THE Rotary Club of Mt Martha is bringing back its beloved Christmas fruit cakes and puddings, just in time for the holiday season. Locals who have enjoyed these treats in previous years know just how delicious they are. This festive project is organised by Rotary Darwin South, part of District 9560 in the Northern Territory, with all profits donated to The Rotary Foundation. Rotary Mount Martha will receive a small portion from each cake sold, which will go directly into the club’s account to help fund local projects. The cakes are available in a reusable tin for $22 or in…
Author: Brendan Rees
HASTINGS State Emergency Service (SES) joined the Mornington Tourist Railway on 17 November for a large-scale emergency training exercise. The drill took place on Bungower Rd and involved a simulated emergency stop with 30 volunteers acting as passengers with varied injuries. About 30 SES members from the Hastings unit attended, along with four members from Cranbourne SES who brought their mass casualty tent. Four additional SES members from the state region were also present. Hastings SES section leader Hobley Silvana said the drill simulated an abrupt train stop during a busy tourist period using the historic carriages which date back…
ACCESS to Blairgowrie beach has been restored with the Sevilles carpark staircase rebuilt and reopened ahead of summer. The upgrade, announced by Environment Minister Steve Dimopoulos, follows the completion of works led by the Whitecliffs to Camerons Bight Foreshore Reserve Committee of Management. The renewal was supported by $50,000 from the state government’s coastal public access and risk grants program. The previous staircase was closed earlier in the year due to safety concerns. The rebuilt structure, off Point Nepean Rd and opposite The Loop, now created a more reliable link to the beach, restoring an important access point for the…
ROSEBUD Hospital will soon receive a new tilt table, thanks to a generous donation from the McCrae Lions Club. Valued at over $8000, the tilt table is a specialised examination table that gradually moves patients from a horizontal to an almost standing position, safely secured with straps. The equipment is primarily used to diagnose causes of fainting or light-headedness by monitoring changes in blood pressure and heart rate as patients are raised to a standing position. Lions Club president Salvatore Giambruno said the donation reflected the club’s ongoing commitment to supporting local community health initiatives. “Rosebud Hospital is a key…
SOMERS residents are pushing for a 30kph speed limit on the town’s unsealed roads, citing a lack of kerbs, footpaths, or road markings as a serious safety hazard for pedestrians. The Somers Residents Association (SRA) lodged a formal submission with the Mornington Peninsula Shire last month calling for the change across all 17 unsealed roads in the community including main roads like Alexandra Ave and Stanmore Ave. “Given the total absence of kerbs, footpaths, separated and protected bike lanes and road lines, the speed limit on unsealed roads in Somers should be managed to minimise the risk of fatal and…
MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire is imploring the state government to halt its fast-tracked planning reforms, warning the proposed changes could shut communities out of critical decisions about development in their own neighbourhoods. The planning amendment, the Better Decisions Made Faster Bill 2025, was introduced to parliament on 28 October and is now being debated with the aim of updating the Planning and Environment Act 1987. According to the state government, this would create a “modern, fit-for-purpose planning system for Victoria” that would also accelerate housing delivery. Councils across the state including the shire argue they were not consulted on reforms that…
MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire councillors have voted to advance an interim erosion management overlay, a planning control aimed at managing development on land most prone to landslides. The decision was made during the shire’s unscheduled public meeting on 17 November following an urgent directive from state Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny to prepare an amendment to the Mornington Peninsula planning scheme that would form the new control. The measure was a key recommendation of the board of inquiry into the McCrae landslide in January that saw a house slide down the escarpment, which was found later to have been caused by a…
MORNINGTON’S Paris Lightfoot has completed an extraordinary 24-hour endurance challenge at Dallas Brooks Reserve, running, rowing and skiing the equivalent of 180km to raise awareness for men’s mental health. The 28-year-old Movember Ambassador took on what she called the “Mo-Athlon” on Saturday 8 November, involving 60km of running, 60km on the rowing machine and 60km on the Ski Erg trainer, in memory of her father, who she sadly lost to suicide three years ago. “The challenge was 24-hours with the 60km challenges recognising the 60 men across the globe we lose to suicide every hour,” Paris said. The event formed…
THE Martha Cove Community Garden has unveiled a brand-new greenhouse, marking an exciting milestone for the thriving group. The official opening on 7 November was attended by Gary Andersen from Somerville-based greenhouse supplier Winter Gardenz, Mornington Peninsula Shire councillor Patrick Binyon, along with Martha Cove Community Garden president Ron Morgan and committee members David U’ren and Jen Pope. Located on Pickings Rd, Safety Beach, the community garden was established seven years ago and now boasts 140 members – half of whom are social members. The garden has been developed over the years with many donating equipment to carry out work…
OBITUARYDr Douglas Johnson26 July 1938 – 5 November 2025 DOUG Johnson was born on 26 July, 1938, to Gavin and Maude. He grew up in Albert Park with his brother Wal and sister Clare. The family later moved to Middle Park where Doug kept a boat in the garage and would wheel it across Beaconsfield Parade to the beach. Over the years he graduated from a Mirror Dinghy to a Gwen 12, a Laser, and finally a windsurfer — always happy when he was active. Doug attended Scotch College from Year 7 to 12, following in his father’s and grandfather’s…
A NEW reef restoration project off Mornington that is creating vital habitat for fish and marine life in Port Phillip Bay has received a $98,000 grant. Fish habitat charity OzFish Unlimited was announced as a recipient of the funding last week as part of the latest round of the state government’s Fish Habitat Improvement Fund, which has delivered $670,000 across four projects statewide. “These grants will deliver more fish habitat, which means more shelter and food for iconic recreational species like Murray cod and snapper,” Victorian Fisheries Authority CEO Travis Dowling said. The Mornington project, located about 300 metres into…
MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire has received two community petitions calling for road safety and traffic management changes in Mount Martha and Mornington. A petition signed by 25 residents has called for the installation of traffic calming treatments, such as speed humps, along Spray St and Foam St in Mornington. Following an initial study into the request, the shire found on average that 85 per cent of vehicles in both streets travelled below the 50kph speed limit, and there was no recorded crash history on either street. Based on this data, council advised that traffic calming work was not “currently warranted or…
MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire councillors have backed a formal submission on the environmental assessment for the proposed Port of Hastings renewable energy terminal, urging stronger safeguards for Western Port. The Victorian Renewable Energy Terminal (VRET), proposed by the Port of Hastings Corporation, a state government-owned entity, would act as a dedicated assembly port in Western Port to support the construction of Victoria’s first offshore wind farms along the Victorian coast. The project proposes a landside development and new land reclamation of about 16.5 hectares in area. A draft Environment Effects Statement (EES) on scoping requirements was released for community comment late…
MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire councillors have voted to bring back joint planning meetings after they were scrapped without notice early in the current council term. The decision was made following advocacy from Cr David Gill who put up a notice of motion calling for the return of the regular joint statutory and strategic ward planning meetings that previously kept councillors informed about planning issues and permit applications in their wards. These meetings, once held online every four to six weeks, were quietly discontinued at the start of the current council term following the October 2024 elections. Since then, councillors have received…
A TYABB-based puppetry duo is bringing creativity and humour into classrooms, helping children tackle life’s toughest challenges. Chris Elkington and Rob Irvin, founders of The Melbourne Puppet Kerfuffle, have performed for thousands of students across the state, using puppet shows to address bullying, resilience, cyber safety, and emotional well-being. Founded in November 2021, the pair first met when Elkington ran a primary school puppet workshop in Langwarrin South. A subsequent visit to a puppet festival in Williamstown inspired them to make family-friendly puppetry more accessible by taking it into schools and kindergartens. “Our first and most popular show, The Prank…
THE artist collective Peninsula Studio Trail Inc. (PST) is opening its members’ working studios for two weekends, inviting the community to see art being made and to meet the people behind the work. Visitors will be welcome to explore artists’ private working spaces across the Mornington Peninsula, talk to the creators about their process, and view or purchase unique works straight from the studio. The free event will be held on Saturday 15 and Sunday 16 November, as well as Saturday 22 and Sunday 23 November. Jackie Quail, who was the winner of the People’s Prize at PST’s recent annual…
A SORRENTO couple have expressed concern after incomplete fire-prevention works left their roadside vegetation a “dead and dying mess,” raising fears it may increase fire risk. Residents Helen and Bruce, who asked not to use their surname, said contractors engaged by Mornington Peninsula Shire removed some dead ti-trees and undergrowth along Hughes Rd but left large amounts of vegetation behind. The leftover debris, they said, located between their front fence and the road, was both a fire hazard and an “ugly eyesore”. Despite repeated calls and emails, the couple said the shire appeared to have no plans to return to…
A BUZZ of creativity filled the Studio Hall at the Mornington Theatre last Friday (7 November) as students from ten local schools took part in the Mornington Lions Club’s annual Lego Technical Building Competition. One of the Mornington Lions Club’s signature projects, the event encourages non-physical and creative challenges for children, giving grade four and five students the chance to think like engineers. Teams of up to eight students were tasked with constructing a Lego model that was unique and could perform some form of active work yet remain static, using only the special Lego Technic kit provided by the…
MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire has gone three years without a planning policy which was only made available to the public just hours before councillors endorsed it, sparking transparency concerns. The long-awaited planning matters policy, which is designed to provide a clear framework for “consistent, lawful, efficient, transparent and best practice approach” to decision making in both statutory and strategic planning matters, was endorsed by councillors in an 8-3 vote at their 5 November meeting. It will now replace the now discontinued planning services committee and its terms of reference. But councillors opposing it called for greater transparency, saying it wasn’t acceptable…
MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire deputy mayor Cr Paul Pingiaro has reaffirmed the council will not exceed the state’s three per cent rate cap or future rate caps, after cutting its ten-year projected deficit from $296m to $3m. The deficit cut was announced in the shire’s Financial Plan 2025-26 to 2035-36, adopted on 30 October, which also forecast a $67.2m cash balance by 2035, up from $3m projected last December. The dramatic turnaround has prompted questions from residents about how the deficit was achieved, what financial measures were used, whether rate rises would be applied, and if the changes could affect core…
A MT Martha artist and retired surgeon has unveiled his latest creative work, A World of Dogs in Watercolour, a beautifully illustrated book celebrating dogs and the joy they bring. The book features over 140 breeds, each brought to life through David Freedman’s intricate watercolour paintings. From well-known family pets and less familiar breeds, the collection captures the personality, expression and charm of each dog. “It is one of the joys of life to experience the giving and receiving of a dogs love,” Freedman said. “They provide both loyal companionships as well a sense of purpose in caring for them.…
DROMANA Secondary College students have turned creativity into conservation through a Wild At Art competition, run by the Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) Community Group Mornington. Traditionally aimed at primary students, the secondary-level version of the nationwide contest invited entries for the ACF 2026 calendar while encouraging awareness of local biodiversity and threatened species. The Mornington Peninsula is one of Victoria’s most ecologically diverse regions, home to more than 60 ecological vegetation classes and nearly 700 indigenous plant species – about one-fifth of the state’s total. Students have been learning how native planting supports local wildlife and protects delicate ecosystems. With…
MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire will review whether a long-missing pedestrian link in Rosebud can be formally built as calls grow from residents. Locals have gone so far as to create their own path within the missing link along Old Cape Schanck Rd between Jetty Rd and Cleek Cres by regularly mowing the grass and cutting back vegetation. Councillor Max Patton raised the issue at the council’s 14 October meeting, putting forward a motion calling for the council to investigate options for completing the missing pedestrian path. The proposed pathway falls outside the township’s urban growth boundary and therefore sits beyond the…
A COMMUNITY group is calling on the state government to commission an independent review of the landslide risks associated with a proposed $25m luge and tourism development at Arthurs Seat. Save Our Seat has urged Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny to order a peer review of the developer’s landslide risk assessment, arguing it would be “reckless” to proceed without independent scrutiny considering the findings from the McCrae landslide board of inquiry. The proposed development by Arthurs Seat Eagle (ASE), which is currently being fast-tracked under the state’s development facilitation program, includes a rollercoaster-style luge running beneath the existing gondola on the…
MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire has pulled off a dramatic financial turnaround, cutting its projected ten-year deficit from $296m to just $3m in less than a year. The change follows councillors’ adoption of the shire’s ten-year Financial Plan 2025-26 to 2035-36 at their public meeting on 30 October. The plan now forecasts a $67.2m cash balance by 2035 – a significant shift from the $3m cash deficit projected last December. The new plan includes financial levers to guide council decisions on long-term sustainability, which will also be “considered in detail” through the annual budget process. Key findings reveal that from the fifth…
RYE Bowls Club has marked Seniors Week with a day of celebration, camaraderie, and recognition on 23 October.The club welcomed eight new novice bowlers currently participating in a six-week program conducted in partnership with Rye Neighbourhood House. The session reached the halfway point of the successful six-week initiative, designed to introduce more locals to the sport of bowls.The event also served as an opportunity to honour the club’s esteemed octogenarian members. Twelve senior players took to the greens for a spirited interclub match consisting of eight ends, showcasing that age is no barrier when it comes to enjoying competitive sport.Mornington…
MORNINGTON cyclist Greg Dalton is proving that passion and pedal power can help change lives, as he throws his support behind the Great Cycle Challenge – a nationwide fundraiser helping fight childhood cancer.The Great Cycle Challenges sees riders hopping on their bike throughout October and raising funds for the life-saving cancer research being done in the labs at Children’s Medical Research Institute in Westmead. Dalton, 66, who has been doing Great Cycle Challenge for ten years, is a theatre nurse, and survived melanoma cancer 30 years ago.Despite his minor setback of having a recent knee replacement, he said every kilometre…
MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire councillors have endorsed a draft Somerville Recreation Reserve master plan, paving the way for much-anticipated improvements to the community sporting hub. The endorsement was approved unanimously at the 14 October council meeting. Over the years, clubs have collaborated with the council as well as state and federal governments to explore the creation of a community sporting hub at the reserve. In December 2022, the initiative received a boost with $250,000 in state government funding through the Local Community Sport and Recreation Projects Program. The funds were earmarked for the construction of new cricket nets and the development…
A MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire councillor is pushing to revise concept design plans for a western pavilion at Mt Eliza’s Emil Madsen Reserve, calling for extra change rooms and a larger function area.Cr Stephen Batty is championing changes to the current designs arguing the facility needed to be expanded to properly support the area’s growing sporting and community use. “To me, it doesn’t cater for today’s participants, let alone the growth that we’re going to have in the future,” he told The News.The shire has currently proposed a concept design plan to build a western pavilion which would include only two…
BUSINESS leaders are joining forces on 9 November to raise funds for vulnerable children’s mental health and wellbeing through the Sorrento Bay Stride or Ride 2025.The community event brings together walkers, cyclists, sponsors, and leaders with one goal: to support children facing disadvantages, trauma, and social isolation in Victoria. The funds raised help provide life-changing programs that build resilience, confidence, and connection for these vulnerable kids.Now in its fourth year, Stride or Ride was started by the Sorrento Bay Riders, a group of passionate cycling enthusiasts. This year, notable participants include property developer and philanthropist Max Beck, TLC Healthcare CEO…