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…
Author: Brendan Rees
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…
FOOTPATH trading fees will be scrapped for the next 12 months across the Morning Peninsula, giving businesses a huge boost as part of the shire’s new footpath trading policy.The decision was endorsed at the council’s 14 October meeting, marking the first major update to the shire’s footpath trading policy since 2008. The 12-month “amnesty period” means all application fees for outdoor trading will be waived as the new policy is rolled out.According to the shire, the move aims to revitalise town centres, give street-front businesses more flexibility and encourage vibrant, welcoming public spaces. “By waiving permit fees for the next…
A RESIDENT has raised concerns after discovering a used syringe on the floor of a public disabled toilet next to Rosebud pier. The resident, who wished to remain anonymous, said they found the syringe on 22 October and noticed that the sharps disposal box inside the toilet was overflowing, posing a risk to users.The resident said it was very worrying to see an uncapped syringe lying on the floor, adding there was no excuse for maintaining safety and cleanliness. The uni-sex toilet, located near a playground and barbecue area, was described as “packed to the brim” with used syringes in…
MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire has adopted its Road Management Plan 2025, a key strategy guiding inspection, maintenance, and repair of more than 1700km of roads.Councillors unanimously approved the final plan at their 14 October meeting, which is in line with the Road Management Act that requires councils to review their Road Management Plan (RMP) by 30 June following a general election.The plan, which includes footpaths and related infrastructure across the peninsula, ensures council can “continue delivering reliable and efficient road services, while working within available resources and maintaining transparency with the community”.It also defines the minimum service standards for road inspections…
A ROSEBUD couple have celebrated a rare and remarkable milestone – their 70th wedding anniversary.Bill and Beryl, who have lived on the Mornington Peninsula for 30 years, met at a dance in Brooklyn (in Melbourne’s western suburbs) in 1951, and were married at the Church of England in Brunswick on 15 October 1955. Today they have four children, 11 grandchildren and 16 great grandchildren.Asked what the secret was to a long marriage, Bill said, “doing things together” while Beryl humoured “getting my own way”. To mark the platinum wedding anniversary, the family had a celebration dinner at Jade Court restaurant…
FAMILIES and visitors can now enjoy a brand-new playground and recreation area at the Capel Sound foreshore just in time for the warmer months. The $1m upgraded space features a playground, a wheelchair accessible boardwalk with low seating benches, along with a barbecue, picnic tables and increased lawn area for all people to experience.Community members together with Capel Sound Foreshores, which manages the site, gathered for an opening ceremony on 15 October, celebrating the completion of the project. Work on the new space, which was undertaken between March and August, was made possible thanks to $500,000 in funding from the…
RYE Primary School has marked a major milestone, celebrating its 150th anniversary with a fun-filled week of events to honour its rich history.Past students, staff, and the wider community came together during the week with the biggest highlight being an assembly where more than 800 people from the Rye community came together.As well as a history lesson, there were a series of activities designed to reflect on the school’s proud past included traditional games such as marbles and calligraphy writing to get a feel for “what school life was like years ago” following the school’s foundation in 1875. There was…
A RENOWNED Australian artist has thrown his support behind efforts to restore Rosebud’s nearly century-old Broadway Theatre, offering one of his works for sale to help raise funds for the project.John Baird’s painting Coda is currently on display in the Wannaeue Window, a public-facing exhibition space built into the front of the old theatre. The striking piece is priced at $7000, with Baird generously pledging to donate half of the proceeds to the theatre’s restoration project.Funds will be directed through a tax-deductible campaign via the Australian Cultural Fund, bolstering efforts by the Mornington Peninsula-based Barnacle Studios Collective to transform the…
MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire councillors have approved construction works to begin on a long-awaited retaining wall to stabilise a section of cliff in Mt Martha following a landslip five years ago.The decision, made at the council’s 14 October meeting, will also pave the way for the rebuilding of two access roads that have remained closed since the incident. The multi-million-dollar works are expected to start in November and be completed by December next year.The landslip occurred on 29 September 2020 above the Esplanade between Ellerina Rd and Bradford Rd. About 30 tonnes of material and vegetation slipped onto the Esplanade, completely…
BUSHLAND at Sunshine Reserve in Mt Martha has been marred by an act of vandalism, leaving conservationists devastated.Several trees and native shrubs including old swamp paperbarks were hacked with axes, pushed over, and destroyed in what is being described as a deliberate and senseless attack on one of the area’s most cherished natural spaces.Volunteers of the Sunshine Reserve Conservation Group Inc discovered the damage on 21 September.“A mature stand of melaleuca swamp paperbark and sweet bursaria were recklessly pushed over and axed and thrown in the creek,” said Pia Spreen, Mornington project leader at Naturelinks Landscape Management.“Swamp paperbark is a…
WHEN Somerville mum Ebony Brouwer noticed bruises appearing all over the body of her two-year-old son Theodore, she initially brushed them off as a typical mark of a “wild, energetic” toddler. “He was jumping off coffee tables, doing backflips on the couch, riding his balance bike down huge hills. But then everything changed,” she said. Theo had been unwell for a month, prompting visits to the GP. Each time, Ebony was told it was likely just a virus and to give it time.But one morning, something shifted. While visiting his cousins who were running around, Theo remained still, curling up…
HOMES for Homes, a not-for-profit group, has donated $245,000 to support community housing providers on the Mornington Peninsula, which is experiencing the highest number of people experiencing homelessness of any local government area in the state.The independent organisation, created by Australia’s largest and most successful social enterprise, The Big Issue, raises funds for social and affordable housing through property donations. A cheque was formally presented to two grant recipients on the peninsula by representatives from Homes for Homes on 13 October.The successful projects awarded funding included the Kids Under Cover branch in Mornington ($145,000) to install a semi-independent studio in…
SOMERVILLE Primary School turned back the clock last week to mark a major milestone – its 140th anniversary.To mark the occasion, students dressed in attire from different decades, bringing the past to life in a vibrant atmosphere while celebrating the school’s rich history, which first opened its doors on 1 January 1885. The school hallway was also transformed into a museum featuring photos and memorabilia from years gone by.The celebratory week from 6-10 October also saw students learning about what school was like in the past as well as listening to guest speakers who attended Somerville Primary in the past,…
A quiet sporting revolution is underway on the Mornington Peninsula – and it’s happening one paddle and plastic ball at a time. Pickleball, a fast-growing social sport that blends elements of tennis, badminton and table tennis, is quickly becoming a local favourite.New data from January to September showed Somerville Recreation Centre recorded a 97 per cent increase in hours of play from the same date range last year (9857 hours), while Mornington’s Civic Reserve Recreation Centre saw a 145 per cent surge (7350 hours).Its popularity comes as World Pickleball Day was celebrated on 10 October. And with the potential of…
GOLFERS will unite at Devilbend Golf Club for a charity day this month supporting Mornington Peninsula Legacy, raising funds for families of veterans who have served their country.The 24 October event will see more than 90 players come together for a day of fun and solidarity with all proceeds going to Mornington Legacy; a charity that has been dedicated to supporting dependents of veterans for over 100 years.The not-for-profit provides a range of social activities, services, and support. It cares for families from Chelsea, running through Frankston, Mornington, Mount Eliza, Mount Martha, down to Portsea and across to Hastings in…