THE state government has approved a plan to build a $405m high-tech industry and business park in Somerville that aims to ease a critical shortage of industrial land in the region. The project by Procter Investments Pty Ltd would occupy a parcel of land at 79 and 83 Bungower Rd in Somerville, spanning some 37 hectares, with $1b projected in economic value. Under the proposal, the development would offer facilities for manufacturing, research and development, smaller start-ups and small to medium enterprises, with 1100 jobs expected to be generated. Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny last week approved the plans, known as…
Author: Brendan Rees
MORNINGTON Special Development School has been upgraded with new classrooms. The $8m state government project includes new art and food technology areas, a multi-purpose space, and four special needs learning areas, each sharing amenities, kitchen, storage, breakout zones and withdrawal spaces. Designed by Katz Architecture, it also features wide pathways, accessible bathrooms ramps and indoor-outdoor connections to “promote student independence and safe movements throughout the school”. The redevelopment also includes a library and community hub with landscaped areas including meeting rocks and a serpentine trail, each of which realises connections with country. “Connection with landscape is key, and all spaces…
A PUBLIC reserve strip in Mornington is set to be sold and rezoned for new homes, with a developer expected to create a replacement park. Mornington Peninsula Shire councillors approved the move at their 17 March meeting, despite resident opposition to the proposal. The land at 93 Watt Rd, described as “part of Reserve No 1 on Plan of Subdivision 346179,” sits between 8 and 10 Woodbyne Crescent. The long, narrow strip stretches about 163 metres and 10 metres wide, providing open space and a pedestrian link between Woodbyne Crs and Racecourse Rd. Council documents show the site was flagged…
MORNINGTON Peninsula ratepayers could avoid higher costs associated with the state government’s proposed four-bin waste system, after councillors voted unanimously to remove a glass bin rollout plan. At their meeting on 17 March at Mount Eliza Community Hall, Mornington Peninsula Shire councillors considered how to implement the government’s waste reform legislation, which aims to standardise recycling and waste services across Victoria. The full reforms would introduce a four-bin system with consistent lid colours across the state, designed to reduce confusion and improve recycling rates, including bins for general waste, mixed recycling, food and garden organics (FOGO), and glass recycling. Victorian…
CRIME across the Mornington Peninsula has begun to ease for the first time in five years, according to newly released figures from the Crime Statistics Agency. There were 12,194 criminal offences recorded in the Mornington Peninsula LGA in the year ending December 2025, down from 12,726 offences in the previous year, a drop of 4.2 per cent. Mornington was the peninsula suburb most affected by crime, followed closely by Rosebud and Hastings. The data shows crime dropped across some of the highest recorded offences including breach family violence order, steal from motor vehicle, criminal damage and other theft. However, steal…
A FORMER Padua College student is one of Victoria’s emerging designers whose VCE Media project will feature in the prestigious Top Designs 2026 exhibition at Melbourne Museum. Jake Symes, who graduated from the college last year, created a film called ‘Embers of the Past’ as part of his VCE Media studies. Filmed across the landscapes of Lutruwita/Tasmania, the project explores Symes’ Indigenous heritage while “exploring the remnants of a fading culture through reflective, speculative storytelling”. Top Designs, developed with the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority showcases projects from high-achieving students across government, independent, and Catholic schools. Projects were chosen by…
A NEW storage facility supporting the SES has been completed in Mornington to increase volunteer emergency response capability on the Mornington Peninsula. The facility, launched last week, was built on vacant land on Racecourse Rd where Hastings SES unit has stationed a response vehicle since 2023 to help meet growing emergency demand across the Mornington area. The new facility was made possible thanks to the Mornington Peninsula Shire committing a local area community capital infrastructure grant of more than $46,000 to support the project. It will provide secure storage for the response vehicle, a storm response trailer and critical emergency…
OPPONENTS of a controversial rollercoaster-style luge at Arthurs Seat have launched the next phase of their campaign, vowing to continue fighting the project despite recent state government approval. The Save Our Seat community group has announced a public meeting at the Dromana Community Hall on Sunday 29 March from 4-6pm to rally support and discuss next steps. The state government last month formally approved plans for a major redevelopment of the Arthurs Seat Eagle (ASE) tourism precinct, finding the proposal acceptable on planning grounds. The project includes a new observation tower, Victoria’s first mountaintop luge ride, an expanded café, and…
A WILDLIFE rescuer has reported the heartbreaking discovery of seven dead eastern grey kangaroos along a rural road in Flinders, raising concerns the animals may have been killed elsewhere and dumped at the site. Virginia Carter, co-ordinator of the Mornington Peninsula Wildlife Action Group and a wildlife rescuer with Wildlife Victoria, attended the incident on Meakins Rd about 3.45pm on 4 March after being contacted by a nearby landholder. She said the injuries to the kangaroos were consistent with being hit by vehicles and possibly being shot. Carter added the kangaroos “appeared to have been killed at another site and…
CYCLISTS, walkers, and nature enthusiasts can now enjoy the first completed section of the Peninsula Trail connecting Somerville to Baxter. The northern portion of the trail, stretching about 1.2kms between Baxter–Tooradin Rd and Golf Links Rd, has reached practical completion and is officially open for public use. The shared path is a vital missing link in the grand vision for the Peninsula Trails $7.7m project, a 170km network of connected trails traversing the Mornington Peninsula. Once the Somerville-Baxter section is complete, walkers and cyclists will be able to travel off road from central Melbourne all the way to Balnarring. Mornington…
THE Mornington Men’s Shed has celebrated a major milestone, securing a 50-year lease for a permanent home at 311 Racecourse Road. The move will provide a long-term base for combining its workshops and meeting spaces for the community-focused organisation. For years, the shed has operated across two separate sites, with its main workshop on Mitchell St and a secondary facility on Wilsons Rd. The new location, behind the existing Connecting to Australia (C2A) facility, will feature two purpose-built buildings. One will house activities such as woodwork and metalwork, while the other will serve as a quieter meeting space for billiards,…
A FAMILIAR face on Mornington’s beaches is stepping it up for a fundraising campaign close to her heart. Mornington beach patrol leader Susan Young – part of a volunteer group that regularly cleans and monitors beaches across Mornington – is fundraising for the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation (OCRF) after her best friend of 50 years, Michelle, was diagnosed with stage four ovarian cancer late last year. Young said Michelle began treatment almost immediately after her diagnosis. To raise funds for the OCRF, which is Australia’s leading independent funder of ovarian cancer research, Young has pledged to shave her head once…
A WILDLIFE safety sign installed to reduce animal-vehicle collisions on the Mornington Peninsula has been vandalised, drawing criticism from local wildlife advocates. The solar-powered variable message sign (VMS) on Browns Rd in Boneo near the intersection of Jetty Rd was recently fixed by Mornington Peninsula Shire after being damaged. Save Kangaroos on Mornington Peninsula (SKOMP) president Craig Thomson said the vandalism was frustrating given the work being done by several wildlife groups to reduce wildlife road trauma across the region. “Our group has been working alongside Mornington Peninsula Koala Conservation group and Mornington Peninsula Wildlife Action group to reduce wildlife…
SOMERVILLE Secondary College is set to explore a new synthetic soccer pitch for community use, following a council decision to develop a draft joint use agreement with the school and the Victorian School Building Authority. The motion, endorsed by councillors at their 17 February meeting, comes in response to a growing shortage of soccer fields in Somerville and the surrounding Western Port area. According to a council report, an independent condition audit of the existing college pitch found it “could not be renovated/refurbished to meet Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) quality mark standards, and the pitch was not in…
ROSEBUD teenager Amaia Heath has been selected to represent Australia in the Under-15 Ladies’ Gaelic Football team. “I felt excited and proud. I couldn’t believe that I would be representing my country and travelling to Ireland to play,” she said. Amaia has grown up playing competitive sports, including Australian Rules football and basketball. She credits these experiences with building her fitness, resilience, game sense, and love for teamwork. “Since 2024 I’ve played in a few [Gaelic football] tournaments for Young Melbourne,” she said. “I was introduced to it through my private AFL football coach Dean Jones, and the game really…
THE entrance to Portsea Pier and Newton Reserve became a hub of ideas this month as landscape design students visited to work on plans to improve the area. The Southern Peninsula Coastal Advisory Group (CAG) hosted a meeting on 18 February with Holmesglen sustainable landscape design students at the EW Newton Reserve on the Portsea foreshore. The group, a volunteer community advisory body established by Mornington Peninsula Shire, provides guidance on coastal strategic plans and helps communicate council projects to the wider community. CAG members – Emily Burke, Josie Jones, Bernadette Young, Ben Cullen, Gerry Byrne, Mark Davis, and Chris…
MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire councillors have approved a full renewal of the Canadian Bay Rd carpark in Mount Eliza, addressing years of deterioration and safety concerns. According to shire report, the existing carpark has reached the end of its life, with damaged surfaces, drainage issues, and erosion impacting the surrounding cliff faces. The upgrade will introduce new buffer zones between parking areas and cliff edges, upgraded pedestrian paths, and enhanced picnic and viewing facilities. Councillors unanimously approved the works at their 17 February meeting. The project, first proposed several years ago, has now been awarded to a confidential tenderer for an…
MT Martha Beach has earned its place among Australia’s Top 10 beaches for 2026, rubbing shoulders with some of the country’s most celebrated coastal icons. The official results of the Best Australian Beaches study were unveiled on 26 February revealing a stunning collection of beaches from across the nation, highlighting a diverse mix of coastal environments, from rugged southern shores to tropical northern coves. While the beaches of Bate Bay in Sydney’s south claimed the prestigious number one ranking, Mornington Peninsula’s own Mt Martha Beach emerged as the eighth best beach on the list – making it the only Victorian…
A DRAFT tree management policy is set to update the Mornington Peninsula Shire’s practices and provide clarity around trees impacting private property. Under the draft, which was approved by councillors at their 17 February meeting to be released for public consultation, the shire would remove trees or branches fallen from shire-managed land onto private land at the shire’s cost, providing a safe workplace and landowner consent were given. The policy also allows for the installation of root barriers on private land where deemed appropriate by a shire arborist. The estimated additional annual operational cost is $160,000, covering large tree removals…
THE 12th annual Luke Batty Memorial Shield T20 cricket match brought together the Victoria Police Cricket Club and Tyabb Cricket Club in a heartfelt tribute to the young boy whose death changed a community. While the annual fixture commemorates Luke Batty and raising awareness about family violence, the man-of-the-match award is dedicated to Leading Senior Constable Paul Topham, who worked at Hastings Police Station and was part of the initial police response and coronial inquest into Luke’s death. Paul tragically passed away in January 2019 following a struggle with mental health. Tyabb cricketer Josh Swainston was awarded the Paul Topham…
EIGHT-year-old Ezra Calabrese has his sights set on a big win, and an even bigger pumpkin, at this year’s Red Hill Show on 7 March. The young Mornington Peninsula grower is nurturing a giant pumpkin that’s already measuring an impressive 500 millimetres in diameter – roughly the size of two basketballs side-by-side, and it’s still growing. Ezra will enter the juniors’ largest vegetable category, hoping to go one better than last year when he proudly claimed second prize. And he’s determined to claim first prize, dad Lee said. Lee said they are a gardening family who grow a wide range…
A PIECE of maritime history has returned to the Mornington Peninsula thanks to the dedication of the New Peninsula Men’s Shed. The Mount Martha shed has completed a four-year restoration of the 12ft Classic Cadet Dinghy, “Bunyip”, a historic Tasmanian sailing boat with a documented 30-year racing history. Bunyip was discovered in Tasmania by a Men’s Shed member and brought to Mount Martha for a complete rebuild. The dinghy, made from cedar, mahogany, and Huon pine, is currently on display in the foyer of New Peninsula Church, Mount Martha, and will later feature at the Paynesville Classic Boat Rally before…
A LOCAL koala conservation group is calling for urgent action after multiple koalas have been killed on the Westernport Hwy this year. Mornington Peninsula Koala Conservation (MPKC) committee member Sue Boggan said since the start of this year an estimated ten koalas had been killed on the road. She said the area of concern along the highway was between Thornells Rd and the intersection of Oneills Rd and Mckirdys Rd. “We’ve lost two females who would have had joeys with them. The koalas were left to the side of the road, and we couldn’t find the joeys.” Since 2024, more…
MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire councillors have supported an environmental submission on a proposed Dromana residential development, ensuring the council’s concerns for an endangered lizard species’ habitat are formally considered federally. The approval, passed at the 17 February council meeting, retrospectively endorses a submission lodged by shire officers during the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act public exhibition in November last year. The submission formalises the shire’s position on the project at 62 Collins Road and 170 Boundary Rd, which proposes a 250-lot residential subdivision including a 6.99-hectare conservation reserve. The land, currently vacant and heavily vegetated, is zoned Low Density…
A ROSEBUD youth service charity is facing an uncertain future after a federal government decision to redirect mental health funding away from local initiatives. Jimmy’s Youth Wellbeing Sanctuary manager Jeanette Horsley said they had been told that by 30 June the federal government’s funding currently committed to Jimmy’s would cease. She added that there would be “no ongoing or recurrent funding due largely to the commitment by the Australian government to channel critical mental health dollars into national projects and Primary Health Networks”. “While we understand the strategic thinking behind these decisions and remain extremely grateful for the very positive…
VOLUNTEERS at the Boneo Lions Club have been left gutted after a custom-made marquee was stolen from the depot behind their opportunity shop in Rosebud. The theft occurred in the early hours of Wednesday 4 February. CCTV footage showed a single person wearing a dark hoodie riding a motorised scooter as they made off with the 3m by 4.5m marquee, which proudly displayed the club name and logo. The marquee, bought just over 12 months ago for $2000, was used at the club’s monthly Sunday Community Market on the Rosebud foreshore and at other events. Club President Terry Cook described…
The state government has approved a major redevelopment of Arthurs Seat Eagle, finding the project acceptable on planning grounds – a decision that has sparked backlash from some on the Mornington Peninsula. In a statement issued on February 19, Arthurs Seat Eagle (ASE) announced it had received approval from the Department of Transport and Planning (DTP) “for a landmark upgrade that will, once completed, establish the attraction as one of Australia’s premier year-round tourism destinations”.The approved project includes a new observation tower, Victoria’s first mountaintop luge ride, a café expansion and a purpose-built indoor immersive experience centre. The statement…
MICHAEL “Mick” O’Rourke, a large figure in community sport on the Mornington Peninsula, was posthumously awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the Australia Day Honours. For more than six decades, O’Rourke’s life was inseparable from the Rye Football Netball Club and the wider Rye sporting community. His contribution spanned playing, coaching, administration and tireless behind-the-scenes work that helped shape not just a club, but generations of people connected to it. His family said the honour, which recognised his “service to community sport”, reflected what they had always known about him. “Our family is deeply proud of…
Volunteers at the Southern Peninsula Rescue Squad Op Shop (SPRS) in Rye have been left disappointed after a counterfeit $50 note was used in the store two weeks ago. The fake note, which passed through the shop undetected, was later identified by Bendigo Bank. SPRS committee member Pamela Taverniti said the note wasn’t an obvious fake and only came to light when the shop’s banking was processed. She said the incident was the first time the store had ever encountered a fake note. “It went past our staff in the op shop and then the lady who does our banking…
THE $2.2m Mount Martha Village parking and footpath project has been revised following extensive community consultation, with updated plans now awaiting council endorsement. The Mornington Peninsula Shire project, funded in the 2023–2024 financial year with $125,000 allocated for design, aims to upgrade the existing gravel carpark to a paved surface, redesign the Watson Rd central island, and improve footpath connections from the residential area to the foreshore and from the carpark to the village’s commercial area. Community consultation ran from 29 August to 3 October last year, receiving 488 survey responses and five emails. Just over half of respondents supported…