POLICE arrested two men after more than $15,000 worth of stolen tools were allegedly located inside a stolen vehicle in Hastings last week. Hastings general duties officers spotted the allegedly stolen Jeep Grand Cherokee travelling along Hodgins Road about 2.30am on Wednesday 16 September. With assistance from the Air Wing, officers followed the vehicle, which was towing an allegedly stolen trailer, through the Hastings area before being dumped under a carport on Spring Street. Two men aged 22 and 40 were arrested nearby. It is alleged approximately $15,000 worth of tools, stolen in Cheltenham earlier, were located in the vehicle.…
Author: mpnews
MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire is repairing significant turf damage at six of its sports ovals. Ovals at R J Rowley Reserve in Rye, Olympic Park Reserve in Rosebud, David MacFarlane Reserve in Sorrento and Emil Madsen in Mount Eliza were damaged after a contractor accidently applied the incorrect herbicide to the turf earlier this year. These ovals will receive major turf remediation works to restore them to competition standard and ensure their long-term sustainability. Two further ovals, Boneo and Olympic Park Oval 2 are also impacted due to increased use as clubs relocated fixtures away from the damaged grounds. Works at…
Compiled by Cameron McCullough At the Frankston Progress Association meeting on Monday night, Commander Creswell referred to the question of providing a harbor for yachts and larger vessels at Frankston. It seemed to him that the association ought to take an active interest in this matter, as there was no safe harbor on the eastern shore of the bay. He understood that a big scheme for building a breakwater at Davey’s Bay had been proposed by the authorities, but had been opposed by Frankston and Mornington. The President (Mr. Bell): I heard nothing of it. Commander Creswell said he was…
COUNCILS across the south-east of Victoria have issued a renewed call for more government intervention to reduce homelessness. Representatives from advocacy group Greater South East Melbourne, the Community Housing Industry Association Victoria, and Launch Housing gathered last week to call for more support to tackle a shortage of social and affordable housing. GSEM Chair Simon McKeon said “councils across Melbourne’s south east are seeing the impacts of the housing and homelessness crisis firsthand.” “Across our region, councils and communities are grappling with a real and visible increase in homelessness and rough sleeping,” he said. “Local services are under pressure and…
MORNINTON Peninsula’s emerging and established writers have been recognised at the sixth annual Mayor’s Short Story Writing Awards, with a record-breaking 305 entries showcasing the depth of local literary talent. The awards ceremony was held at Flinders Civic Hall on 16 September and hosted by comedian, writer and performer Sammy J. The Mayor’s Short Story Writing Awards continue to nurture creativity, encourage storytelling and celebrate the diverse voices of emerging writers across the Mornington Peninsula. This year’s record number of entries highlights the growing strength of the region’s literary community. Mayor Stephen Batty congratulated all entrants, shortlisted writers and winners.…
CFA is reminding Victorians to take extra care when charging lithium-ion battery-powered devices and equipment this spring, following a significant shed fire in Somerville. The fire is believed to have started from the battery of a robotic lawn mower that was charging inside the shed. With Victorians becoming more active outdoors, in the garden and around the home as the weather warms up, extra care should be taken as mowers, power tools and other lithium-ion battery-powered equipment are used and charged more frequently. Crews from Somerville, Tyabb, Somers and Baxter fire brigades responded to the incident on Friday 11 September.…
Where do you think you came from? I was interested to read the letter by Dr Sarah Russell (“Go back to where you came from”, Letters, 1/9/26). It was great to see her calling out the issue of anti-migrant sentiment. It flabbergasts me that in a country like Australia that people express anti-migrant sentiment. Unless you are of Aboriginal origin, where do you think you came from? Your forebears were migrants to Australia. We came from European countries, mainly England, Scotland and Ireland, in the early days and brought our culture and religion. We did not adopt Aboriginal culture, religion…
NATIONAL Works on Paper 2026 has opened at Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery (MPRG), with Adam Lee awarded the exhibition’s prestigious $20,000 acquisitive prize for his work You are the wind, I am the song. For more than 50 years, National Works on Paper has celebrated artistic excellence and innovation, championing the limitless creative possibilities of paper. Widely regarded as one of Australia’s leading art awards and exhibitions, the biennial program continues to showcase the depth and diversity of contemporary practice from established and emerging artists nationwide. The 2026 exhibition features 68 finalists selected from a record 935 submissions, presenting works…
MT MARTHA-based company 85 Per Cent Pty Ltd, trading as Mount Martha Gourmet Burgers, has been fined $8000 after pleading guilty to employing children without a child employment licence. Workforce Inspectorate Victoria (WIV) charged the business after it employed three children under the age of 15 to perform customer service, cleaning, food packing and serving duties over a period of seven months. Factoring 85 Per Cent’s early plea of guilty and prior good character the Magistrates’ Court of Victoria issued the business an $8,000 fine. While the Magistrate accepted the employer was unaware of the child employment requirements, they noted…
THREE Mornington Peninsula businesses have gone head-to-head with the best producers in the country and come out on top, taking home national and state awards that put the region firmly on Australia’s food and wine map. Southern Seagreens was recently named Sustainability Trailblazer at the 2026 Melbourne Food and Wine Legends Awards, recognising its work developing Australia’s emerging commercial kelp farming industry. Its Dromana nursery is where the business cultivates young native giant kelp before transferring it to its offshore farm in the Flinders Aquaculture Fisheries Reserve. Southern Seagreens also harvests wild wakame and transforms it into a range of…
NEARLY 40 Rye Primary School Year 4 students recently rolled up their sleeves for a planting session with the Friends of Rye Foreshore. The Friends Coordinator, Mechelle Cheers and shire NatureLinks contractor, Sue Wade, were thrilled with having so many extra pairs of hands to help with a mass planting of indigenous hairy spinifex along the western end of the town beach. This hardy and quite beautiful indigenous grass helps retain the beach structure by stabilising sand movement. Teacher, Sandra Emile said students were enthusiastic with having the opportunity to make a difference while learning why the spinifex is better…
MT Martha Fire Brigade have endorsed the use of interconnected smoke alarm systems after Mt Martha residents were alerted to a fire in their upstairs kitchen, while they were downstairs. Only minutes after returning home, family members were alerted to a fire caused by an unattended pot left on their stove in their upstairs kitchen, triggering the interconnected smoke alarms throughout their house. The homeowner was able to investigate swiftly, discovered kitchen appliances were on fire, and promptly called triple zero (000). Mt Martha Fire Brigade, along with supporting crews, quickly brought the fire under control and prevented it from…
Compiled by Cameron McCullough AT the Mornington Court of Petty Session on Friday last, George Walter Griffith, aged 22 years, appeared on nine charges of housebreaking. The Bench comprised Dr. J. E. Somers and Messrs. J. G. Barrett, Geo. Flood and P. McArthur, J.’sP. The court was crowded with people anxious to obtain a view of the alleged housebreaker, also to hear the evidence. Griffith was escorted to the court at about 11.10am. Detective Lambell conducted the case for the Crown. The first witness called was Mr. Harper-Brown, of Murrumbeena. He stated that he owned a week-end house in Beach…
OPINION By Sarah Russell MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire Council needs to come clean about its roadside spraying policy – who is applying the chemicals, what instructions does council give the contractors and which herbicides are they using? There seems to be a pattern of concerning behaviour regarding dangerous chemicals, with ratepayers having just found out that we had to foot the bill when contractors applied the wrong chemicals to football ovals (“Huge bill after ovals’ turf accidentally poisoned”, The News, 8/9/26). In addition to ill-advised herbicide use, what responsibility does the council take when contractors behave aggressively towards a resident who…
Potholes not the only priority I have just travelled 4000kms across Victoria, SA and NSW. Yes, the Mornington Peninsula has dangerous potholes, although many have now been repaired, thanks to the council allocation of $17m for road repair and the millions allocated through the National Roads to Recovery program. Many people say Victoria’s roads are in a worse condition than SA and NSW. In SA I found the condition of the roads varied across different local government areas. Even parts of the Princes Highway had potholes and many of the minor roads were in need of repair. I travelled back…
By Harrison Borthwick THE Victorian government have announced a further $24.8m to help strengthen Victoria’s response to rough sleeping crisis. The Mornington Peninsula is one of the areas most targeted in the push to help reduce homelessness and more specifically rough sleeping. As of August 2026, there are 157 active homeless cases on the Mornington Peninsula, 107 of which are rough sleeping. The August 2026 numbers are a significant increase on twelve-months ago, when there were 105 cases of active homelessness. The government is hoping this latest investment will help fund new measures to respond to rough sleeping and get…
MONTY Python’s SPAMALOT will open at the historic Athenaeum Theatre this September. The Melbourne season will see this incredibly diverse and talented cast take to the stage, led by Australian screen and television icon Stephen Curry, who will make his musical theatre debut, stepping into the regal shoes of King Arthur. Sharing the spotlight with Stephen will be powerhouse vocalist Jaz Flowers, who makes her highly anticipated return to the stage after a decade, as the enchanting Lady of the Lake for the Melbourne season. Seasoned performer and Perth standout, Jamie Rolton will reprise the hilarious role of Patsy opposite…
by Andrea Louise Thomas Hastings microbiologist Robert Mitchell discovered something beautiful and unexpected during his COVID lockdown rambles in nearby nature reserves. It changed the future for local native terrestrial orchids. “I was just a curious person looking for things to photograph during lockdown and found these orchids. I discovered six new species,” he says. Tuber forming terrestrial orchids grow in cooler climates such as Victoria. They are not to be confused with epiphyte orchids which grow in trees and rocks in warm humid climate in places like Queensland. Because terrestrial orchids are fragile and hard to spot, Rob urges people…
Compiled by Cameron McCullough THE foundation stone of Frankston’s £18,000 High school was laid this afternoon in the presence of a large gathering, including Sir Alexander Peacock (Minister of Education), Hon. A. Downward (Minister of Lands), officers of the Education Department, the Shire president (Cr. W. Hutchinson), and. councillors of the Shire of Frankston and Hastings. The ceremony of laying the stone was performed by Hon. A. Downward, after which an adjournment was made to the Masonic Hall, where the visitors were entertained by members of the High School Welfare League. Dr. C. Maxwell, president of the High School Council,…
By Harrison Borthwick NEPEAN MP Anthony Marsh has written to the Premier of Victoria, Ben Carroll, offering the pothole tracker he built, roadtoruin.com.au, after the government announced it would be using taxpayer funds to build its own pothole tracker. Carroll announced last week there will been a new taxpayer funded website to report and track potholes across the state duplicating, according to Marsh, the website that is already available to use. Originally only rolled out for motorists in the Nepean electorate and then the Mornington electorate, Marsh has now rolled out the website statewide. Marsh admits his new site is…
Green wedge protected The news that the green wedge of land between Mornington and Mt Martha is to be protected is indeed heartening (“Bipartisan commitment to protect green wedge” The News, 1/9/26). As Melbourne expands at a furious rate such green spaces are important to have to avoid the effects of a concrete jungle and the damaging effects on our local climate and provide a healthy environment for the people of the peninsula. That said though I have a nagging doubts when both sides of politics are in furious agreement, it all sounds just a bit too cosy. It will…
MORNINGTON Baseball Club clinched only their second A1 premiership on Saturday (6 September) in the Dandenong Baseball grand final. In 1975, 51 years ago, Mornington’s A1 team played their first year of baseball together as a team and took home the flag. In 1975 a 34 year old Allan Grierson played in that winning game. Today, his son, Todd Grierson (35) played in his first A1’s grand final. The first duo of father son, pictured above, for the club to bring home the A1’s flag. Picture: Supplied
By Harrison Borthwick THE South Mornington Junior Football Club under14 girls’ team have achieved premiership success in their inaugural season. On Sunday 30 August the South Mornington Tigers defeated Rosebud 23 to 11 at Crib Point to round out what had been a remarkable season. As footy season was on the horizon it seemed unlikely that the club would even be able to field an under14 girls’ team but after a few “Come and Try” nights they were able to recruit enough new players for the 2026 season. What makes their success even more extraordinary was that sixteen of their…
A SOMERVILLE man was one of five men arrested last month as part of a police operation targeting criminal behaviour in the construction industry. On 24 August Taskforce “Hawk” investigators raided houses in Somerville, Chirnside Park, Westbury, Gisborne, and Powelltown. They arrested five people, including a 37-year-old Somerville man. In a statement, Victoria Police said that “Operation Hawk was established in July 2024 to specifically target criminal behaviour linked to the construction industry and transitioned to Taskforce Hawk in June 2025. This was in response to a number of fresh allegations of serious and violent criminal behaviour.” “Taskforce Hawk is…
ONE of Shakespeare’s most gripping tragedies is set to captivate audiences at Frankston Arts Centre when Bell Shakespeare’s acclaimed production of Macbeth arrives for a one-night performance on Tuesday 27 October. Directed by Peter Evans and starring Anthony Taufa in the title role, this contemporary staging of Shakespeare’s timeless thriller explores the dangerous consequences of unchecked ambition and the devastating cost of the pursuit of power. The story follows Scottish general Macbeth, whose fate appears to change forever after a chance encounter with three mysterious Weird Sisters who predict he will one day become king. Consumed by the prophecy and…
Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding three e-dirt bike riders in the local area of Safey Beach. On Saturday 29 August at approximately 3:45pm, the three unknown riders were sighted by local police on Dromana Parade, Safety beach. Lights and sirens were activated in an attempt to intercept, however, the riders failed to stop on police orders and split up into different directions, before entering onto a pedestrian walkway leading to Seaspray Close. In recent months, Rosebud Police have received multiple complaints from residents, although have been so far unable to ascertain the identity of the riders involved. Investigators have…
BALCOMBE Men’s Probus Club members gathered at Mornington Golf Club in July for the group’s annual sportsman breakfast. The event was organised by Bruce Badenhop and featured John Sanders, ice climber and mountaineer, as a guest speaker. Club President Ross Rufford Sharpe said the event was a success, with the golf club providing the venue and breakfast before Sanders spoke about his experiences mountaineering and ice climbing. Sharpe said Sanders, an American who is currently living in Australia with his wife, provided an unusual perspective on sport and adventure. “It was a special annual event to accompany a broad range…
By Barry Irving MEMBERS of the Rye Historical Society attended Rye Cemetery for the unveiling of a bronze plaque they had donated to acknowledge and honour the final resting place of the “lost souls”. For years it was believed that there were unmarked and unrecorded graves located in the far north-west corner of the cemetery. The persons interred there are known as the “lost souls”. It is believed bodies from shipwrecks, drownings and others non-identified bodies were buried in this area, although were not marked. The government of the day would offer a five pound payment to anyone finding a…
OBITUARYCharles Edward Jacobsen26 May 1937 – 14 August 2026 CHARLES Edward Jacobsen, known to most simply as Chas, was a pioneer, a builder, an adventurer, a visionary and a family man. He was born on 26 May 1937 to single mother Frances Theresa (Tess) Reidy. The oldest of two boys, Chas and his brother Ronnie enjoyed a humble childhood in East St Kilda, before moving to South Caulfield where they both attended Caulfield South State School. From an early age, Chas was fascinated by making things, spending hours inquisitively watching his grandfather tinker in the back shed, working with timber.…
Compiled by Cameron McCullough THE neat little home of Mr. and Mrs. W. E. Williams, of Langwarrin, was completely destroyed by fire last Monday. Many valuable tools were destroyed and Mrs. Williams’ artistic treasures and much valuable needlework, the work of a life-time, were consumed in the flames. We hear the house alone was insured. Much regret was expressed for Mr. and Mrs. Williams, who are very thrifty and industrious. Being without a home, Mr. L. Griffiths generously allowed them the use of his orchard cottage. *** “Ranelagh” Club Dance A charming and most friendly dance was held at the…