala joey,” she said. “We haven’t seen one since we’ve been here so it’s really encouraging.” Ms Eden said the joey would not have been long out of its mother’s pouch and was probably about six-seven months old. “Once conceived, it is about 35 days until the birth of the joey,” she said. “The joey then makes its way unaided from the birth canal to the pouch where it stays for the next six-seven months. “If mum doesn’t reproduce, the…

A HASTINGS man has been charged with serious driving offences over a fatal crash at Somerville, Sunday 15 November. This follows the death of a 23-year-old Reservoir woman who was a passenger in a car which left Jones Road and crashed into a tree, 9.55pm. She died at the scene. The driver and another passenger were taken to hospital with injuries. Major Collision Investigation Unit detectives on Saturday charged the 25-year-old with culpable driving, dangerous driving causing death, negligently causing serious injury and dangerous driving causing serious injury. He was refused bail and was due to appear at Melbourne Magistrates’…

THE first stage the $1.6 million Hastings boat ramp upgrade has been completed despite teething problems which included the collapse of the watertight four-metre-high “coffer dam” in September. The steel wall, erected to create a dry area for workers building the ramp’s outer base, collapsed under the weight of higher-than-expect tides causing delays in completing the four-lane ramp which is potentially the busiest on Western Port (“Wall collapse leaves fishers high and dry” The News 22/9/20). Construction crews then had to work overtime to get the ramp ready to open last week – midway through the snapper season. Fishing and…

By Jake Pike THE death of a family member or friend is never easy. COVID restrictions have highlighted the pain caused when those closest are not afforded closure around the death of a loved one. But this pain and uncertainty is not an unprecedented pandemic phenomenon, it’s a feeling all too familiar for the friends and family of the women found in Tynong North and Frankston between 1980 and 1983. Despite the six-million-dollar reward and multiple investigations, the murders of Catherine Headland, Bertha Miller, Allison Rooke, Joy Summers, Narumol Stephenson and Ann-Marie Sargent have gone unsolved for forty years. While…

THE closure to traffic in Main Street, Mornington, between the Esplanade and Barkly Street, is expected to be a boon for shoppers and traders. But police warn shoppers and cafe patrons that, unless they are within the confines of a licensed venue, central Mornington is a designated no-alcohol area. This means it is illegal to consume alcohol or have an open beer can, stubby or other alcoholic drink, anywhere else within the shaded area on the map. Police and Local Laws officers can issue on-the-spot fines and issue a banning order to offenders committing the offences. The ban extends for…

ARMY veteran Alan Moore and his friends at Corowa Court, Mornington, are gearing up to celebrate his centenary on Friday 20 November. It’s an occasion to be cherished by this genial contributor who notched up a solid record of service during WWII, as a long-term Frankston Rotarian, as 2019 Victorian senior of the year as well as receiving awards for 40 years of volunteer service at the Anglicare Mount Eliza Op Shop. Born and raised in Camberwell, Mr Moore was in his final year at school when war was declared in 1939. After working at odd jobs, he enlisted and…

DESPITE the advice of experts to the contrary, Flinders MP Greg Hunt and members of the Mt Martha Beach Group Committee say an “engineering solution” can be used to stop sand erosion. Starting this week, 10,000 cubic metres of sand will be taken from Mount Martha South beach to its sand-depleted northern end. The work is being carried out by the state Department of Environment Land Water and Planning with $1.5 million provided by the federal government. However, both Mr Hunt and the Mt Martha Beach Group Committee want the money spent on providing sand and building a rock groyne…

SOUTH Mornington Pre-School will use $4219 from the state government to build a pollination garden for blue-banded bees. Education leader Natasha Beimers said the pre-school was one of 113 schools and youth organisations to receive a Victorian Junior Landcare and Biodiversity grant. Ms Beimers said blue-banded bees used to visit the pre-school “many years ago”. “One of our educators remembers the children’s fascination with the little bees, especially their striking colours and the interesting ways they would move their bodies – buzz pollination – to encourage flowers to release pollen.” Although the bees haven’t visited the pre-school for some time…

MOUNT Martha beach has become a hotspot for anti-social behaviour with 300-400 youths reportedly running amok on Melbourne Cup Eve, Monday 2 November. Detective Senior Sergeant Alex Montgomery, of Somerville CIU, said the youths lit bonfires, damaged bathing boxes and “generally caused trouble”. Three nights earlier three men, 19 and 20, were bashed with a timber paling and had their jackets stolen while sitting on the beach near Mount Martha lifesaving club. Police believe the crowds are being drawn to Mount Martha through social media. “They are posting the gatherings – or gaths – on social media and it seems…

A DISCUSSION paper released last week found that an ageing population was “more of a silver lining than a silver tsunami”. In what was described as a classic case of the “cure being worse than the disease”, the paper concluded that any federal government policy of rapid population growth to off-set ageing brings far greater problems than any brought on by ageing itself, organisers said. The paper, commissioned by Sustainable Population Australia (SPS), was written by Queensland University academic Dr Jane O’Sullivan who, for the past decade, has researched demographic pressures on food security, economic development and environmental sustainability. SPA…

CONSIDERATION of charges against a business allegedly operating as a restaurant contrary to the Mornington Peninsula planning scheme have been delayed until at least next February next. A mention hearing of the charges brought against the Green Olive at Red Hill by Mornington Peninsula Shire were deferred in Dromana Court last week. The charges relate to the alleged use of the land for a “restaurant” and development of the land contrary to the planning scheme and approved permits. The charges were filed with the court in December 2019, more than four years after a report about shire councillors being urged…

ACTING on a tip off police raided a Hastings house and allegedly found a large quantity of various drugs of dependence, steroids, and a “substantial” amount of cash. Hastings police, alongside members of the Dog Squad, including a Passive Alert Dog (PAD dog), raided the house in the early hours of Friday 13 November. A 25-year-old Hastings man was charged with 15 counts, including trafficking a drug of dependence, possessing a drug of dependence, and possessing the proceeds of crime. He was bailed to appear at Frankston Magistrates’ court on 10 August 2021. Senior Sergeant Warren Francis-Pester said the permanent…

REPORTS of family violence have escalated this year and Mornington Peninsula Shire’s new mayor says respect “is at the heart of the prevention of violence against women”. “If we are serious about ending [it], then we must address gender inequality and disrespectful attitudes,” Cr Despi O’Connor said. “Our council is committed to creating a violence-free community and we’re proud of the work we are doing to build gender equality on the peninsula.” In the 2019–20 financial year 2211 family violence incidents were reported to police on the peninsula, up 17 per cent from the previous year. The shire has for…

THE president of Peninsula Aero Club Jack Vevers has questioned the existence of a report written following a legal investigation into the operations of Tyabb airfield. Calling it “the mythical QC report”, Mr Vevers said the report – commissioned by Mornington Peninsula Shire – did not seem to have “delivered any silver bullets” for the shire in two cases heard by the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal. He said the shire had been forced to “concede” the cases “at great expense to ratepayers”. Cases heard this year included a Sunday morning ban on aircraft using the airfield to protect parishioners…

DESPI O’Connor won a seat on Mornington Peninsula Shire Council at last month’s local government elections and last week was elected mayor. The Briars Ward councillor is among eight newcomers on the 11-member council: Steve Holland and Anthony Marsh (also Briars Ward), Sarah Race (Nepean), Lisa Dixon (Cerberus), Kerri McCafferty and Debra Mar (Seawinds) and Paul Mercurio (Watson). They join re-elected councillors Hugh Fraser (Nepean), David Gill (Red Hill) and Antonella Celi (Seawinds). Cr Race was elected deputy mayor. Eight former councillors from the 2016-20 cohort: Simon Brooks, Rosie Clark, Bev Colomb, Sam Hearn, Frank Martin, Julie Morris, Bryan Payne…

ANTHONY Marsh this week seemed destined to make an early impression as a councillor by proposing that Mornington Peninsula Shire drop the prayer that has preceded meetings since the start of local government on the peninsula. Scrapping the prayer is not new to local government, with Mount Alexander Shire Council dispensing with it in 2013 and Kerang in 2016, but Cr Marsh’s decision to introduce the subject as urgent business at Monday’s council meeting was likely to be challenged. A prayer has been part of council meetings since local government was established on the peninsula with the formation of the…

CRICKET PENINSULA LONG Island got the better of Seaford Tigers in a competitive clash at Belvedere Reserve on Sunday. Choosing to bat first, Long Island got off to a good start. Despite star batsman Nick Jewell being dismissed for a relatively low score, they managed to put 179 runs on the board. Zachery Wilson top scored with 42. The Tigers showed plenty of fight at the crease, and at 2/91 were in a good position to go on to get the win. Their first drop batsman Ashley Mills hit eight boundaries on his way to a big score of 69.…

SOCCER FOOTBALL Victoria faces a backlash from clubs over the calculation of player registration fees. The state government has been drawn into the controversy as Minister for Community Sport Ros Spence has been made aware of what is fast looming as a major confrontation between clubs and the sport’s governing body. FV’s player registration process involves the participation of both players and clubs. The first step is for a player to register to play with a club on the online Play Football site but the status of that registration is pending until the club logs on to that site and…

HORSE RACING THE New Zealander’s Brett Scott and Michael Walker have combined to take out the $500,000 Listed Ballarat Cup with the inform stayer Irish Flame on Saturday 21 November. Notching up a hattrick of wins in his first prep with Mornington-based trainer Brett Scott, Irish Flame was forced to sit wide for the entirety of the 2000m trip but still proved too tough for his rivals to land a narrow neck victory over the Dan O’Sullivan-trained and race favourite, Affair To Remember. Irish Flame, who had won races at Flemington and Moonee Valley at his past two starts with…

THE Vacuum Oil Co. Pty Ltd held their first annual picnic at Mornington on Saturday last. The weather was somewhat tropical, but the thousand employees who attended enjoyed themselves thoroughly. In the Ladies’ Nomination Race, 120 yards, Mr J. B. Jolly, of Frankston, and his nephew, Mr Frank Heagney, were starters, and the uncle threatened to “eat his hat”, if he didn’t beat the nephew. J.B. – once a fast sprinter – collapsed and Mr Heagney won. “Jim was too sick to eat his dinner, let alone his hat,” said one, when questioned as to whether Mr Jolly kept his…

GRADE 6 student leaders from three Hastings primary schools met online recently to share their concerns about the upcoming transition to secondary school without any of the usual rites of passage because of the coronavirus. The forum, part of the Family Life: Map Your World Program, discussed their hopes and fears and also came up with some solutions. The students decided that artwork, and a large digital forum, would create a sense of occasion and celebrate their transition to senior school. The idea was developed and then carried to fruition by adults in a corresponding Family Life program: Creating Capable…

PENINSULA AFTER a long off-season of uncertainty, MPCA cricket finally got underway last weekend. The season will look different, consisting entirely of one-day games, but that didn’t dampen the enthusiasm of local cricketers who returned to the pitch on Saturday. In the first week of Peninsula cricket’s return, Long Island took on Heatherhill. Heatherhill chose to bat first and put 132 runs on the board, giving Long Island an attainable target to chase down. Long Island had little trouble reaching the target and claiming the win. Nick Jewell top scored for the side, scoring 45 runs. Long Island ended up…

SOCCER MORNINGTON has clinched the signature of NPL scoring legend Milos Lujic. The 30-year-old has dominated Golden Boot honours at club and league levels throughout the decade and next year he’ll be wearing Seagulls’ colours as the Dallas Brooks outfit builds towards an assault on the State 1 South-East championship. Lujic has a massive profile in Victorian soccer. Starting with Northcote in 2013 he won his first NPL Golden Boot award then for the next three seasons after his switch to South Melbourne he made that award his own. He has won NPL championships, an NPL premiership, a Dockerty Cup…

HORSE RACING JEROME Hunter’s talented sprinter Our Luca has broken his two-year winless drought with a commanding victory at The Valley on Friday 13 November. The Graebar Park-owned gelding had been winless since he clocked up three straight victories at The Valley at the end of 2018, but finally returned to somewhere near his best in the 1200m contest under the hands of Mornington-based apprentice jockey Campbell Rawiller. Bringing up a winning double on the night for Rawiller, Our Luca ran his rivals off their legs by setting up a strong tempo up front before gaining a winning break turning…

THE Country Roads Board’s 13 ton steam roller crashed through Quinn’s Bridge (over the Balcombe Creek) last week, but the driver, Mr J. Burton, miraculously escaped injury, beyond scratches and a mud-bath. He was on his way, along the Tyabb Road, from Moorooduc to Mornington, and had got right on to the centre of the bridge – a wooden structure – when it collapsed. Driver Barton’s presence of mind in promptly shutting off the steam probably saved his life. Mr A. E. Callaway, of the Roads Board, inspected the bridge, and says that the mechanical parts of the engine will…

BOAT owners upset at being shut out of Fisherman’s jetty in Mornington harbour met as a group on Sunday (15 November) to discuss their future mooring arrangements. The boaters – members of the Mornington Harbour Association and Mornington Jetty Group – were dumbfounded when told by Parks earlier this month they had only days to move their boats “for safety reasons” despite paying $1000-$1500 annual mooring fees. The Mornington Harbour Association’s Facebook page said Parks Victoria was being “most unreasonable” and described the eviction notice which came into effect on Wednesday 4 November as a “bombshell”. Association representative Robbie Warden…

ANTIQUES and collectibles have been a feature of Susanna Sandler-Mead’s life for so long that it took a while for her to remember when they first took her fancy. The recollection of buying a Shelley vase at a church fete at Kew as an eight-year-old takes her back to the wellspring of her career. “It was yellow and black – my first piece of china and I still remember it well,” Sandler-Mead says. “I was from an artistic family and was always interested in art and antiques and was intrigued by the beauty of artistic things. “I have been collecting…

PENINSULA Aero Club has asked Mornington Peninsula Shire’s 11 councillors to help find a “circuit-breaker” to resolve its ongoing dispute with the shire over operations at Tyabb Airfield. The Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal is scheduled to begin a hearing in April, but the PAC’s president Jack Vevers has invited the just-elected councillors to a meeting at the airfield on Sunday (22 November). Mr Vevers issued a statement last week saying the shire has no evidence to support its claims “and is destined for another loss in VCAT [and] another waste of ratepayers’ money”. Cr Paul Mercurio has urged his…

ONE of the many empty offices and shops along Main Street, Mornington was previously occupied by Watsons, the self-proclaimed “leaders in the land development industry since 1946”. But Watsons is no more, instead of COVID-19, the company can be seen as a victim of a long running IBAC investigation into alleged land development scandals in the City of Casey. Central to the subsequent hearings surrounding Operation Sandon has been Watsons owner John Woodman, who has now sold the business to Marshal Melbourne Pty Ltd, owned by his son Heath Woodman, a former director of Watsons. Developments on the Mornington Peninsula,…